Bowls come in sets of four and each must be identical (check that the registration letters and numbers are exactly the same on your set). They are made of plastic and have a date stamp indicating when they require their 10 year test/stamp, eg “21” means they were manufactured in 2011. Please do not worry about the restamping of your bowls, it only comes into consideration when playing at County and National level.

There are a number of factors to take into consideration when buying bowls, and it is very important that you do not buy a set of bowls until you have done plenty of research and tried different sizes, makes and models with different biases.  

Ask our coaches for their advice, particularly in finding the correct size of bowl to fit your hand. The coaches bowls room has a wide range of bowls sizes and makes for you to experiment with, but they are not for sale (although sometimes the coaches have some bowls that can be bought). Also, ask our members if you can try their bowls in a Roll Up session to get a feel of what suits you. 

SIZE
It is essential that you choose a bowl that, first and foremost, suits the size and shape of your hand. Too large, it will cause tension in your hand; too small, it will cause over gripping - both resulting in delivery problems. 
With the help of your coach guiding you, take the bowl and place both hands around the widest part. Extend your thumb and middle finger – these should touch, but only just.

SURFACE 
UK greens are generally slow running compared to the faster Greens found in hot climates, astroturf, short mat, or indoor bowling clubs. The weather, time of day, length of grass, and what the ground under the green consists of (eg combinations of clay, sand, loam) all have an effect on the bowls performance. So be aware of what model of bowl is suitable for our greens (see chart for some guidance)

GRIP
What type of grip is suitable for your hands? Some older bowls have shallow lines or swirls, while more modern bowls have different depths of dimples to enable you to hold the bowl more securely, particularly when the grass is wet. Some players find certain designs of grip uncomfortable, so once again, please experiment.

WEIGHT
Here is a Thomas Taylor chart giving examples of different weights, although different manufacturers may have slightly different specifications. Generally heavy weight is the most commonly found, with medium weight being harder to find second hand.