Section 2

• The Throw

  • The Throw Delivery - Without Run-Up

  • The Throw Delivery - With Run-Up

• The Bowl

  • The Bowled Delivery

  • Slide Bowl

  • Lifted Bowl

  • Raised Bowl

The Throw

The Throw Delivery - Without Run-Up

Start by throwing the bowl from a standing position. If the player is right handed the right foot is placed 60 to 70cm in advance of the left foot (reverse feet placement for a left handed bowler).

(See Diagram 4)

• draw bowling arm back

• aim at target (initially 4m distant)

• throw underarm

• hand is over the bowl

• release with a reverse spin

• Set a 60% hit rate, then 

• increase distance to 5, 6 and 7m

• release bowl higher

• raise the hips

• back straight

• release at eye level

It is important that the player learns that the throw relies on coordination and not strength. A good throw will seem effortless.

Diagram 4

The Throw Delivery - With Run Up

The throw is the shot that explosively displaces another bowl or the jack.

The bowl is thrown with a run-up. The player must choose the length of their run-up to the foot line (a maximum distance of 7m).

• Commence without a bocce

• start with 4 paces

• begin at a walking pace

• release on step 4

• right foot court contact on release (reverse for left handed)

• run through after release

Then commence throwing the bocce from a 4m stride run

(See Diagram 5)

• set target at 9m

• start hand, palm up, under bocce

• sight target

• turn hand to top, knuckle up, on run

• throw with a reverse spin

• run through after release

Diagram 5

The Bowl

The Bowled Delivery

The bowled delivery is made to position the bowl of the player as near as possible to the target (another bowl or the jack). The bowl is delivered underarm from a crouched stance.

The point of impact with the ground should be one or two metres from the foot line depending on whether the court is smooth (1metre) or rough (2 metres).

The bowl should be delivered with some reverse spin adjusted for the type of court conditions. (See Diagram 8).

Variations of the bowled delivery are the slide bowl, lifted bowl and raised bowl.

Diagram 8

Slide Bowl

A bowl used when the court surface is smooth and fast and allows the player to put control backspin on the bowl and maintain the line and length to the target. (See Diagram 9)

Diagram 9

Lifted Bowl

A delivery used where the court surface is rough for a short distance in front of the throwing line. (See Diagram 10)

Diagram 10

Raised Bowl

A delivery thrown over half the court distance to the target because the court surface is uneven or soft. This is the least accurate of the bowled balls. (See Diagram 11)

Diagram 11