Himalayan Lawn Bowls
Himalayan Lawn Bowls is a simple game and very similar to French Pétanque, Italian Bochi and English Boules, with some variations.
The aim is to get your ball closer to the Jack (small wooden ball) than your opponent’s ball.
1. The court is grassed, level, and measures approximately 20 feet square. Grit or clay surfaces are also possible.
2. A total of 12 balls are available. The game is usually played by two competing individuals with six balls each, or two teams of two or more players per team. Occasionally three competing individual players with four balls each play. Therefore, six players could play in three pairs (four balls per pair), or two teams of three (six balls per threesome).
3. Of the twelve balls, six have a single stripe, six a double. Four each are marked red, white and black.
4. Balls are thrown from within three feet / one metre of the boundary, with play starting with the valley (downhill) behind and the wall (uphill) in front.
5. Players can move along the boundary to throw, provided they maintain the three foot rule. You do not have to play from the same spot as your opponent.
6. After all players have thrown their balls, the score is calculated, and the ‘end’ is over. Players then collect their balls and move to the uphill side of the court to start the next ‘end’, throwing the balls back towards the downhill side from where they played the first end.
7. Before playing the first end, players should decide which side of the court they will stick to for the duration of the game: ‘house’ or ‘pond’. If there is no pond available, some other equally significant permanent fixture should be adopted in lieu: bird table, henhouse, garden shed, etc. Normally, the youngest player chooses sides.
8. The game is finished when one player or team have scored 10 points.
9. If there is sufficient enthusiasm, the first game can be considered a set in a best of three sets match. In which case, the loser of the first game starts the second, ie. has the Jack.
10. However, it is normal to start playing once the sun is over the yard arm (with accompanying drinks – noggins and nibbles), and so a three set match should be started early, at least an hour before sunset, as the cows start thinking about going home.
11. Theoretically it is possible, in a two player game, for one person to score a maximum of six points in one end, so the game could be all over in two ends, ie. around ten minutes. However, as of today, this has never happened, and an average of an hour per game should be allowed.
12. To start play, assuming teams have chosen sides (house or pond), the youngest player throws the Jack (small black wooden ball) into the centre of the court. If the Jack rests within three feet of the boundary, it should be re-thrown, either by dropping it over your shoulder or returning to the start and throwing again.
13. The same player then throws the first ball with the aim of it resting as close as possible to the Jack. The ball can touch or move the Jack. If the first ball goes immediately out of play, the opponent can choose whether to play the next ball or to ask the player to throw again until a ball is in play.
14. The opposing player / team then throw their first ball to rest closer to the Jack than their opponent’s ball. Their ball can touch or hit the Jack or their opponent’s ball, or both, but must finish closer to the Jack. If not, the same team play again, and keep playing, until one of their balls is closer. It is possible, therefore, for example, for the first player to throw a good ball close to the Jack and for the second player to throw all six of his/her balls in succession without getting closer to the Jack than the first ball. The first player then would have five balls to play with and could conceivably score six points if his/her balls all end up the six closest.
15. The team players should alternate throwing within their teams. Youngest first, one ball each.
16. Once the second team or player have a ball closer to the Jack, play returns to the first team or player.
17. Once all the balls have been played, the lay of the balls is inspected. Only the player / team with the ball closest to the Jack scores. If they have the two closest balls, they score two points. If they have the six closest balls, they score a maximum of six.
18. The players and balls then move to the uphill side of the court and the winner of the previous game throws the Jack and starts the second end. Remember to keep to your side. However, during play you can utilise the entire length of the three foot zone.
19. Bowls is a game for ladies and gentlemen and sportsmanlike conduct and generosity is expected from all players, albeit with competitive spirit.
20. If, during the course of play, two balls appear to be equidistant from the Jack, the benefit of the doubt goes to the last ball, and it is therefore the opponent’s turn.
21. If the Jack is knocked out of play, ie. against or beyond the boundary, it is considered a foul shot and the (youngest) opponent should return the Jack into play by dropping it over his or her shoulder. ‘Into play’ means beyond three feet towards the centre of the court from the boundary. If the Jack is knocked into the three foot boundary zone during play, the game continues as normal, provided the Jack hasn’t knocked against (or crossed) the boundary.
22. The boundary should be either a line or preferably a wooden or stone barrier. If a ball knocks, audibly, against the boundary it is considered out of play for the remainder of the end. The opponent should call ‘Knock!’, unless the thrower does so first.
23. All balls should be thrown meaningfully. Merely dropping one’s balls in front of oneself is considered poor play and frowned upon.
24. If a player throws a ball out of turn, provided it is a genuine mistake, play continues as normal.
25. If a player throws an opponent’s ball by mistake, the opponent has the option to either carry on as if nothing happened, or can play a ball of the offending player, followed by his/her own ball. If the offending player has no free ball available, the offended player can take the offendee’s furthest ball from the Jack.
26. If, after all balls have been played, both players have balls equidistant from the Jack, they can take their two furthest balls from the Jack and play a tie-break.
27. If an end finishes, scores are calculated and then a player realises he/she hasn’t played all his/her balls – tough. However, it would be considered very unsportsmanlike if a player didn’t alert his/her opponent to the fact that he/she had not played all his/her balls.
28. If a ball ‘knocks’ some other object other than the boundary (eg. a table leg) it is considered out of play for that end.
Shots
1. The standard shot is a slight lob, bounce, a short roll, with back spin.
2. However, many variations are available:
2.1. The Roulée – as if ten pin bowling.
2.2. The Plongée – an exaggerated high lob, with back spin.
2.3. The Pétanque – direct hit on opponent’s ball.
2.4. The Super-Pétanque – as the Pétanque but your ball replaces the exact position of your
opponent’s.
Etc.
Note
Choice of shot, amount of spin, trajectory, delivery, direction, pace, and reading of the lawn in terms of soft/hard spots, ‘rubs’ (bumps), dips and mounds, and so on, are skills that can only be learned with practice and familiarisation with the court.
Himalayan Lawn Bowls is a simple game and very similar to French Pétanque, Italian Bochi and English Boules, with some variations.
The aim is to get your ball closer to the Jack (small wooden ball) than your opponent’s ball.
1. The court is grassed, level, and measures approximately 20 feet square. Grit or clay surfaces are also possible.
2. A total of 12 balls are available. The game is usually played by two competing individuals with six balls each, or two teams of two or more players per team. Occasionally three competing individual players with four balls each play. Therefore, six players could play in three pairs (four balls per pair), or two teams of three (six balls per threesome).
3. Of the twelve balls, six have a single stripe, six a double. Four each are marked red, white and black.
4. Balls are thrown from within three feet / one metre of the boundary, with play starting with the valley (downhill) behind and the wall (uphill) in front.
5. Players can move along the boundary to throw, provided they maintain the three foot rule. You do not have to play from the same spot as your opponent.
6. After all players have thrown their balls, the score is calculated, and the ‘end’ is over. Players then collect their balls and move to the uphill side of the court to start the next ‘end’, throwing the balls back towards the downhill side from where they played the first end.
7. Before playing the first end, players should decide which side of the court they will stick to for the duration of the game: ‘house’ or ‘pond’. If there is no pond available, some other equally significant permanent fixture should be adopted in lieu: bird table, henhouse, garden shed, etc. Normally, the youngest player chooses sides.
8. The game is finished when one player or team have scored 10 points.
9. If there is sufficient enthusiasm, the first game can be considered a set in a best of three sets match. In which case, the loser of the first game starts the second, ie. has the Jack.
10. However, it is normal to start playing once the sun is over the yard arm (with accompanying drinks – noggins and nibbles), and so a three set match should be started early, at least an hour before sunset, as the cows start thinking about going home.
11. Theoretically it is possible, in a two player game, for one person to score a maximum of six points in one end, so the game could be all over in two ends, ie. around ten minutes. However, as of today, this has never happened, and an average of an hour per game should be allowed.
12. To start play, assuming teams have chosen sides (house or pond), the youngest player throws the Jack (small black wooden ball) into the centre of the court. If the Jack rests within three feet of the boundary, it should be re-thrown, either by dropping it over your shoulder or returning to the start and throwing again.
13. The same player then throws the first ball with the aim of it resting as close as possible to the Jack. The ball can touch or move the Jack. If the first ball goes immediately out of play, the opponent can choose whether to play the next ball or to ask the player to throw again until a ball is in play.
14. The opposing player / team then throw their first ball to rest closer to the Jack than their opponent’s ball. Their ball can touch or hit the Jack or their opponent’s ball, or both, but must finish closer to the Jack. If not, the same team play again, and keep playing, until one of their balls is closer. It is possible, therefore, for example, for the first player to throw a good ball close to the Jack and for the second player to throw all six of his/her balls in succession without getting closer to the Jack than the first ball. The first player then would have five balls to play with and could conceivably score six points if his/her balls all end up the six closest.
15. The team players should alternate throwing within their teams. Youngest first, one ball each.
16. Once the second team or player have a ball closer to the Jack, play returns to the first team or player.
17. Once all the balls have been played, the lay of the balls is inspected. Only the player / team with the ball closest to the Jack scores. If they have the two closest balls, they score two points. If they have the six closest balls, they score a maximum of six.
18. The players and balls then move to the uphill side of the court and the winner of the previous game throws the Jack and starts the second end. Remember to keep to your side. However, during play you can utilise the entire length of the three foot zone.
19. Bowls is a game for ladies and gentlemen and sportsmanlike conduct and generosity is expected from all players, albeit with competitive spirit.
20. If, during the course of play, two balls appear to be equidistant from the Jack, the benefit of the doubt goes to the last ball, and it is therefore the opponent’s turn.
21. If the Jack is knocked out of play, ie. against or beyond the boundary, it is considered a foul shot and the (youngest) opponent should return the Jack into play by dropping it over his or her shoulder. ‘Into play’ means beyond three feet towards the centre of the court from the boundary. If the Jack is knocked into the three foot boundary zone during play, the game continues as normal, provided the Jack hasn’t knocked against (or crossed) the boundary.
22. The boundary should be either a line or preferably a wooden or stone barrier. If a ball knocks, audibly, against the boundary it is considered out of play for the remainder of the end. The opponent should call ‘Knock!’, unless the thrower does so first.
23. All balls should be thrown meaningfully. Merely dropping one’s balls in front of oneself is considered poor play and frowned upon.
24. If a player throws a ball out of turn, provided it is a genuine mistake, play continues as normal.
25. If a player throws an opponent’s ball by mistake, the opponent has the option to either carry on as if nothing happened, or can play a ball of the offending player, followed by his/her own ball. If the offending player has no free ball available, the offended player can take the offendee’s furthest ball from the Jack.
26. If, after all balls have been played, both players have balls equidistant from the Jack, they can take their two furthest balls from the Jack and play a tie-break.
27. If an end finishes, scores are calculated and then a player realises he/she hasn’t played all his/her balls – tough. However, it would be considered very unsportsmanlike if a player didn’t alert his/her opponent to the fact that he/she had not played all his/her balls.
28. If a ball ‘knocks’ some other object other than the boundary (eg. a table leg) it is considered out of play for that end.
Shots
1. The standard shot is a slight lob, bounce, a short roll, with back spin.
2. However, many variations are available:
2.1. The Roulée – as if ten pin bowling.
2.2. The Plongée – an exaggerated high lob, with back spin.
2.3. The Pétanque – direct hit on opponent’s ball.
2.4. The Super-Pétanque – as the Pétanque but your ball replaces the exact position of your
opponent’s.
Etc.
Note
Choice of shot, amount of spin, trajectory, delivery, direction, pace, and reading of the lawn in terms of soft/hard spots, ‘rubs’ (bumps), dips and mounds, and so on, are skills that can only be learned with practice and familiarisation with the court.