| You will no doubt be bombarded with advice when | | | | the bowl, as close to the ground as possible, and |
| you are new to the game. Well wishing experienced | | | | continue to follow through with your arm on the |
| bowlers are always eager to pass on their own | | | | projected path. This is very important, so as not to 'pull' |
| methods of doing something, some things will be very | | | | the bowl on release. A good practise is too imagine |
| helpful, some may not, but they all mean well, but they | | | | that your photo is being taken each time you deliver, |
| forget that there is a lot to take in on your first few | | | | and you need to hold the pose after delivering the |
| games, and getting too much advice can confuse, as | | | | bowl, this will make sure you do not get up to early, or |
| no doubt you have already found. Of course you can | | | | snatch at the bowl as it is released, everything must |
| enrol on a organized coaching scheme, if there is one | | | | be smooth, slow, and deliberate. practise this for |
| being held locally, but if not you will be left to pick up | | | | several ends on your forehand, and again on your |
| the game as you go along from our bowling friends. | | | | backhand, you can never practise your delivery style |
| We will not go into the many laws and rules of the | | | | too much, it is going to be one of the most important |
| game here, as they can be found on the various | | | | aspects of your game, you must develop a smooth |
| governing bodies sites, instead we will look at arming | | | | consistent delivery, which we don't need to think about, |
| you with the basics to get started, and improving your | | | | it is just part of you, the simpler you keep it the better, |
| game. | | | | the less there is to go wrong with it over the years to |
| It has been said in the past, I think it was the Great | | | | come, just make it your own, and stick to it.now you |
| man himself David Bryant that 'Bowls is 10% skill and | | | | have mastered your delivery technique, it is time to |
| 90% intangibles', this may sound like it is a game of | | | | learn how to bowl a 'perfect line'. You will need 2 extra |
| luck, but this could not be further from the truth. What | | | | delivery mats for this excercise if possible, if not |
| is meant is that, we can all be taught to bowl a bowl | | | | anything of a similar size which the bowl will roll over. |
| along a desired path, but no one can teach you to | | | | Take 1 mat and place it aprox 5 metres in front of the |
| make that ball stop at a desired length, this is solely | | | | delivery mat, and aprox 1 metre out from the centre |
| down to your touch, feel, co-ordination, and most | | | | line of the rink, do the same both sides of the centre |
| importantly your sub- consciouses thoughts, which will | | | | line. Now using your new super smooth delivery action, |
| work out the weight of the object you are holding, and | | | | make this mat your aiming point, and with enought |
| how far it has got to travel, the type of surface it is | | | | weight to reach half way down the green, try and roll |
| rolling on, etc. and then signal to your arm how much | | | | your bowl directly over the mat, when you are able to |
| back swing you will need to propel the bowl to where | | | | do this with all 4 bowls on your forehand and |
| you want it to go, (intangibles). You will often hear | | | | backhand, move the mat froward to 10 metres and 1.5 |
| bowlers say, they don't know why sometimes they | | | | metres out, and then 15 metres and 2 metres out. |
| can play brilliantly, and the next night have a poor | | | | When you have learnt to do this consistently, you |
| game, (intangibles), we can never quite understand | | | | know that you can 'pick a line' and bowl it, now you |
| why this is, but we can learn ways, to help make us | | | | just need to learn which line to bowl. |
| more consistent, which is all we can strive for, | | | | There are several different methods employed to |
| consistency is fundamental to the sport, and probably | | | | determine line, some players will use a marker on the |
| any sport. We will look at the mental side of the game | | | | bank, some will use a marker on the green, whichever |
| in later posts, but for now, we will concentrate on what | | | | you choose make sure it is a permanent marker, not |
| can be taught, which is a consistent delivery, which will | | | | one which may be moved during the game, there |
| enable you to bowl a consistent line, which is half the | | | | have been stories of somebody having a brilliant game, |
| game. | | | | using a bowls bag at the other end of the green, as a |
| We will assume that you have already been told what | | | | marker, only for the bag to be moved, or a leaf on the |
| side of the bowl is the bias side, which side is your | | | | green only for it to be moved by the wind. The only |
| forehand and backhand, that you will be using the | | | | problem with markers is that you will need to adjust in |
| athletic style delivery, and that you are practising on | | | | or out from your chosen marker, depending on the |
| your own. | | | | length of the Jack. Another method is to 'bowl to an |
| It is important that you try and keep everything in line | | | | imaginary arc', the arc of your chosen bowls will differ, |
| when you step on to the delivery mat to play, so begin | | | | but you will learn this with experience. On visualizing |
| by standing behind the mat, make a point of always | | | | your chosen path to the jack, you will be able to |
| starting from the same position, don't walk on from the | | | | determine the shoulder of the are, the point where the |
| side, remember we are trying to make your delivery | | | | bowl will start to draw in, this is your aiming point, |
| stance a 'habit', so you don't have to think about it, 'just | | | | normally about 2/3 of the way along the draw line. If |
| do it' to coin a Fraze. Walk onto the mat looking in the | | | | you can learn to visualize the path you are taking to |
| direction you plan to bowl, stand with your feet a small | | | | the jack, before you bowl, it will be advantageous to |
| distance apart, so as to give you a stable base to | | | | your game in years to come, and as you start to |
| start your delivery from. position yourself so you are | | | | improve, it will mean you can not only visualize the |
| pointing in the direction you intend to bowl, ie. forehand, | | | | draw line required, but also the line you need to pick, |
| or backhand. For now all we will be doing is delivering | | | | when 'Driving' at the head, playing 'controlled weight', or |
| the bowl, not at any target, so take a comfortable | | | | the 'yard on' shot. Concentrating and picturing |
| step forward with your left foot if right handed, or your | | | | (visualizing) the line you are about to take, while |
| right foot if left handed, while at the same time bringing | | | | standing on the mat waiting to bowl, will also help your |
| your bowling arm back to create a back swing, your | | | | sub consciouses mind feed in valuable data on how |
| non bowling arm should be used to steady yourself, | | | | much weight you will need to bowl, but that is getting |
| and keep balance,bending down as you go forward, | | | | back into the intangibles of the game, and that is |
| you should just about be able scrape the grass with | | | | another lesson for another day. |
| your finger tips as your arm comes through. Release | | | | |