THIRD & SKIPPER

Exercise 1.

Equipment: 2 jacks, 1 mat, 4 markers or rebound discs/markers and some ½ tennis balls.

• First end: bowl full length to no jack, and then take off 2 metres with each of the next 3 bowls. Do this in each direction (8 bowls). 

AIM to achieve: Four equally spaced bowls on the centre line, finding green and establishing control of weight 

Exercise 2.

• At one end place a jack near the 2 metre spot and a marker 3 metres away and 1 jack at the other end.

• Place the mat and bowl twice at the longer jack and then twice at the shorter marker WITHOUT CROSSING THE CENTRE LINE.

• Change ends, place the mat in front of the disc/marker and bowl twice at the single jack

•  Then move the mat back to the longer jack and bowl twice. Repeat 3 times. (32 bowls).

•  Initially bowl both bowls on same side, later bowl one bowl on each hand.

AIM to achieve: two bowl draw practice, developing control of green and learning not to cross the head when holding shot.

Exercise 3.

• Using 4 rebound discs and 4 ½ tennis balls to mark a target square of ½ a metre behind the jack.

• At each end place markers about 1 metre and 2 metres short of the jack so that they are comfortably inside (20 to 30 cm) the line which you would expect your bowl to take when drawing on that hand.

• Draw to a target area behind the jack within ½ a metre. Bowl all four on the same hand, trying to go around the rebound bowls and finish inside the target square.

• Do this three times each way (24 bowls).

AIM to achieve: get around a bowl without adding weight. 

When most bowlers are faced with this position, 60% of bowls are narrow and 30% heavy even when the short bowl is well clear of the needed path.

Exercise 4.

• At each end place a rebound bowls or half tennis ball 30cm from the jack (or rebound jack) in a jack high position.

• Mark a target square of 70 cm with a half tennis ball in the middle.

• With your first bowl on each end try to draw within 30cm. If you are not satisfied with your first bowl try again.

• With subsequent bowls try to draw to the target square by slightly increasing the weight and reducing the green (making the half tennis ball in the middle of the square your jack).

• With practice try to increase the speed of the shot by one metre with each bowl on each end, but none of these bowls should finish in the ditch.

• Repeat three or more times (24 bowls).

AIM to achieve: to develop skill in yard on bowls and running through the head without losing your bowl.

Exercise 5.

• Place 1 jack or rebound jack on the centre line and a half tennis ball on each side of the rink, one close to the ditch.

• Drive twice at the single jack. Then draw to each marker outside in. Repeat one or more times if you have the energy, varying the mat position (16 bowls). 

AIM to achieve: To develop driving skill and to be able to immediately return to the draw.