Playing the right length

Since starting bowls seven years ago I've worked on the principle that because every bowler seems to prefer a medium length, when given the chance I'd play anything but. Solo practise sessions have focused on long or short jacks. 

Cracked the challenge of consistently finding the right line last year. No wonder length continued to be a challenge. With the outdoor season fast approaching, been pondering at length (as you might say). It's dawned on me I've been viewing the whole issue completely about face. Let me explain.

Here's me on the left. The first three bowls aren't particularly near the jack. Preparing to deliver the fourth, I'm still hopeful of getting one near. Isn't that your typical bowler? Rolls the jack, then tries to get his four bowls near.

Why is that completely wrong? Because a skilled bowler will already know where the four bowls are going to end up. His challenge is to roll the jack to the right length. How come he knows where his bowls will finish? Through hours of practice using a standard delivery. A delivery that is comfortable, comes most naturally and is therefore easy to repeat exactly time after time.

Doesn't matter if that standard delivery results in a short, medium or long resting place for the four bowls. The test is to get to a stage where, without any particular effort or brain power, and assuming the right line is used for each of the four bowls, they all come to rest together, time after time. Let's call that the standard length.

So here's me on the right. My imaginary bowls show where I know they'll end up. The next stage of practice is to be consistent in rolling the jack to standard length time after time.

Typically a bowler has the choice of length on only half the ends played. What happens if the opponent prefers a different length? Surely once you've got a consistent standard, that provides a good basis for accuracy on other lengths. A bit more or less effort should do the trick.

Does this sound blindingly obvious to you? It's something of a revelation for me. And it has important implications for future practise sessions. More on that in the next article.