How to Get Into Lawn Bowls — A Complete Beginners Guide for Australians Over 60
Lawn bowls has a reputation problem. For decades it was dismissed as an old person’s game — something you did when everything else became too difficult. That reputation is completely wrong and the people who actually play lawn bowls know it. Modern lawn bowls is social, competitive, genuinely skiful, surprisingly tactical, and one of the most welcoming communities you’ll find anywhere in Australia. If you’ve been curious about lawn bowls but never quite made the leap — here’s everything you need to know to get started.
Why Lawn Bowls Is Perfect for Australians Over 60
Lawn bowls suits retirement in ways that most sports simply don’t.
It’s genuinely social The social dimension of lawn bowls is one of its greatest strengths. Every game involves conversation, laughter, and the kind of relaxed social interaction that makes the sport feel less like exercise and more like an extremely enjoyable afternoon with friends. The culture at most Australian lawn bowls clubs is warm, welcoming, and genuinely inclusive.
It’s competitive without being punishing The handicap system in lawn bowls means players of vastly different skill levels can compete meaningfully against each other — keeping the game interesting and enjoyable regardless of experience. You can play purely for social enjoyment or take the competitive pathway as far as you want to go.
It’s excellent exercise A typical game of lawn bowls involves two to four kilometres of walking on a beautifully maintained surface. The gentle bending, crouching, and arm movement involved in delivering the bowl provides low impact physical activity that’s accessible to almost anyone regardless of fitness level or mobility limitations.
It’s endlessly skill based Lawn bowls rewards patience, concentration, tactical thinking, and the development of a consistent repeatable technique. These are qualities that tend to improve with age and experience — meaning the game often gets more rewarding the longer you play it.
It’s affordable Club membership fees are typically modest — often less than $200 per year — and most clubs provide bowls for beginners to use while they’re learning. Once you decide to invest in your own set quality second hand bowls are widely available at very reasonable prices.
Understanding the Basic Rules
Lawn bowls is played on a flat grass surface called a green — divided into rectangular playing areas called rinks. The object of the game is to roll your bowls as close as possible to a small white target ball called the jack.
The basics:
A coin toss or similar determines which team delivers the jack first. The jack is rolled down the rink to a position at least 23 metres from the mat. Once the jack is in position play begins.
Players alternate delivering their bowls from a rubber mat at one end of the rink — attempting to get as close to the jack as possible. After all bowls have been delivered the team whose bowl is closest to the jack scores one point for each of their bowls that is closer to the jack than the nearest opponent’s bowl. The end is then played in the opposite direction and the process repeats.
The bowl itself: Unlike the jack which is a perfectly round ball lawn bowls are biased — meaning they’re weighted slightly off centre and curve as they travel. Understanding and working with this curve — called the bias — is one of the fundamental skills of the game.
Common terms:
- Jack — the small white target ball
- End — one complete cycle of play from one end of the rink to the other
- Head — the cluster of bowls around the jack at any point in play
- Draw — a bowl delivered to rest close to the jack
- Drive — a fast bowl delivered to scatter the head
- Toucher — a bowl that touches the jack during its delivery and remains in play even if it ends up in the ditch
- Dead end — an end that doesn’t count because the jack has been moved out of bounds
Types of Lawn Bowls Games
Singles Two players compete head to head — each using four bowls. First to 21 shots or the player with the most shots after 25 ends wins.
Pairs Two teams of two players — each using four bowls. Played over 18 ends with the team scoring the most shots winning.
Triples Two teams of three players — each using three bowls. Played over 18 ends.
Fours Two teams of four players — each using two bowls. The most common format for club competition. Played over 21 ends. Each team has a lead, second, third, and skip — each with specific roles and responsibilities.
Social bowls Most clubs offer informal social bowls sessions — typically on weekday mornings and weekend afternoons — where the emphasis is entirely on enjoyment and social interaction rather than competition. This is the perfect entry point for beginners.
Finding a Lawn Bowls Club
Australia has one of the highest concentrations of lawn bowls clubs in the world — there are more than 2,000 clubs across the country meaning there’s almost certainly one within easy reach of wherever you live.
How to find your nearest club:
Bowls Australia The national governing body for lawn bowls maintains a club finder on their website — bowls.com.au. Simply enter your postcode and it will show you all clubs in your area with contact details and information about each club.
Google search Simply searching “lawn bowls club near me” or “lawn bowls club [your suburb]” will typically show local clubs immediately.
Ask around In most Australian suburbs and regional towns someone you know is either a member of a bowls club or knows someone who is. Word of mouth is often the most reliable way to find a club with the right culture for you.
What to Expect at Your First Visit
Most lawn bowls clubs are extraordinarily welcoming to newcomers — getting new members through the door is a priority for most clubs and they work hard to make the experience positive.
Contact the club before you go Most clubs have specific come and try days or beginner sessions. Call ahead or check the club’s website to find out when these are scheduled so you arrive at the right time.
What you’ll need for your first visit:
- Flat soled shoes — this is the most important equipment requirement. Lawn bowls greens are delicate and spiked or heeled shoes damage the surface. Most clubs will tell you to bring flat soled shoes — joggers with flat soles work perfectly. Some clubs have spare flat soled shoes available for visitors.
- Comfortable clothing — there’s no strict dress code for beginners. Comfortable casual clothing appropriate for outdoor activity is fine.
- Nothing else — the club will provide bowls for you to use
What will happen: A club member — usually a designated coach or club captain — will welcome you, explain the basics of the game, show you how to deliver a bowl, and then supervise your first few ends. Most people are genuinely surprised by how quickly they pick up the basics and how much fun they have in their first session.
Learning to Deliver the Bowl
The delivery — how you release the bowl — is the fundamental skill of lawn bowls. It takes practice to develop a consistent repeatable delivery but the basics are accessible to almost anyone.
The stance There are two main delivery stances — the athletic stance and the upright stance. The athletic stance involves stepping forward and crouching low as you deliver the bowl. The upright stance involves less bending and is often preferred by players with knee or back limitations. Your club coach will help you find the stance that suits your body.
The grip There are several grips used in lawn bowls — the claw grip and the cradle grip being the most common. Your coach will show you the options and help you find one that feels natural and comfortable.
The bias Every bowl curves as it travels — you can bowl forehand or backhand depending on which direction you want the bowl to curve. Understanding which way your bowl will curve for each delivery is fundamental to the game. This comes with practice and your coach will guide you through it.
The delivery sequence Step onto the mat. Take your stance. Focus on your target — not the jack but the point on the green where you want the bowl to start its curved journey. Step forward and swing your arm smoothly — releasing the bowl with a rolling action at approximately ground level. Follow through with your arm in the direction of your delivery.
The key to consistent lawn bowls is a smooth repeatable action — the same every time. Consistency comes before power.
Buying Your Own Bowls
You’ll use the club’s spare bowls when you’re learning — but once you decide to continue playing you’ll want your own set. Having your own bowls that are sized and weighted correctly for your hand makes a significant difference to your game.
Choosing the right size Bowls come in sizes from 00 to 7 — the right size for you depends on the size of your hands. The general test is that you should be able to hold a bowl comfortably with your middle finger just reaching the running surface. Your club pro shop or the staff at a bowls retailer can help you determine the right size.
New versus second hand New bowls from leading brands — Henselite, Drakes Pride, Taylor — range from approximately $300 to $600 for a set of four. Quality second hand bowls are widely available through clubs, online marketplaces, and specialist retailers for $50 to $200 — perfectly adequate for most club players.
Choosing a bias Different bowls have different amounts of bias — the amount they curve. Bowls with more bias are generally better suited to slower greens and slower players. Your club coach can advise on the appropriate bias for the greens you’ll be playing on most often.
The Social Side of Lawn Bowls
The social culture of Australian lawn bowls clubs is one of its most distinctive and most valued features — and something that sets it apart from most other sports.
Most clubs have a licensed bar or social area where players gather after games — sharing a drink, discussing the game, and enjoying each other’s company in a genuinely warm and relaxed atmosphere. Many clubs also run regular social events — dinners, fundraisers, and celebrations — that extend the community well beyond the green.
The friendships formed at lawn bowls clubs are often among the deepest and most enduring of later life. The combination of shared activity, regular contact, gentle competition, and relaxed social time creates the conditions for genuine connection in a way that few other activities match.
Lawn Bowls and Your Health
The health benefits of regular lawn bowls are well documented and genuinely significant for older Australians.
Physical health The walking involved in a typical game provides meaningful cardiovascular exercise. The repeated delivery action builds shoulder, arm, and core strength over time. The outdoor exposure provides vitamin D and the physical activity supports healthy weight management.
Cognitive health The tactical and spatial reasoning involved in lawn bowls — reading the green, planning your shot, anticipating your opponent’s response — provides genuine cognitive stimulation. Regular mentally engaging activity is one of the most consistently evidenced strategies for reducing dementia risk.
Mental health The social connection, sense of purpose, regular routine, and enjoyment of competition all contribute to the significant mental health benefits reported by regular lawn bowls players. Multiple studies have found that lawn bowls players report lower rates of depression and higher life satisfaction than comparable non players.
Getting Competitive
Once you’ve learned the basics and developed some consistency many players want to explore the competitive pathway. Australian lawn bowls offers a rich competitive structure from club level through to national and international competition.
Club competition Most clubs run internal competitions across multiple formats — singles, pairs, triples, and fours — at various levels. These provide a competitive outlet while maintaining the social atmosphere of club bowls.
District and state competition The best club players can progress through district and state competitions — representing their club and region at higher levels of competition.
National and international Australia has a proud tradition of producing world class lawn bowls players and the national competition pathway extends all the way to World Bowls Championships and Commonwealth Games representation.
The Bottom Line
Lawn bowls is one of the best kept secrets in Australian retirement — a sport that combines genuine skill, healthy competition, excellent social connection, meaningful exercise, and one of the most welcoming communities you’ll find anywhere.
The stereotype of lawn bowls as a last resort for the very old and very slow is completely wrong. Modern lawn bowls is played by active engaged Australians of all ages — and the over 60s demographic that dominates the sport brings decades of life experience, patience, and tactical wisdom that makes for genuinely excellent bowlers.
Find your nearest club, book a come and try session, and show up with flat soled shoes and an open mind. You might just discover one of the best things retirement has to offer.