Sport Scoring SolutionsLawn bowls scoring: the rules and a free scorecard app
Lawn bowls is played at hundreds of clubs across South Africa, by juniors and by bowlers in their eighties. A paper scorecard works, but it gets wet and goes missing, and running totals are easy to add up wrongly. Our free lawn bowls scorer keeps the card for you, end by end, on any phone.
Watch: how to play lawn bowls
Counting shots
At the end of each end, only one side scores. That side gets one shot for every bowl that is closer to the jack than the opponent's nearest bowl. If your two closest bowls are both nearer than your opponent's best bowl, you score two shots, and so on. The most you can score in one end is the number of bowls your side has delivered.
In the app, tap the side that won the end and pick the number of shots. The scorecard adds the running totals for you, just like a paper card.
Formats
| Format | Players per side | Usual bowls each | Usual length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singles | 1 | 4 | First to 21 shots |
| Pairs | 2 | 4 | 21 ends (sometimes 18) |
| Triples (trips) | 3 | 3 | 18 ends |
| Fours (rinks) | 4 | 2 | 18 or 21 ends |
Clubs often adjust these for social games and time limits, for example two-bowl singles or 15-end games. The app lets you set the format, bowls per player and the target. You can play to a number of shots or a number of ends.
Who plays first
- A toss decides who places the mat and delivers the jack in the first end.
- After that, the side that won the previous end plays first in the next end.
- After a tied end, the side that played first in the tied end plays first again.
The app marks the side that plays first, so there is no debate when you walk back up the green.
Tied ends, dead ends and extra ends
- Tied end: if the nearest bowls of both sides are the same distance from the jack, no shots are scored, but the end counts as played. Use Tied end in the app.
- Dead end: if the jack is knocked out of bounds, the end is usually declared dead and replayed. Some competitions apply different conditions, so check your local rules. Dead end in the app notes it without changing the scorecard.
- Extra end: when a game over a set number of ends finishes level and a winner is needed, an extra end is played. The app adds one automatically if you ticked the option.
Sets play
Some events use sets play, for example two sets of a fixed number of ends with a short tie-break if the sets are shared. The current app scores games to a number of shots or ends. Sets play is on our list for a future update.
How to use the lawn bowls scorer
- Choose the format, bowls per player and whether you play to shots or ends.
- Enter the player, skip or team names and who won the toss.
- After each end, tap the side that scored and choose the number of shots, or record a tied or dead end.
- The game finishes automatically when the target is reached. The full scorecard is saved under My results on your device, and you can share it.
These notes summarise the commonly used laws of the sport for club and social play. For championships and leagues, follow the current World Bowls laws as applied by Bowls South Africa and your district.