Editing Bowls (section)

==Variations of play==
[[Image:Edgworth Bowling Green.jpg|thumb|A crown green at [[Edgworth, Lancashire]]]]Particularly in team competition there can be a large number of bowls on the green towards the conclusion of the end, and this gives rise to complex tactics. Teams "holding shot" with the closest bowl will often make their subsequent shots not with the goal of placing the bowl near the jack, but in positions to make it difficult for opponents to get their bowls into the head, or to places where the jack might be deflected to if the opponent attempts to disturb the head.

There are many different ways to set up the game. [[Crown green bowls|Crown Green Bowling]] utilises the entire green. A player can send the jack anywhere on the green in this game and the green itself is more akin to a golf green, with much undulation. It is played with only two woods each. The jack also has a bias and is only slightly smaller than the woods. At the amateur level it is usual for several ends to be played simultaneously on one green. If two moving woods meet, both are taken back and the shots replayed. If a moving wood strikes a stationary wood or jack from another end, it is again taken back and replayed, but the bowl struck is replaced where contact took place. The game is played usually to 21-up in Singles and Doubles format with some competitions playing to 31-up. The Panel (Professional Crown Green Bowls) is played at the Red Lion Bowling Green, [[Westhoughton]] daily and is played to 41-up with greenside betting throughout play.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://panelbowls.co.uk/ |access-date=2023-02-10 |website=Home |language=en-US}}</ref> The Green was formerly owned by the pub (now demolished<ref>{{Cite web |title=Red Lion pub in Westhoughton to be demolished |url=https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/11795045.red-lion-pub-in-westhoughton-to-be-demolished/ |access-date=2023-02-10 |website=The Bolton News |date=15 February 2015 |language=en}}</ref>) but was purchased in 2007 by The Panel who paid the brewery £12,000 for the green and its surrounds.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-02-17 |title=Bowls: Panel look back to the future |url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/other-sport/bowls-panel-look-back-to-the-future-1193969 |access-date=2023-02-10 |website=Manchester Evening News |language=en}}</ref>

Singles, triples and fours and Australian pairs are some ways the game can be played. In singles, two people play against each other and the first to reach 21, 25, or 31 shots (as decided by the controlling body) is the winner. In one variation of singles play, each player uses two bowls only and the game is played over 21 ends.  A player concedes the game before the 21st end if the score difference is such that it is impossible to draw equal or win within the 21 ends. If the score is equal after 21 ends, an extra end is played to decide the winner. An additional scoring method is set play. This comprises two sets over nine ends. Should a player win a set each, they then play a further 3 ends that will decide the winner.

Pairs allows both people on a team to play Skip and Lead. The lead throws two bowls, the skip delivers two, then the lead delivers his remaining two, the skip then delivers his remaining two bowls. Each end, the leads and skips switch positions. This is played over 21 ends or sets play. Triples is with three players while Fours is with four players in each team and is played over 21 ends.

Another pairs variation is 242 pairs (also known as Australian Pairs). In the first end of the game the A players lead off with 2 bowls each, then the B players play 4 bowls each, before the A players complete the end with their final 2 bowls. The A players act as lead and skip in the same end. In the second end the roles are reversed with the A players being in the middle. This alternating pattern continues through the game which is typically over 15 ends.

[[Short Mat Bowls]] is an all-year sport unaffected by weather conditions and it does not require a permanent location as the rink mats can be rolled up and stowed away. This makes it particularly appropriate for small communities as it can be played in village halls, schools, sports and social clubs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Short Mat Bowling For Beginners |url=https://www.bowls.co.uk/short-mat |access-date=2023-02-10 |website=Bowls.co.uk |date=20 June 2017 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Bowls are played by the blind and paraplegic. Blind bowlers are extremely skillful. A string is run out down the centre of the lane and wherever the jack lands, it is moved across to the string and the length is called out by a sighted marker. When the woods are sent the distance from the jack is called out, in yards, feet and inches. The position in relation to the jack is given using the clock; 12.00 is behind the jack.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rbbg.co.uk/blind-bowling-explained/4534550448|title=Blind Bowling Explained - RBBG|website=www.rbbg.co.uk|language=en|access-date=12 November 2017|archive-date=13 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171113003046/http://www.rbbg.co.uk/blind-bowling-explained/4534550448|url-status=usurped}}</ref>

=== Tra bowls ===
[[File:Trabol.JPG|thumb|A bowls tra with bowls and spectator seats next to it]]
In the province of [[West Flanders]] (and surrounding regions), tra bowls is the most popular variation of bowls. As opposed to playing it on a flat or uneven terrain, the terrain is made smooth but hollow (''tra'' just means "hollow road" in Flemish). The hollow road causes the path to be curving even more.

The balls are biased in the same way as the lawn bowls balls but with a diameter of about {{convert|20|cm|abbr=on}}, a thickness of {{convert|12|cm|abbr=on}} and a weight of about {{convert|2|kg|abbr=on}}, they are a bit bigger than usual bowls. The target is an unmovable feather or metal plate on the ground, instead of a small ball. The length of the tra is about {{convert|18|m|abbr=on}}.

The scoring is also different, as a point is awarded for every shot that brings the ball closer to the target than any opponent's ball. This causes pure blocking strategies to be less effective.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.vlas.be/vlaspdf/infofolders/trabol.pdf |title=Tra bowls information brochure |access-date=11 December 2014 |archive-date=5 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131205063204/http://www.vlas.be/vlaspdf/infofolders/trabol.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 1972, the West-Flemish tra bowls federation was founded to uniform the local differing rules and to organise a match calendar.  Meanwhile, they also organise championships and tournaments.<ref>{{cite web | title=West-Flemish tra bowls federation | website=westvlaamsetrabolders.be | date=2020-10-22 | url=http://www.westvlaamsetrabolders.be/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201130203255/http://www.westvlaamsetrabolders.be/ | archive-date=2020-11-30 | url-status=dead }}</ref>