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Introduction: In lawn bowls the coach is often required to determine the major problem in the player’s delivery skill; or be asked “Is the player improving?” ”Is the player consistent enough to play in the team or side?” “How can he or she improve their delivery skill when delivering to the edge of the ditch or the side of the rink? The answers to these questions and problems are made much easier when the coach combines the player’s margin of error with his own visual observations.

Definition: The definition of a margin of error is; “The size of the pattern formed on the green surface by a series of 8 drawn bowls delivered by the bowler under a controlled delivery skills practice e.g. 4 on the forehand and 4 on the backhand all to a medium end”.

The Procedure: The determination of a player’s margin of error is conducted under a controlled delivery practice without the use of the jack. This is carried out in four stages as follows;

Stage 1 Preparation: The coach should set up two rinks side by side, one for the forehand and the other for the backhand. This is done with the following layout and equipment;

·         Two mats, one for each opposite rink set on the two metre mark,

·         Two distinguishable sized red coloured markers or flags, one for each opposite rink, the first one set for the forehand delivery and the second set for the backhand delivery, both markers/flags are set on the opposite bank with an aiming line angle that allows the bowls when delivered to come to rest approximately on the centre line at a medium length.

·         Four white flat plastic discs markers about 30 to 40cm in circumference with a thin 1 and half inch flat head nail through its centre to secure them to the green surface. These discs should be also numbered 1 to 4 to indicate the rest position of the first, second, third and fourth bowl for margin of error measurement.

·         A measuring tape is required to measure the width and length of the margin of error. Measurements should only be approximate and given in metres and points of metres as applicable. Precise fractions of millimetres and centimetres are not required.

Stage 2 Procedural rules: When conducting this controlled delivery skill practice it is advisable to adhere to following procedural rules as follows;

·         Overall the purpose of this practice is to define the player’s precision in alignment, judgement of length, and to establish the bowler’s standard play.

·         The bowler should have a trial run of the required exercise, or at least have a role up of two ends to tone up the performer’s physical and mental attributes,

·         The following should be explained to the bowler; the definition of the margin of error, the controlled skill practice and rules that must be strictly adhered to throughout the whole procedure e.g. This is a controlled draw skills practice, in which you are required to deliver 8 bowls to a medium end, on the first rink, 4 bowls on the forehand and on the second rink, 4 bowls on the backhand. As each draw bowl comes to rest, its position will be marked and then removed to one side for you to play your next bowl.

·         If you are a left handed bowler you will on the first rink play 4 bowls on the backhand and then on the second rink 4 bowls on the forehand. The same rules and procedure will apply,

·         On both rinks your aiming line is the red marker/flag and are positioned so that the bias will bring your bowl to rest on or about the centre of the rink at a medium end,

·         During the practice you will not make any corrections, you are required to use the same delivery weight, rhythm, technique, and the same delivery angle, in plain words each delivery must be the same. If you should accidentally make a correction or an uncontrolled error in your delivery technique e.g. loss of balance, drop a bowl or deliver a wobbled bowl, that delivered bowl must be declared null and void and you are required to deliver that bowl again. The declared bowl is not included in the analysis,

·         On completion of each bowl the coach records its position on a graph piece of paper both the forehand and backhand draw shots, both patterns will be measured to calculate your margin of error.

·         On completion, each pattern will be analysed to find your major problem in your delivery,

·         Using the same procedure again, it will be explained how to correct the main delivery error e.g. alignment and/or length.

Stage 3 Forehand deliveries: The third stage is to have the bowler deliver a series of four bowls on the forehand to a medium end using the same alignment, length and technique. If the player makes an accidental correction or an uncontrolled error etc, the bowler must declare the bowl and it should be stopped before it reaches the head, and then returned to be delivered again. On completion of the four bowls the pattern is recorded and measured first by the width and then by the length, see Fig 2 1 by 3 metres.

Stage 4 Backhand deliveries: The same controlled practice is then carried out again on the backhand e.g. see an example Fig 3 2 by 2•5 metres. Both measurements are then calculated to be 1•5 by 2•7 this is done as follows see Fig 1;

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