Watlington Bowling Club

There are different types Watlington Bowling Clubs in Oxfordshire.

There are different forms of bowling:

Ten-pin bowling
Lawn bowling
- Crown green bowling
- Flat green bowling

Ten-Pin Bowling

The most common form of bowling now is ten pin bowling. In ten pin bowling, matches consist of each player bowling a game. Every game is divided into ten frames. A frame allows a bowler 2 chances to knock down all ten pins. The number of pins knocked over in each frame is recorded, a running total is made underneath the individual frame score as each frame goes on, and the player with the highest score in his/her game wins the match. Scores can be greater than the actual number of pins knocked over if strikes or spares are bowled. You score 10 points when you knock over all 10 pins - this is called a strike. Rather than a score of just 10 for the frame, the player's score will be 10 plus the total pins knocked down on the next two rolls in the next frame(s). A spare is scored when all pins are knocked down using the second roll in the frame. The player's score for that frame will be 10 plus the number of pins knocked down on the first roll in the next frame. A player who rolls a spare or strike in the last frame is given one (if it was a spare in the previous frame) or two more rolls (if it was a strike in the previous frame) to score additional points.

As everyday in most sports there are colloquialisms for various endeavours in a match. 2 consecutive strikes is recognized as a double. 3 consecutive strikes is recognized as a turkey. Four consecutive strikes is acknowledged as a four bagger. Five consecutive strikes is acknowledged as a five bagger and so on. A perfect game consists of twelve consecutive strikes, one for every frame and 2 more on the extra rolls in the 10th, and results in a perfect score of 300. A clean game is filling every frame with either a spare or a strike.

Whilst playing the game, situations can evolve called splits. This is when two or more of the pins are separated by missing pins which makes it harder or damn near impossible (i.e. when the two outside pins are left).

Serious club players will use their own apparatus which will involve a bowling ball (usually 16lb), bowling glove which gives assistance to the wrist, sports top which could include the name of the team on the back of the shirt and of course your own bowling shoes.

Crown Green Bowling

Crown Green bowling was first played in the 13th century in England. The oldest green is in Southampton - dating back to 1299.

Crown green bowling is played in pairs or teams and the idea is to win a game (usually up to 21 or 25 points) or to a particular number of ends. A draw is possible when playing ends - or depending on the rules you can play more ends in anticipation of a positive outcome. Set scoring can also be played where the scoring is lower as the game is split into sets (three of five akin to tennis). Each player will get two bowls generally - can be four each as well where the jack is thrown (usually a white ball or a small black ball with no bias) that the players have to get as close as they can too.

The bowls are biased - that is to say they have weights built into the bowls near the edge which make them curve - this is the skill in the game where you use this bias to your advantage.

Flat green Bowling

This is the same as crown green bowling pretty much except the surface is flat and is more often than not indoors. The lawn is frequently fake grass.