Major bowls organisations

World Bowls Board

Founded on 1st July 2001 with the unification of the World Bowls Board and the International Women’s Bowling Board. Started with 36 members but has since expanded, with 46 associated nations now affiliated.

The chief body is the Board, comprising the President (also the Chairman of World Bowls Ltd), the Deputy President, four Directors (two male and two female) and the Chief Executive. Underneath lies the Council and then the World Board members. The Board also liaise with both the Commonwealth and Olympic Games committees.

The professed goals of the World Bowls Board are to boost the sport’s image, lead the sport worldwide, create an international community and monitor both the finances and the Laws of the Game. To achieve worldwide governance, there are four recognised ancillary associations:

  • British Isles Bowls Council
  • European Bowls Union
  • Asia Lawn Bowls Association
  • African States Zone 6

British Isles Bowls Council

Formed in 1964 by representatives of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, and connected to the International Series, which was first held in 1903. Their responsibilities have since expanded to cover jurisdiction of a much wider range of competitions (see ‘Bowls in Competition’ below).

English Bowling Association

The EBA governs the outdoor game in England, with 35 affiliated counties encompassing approximately 2,700 clubs nationwide. The Association’s roots stretch back to 1904, when the first County Association was formed and later saw the development of a constitution for counties to agree on. The headquarters are situated in Worthing.

European Bowls Union

Founded in June 1995 on the initiative of a former President of the World Bowls Board. Now composed of 13 members, including representatives from the Netherlands, Israel and Spain. The EBU organises Europe-wide Team Championships every two years, along with other international events such as the Asia vs. Europe test match, which also takes place every two years.

Professional Bowls Association

Players organisation which aims to help promote the professional side of the game. Established in 1992 in Preston. The PBA has pushed for the World Bowls Tour and increased involvement of qualifiers in the major competitions, facilitating access to the sport.

Bowls in competition

World Bowls Championship

The Championship was first held in 1966 with just men’s events (the equivalent for women followed in 1972/1973). This was, curiously, only because the Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica that year could not host a bowls competition, as they had no greens. Now the Championship is organised every four years in between the Commonwealth Games and. 2008 sees the first occasion on which men’s and women’s events are held together.

Qualifiers are held before the tournament in January (the date naturally changes according to where it is played). Nations are organised into teams of 5 players, a manager and/or a coach, with singles, pairs, triples and fours disciplines. Matches are composed of 21 ends in the singles competition and 18 ends for all other formats. There is also an Overall Team trophy for the most successful country in the Championship.

Commonwealth Games

Lawn Bowls has been a part of the Commonwealth Games since the first event in 1930 in Ontario, Canada (naturally with the exception of Kingston 1966!) and it is still considered the most prestigious event in the bowls calendar. In 1930, just three disciplines existed - men’s doubles, men’s fours and men’s singles - whereas, in 2006, there were some six disciplines, three for men and women respectively in singles, pairs and triples formats.

The event lasts around 9 days with a round-robin format followed by the top 8 competing in the quarterfinals and so forth. Sets play is instituted for matches with 9 ends and tiebreakers included.

The most successful player in Games history is England’s David Bryant with golds in Perth 1962, Edinburgh 1970, Christchurch 1974 and Edmonton 1978. However, competition from outside the British Isles has expanded noticeably in recent years, with 26 nations entering the 2006 Melbourne event, four more than in Manchester 2002.

British Isles Championships

First held in 1959, the Championships is essentially a competition between the national champions of the four countries in singles, pairs, triples and fours disciplines. The winner is the first to 21 shots in singles, but both the pairs and fours formats play 21 ends, while the triples is made up of 18 ends per match. There is also a Junior Singles competition which runs in similar fashion.

International Series

First held in 1903, the Series is now made up of 24 players per country playing in Pairs across six rinks in a 21 end match. Running alongside the Series proper are the Senior and Junior formats.

EBA National Championships

Composed of representatives of all the affiliated counties in junior, singles, pairs, triples and fours formats. Sets play is instituted, with a best of three for each match and the competition itself is made up of preliminaries, two rounds and then the quarterfinals.