Bowls is played on a square of grass called a green, which is divided into lanes called rinks.  Players take turns to deliver their bowls from a mat at one end of the rink towards a small white target ball, often referred to as the ’jack’, situated near the other end.  The bowls are shaped so that they take a curved path towards the jack, known as the bias.

The aim of the game is to get your bowls closest to the jack.  One point is given for each bowl nearer the jack than the nearest bowl of your opponent.  For example, if you or your team has three bowls closer to the jack than your opponent’s nearest bowl then you will score three for that end.

Each game is split into individual ends.   After playing all the bowls in one direction and agreeing the score, the next end is played back down the rink in the opposite direction.  The winner of the previous end will cast the jack.

There are different formats of the game. You can play singles or as part of a team, and a match can vary in lengths.  The winner can either be the one who has scored the most shots after a specified number of ends or the first to reach a designated score.

Bowls in England is managed by Bowls England, the national body for Bowls. It aims to develop bowls across the country.