Delivery Technique

Your stance is the platform for every shot. Without a solid, repeatable foundation you cannot bowl consistently.

1. Stand feet shoulder-width apart, weight evenly balanced on both feet.
2. Align your feet, hips, and shoulders square to your delivery line — not the jack.
3. Choose a fixed (crouched from the start) or upright athletic stance — pick one and always use it.
4. Keep your head still and eyes on your aiming point on the bank or rink edge.
5. Use the same position on the mat every delivery for consistent line angles.

Your grip is your only contact with the bowl. It governs how the bowl behaves on release and how consistently you can control it.

1. Hold the bowl with the bias facing the correct direction (large logo outward for forehand, inward for backhand).
2. Support the bowl with fingers underneath — not cradled entirely in the palm.
3. Claw grip: fingers spread firmly over the bowl. Best for fast shots and slow greens.
4. Cradle grip: bowl rests more in the palm, fingers relaxed. Best for touch shots on fast greens.
5. Keep your grip consistent for every shot to build muscle memory.

A smooth, pendulum-like delivery is the cornerstone of consistent bowls. The most common fault is pushing the bowl instead of swinging it.

1. Begin with the bowl at your side, arm naturally extended along your delivery line.
2. Initiate a straight backswing along your intended line — keep the bowl low.
3. Step forward with the opposite foot to your bowling hand (right hand → left foot forward).
4. Let gravity assist the forward swing — avoid forcing or muscling the motion.
5. Release the bowl as low to the green as possible with a smooth rolling contact.
6. Follow through fully, extending your arm toward your aiming point after release.

Line is the arc your bowl must travel to reach its destination. Once you've found the correct line, it should remain constant — it is weight that changes the end position.

1. Pick a specific visual aiming point on the bank — a marker, discolouration, or distinct feature.
2. Identify the natural draw path for each hand separately — they are rarely mirror images.
3. On fast greens, aim wider — the bias takes effect earlier and the bowl swings more.
4. On wet or slow greens, aim slightly narrower — the bowl reaches its apex later.
5. Once you've found the correct line in trial ends, commit to that aiming point and do not deviate.

Weight is considered the hardest skill in bowls. Unlike line, the jack length changes constantly throughout a match.

1. Draw weight: just enough force to reach the jack. The bowl should come to rest at the jack, not past it.
2. Use your backswing height as the primary regulator — higher backswing = more weight.
3. On fast greens, use a shorter, lower backswing. On slow greens, a longer, higher one.
4. Develop "touch" — the ability to feel the green and adjust weight instantly through repetition.
5. Watch your bowl all the way to where it stops to calibrate your next delivery.

Moving your position on the mat changes the angle of your delivery. An advanced tactical tool used to navigate around obstacles.

1. Moving to the outside of the mat on your delivery hand side widens your angle — useful for getting around short blocking bowls.
2. Moving forward slightly on the mat shortens the effective delivery distance — rarely used.
3. Only change mat position when there is a specific tactical reason — consistency from the same spot is almost always better.
4. Ensure any change doesn't compromise your foot placement (foot fault risk).
5. Re-establish your visual aiming point each time you change mat position.