CLUB NEWS

Welcome Back to the 2025 season
Check out the events page for more details
2025 Registration is now open 

Since the flood in July 2023 our green has been damaged beyond repair and we will not be able to use the green for the foreseeable future. As an alternative, to maintain our club and membership, we are excited to introduce Short Mat Bowls which will be played indoors at our club.
The club has purchased two mats and we are able to use the same lawn bowls that we have available at the club. Come check out our new equipment and play a jitney.  

Details on dates, times for the 2025 season will be posted shortly.

Bedford Lawn Bowls club will continue to take part in lawn bowls tournaments and events at other clubs this summer.

What is Lawn Bowls?

What is Lawn Bowling?
Lawn bowls is a sport with ancient roots, possibly dating back to Ancient Egypt, but widely popularized in Scotland centuries ago. It's a strategic, social, and mildly physical game that's both competitive and fun, offering an affordable way to engage in sport. Played on a flat grassy area known as a green, participants use specially designed balls called bowls, which are not perfectly round but biased, allowing them to curve as they roll. The objective is to roll your bowls closer to a smaller white ball, the jack, than your opponents.

How It Is Played
The game can be played individually or in teams of two (Pairs), three (Triples), or four (Fours), with the number of bowls varying by the game type. Matches can be structured around a set number of ends, points, or in sets, particularly for singles. The game begins with a coin toss or bowl roll to decide who starts, with the winner rolling the jack to set the playing distance. Players take turns rolling their bowls from a mat, aiming to get as close to the jack as possible. The game requires precise control over the bowl's direction and speed, influenced by the green's condition and the weather.

How To Keep Score/Strategy
Scoring occurs at the end of each round or "end," with points awarded to the team whose bowls are closest to the jack. The game introduces strategic depth as the jack's position can change during play, requiring players to adjust their strategy, including playing defensively or targeting opponents' bowls. If the jack is knocked off the green or into a ditch within the same rink, the rules for scoring adjust accordingly, adding another layer of strategy to this ancient yet dynamic game.