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What
is Blind Bowls?
Although
this skilful and fascinating game has been around
for centuries, it was not until the late 1950's
that blind people were introduced to the game’s
fascination. This is something for which we have
to thank our Scottish friends, since it was in
1959 that the bowls started rolling for the blind.
In
those days, the system used to direct the bowler
was entirely different to that of today. Then,
the blind bowler was guided to the mat and instructed
to bowl to the sound of the voice, the clapping
of hands or the bell ringing behind the jack.
Today,
we use the ‘clock method’, as it is
generally known, and this is possibly the most
important innovation to all blind bowlers. Using
this system, the ‘marker’ who is a very
important individual in our game, is stationed
beyond the ‘jack’. His job is to indicate
to those at the mat end, at what time and distance
from the ‘jack’ the bowl has come to
rest. The ‘jack’ is the centre of the
clock; therefore, six o’clock would be in
front and twelve o’clock behind, with all
other positions being relative to the clock. From
the information fed back from the ‘marker’
the player can build up a mental picture of the
‘head’, knowing exactly the position
of each bowl in the ‘head’, thus allowing
the player who cannot see, to be involved and
familiar with the finer points of the game. The
only minor concession made to the blind is that
a fine white centre string runs under the mat
and is fixed at both ends. The main object of
this centre string is to help the bowler to judge
the angle for the amount of green required.
By
the use of these minor variations, blind and sighted
people are able to play together as these variations
do not infringe upon, or alter in any way the
basic game or the EBA rules, but they certainly
do improve the standard of bowling.
For
further details contact
BBS Head Office on Tel:
01926 424247
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