Purposeful practice is intended to improve your performance in club matches. Every position in a normal rink game is specialised. The lead has to deliver the jack accurately and consistently, and draw consistently within two feet. In addition to the draw, the second may need to play with a yard or so of extra weight or sometimes be asked to play positional bowls. The third may also have to play running shots, and take different “lines” to get around short bowls. The Skip requires all the shots in the text book and an ability to play for example a drive with their first bowl and a draw with their second.
It follows therefore that having a practice routine which is tailored to the position you will play in a club game will be advantageous for improved performance and successful results.
We recommend the following practice routines for each position:-
LEADS
Practise 1.
Jack Rolling.
It is very important that a lead can deliver the jack to any precise length his skip requests, or indeed in any singles game he is competing in.
Requirement: – 4 jacks. Start with the mat 2m from the rear ditch, place another mat in the Centre of the rink, no less than the minimum distance required by the rules of the game. The object of this exercise is to roll all 4 jacks onto the mat, with both mats at various positions on the green including the delivery mat right up the green.
Practise 2.
Requirement: – 4 jacks, own set of woods. Centre 1 jack maximum length Centre other to minimum distance. Bowl 1 bowl in turn to each jack on a different hand, trying to draw as close as possible to the jack.
Practise 3.
Requirement: – 2 jacks, 4 spare bowls, own set of bowls. Centre the jack and place one bowl 2ft in front of the jack and one bowl 2ft behind. Practise drawing all four bowls between the 2 bowls without disturbing them or the jack. Use this practice at various jack lengths and various mat positions.
Practise 4.
Practise drawing to a jack off Centre, jacks are often moved even by leads, this exercise should be practised at all lengths and all mat positions, and bowl two bowls on each hand.
Practise 5.
Requirement: – As for practise 3. Centre a jack, place 4 bowls 3ft from the jack to from a square.Practise drawing on each hand to either the jack or a nominated bowl, when a good degree of accuracy is achieved move all the bowls 6 ins nearer to the jack, keep moving the woods this distance until they are quite close to the jack. To save time, after all four bowls have been played and before walking up the green Centre the second jack and then deliver 4 bowls, 2 on each hand to this jack from the other end, don’t break up the practise head.
This session should be practised on all lengths and all mat positions.
Practise 6.
Requirement: – 1 set bowls. Deliver all 4 bowls as close as possible to each other, this is good practise to establish a consistent grooved delivery action. Because this exercise is designed to provide a grooved delivery it is not important to deliver the bowls to the Centre of the rink.
SECONDS:-
Practise as for lead, including jack rolling. With the addition of the following.
Practise 1.
Requirements: – jack and spare set of bowls. Practise yard on shots to different bowls and the jack in the box practice.
Practise 2. Place a bowl 1ft either side of the jack at jack high, practice the wrest shot. Practise playing yard on shots, practice a drive shot, practise a jack trail of 2ft then practice trailing the jack 1yd. Practise all these exercises at various lengths also with the head off centre.
Practise 3. Centre jack, practise drawing all 4 bowls to 1.5yds behind the jack spaced in an arc.
Practise 4. Place a jack near the front ditch practise both drawing to it and also trailing it into the ditch. Practise this shot with the jack off centre at various positions.
All the above exercises should be practised on both hands.
THIRDS:-
Practise all the above for leads and 2s.
Also practise driving at jacks placed in various positions on the green including jacks off centre.
Practise playing blockers, practise playing the opposite hand to where the blocker is required.
Practise measuring.
Keep up to date with all the rules of the game.
SKIPS.
Practise all the above, in particular to driving and playing controlled weight.
Practise 1.
Requirement:- 4 jacks. Place 4 jacks 2ft from the front ditch at equal distances apart across the rink, practice drawing to each jack in turn,on each hand, practice trailing each jack into the ditch.
Keep up to date with all the rules of the game.
NH 04/05/24