All games played are subject to the British version of the Laws for the Game of Bowls and to the variations issued by the Club set out below. These rules are the condition for entry into any of the Club Leagues. The full rules are published in this Handbook.
The Club and League Committee wish to make each team Member aware of his/her responsibility for paying their rink fees for each game and should not leave any financial penalty on their Team Organiser.
Payment of subscriptions is the responsibility of each individual Member and must be made before playing any match.
Team Organisers can register up to 6 players for a pairs team, 8 players for a triples team and 9 players for a fours team. However, if the maximum number of teams were met (10) in a league, then the number of players in a team can be exceeded. Deviations to the permitted number of registered players may be sanctioned by the League Committee under special circumstances.
It is the responsibility of both Team Organisers to inform the League Committee and Reception in any case of postponement or rescheduling.
Any queries regarding the published League Schedule must be directed to the League Committee.
1. Club League Schedule
Applications to enter a Team in a League must be received by the date shown on the entry form and a League schedule will be produced from the entries submitted. There will be a maximum of 10 Teams in any one League and, where possible, to be an even number of Teams to avoid ‘stand down weeks’. The earliest entries will have preference.
2. Team Organisation and Registration
All Team Organisers must register their players in the appropriate League, with the League Committee, before that player can play any League game. A player cannot be registered for more than one Team in the same League. Additional players may be registered at any time prior to playing. They cannot, however, be registered during the last four weeks of the League season. Infringement of this rule will result in the offending Team forfeiting the game.
Team Organisers must advise the League Committee of any members to be added to, or removed from, their team at the earliest possible date and before any additional member plays a game for the team.
When possible, the League Committee will publish a list of members who have expressed an interest in joining a team but have not been allocated to anyone. These members may be called upon by the Team Organisers if required, following consultation with the League Committee.
Payment of rink fees for each game played is the responsibility of the individual team members. These must be paid before any League game can be played by the Team of which they are a member.
3. Rink Fees for League Games
When the Reception is open, score cards will only be issued on receipt of rink fees.
4. Date Changes and Postponements
a) League games shall be played at a time and date as set out in the published League Schedule or as modified by official rescheduling. Games may be played before the scheduled date by mutual agreement of both Team Organisers.
b) If a Team Organiser is unable to field a Team the game should be postponed no later than 7.00pm on the day prior. It is the responsibility of the defaulting team, in consultation with their opponents, to re-arrange the game to be played within 21 days of the scheduled date. If this is not possible the League Committee will give a date for the game to be played and if either team cannot make that date, they will forfeit the game.
c) Failure to play on this revised date will result in 2 points and 10 shots being awarded to the non-offending Team.
5. Start and Finish of Club League Games
a) Duration of all Indoor League Games is 1 hour 55 minutes (see Rule 5b for arrangements concerning the buzzer sound).
b) Duration of all Outdoor League Games is 15 ends or 1 hour 55 minutes, whichever comes first.
c) There will be no trial ends.
d) If a Team is unable to start on time a penalty is applicable as follows:
- Delay of 5 minutes 1 shot
- Delay of 10 minutes 2 shots
- Delay of 15 minutes 3 shots
If there is a delay in starting it can be mutually agreed to play for 1 hour 55 minutes provided there is sufficient time and subject to rink availability and no penalty shots will be applied.
If there is a delay of 20 minutes the game is forfeited. Failure by any Team to turn up for a game without a reasonable excuse may result in the game being awarded to the non-offending Team – this may include cases of an incomplete Pairs team causing a match to be cancelled on the day subject to the decision of the League Committee. The non–offending Team will then be awarded 2 points and 10 shots. Whether the excuse is reasonable or not is a matter for the League Committee.
Any team that deliberately concedes a game before the 1 hour 55 minutes duration or any team deemed by the League Committee to be involved in manipulation of a result will be penalised with a 5 points penalty and 10 shots deduction.
b) In all League games the Skip may only visit the head on the last end after the buzzer has sounded. The last end is deemed to have started when the mat has been placed, and the jack has been delivered. On the last end if the jack is in motion when the buzzer sounds and the jack goes off the rink; the opposing skip shall put the jack on the ‘T’ and place the mat at their discretion.
6. Incomplete Teams
a) Fours – A single player being absent from one or both Teams the game will proceed as follows. The Team (or teams) with three players shall play as follows – the lead and two will play 3 woods each and the Skip will play 2 woods. They will, however, lose one quarter of their total score or that score achieved up to the point when the fourth player arrives.
b) Triples – If only two players are available for one Team the game must be played with the non-offending team – Team A – two players to have 3 woods each and one player to have 2 woods. The offending team – Team B – having 4 woods each. If the third member
of Team B arrives the format reverts to standard triples i.e. 3 woods each. They will also lose one quarter of their total score or that score achieved up to the point when the third player arrives. In the case of Handicap Triples the missing player’s handicap is included.
In the event of a player from each Team being unavailable the match will be played as pairs.
If either team refuses to play, whether they are the team with only 2 players, or the complete team, they will be deemed as forfeiting the game. The team which is willing the complete the game will be awarded 2 points and 10 shots.
This rule is for a maximum of 3 games per season. After 3 games the offending team forfeits the match for every further game they are missing a player.
c) Pairs – In the event of a Pairs Team only arriving with one player the match obviously cannot proceed. The offending team may decide to concede the game immediately, or, in consultation with their opponents, agree to re-arrange the game to be played within 21 days of the scheduled date. If this is not possible the League Committee will give a date for the game to be played and if either team cannot make that date the League Committee will rule on who will forfeit the game, based upon the reasons provided for the original and subsequent postponements.
d) If any player from any Team has to leave during the game as the result of any emergency or illness and both teams decide to continue playing the game before 10 ends have been completed as outlined in Rule 16, then the format will revert to that described in 6b above. Should both teams agree to abandon the game then it should be rearranged between the Team Organisers and the League Committee informed.
7. Yardstick
In order to ensure the game retains its original intention of being a purely drawing game the jack will be delivered and placed on the centre line on the nearest ‘Spot’ or on the ‘T’. Should the jack in the course of play be moved by one or more deliveries by more than 1 yard it will be replaced as near as possible to its original ‘spot’ position but not nearer to the ‘T’. One extra point to be awarded to the Team which has ‘shot wood’ at each end, still within one yard.
8. 3 Wood Clyno Pairs
The Clyno Pairs League comprises 2 players in each Team having 3 bowls each. On completion of each end the shot nearest to the jack scores 3 points, the second bowl 2
points and the third bowl 1 point. In the event of 2 bowls being equidistant from the jack the value of the bowls in question will be added together and divided by 2 to include half points. The game continues until one Team has scored 55 points or after 1 hour 55 minutes play whichever event occurs first.
9. Handicap League
The basis of the Handicap League game is to provide players of varying ability an equal opportunity to win the game.
The game is Open Triples, 3 bowls each player and played over 1 hour 55 minutes.
The Handicap Sub Committee will set the Handicaps at the beginning of each season and these will remain for the duration of that season. Players will be allocated their individual Handicap from zero to 6 shots. Zero being for the better bowlers and up to 6 for those with lesser experience.
The Handicaps awarded to each player in the Team will be added together and the difference between the two totals will be written onto the scorecard as the starting score.
At the end of the game the maximum shot difference will be limited to 20 shots.
Should a substitute be used the Handicap of the substitute will apply.
10. Singles – Ladder League
A singles match will consist of 2 sets of 10 ends, with a 3-end tie breaker if required. Two jacks are required for each rink.
At the completion of each end the second jack will be placed directly in front of the mat, and this will be the position of the jack for the following end. The winner of the previous end will then choose where to place the mat for the following end, again with the 23m minimum length being applied.
Each player will bowl 4 woods per end. The toss is redone for the tie break, and the jack is placed on the ‘T’ for each tie break end. The mat can be placed wherever the winner chooses. During the tie break the players take in turns to start each tie break end.
The jack is placed on the ’T’ for the first end and the winner of the coin toss shall then choose where to place the mat – with the 23m minimum length rule being applied.
11. Points Awarded
League Games 2 points for a win. 1 point for a draw
If Teams are level at the end of the season, then the ‘shot difference’ will apply. If still level ‘total shots for’ will apply. If still level then ‘ends won’ will apply.
12. Promotion and Relegation
In League games with more than one Division the bottom team of Division 1 shall be relegated, and the winning team of Division 2 shall be promoted. An application for any exceptions to this rule must be made in writing to the League Committee.
13. Conceded Games
Games cannot be conceded during the last four weeks of the league season if the outcome affects Promotion, Relegation, Winners or Runners-Up.
League Winners and Runners-Up shall not retain their final league position unless they have made every attempt to play all scheduled games.
14. Re-Spotting – Indoor Leagues Only
Whenever the jack goes out of play either side of the rink, the jack shall be placed on the spot near to the ‘T’, on the side that the jack went out of play. (The jack in the ditch remains in the ditch as it is still in play)
15. Visits to the Head
Visits to the head are allowed in all singles matches after the bowler has bowled their 2nd wood.
Visits to the head are not permitted in any other matches except in finals, when the Skip may visit the head after their 2nd wood
16. Abandoned Games
Where a game has to be abandoned due to circumstances beyond the control of the players (which may include sickness and/or inclement weather such as a heat wave or excessive rain) then the game will be re-arranged. If, however, the Teams have completed
10 ends or played for 1 hour and 30 minutes or more, then the final score will be the score at the time the match was abandoned.
17. Disputes
The League Committee must be informed in writing within 7 days of the dispute arising. The League Committee will deal with the matter within 14 days of receipt of the written notice and their decision will be final.
18. League Trophies
League Cups and Shields will remain the property of Taunton Deane Bowling Club. Any Trophies taken away must be signed for and covered by the insurance of the person who takes it. They must be returned when appropriate or requested by the Club.
19. League Committee
The League Committee to consist of a minimum of 3 members and a maximum of 6.
You can access all the information you need on the Competitions & Results page, the Club Competition Rules page, and the Inter Club & League Matches page. For the full county results go to the County/National Results page. We have also started putting the Honours Board up, but this is a work in progress.