Rules

The mat should be placed at least 2 metres from the ditch (measurement from top of the mat)

The jack to be placed a minimum of 2 metres from the ditch edge

Minimum length of mat to jack must be 23 metres

A jack delivered short of 23 metres will be returned to the mat and the opponent will deliver the jack, if they also do not reach the required length the marker or skip will place the jack 2 metres from the end of the rink.

The jack must be centred on the centre line at the beginning of each end. A bowl only reaching a distance of 14 metres or less must be removed from the rink and placed on the wall. A live bowl stopping outside the rink or a bowl being hit outside the rink should be removed and placed on the wall.

A bowl ending in the ditch without touching the jack is a ‘dead bowl’ and should be placed on the wall.

A live bowl touching the jack should be chalked and remains a live bowl even if it is in the ditch.

Live bowls and jacks in the ditch should be marked by using markers, white for the jack and red for the bowl(s).

If the jack goes outside the rink boundaries the end is ’dead’ and the end must be replayed.

A tied end is when two opposing bowls are exactly the same distance from the jack, an example could be if the two bowls are touching the jack.

In the case of a tied end, the end is deemed to have been played, the total is carried down to the next end.

A dead end is an end deemed not to have been played if the jack has been knocked outside the confines of the rink. In the event of a dead end no score or end is marked on the scorecard or scoreboard, the end is played again.

With the agreement of the skip, the mat may be put further up the green as far as the 25 metre mark. The purpose of this tactic is to upset the rhythm of your opponents.