Club Competitions

Rules

The club provides for Members a range of in-club individual competitions and the organising of these competitions is the responsibility of the Competitions Secretary.

General Rules - all Competitions

Bowls England Rules apply, except where stated otherwise. All queries or problems during Club Competitions should be referred to the Competitions Secretary.

1. Arranging the match
   1. The first-named player in each round shall be the challenger and will be responsible for the match arrangements. In a singles match, the challenger is also responsible for providing the marker.
   2. The competition fixture will state the date by which each round must be completed; this date is also the start date for the next round. Within 48 hours of the start date, the challenger must offer the opponent three dates, one of which should be a Saturday or Sunday, on which to play the match. If the challenger is due to be away at the start of the next round, s/he should inform the other players in that match, so that the match can be arranged before the end date of the round. Failure to play by the end date will result in forfeiture of the match by both competitors/teams.
   3. The opponent must accept one of the dates offered, within 48 hours of receiving the challenge.
   4. The start-time of the match should be agreed mutually, but a player cannot be compelled to accept a time earlier than 11:00 Saturday/Sunday, or before 18:00 Monday-Friday. If a player arrives more than 15 minutes after the agreed start-time of the match, then the opponent may claim the match.
2. Failure to challenge, or to play the match
   1. If the challenger has failed to make arrangements for the match within the time allowed (Rule 1.2), then s/he shall forfeit the role of challenger, and the opponent becomes the challenger, and who then, in turn, has 48 hours to offer three dates on which the match can be played.
   2. Failure to play the match by the due date will result in elimination of both competitors/teams from the competition.
3. Alteration / Extension
   1. No alteration of an accepted date and time shall be made, unless mutually agreed. Failing such agreement, the competitor requiring the alteration must concede the match.
   2. No extension of the closing date will be granted, unless the match cannot be played owing to the green being declared unfit for play by a member of the Greens Sub-Committee or of the Executive Committee; in such circumstances, a 48-hour extension will be allowed, providing a rink was booked on the Rink Booking Sheet at least 24 hours prior to the green being declared unfit for play.
4. In all competitions, a substitute may be used for any reason, thus enabling the game to be played. The substitute is not permitted to skip, and must not already have played in that competition. No substitutes will be permitted in a singles competition. All substitutes will be selected by the Competitions Secretary and the Captain. The originally drawn pair, winning the Final match, even if a substitute were playing, will still be declared Competition winner(s).
5. Rink availability - prior to booking a rink of the Booking Sheet, the competitors must ensure that a rink is available. One rink must always be kept free for public use, and two rinks must be kept available for 'roll-ups' at 14:00. A rink may only be booked where there is free space on the Booking Sheet/Board.
   • (Rink Bookings/Priorities)
6. Score Cards and Results - at the end of a match, the signed scorecards are to be left in the score-card box in the Clubhouse*. The winning names are to be entered on the competition list notice by the marker or losing player(s).
7. In the event of a dispute on the green during a match, a Club Official or other Club member may be called upon to act as an Umpire (and may refer to the Laws of Bowls).
8. In an unfinished match, where seven or more ends have been completed, the score will serve as the result of the match. Where fewer than seven ends have been completed, and the match has been abandoned, it shall be later resumed at the score and end at which the earlier (part-)match was abandoned, as soon as possible.
9. Any member who feels unjustly treated under these Competition Rules may appeal in writing to the Executive Committee, within 48 hours.

Singles and Pairs Competitions

Singles and Pairs Competitions (Ladies Singles, Men's Singles, Club (Mixed) Singles, First-Time Singles, Two-Wood Singles, Ladies' Pairs, Men's Pairs, Mixed Pairs,) are played under these common rules of the Club:

Opponents for the first round will be decided by draw.
In the Mixed Pairs only, in the event of an imbalance of numbers between ladies and men in the competition, preliminary play-offs will be held to arrive at an equal number of ladies and men to contest the 'competition proper'.
Each round has a designated 'nominated' or 'play by' date.
For Singles competitions, each match requires a marker, who must be a Club-Approved Marker, from the list assessed and managed by the primary Coach contact. The challenger is responsible for providing the marker, other than on dates, such as Finals Weekend specified by the Competitions Secretary.
Each player bowls 4 woods except in the Two-Wood Singles, when each player bowls 2 woods.
In each round a singles match is played to 21 shots.
The Two-Wood Singles is to 21 shots or until 21 ends have been played, whichever occurs first.
A pairs match is played to 18 ends.
The winner is the player/team with most shots. In Pairs and the Two-Wood Singles, if 21 ends are reached with the shot score tied, an extra end is played to decide the winner. When there are insufficient ends remaining for a player/team to win, play stops.