About Shortmat Bowls

Short mat bowls is an indoor sport in which players attempt to score points by rolling a heavy ball along a fairly flat surface, to gain as many shots as possible by getting their bowls nearer to the jack than their opponents, and so outscore them. The game is a modern variation on lawn bows, from which it is derived.

Short mat bowls is played indoors, and the season runs from September to May in Ireland each year. Because the equipment is transportable and easy to set up, it is particularly appropriate for locations that are also used for other purposes such as village halls, schools, and sports and social clubs

Shortmat bowls is played on 45 ft (14 m) long mat with a width of 6 ft (1.8 m). The mat is foam or rubber-backed, and has the required lines permanently marked. A wooden fender is placed at both ends to simulate the ‘ditch’ and keep the bowls from rolling off the mat. A wooden block sits in the centre of the mat. Players have to avoid their bowl contacting the block on their way down the mat. The fine shape of each bowl imposes a ‘bias’ which causes the bowl to follow a curved route. The ‘jack’ is the target that sits near the end of the mat.

Short mat bowls is very similar to lawn bowls in that the object is for each player, or team, to take turns rolling bowls down a mat in an attempt to finally, getting as many of the bowls as close as possible and closer to the target the ‘jack’ than their opponent. The main difference is in the size of the playing area and the presence of the block midway down the rink mat. The presence of the block is to reduce an attempt of players knocking their opponents’ bowls away from the existing position. Players are encouraged to use the natural bias of the bowls to maneuver around the block and any other bowls or indeed, promote an existing bowl. Any bowls that touch the block, or land in the ditch area are dead and are removed before the next bowl is sent. A bowl which has touched the jack en route to the ditch, remains ‘alive’ and will count in the scoring. The skill in playing short mat bowls comes from the bias of the wood and the skill of ‘delivering a bowl to a position where it either counts in the score or is used as a defender, blocking a route to change positions. After each end, the player/team with their bowls closest to the jack score points depending on how many bowls they have closer to the jack than the other team’s closest bowl. The player/team with the most points after the pre-determined number of ends is the winner.

Check out the links below to find a club near you and get started. Also don’t hesitate to get in contact if you have any questions!