LVIBC Rules

Loddon Vale Indoor Bowls Club

Club Rules

Basingstoke Leisure Park

Churchill Way West

Basingstoke Hants

RG22 6PG

Tel 01256 356507

www.loddonvaleibc.co.uk

Affiliated to: - EIBA, HCIBA, HCWIBA & L&S CIBA

Rules for Use of the Green

 

Contents                                                          Page

Rules for the Green

1. Dress                                                          3
2. Booking of rinks                                       3
3. Change over between sessions             3
4. Movement on rinks                                  3
5. No Smoking                                               3
6. Consumption of food & drink                 3

League Rules                                           4-5

Club Competition Rules                         6-7

 

 

1.         Dress

a.          The dress for men is grey tailored or bowls trousers or grey Bowls England shorts, or white tailored, bowls trousers or white Bowls England shorts for match days and special occasions, and white collared, club shirts (preferred) or EIBA registered coloured bowls manufacturers shirts above the waist.  Track suit bottoms and jeans are not acceptable.   Registered/sponsored club shirts must be worn for all national competitions and representative games.

b.         The dress for ladies is grey skirt, tailored or bowls trousers or white skirt, tailored or bowls trousers when specified for match days and special occasions, and white collared or club shirts (preferred) and blue cardigans/waistcoats.  Track suit bottoms and jeans are not acceptable.  Registered/sponsored club shirts must be worn for all national competitions and representative games.  If a cardigan is worn it must be white or blue (blue clothing must be manufactured to LVIBC specifications).  Tights optional, but if worn must be a neutral colour.

c.          Only regulation bowling shoes with flat rubber soles may be worn on the green.  Bowls sandals may be worn at owner’s risk.  To protect the carpet from damage by dirt introduced from outside, members must not enter the building wearing their bowling shoes.  If you take a break from the green and go outside the door you must wear the overshoes provided except for an emergency evacuation.

d.         The above dress restrictions shall not apply for roll-ups on weekdays between 12 noon and 2.00pm and 4.00pm and 6.00pm.  Jeans may only be worn during these periods.  At these times the only requirement is for regulation bowling shoes to be worn.  The requirement for white above the waist shall not apply to those leagues where it has been specified that coloured shirts may be worn.

2.         Booking of Rinks

             A rink may be reserved not more than 10 days in advance, except when National or Club Competition rules apply.  League bookings may be moved to accommodate National or County competitions, but shall not be moved for Club competitions (other than during finals week).  The only exception is that league matches starting at 8.30pm may be moved if this is necessary to create a double session on the same rink.  Members should enter provisional dates in pencil and amend in ink once date and time has been confirmed.  Pencil bookings can only be held for 72 hours. The Bowls Committee has the right to reserve a rink or rinks at any time for special purposes.

3.         Change Over Between Sessions

             There is no interval between sessions.  Five minutes before the session is due to end a bell/buzzer will be sounded, after which no further end shall commence.  On no account should the jack be delivered after the bell/buzzer has sounded.

4.         Movement on Rinks

             To minimise distraction to players on adjacent rinks, movement between ends should, as far as possible, be along the centre of the rink.  Please do not spend too much time discussing the end as you change ends.  Should a game be completed with the bowls at the far end of the green, the bowls should be carried back to the other end.  No running is permitted on the carpet.

5.         No Smoking

             Smoking is not permitted within Loddon Vale Indoor Bowling Club and this includes cigarettes, e-cigs or vapes.  If you wish to smoke during a session, you must change from your bowling shoes and leave the building.

6.         Consumption of Food and Drink

The consumption of food and drink is restricted to that purchased from the Club and is to be in the lounge and dining areas only.  No drink may be carried on to the playing surface.  No food is allowed on the tables at the end of each rink. 

 

League Rules

1.         All players in the league shall be members of Loddon Vale Indoor Bowling Club.

2.         The following rules shall apply as appropriate to the registration of players of all leagues.

1. Each team shall appoint a captain from their players and he/she shall be responsible for the registration of all their team players.
2. It is recommended that rink teams have a minimum of 6 players and a maximum of 10 players. Triples teams should have a minimum of 5 players and a maximum of 8 players. Pairs teams should have a minimum of 4 players and a maximum of 6 players.
3. A team may, rather than play one short, play an unregistered player or a player currently registered with another team in the same league, or in any other division of that league, provided they are not a member of the opposing team.  Any disputes must be made in writing to the League Secretary within 24 hours.  The ‘substitute’ player shall not skip the match.
4. In ‘mixed open’ leagues, any combination is permitted
5. Should a team be withdrawn during the course of the season, at the secretary’s discretion, the players may join another team.

3.         Application of a new team.  Any team applying to enter a league shall supply, with their application, the minimum number of players required for that league.

4.         Except for full game leagues, all league games will last for two hours.

5.         In all league games, the jack shall be delivered, not placed.  If a jack is delivered outside the confines of the rink, the opposing skip shall place the jack and may also have the mat repositioned.  If during play a jack is put out of the rink, in a two hour league game, it will be respotted and during a full game the end will be replayed.

6.         Except for full game leagues, skips are not allowed to remain at the head whilst the opposing skip bowls and no member of the team may follow bowls down the rink or visit the head.

7.         A league match may only be postponed when the Club Dinners or AGMs prevent a team being available.  These events must be notified to the League Secretary and the rink booking cancelled at least one week prior to the scheduled fixture.  Other postponements must be by mutual agreement.  When league games are postponed, within two weeks the team captains shall agree a date to play the game and book the rink.  If a new date has not been fixed within two weeks the League Secretary may fix a new date.  If the League Secretary fixes a date the captains may agree to play before this date by mutual agreement.

8.         Should a team fail to attend, 3 points and 6 shots will be awarded to the opposing team.

9.         League Matches

1. Involving rinks – when a team reports with only 3 players they shall play 3 against 4 and lose 25% of their final score.  In the team of 3, the Lead and number Two will have three woods, with the Skip having only two.
2. Involving triples – when a team reports with only two players the team with 3 players shall have 3 woods each. The team with 2 players will have 4 woods each.  The team that wins the end places the jack and the team with 3 players bowls first and last. There is no deduction in score.
3. Teams are only allowed to play one short on three occasions.
4. Late arrival of players.  Players may join the match up to 2 ends after the start without penalty.  After that the 25%  deduction shall apply to any shots scored before the player arrived

10.       If play is stopped due to an emergency, the result will stand if 5 or more ends have been played.

11.       A buzzer will sound 5 minutes before the end of the session, after which no further ends may commence.  If the jack has been cast (ie left the hand but not necessarily come to rest) then the end shall be completed.  If an end is killed after the buzzer then play shall cease.

12.       Matches are to be played on the date, at the time and on the rink appointed on that day (Rule 7).

13.       All green fees must be paid before the match commences. 

14.       Displacement by a bowl from an adjoining rink – a bowl or jack, at rest on the rink, if in danger of being moved by a bowl from an adjoining rink, may be lifted by the marker or any player at the head to allow the neutral bowl to pass, and then be replaced, provided such action would not influence the outcome of the head so moved.

15.       In the event of a team withdrawing from a league before completion of its fixtures, its record shall be deleted from the league tables.

16.       A Green Steward’s rota will be displayed on the league fixture sheets (a different team each week to supply the Green Steward).  This rota will nominate the Green Steward by their team name.  Stewards are to distribute score cards and pots for cash to the relevant rinks before the commencement of the game.  Rink fees will be collected by the Bar Staff after the game has started.  In the event of a game being cancelled or not played, then the team concerned shall provide an alternative Green Steward for that session.

17.       Scoring system – points awarded are 3 for a win, 1 for a draw and 0 for a loss or bye.  In the event of an equal amount of points at the end of the season, the league winners will be decided on a shots for and against basis.  This will also apply to promotion and relegation, where applicable.

18.       There will be no trial ends in 2 hour leagues.  In full game leagues, players may play trial ends (if they wish).

19.       All team captains or their deputies are responsible for placing their scorecards in the appropriate box after the game.  Failure to do so may result in loss of points.  The League Secretary, or his assistant, shall collect the score cards from the above box in order to compile the results and league tables.  League tables and results will be posted on a regular basis.

20.       Two division leagues will be subject to promotion/relegation.  At the end of the season (April) two teams will be relegated from Division One to Division Two, and two teams will be promoted from Division Two to Division One depending on the League Secretary’s discretion.  These decisions will be based on the resulting points and shots achieved by the teams in the season and withdrawal of any team in order to provide balance leagues.

Club Competition Rules

1.         All entrants must be full members of Loddon Vale Indoor Bowling Club.

2.         Players taking part in the first game shall constitute the team.  After the first game one substitution may be used in a team in single sex and open competitions, in mixed competitions one male and one female substitute  are permitted in the competition, but only one of the substitutes may play in an individual game.  Substitutes must not have played in any other team in the relevant competition.  If a team concedes its first match then the players named on the entry form shall constitute the team and shall be deemed to have played in the competition.  Substitutes may play in any position (except in Drawn 4’s, see rule 2b).  The Competition Secretary must be advised, within 24 hours of any substitution made and the scorecard must clearly identify the substitute used.

a.          No substitutes will be permitted in Drawn Pairs.

b.         Only one substitute will be permitted in Drawn 4’s.  The substitute will be of the team’s choice, but is not allowed to skip.  The                  original four drawn will constitute the team.

3.         All rounds of the gents and ladies Singles competitions will be played to EIBA rules (21 shots with 2 trial ends).

4.         All rounds of the gents and ladies Pairs, gents and ladies Rinks, gents Over 60’s Two Wood Triples, ladies Two Wood Triples and Four Wood Mixed Pairs will be played over 21 ends with a 4 hour time limit.  All rounds of the gents and ladies Triples will be played over 18 ends with a 4 hour time limit.  In all cases the 4 hour limit does not include trial ends.

5.         The Drawn Pairs, Drawn 4’s and Aussie Mixed Pairs will be played to 21 ends or the 2 hour session times, whichever is the sooner.  This shall not apply in the semi finals or finals, which shall be full games.

6.         The Two Wood Singles competition is played to 21 ends with 2 trial ends.  The players may visit the head once only during an end and  will not remain at the head while their opponent has possession of the rink.  In the event of a tie, an extra end will be played.

7.         The Two Wood Mixed Pairs will be the best of two nine end sets.

     a. Teams will toss for the choice of mat at the start of the match and the loser of the toss will have the choice at the start of the second set.

     b. The winner of each set shall be the team with the most shots after nine ends, except that if at any point it becomes impossible for one team to win, or tie the set with the number of ends remaining then the set will be won at that point.

     c. If the scores are level after nine ends the set shall be tied.

     d. A tied end shall count as one of the nine ends.  Dead ends do not count as one of the nine ends and shall be replayed.

     f. If the match is tied at one set or two tied sets then a tie breaker shall be played. Teams shall toss for the choice of mat for the first end of the tie breaker.  Thereafter delivery of the jack shall alternate (except after a dead end)

     g. The winner of the tie break will be the first team to win two ends, the number of shots per end shall not be counted.

8.         In games played to a 2 hour time limit players may not visit the head.  In games played over a fixed number of ends, or to a fixed number of shots, players may visit the head as often as they wish, except in the case of the 2 Wood Singles (see Rule 6).

9.         Possession of rink laws will be strictly adhered to.  The challenger in Singles competitions will provide the Marker from Loddon Vale Indoor Bowling Club.

10.       In a full game, where a tie exists at the end of the game, an extra end will be played.  In all remaining time restricted games, where a tie exists at the end of the game, the player(s) having won the most ends will be the winner.  If there is a tie on ends, then the penultimate end score will be used.

11.       The player(s) who appear first in the round of the competition will be the challengers.

12.       It falls to the challenger, not less than 14 days before the relevant ‘play by’ date, to offer at least two dates for playing the tie (one of which shall be a weekend and one a weekday evening) except where fixed dates apply.  Should the challenger fail to do this, the opponent becomes the challenger and must offer one date.  If the original challenger does not accept this date, the opponent goes through.  Failure to offer dates by both challenger and opponent will result in both being disqualified.  If the opponent already has a national/county/club competition confirmed for the offered date and time then the challenger shall be required to offer additional dates.  Fixed date competitions may be played early by mutual agreement.  Daytime competitions may be played later the same day by mutual agreement, and weekday 6.30pm matches may be started up to one hour later than the scheduled time as long as the opposition have agreed at least 72 hours in advance.

13.       If a Club fixed date competition clashes with an international/national/county fixed date competition, or an inter-club representative competition, then the affected person shall contact the Competition Secretary who will select a new date.  This day may be after the original date.  Other than in these circumstances no requests for extensions to a round will be allowed.

14.       All results will be entered immediately the match is finished on the master sheet by the winner(s).  Scorecards will be signed by one player from each team and put in the plastic wallets on the relevant competition board.

15.       All other rules as joint laws of the game apply.

16.       Any games not finished by 11.00pm will be stopped (the end in progress may be completed) and the score will stand.  No jack may be delivered at 11.00pm.

17.       In Singles games, if a single session is booked but the game goes over the two hours, the second session must be paid for.

18.       Summer Pairs, Triples and Rinks competitions are played as two hour games except for the finals which are full games.

19.       In all cases the Competition Secretary may adjust the duration of games if necessary.

 

N.B. The documents below are differently formatted versions of the rules:

The booklet format is designed to form an A5 booklet and as such should be printed on A4 paper, back to back.

The document format is similar to the version on this page and can be printed using one or two sided printing.

 

 

 

 

Revised 01/09/2022: CS