SPONDON BOWLS CLUB
Crown Green Bowling at
Crown Green Bowling at Spondon.
Spondon is a crown green bowling club which means that the green is higher in the centre forming a “crown” and not flat.
This is game for all ages and abilities, with or without your partners, giving you an easy way to exercise and meet new people who are willing to share their skills.
We like to encourage the social side of the Club with Round Robins, Barbecues and Inter-club Competitions on many weekends.
Members can use either the “Nottingham” or “Derby” Green at Spondon, when they are not in competitive use for practising or friendly games at any time during the season.
Bowls can be loaned for short periods from the club.
The site is access controlled so only members are allowed. Shoes with no open toes and flat soles must be worn whenever on the green. ​
Play is across the green in any direction as opposed to the lanes in flat green bowls.
We have a selection of bowls for newcomers to try and many willing members on hand for any help required.
The bowls or “woods” come in sizes from 2lb (minimum) to 2lb 12ozs.
The basic objective is to get your two bowls closest to the bowled “jack”.
You place one foot on a small mat called a “footer". The Bowls or "woods" and jack have a bias on one side, which means that depending on which side you roll them they will curve inwardly or outwardly until they rest, which given that the green has a crown, makes for an interesting and absorbing game.
Prior to release of the jack you indicate a “finger peg” inward curve to the left, or “thumb peg" outward curve to the right, you then send the jack for a distance of of at least 19 metres. You then bowl your first wood using the same "peg", hoping to get as close to the jack as you can. Your opponent from the same mat, will then release their first wood. You will then follow with your second wood and then finally your opponent with their second.
For left handers, the "peg" declaration is reversed, due to the position in your hand in relation to the bias to you thumb.
Here’s a link to help:
https://crowngreenking.wordpress.com/how-to-play-crown-green-bowls/bias-peg-and-strength/
Once all four woods have been bowled by you and your competitor the “end” is over.
The winner of the end is decided by who got the closest with either one or two woods of their woods, one point per wood, per end. You will then repeat the process, from where the jack initial position, with the winner of the end starting first, repeating the process for at least 11 ends until a winner is declared who has attained 21 points.
In doubles each team member takes alternate turns, again as pairs attaining 21.
In this example the yellow spotted wood has one point, as the nearest. Their opponent, white spot, is second closest. If there had been two yellow spotted woods near to the wood it would have been two points and none to the whites.
Here's a video "A-Z of Crown Green bowling" to help.
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Leagues and Competitions.
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The Crown Green Bowls season runs from around the end of March to the end of September. At Spondon Bowls Club, during the winter months a short mat game can be played within the pavilion during the afternoons.​
We follow the BRITISH CROWN GREEN BOWLING ASSOCIATION rules and the Leagues rules..
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A member who wishes to take part in League games and cup matches, will be required to pay a one-off life membership to the association £15.00, which we arrange for you.
further details plus a full guide to the rules please follow the links.
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Playing Members usually have a few weeks practiscing or entering our own competitions until they feel they are ready to join leagues or enter cup competitions, to which we'll arrnage your registrations.
For team matches we have a sponsored shirt available to be purchased or we would prefer our uniform to worn of black trousers/shorts/skirt and a white top. This is obligatory for cup matches.
The leagues we are affiliated to are Belper and Mid-Derbyshire League and South Derbyshire League, playing home and away.
They include;
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Mixed Singles - Monday Night
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Senior Ladies (over 55) - Tuesday afternoon
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Mixed (ladies and gents) - Tuesday evening
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Over 55s mixed - Wednesday afternoon
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Mixed Doubles teams - Wednesday evening
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Men’s Vets, single and double –Mostly Tues / Thurs
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Ladies evening league - Thursdays.
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Friday Mixed singles evening League
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​Mixed singles - Saturday afternoons.
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September / October Floodlight Mixed S/D bowling League - Mon and Fri
With subs of paid per game of £1 for away matches £2 for home matches
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You can elect to be a reserve, to which you will only be selected if teams are short.