Burton & Puddington Bowls Club



Law Of The Week – Bowling In Error

Question

What happens if I bowl my wood out of turn?

Answer

Your bowl is brought back and you can play it when your turn comes. The end continues as if the mistake never happened.


Question

What happens if I bowl an opponent’s wood?

Answer

If it was your turn to bowl, the wood is returned to the opponent and you lose your turn (ie your wood is forfeit).

If it was not your turn to bowl, the wood is brought back and the end continues as if the mistake never happened.


Note: If the bowl delivered out of turn or the opponent’s bowl you played disturbs the jack or any woods already played, anything disturbed should be put back as near as possible to where it was. The end continues. If the players can’t agree on placement, the end is void and must be started again.


References From The Laws Of The Game

5.12 If a player delivers any bowl out of turn it must be returned to be played in its proper turn.
 
5.13 If a player, in turn, delivers a bowl of another player, it shall be returned to the proper owner to be played, the offender forfeiting a bowl.
 
7.3 If, as a result of a bowl wrongly played, the jack or any lawful bowl already played is disturbed, such jack or bowls shall be replaced as near as possible in their original positions.
 
7.4 If the jack or any bowl is displaced by the jack or a bowl of any other players, or by any exterior cause, and the players agree as to the spot of replacement, the end must be continued, otherwise the end is void.