Whether you are new to short mat bowls or a seasoned veteran of the game, it's always useful to be fully aware of the array of bowls equipment that is used to play. Mostly, it's the bowls league organisers who supply all of the rinks, delivery mats, jacks, fenders etc which they would buy from a specialist bowls equipment supplier.

To be sure that you are totally familiar with all of this equipment, this article gives an overview of everything that's needed for short mat bowls.

The Mat

Measuring between 40 and 45 feet in length and 6 feet in width, the short mat bowls mat or carpet is where all the action takes place. A short mat bowls carpet is marked out with a number of lines that indicate certain boundaries and placement positions for the bowls and the players. For instance, where the jack must be set or where a player is allowed to position their feet when sending a bowl.

The Jack

This is the small white ball that is placed at one end of the mat and is the main focus of any match. The objective being to bowl from the opposite end and get your bowl closer to the jack than your opponents.

The Block

A block of wood measuring 15 inches in length, 2 inches in width and 3 inches in height is positioned in the centre of the mat. It’s purpose is to prevent bowlers attempting a direct strike at their opponents’ bowls, forcing them to play around the block on either side.

The Fenders

A wooden fender is placed at each end of the mat. A fender is a block of wood which is used as a surround for the area marked out as the indoor equivalent of the ditch. Should your bowl enter this area then it is considered dead and cannot be counted for that particular end.

The Delivery Mat

This is the mat from which a bowler sends (delivers) their bowl. It’s positioned between the lines at one end of the mat and is where a player will stand when bowling, with one foot on the mat at all times.

Your Bowls

Last but certainly not least, you need a set of bowls to actually play with. These come in different weights and sizes, depending on your preferences and all have a bias, which is the clever part of the bowl which makes it turn (or peg) as the bowl begins to slow down. There’s a lot of things to consider when buying your own bowls for short mat bowling and probably warrants a separate article all of it’s own!