Lawn bowling is a simple sport and it has only a few equipment. All you need is a mat, a lawn bowl and a jack. There are some other inexpensive items that you will need additionally such as normal chalk and a tape measure. In this article, we are focusing on the mat or the carpet. This is usually supplied by the club you are playing for.
Different bowl carpets will be designed for different speeds. There are standard lengths and widths that should be followed in their manufacturing. The material that the carpet is made out of and its weight have an impact on the speed it will allow. For a slow pace, you can choose a carpet that has latex or foam backing. These are heavy and thick carpets. When the thickness of the carpet reduces, it also increases the speed. You can see that some of the lightweight and thin carpets tend to have foam backing. But choosing a carpet has to be done after you have collected some background data. You have to consider the floor condition you are placing the carpet. A faster carpet which is a thin carpet should be used when the floor is level and flat. You need a floor in good condition for this type of carpet because any obstruction or change in the floor will affect how the bowls travel on it.
You don’t have to be very particular about the floor condition if you are going for a medium carpet as they are thicker. The thicker mat will allow the bowl to move on the surface without getting hampered by the floor; however, if the floor condition is very irregular, even a medium carpet may not be effective. You can ask the bowling supplies store about the type of carpet they recommend for the floor you have. Some companies may even visit the site to carry out a floor survey so that you get the perfect carpet. You will generally be able to purchase all the gear for lawn bowling from one company including the lawn bowls, carpet and the jack. You have to consider who will be playing on the carpet as well. The standard of the club members has to be considered. Many players tend to prefer faster carpets and these carpets are generally used in competitions as well. You can always carry out a survey to see what the majority prefers if you are purchasing the carpet for a club.
You have to be careful when it comes to carpet maintenance. Many clubs will specify the types of shoes that can be worn on it. Shoes that have deep imprints or grooves are generally not recommended as they can scuff the carpet and damage it. Flat soled shoes with little to no pattern or grooves are required. With good maintenance, a carpet can last for a decade. You need to make sure that it is laid on a floor that doesn’t have any debris whether it is rocks, stones, glass etc. as it can get embedded into the backing.