On the Jack – Blog #22(New Season)

🟢 On the Jack – Blog #22

“The Block – The Unsung Hero of the Head”

There are bowls that get applause. There are bowls that produce a cheer.

There are bowls that make the skip turn around with a satisfied nod and the opposition mutter something that cannot possibly be repeated in a family-friendly blog.

And then there is the block.

No applause. No glory. No place in the club history books.

But sometimes, that quietly placed bowl can be the most important bowl of the end.

🎯 What exactly is a block?

A blocking bowl is deliberately placed in a position that makes it more difficult for an opponent to play the shot they want.

Instead of trying to get your bowl as close to the jack as possible, you are effectively saying:

“If you want to come this way, you’re going to have a problem.”

The bowl may sit across an opponent’s preferred line, protect one of your own bowls, restrict access to the jack, or make a particular attacking shot much more difficult.

It is rather like putting a garden chair in the middle of the kitchen.

You have not stopped anyone entering.

You have just made their journey considerably more interesting.

🧠 Why would you deliberately bowl somewhere that is not the jack?

Because bowls is not simply about getting closest.

It is about controlling the head.

Suppose your opponent has an obvious draw to the jack on the forehand side.

You could attempt to beat them with a better bowl.

Or you could put a bowl in their path and make them change their hand.

Suddenly, they have a decision to make.

Do they change their hand? Do they add weight? Do they try to move the blocking bowl?

Do they play around it? Or do they attempt the original shot and hope for the best?

That is the beauty of the block.

It creates problems rather than simply trying to solve them.

🟢 The block and the beginner

For a new bowler, the temptation is understandable:

“Get as close to the jack as possible.”

And that is certainly an important part of learning.

But as you become more experienced, you begin to see that every bowl changes the head.

A bowl does not have to be sitting beside the jack to be useful.

A bowl two or three feet away might:

• protect a valuable bowl.

• close an opponent’s preferred line.

• prevent an easy draw.

• create a safer route for your next bowl.

• force your opponent onto a less comfortable hand.

• give your team another option later in the end.

That is when bowls starts becoming rather like chess.

You are not just asking:

“Where can I put my bowl?”

You are asking:

“Where can I put my bowl that makes their next bowl harder?”

♟️ The block is about thinking ahead

One of the biggest differences between an experienced bowler and a newcomer is not necessarily the quality of delivery.

It is often the ability to look at the head and think one or two bowls ahead.

Imagine your opponent has two bowls sitting nicely on one side of the jack.

Your bowl could go straight at the jack and perhaps finish alongside them.

Or you could put a bowl in the path they are most likely to use.

The second option might not win the applause. But it could win the end.

That is the part of bowls that newcomers sometimes discover with a mixture of surprise and mild irritation:

The best bowl is not always the closest bowl.

🧐 A word about the skip

This is where communication becomes important.

If you are playing as part of a team, your skip may ask you to play a block.

And if you are thinking: “But surely they want me to get closer to the jack?”

— do not panic.

Your skip may have spotted something you have not.

Perhaps the opponent has a dangerous bowl behind the jack.

Perhaps one side of the head is vulnerable. Perhaps the next player is likely to attack.

Perhaps the skip simply wants to change the shape of the head.

Good team bowls is not about every player having the same idea.

It is about trusting the plan and understanding your part in it.

💡 Tip for new bowlers

Next time you are playing, do not spend the entire end staring only at the jack.

Before delivering your bowl, ask yourself three questions:

1. Where is the jack?

Obviously.

2. Which bowls are dangerous?

Look at your opponent’s position as well as your own.

3. Where would I least like my opponent’s next bowl to travel?

That third question is the beginning of tactical thinking.

And once you start asking it, you will see the head rather differently.

📜 A little bit of bowls history

The tactical side of bowls has always been part of the game.

As the sport developed and became more organised, players increasingly learned that success was not simply about producing a perfect draw every time.

Reading the head, using position, controlling space, and anticipating an opponent’s response became fundamental parts of competitive play.

The equipment and greens may have changed over the years, but one thing has not:

a clever bowl can cause an awful lot of trouble.

😄 Clubhouse chatter

There is an amusing phenomenon associated with the blocking bowl.

You play exactly what the skip asks. You place the bowl perfectly.

It sits beautifully across the opponent’s line. The skip smiles.

You walk back feeling rather pleased with yourself.

Then someone says: “Good block.”

And you realise you have just bowled a superb tactical bowl that absolutely nobody will remember tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the person who accidentally nudged the jack six inches and somehow ended up with shot bowl will be telling the story for the next three winters.

That is bowls.

🗣️ Something you may hear on the green

“Block the hand.”

Translation:

“Please put your bowl somewhere that makes their preferred route considerably less attractive.”

You may also hear:

“Cover the shot.” Or: “Give me a blocker.” And occasionally: “Just put one in front.”

That last one can sound deceptively simple. It is not.

☕ The Rink side Rambler’s thought

A good block is a bit like a good goalkeeper. It does not necessarily score the points.

It does not get the glory.

But when the moment comes, everyone suddenly realises how important it was.

The next time you are watching an end develop, look beyond the bowls nearest the jack.

Ask yourself:

Which bowl is controlling the head?

Which bowl is closing a route?

Which bowl is causing the opposition a problem?

You might discover that the quiet little bowl sitting away from the action is actually doing a tremendous amount of work.

And if your skip asks you to play a block?

Do not worry if it is not the bowl that gets the applause.

Sometimes the most important bowl on the rink is the one that simply sits there and says:

“You’re not coming this way.”

🟢 Final End

Bowls is not always about attacking.

Sometimes it is about controlling space, protecting what you have got and making your opponent think twice.

The block may not be glamorous. It may not get the cheers.

But when your opponent looks at the head, changes their plan and mutters:

“That’s awkward…” you will know you have done your job.

And somewhere behind the head, your skip is probably smiling.

See you, “On the Jack.”

Your Rink side Rambler 🟢🎯☕Norman Deegan.

This Week on the Green – Club News and Activities

🗞️ Marine Gardens Bowling Club Weekly Report

Week Ending Sunday, 20th September 2026.
As the season begins to wind its way toward a close, Marine Gardens bowlers put together an excellent four‑match unbeaten run, marked by strong rink performances, narrow escapes, and some standout individual contributions.

Brodie League – Goring Manor (Away)

The week opened with a solid 3–1 rink victory at Goring Manor. A superb 24–9 pairs win from Gerry Perch and Tim Baldwin set the tone early and played a major part in securing the impressive 80–45 overall result.

Friendly – Arundel (Home)

Marine Gardens then completed the double over Arundel, again winning 3–1 on the rinks, though the aggregate was a much tighter 58–47. Top Rink honours went to Rob Wenman, Wendy Wilson, Ken Leadbeater and James Albon, whose well‑earned 18–9 win proved decisive.

Friendly – Storrington (Away)

The winning streak continued—just—at Storrington, where Marine Gardens edged the match 46–42, winning two of the three triples’ rinks. A strong 19–9 performance from Les Gritton, Pam Duffield and James Albon provided the crucial margin in this closely fought contest.

Brodie League – Maltravers (Home)

The final match of the sequence came at home to Maltravers. The points were shared 5–5, with Maltravers taking two rinks, losing one and drawing one. Marine Gardens, however, claimed the aggregate with a narrow 68–66 advantage. A standout 23–9 pairs win from Ivan Godsmark and Perry Cairns ensured the unbeaten run remained intact. Attention now turns to the return fixture next week.

Report by:Alan Paterson, Press Officer.