The drills below are designed to develop each participating member’s ability to improve their line, weight and draw bowling in a different situations. Each drill will take about 30mins and have scoring involved to track your progress.
Line Drill
Objective : To increase line accuracy to a minimum of 75%
Procedure : Place mat on the two metre line in both directions for the first five ends. Play two bowls forehand and two bowls backhand. Each bowl is to come to rest on the centre line. For the next five ends the mat is to alternated between the two metre line and the minimum length marker
Scoring : One point for each bowl that is within one mat length (600mms) of the centre line giving a possible maximum of 40 points. When recording your score keep track of backhand and forehand scores.
Target : 75% (30 points)
Line Visualisation
Objective : This exercise will help you gain consistency with your line. In order to maintain good line you must visualise the path your bowl must take. Draw four bowls through the target area, whilst maintaining the correct line in order to finish near the jack
Requirements : Two jacks, four CD’s or rebound discs, four bowls, one mat
Procedure : Place one jack on the centre line in both directions. Place the CD’s or rebound discs approximately 2/3rds the distance from jack to mat and around 1 to 2 metres off the centre line and about 1 ½ mat lengths apart. This will vary to the conditions on the day. Play ten ends, five on the forehand and five on the backhand. When recording your score keep track of backhand and forehand scores.
Scoring :
10 Points if bowl within one mat width of jack
5 Points if bowl within one mat length of jack
2 Points if bowl within two mat lengths of jack
This gives a possible maximum of 400 points
Target : 75% (300 points)
The Perfect End Drill
Objective : To strive for as many perfect ends over a block of ten ends
Requirements : Three jacks, four bowls, one mat
Procedure : Roll a jack and draw to within one mat length. If you fail, try to correct and draw another bowl to the same jack. Then roll a second jack and draw within one mat length. Again if you fail, try to correct and draw another bowl to the same jack. (In this scenario you do not get to roll the third jack)
Each jack must be rolled to a different length. Always play on one side of the rink. forehand one way and backhand the other. Never draw more than two bowls to a jack
The perfect end is as follows.
Roll 1st jack and draw to within one mat length of jack
Roll 2nd jack and draw to within one mat length of jack
Roll 3rd jack and draw to within one mat length of jack
Controlled weighted shot at any jack/bowl target
Scoring : A minimum score of two Perfect ends for every 10 ends played is the benchmark for Australian Squad Members (Let’s see if we can better this on a consistent basis)
This gives a possible maximum of 400 points
Target : 75% (300 points)
Alternate Length Drawing
Objective : This exercise will help you gain consistency with your weight now that you have got your line reference. The weight can be found 2/3rds of the distance from the mat to the jack along your line. This is where the bowl will begin to slow thus allowing the bias to take effect. The shoulder will always be 2/3rds the distance from the mat to the jack regardless of the length.
Draw four bowls as close as possible to the long and short jacks on the forehand and backhand
Requirements : Four jacks, four bowls, one mat
Procedure : Place one jack on the “T” in both directions. Place one jack on the minimum length marker in both directions. Mat always remains on the “T”. Play two bowls to the long jack and two bowls to the short jack. Play forehand in one direction and backhand in the other. Play ten ends. When recording your score keep track of backhand and forehand scores.
Scoring :
3 Points if bowl within one mat length of jack
2 Points if bowl within two mat lengths of jack and behind jack
1 Point if bowl within two mat lengths of jack and in front of jack
This gives a possible maximum of 120 points
Target : 65% (78 points) . Note : International standard is greater than 100 (70%)
Singles Game Drill
Objective : This exercise will enable you to play a singles game against yourself. It will be played on two rinks with two players alternating from rink to rink thus reducing setup time
Draw four bowls as close as possible to the long and short jacks on the forehand and backhand
Requirements : Two jacks, eight old bowls or rebound discs, two mats, one scorecard
Procedure : Place the jack about one metre from the “T” and arrange the bowls around the jack similar to a singles game situation with each bowl a maximum of one mat length from the jack. Play your bowls to score a shot or more by drawing closer to the jack than the pre-arranged bowls. Each bowl inside your opponent’s bowls scores one shot as per a normal game. If you do not beat your opponent’s bowls your opponent scores the amount of shots before your closest bowl. If you turn your opponents bowl in or out it stays there for the rest of the end. Two players to alternate between rinks to reduce set up time
Scoring : As per a normal game of singles. First to 15 wins
Target : To beat your opponent
Conversion Drill
Objective : This exercise requires you to play through the target whilst controlling your weight and remaining on the green. Play four bowls forehand on a long end, then a medium end and then a short end. Repeat the drill on the next rink on the backhand. Two players to alternate between rinks to reduce set up time.
Draw four bowls as close as possible to the long and short jacks on the forehand and backhand
Requirements : Two jacks, four old bowls, rebound discs or CD’s, two mats.
Procedure : Place the jack on the “T” in the middle of target area. The target area is to be no more than one mat width. Place two bowls or rebound discs on either edge of the target area.
Mat for first end on the “T”. Mat for second end half way between the “T” and minimum length. Mat for third end on minimum length
Play 3 ends on forehand and 3 ends on backhand
Scoring : Three points for hitting jack only. Two points for hitting jack and edge of target zone. One point for hitting edge of target zone only. Bonus two points for finishing on the rink between the “T” and the ditch. This gives a possible maximum of 120 points
Target : 65% (72 Points)
Ditch Drawing
Objective : Drawing to the ditch can be one of the hardest tasks simply because there is no object on the green surface to draw to. This exercise requires you to draw four bowls between the ditch and the “T” over six ends
Requirements : Two jacks, two line markers, four bowls, one mat
Procedure : Place one jack in the ditch. Place jack marker on green two feet from the jack in the ditch. Draw two forehand and two backhand to the jack marker over three different lengths, maximum, mid and minimum
Note: When drawing to the ditch you have no green object therefore it can be difficult to visualise a weight reference. On game day ask a team mate to stand on the green as your weight reference.
Scoring :
10 Points if bowl draws past the jack marker
3 Points if bowl draws between “T” and jack marker
-1 Point if bowls draws short of the “T”
0 Point if bowl finishes in the ditch
This gives a possible maximum of 240 points
Target : 75% (180 points)
Shot & Off Center Position
Objective : Draw as close as possible to the jack, then to off centre positional jack.
Requirements : Six jacks or rebound jacks or half tennis balls, four bowls, one mat
Procedure : Place one jack two mat lengths to the right of the “T”. Place the other jack two mat lengths to the left of the “T”. Place the third jack two mat lengths short of the “T” on the centre line. Draw on the forehand to the centre jack then forehand to right jack. Then draw backhand to the centre jack and backhand to the left jack. Play two ends of each length, maximum, mid and minimum. Again this can be done over two rinks with players alternating between rinks to reduce set up time.
Scoring :
5 Points if bowl is one mat width from jack
3 Points if bowl is one mat length from jack
1 Point if bowl is two mat lengths from jack
-2 Points if bowl finishes outside two mat lengths from jack
This gives a possible maximum of 120 points
Target : 75% (90 points)
Draw around or under a bowl
Objective : This exercise is designed to help you bowl around or under a bowl that is in front of the head. It can be done by either changing your grass line or keeping the same grass line and adjusting your stance on the mat
Requirements : Two jacks, two bowls or rebound discs, four bowls
Procedure : Place one jack on the centre line two mat lengths from the “T”. Place one bowl on the forehand side in line with your grass line. Do the same on the forehand coming back. Play five ends each way
Scoring :
3 Points if bowl within one mat width of jack
2 Points if bowl within one mat length of jack and behind jack
1 Point if bowl within two mat lengths of jack and in front of jack
This gives a possible maximum of 120 points
Target : 75% (90 points)
Ditch Weight Conversion Drill
Objective : This exercise requires you to remove the opponents bowl whist not disturbing the head
Requirements : Two jacks, six old bowls or rebound discs or CD’s, two mats.
Procedure : Place the jack two mat lengths from the “T”. Place two bowls or rebound disc in front of the jack. These are your side’s bowls. Place one bowl or rebound jack behind the jack.. This is the oppositions bowl and is the target. Play with ditch weight to remove the target bowl leaving your two bowls intact. Again this can be done over two rinks with players alternating between rinks to reduce set up time.
Play 5 ends on forehand and 5 on backhand
Scoring :
3 Points for putting the opposition bowl in the ditch.
2 Points for moving the opposition bowl back but not in the ditch
-1 Point for removing one or both of your bowls
-2 Points for moving the jack
This gives a possible maximum of 120 points
Target : 75% (90 points)
Three Quarter Drive
Objective : The three quarter shot is an aggressive shot which will be invaluable if you are in trouble at the head but you have bowls at the back. You bowl with ditch weight because when you take the jack, your bowl is alive in the ditch. Practice your line and controlled pace to perfect this shot.
Requirements : Two jacks, four old bowls or rebound discs , two mats.
Procedure : Place the jack two mat lengths from the “T”. Place two bowls or rebound disc in front of the jack Both bowls belong to your opponent. Play three quarter weight to put the jack and your bowl in the ditch. Again this can be done over two rinks with players alternating between rinks to reduce set up time.
Play 5 ends on forehand and 5 on backhand
Scoring :
3 Points for putting the bowl and jack in the ditch.
2 Points for moving the jack in the ditch
-1 Point for missing the jack
This gives a possible maximum of 120 points
Target : 75% (90 points)
Full Drive
Objective : There are several schools of thought on how to stand on the mat for a full drive. One is to stand with your feet to the right of the centre of the mat (right hander), take your line of sight directly at the Rebound Jack and drive with power to put the Rebound Jack into the ditch. The other is to stand with your feet slightly to the left of the mat with the outside of your right foot adjacent to the centre of the mat. We encourage members to experiment with these two stances to see which suits. This is a “must have” shot for all top bowlers.
Requirements : Two jacks, three old bowls or rebound discs, one mat.
Procedure : Place the jack two mat lengths from the “T”. Place two bowls or rebound disc in front of the jack and one behind the jack. All bowls belong to your opponent. Play full weight to put the jack and your bowl in the ditch. Again this can be done over two rinks with players alternating between rinks to reduce set up time.
Play 5 ends on forehand and 5 on backhand
Scoring :
3 Points for putting the bowl and jack in the ditch.
2 Points for moving the jack in the ditch
-1 Point for missing the jack
This gives a possible maximum of 120 points
Target : 75% (90 points)
