New and Existing Members, who belong to one or more other bowls clubs listed in the appropriate County handbooks, must declare their multiple memberships on joining or rejoining Braintree Bowling Club prior to any payment of subscriptions.

If a member has declared multiple membership, they will be required to confirm in writing through which club they intend to play National and County competitions.

Any member not entering these competitions through Braintree Bowling Club will not be permitted to enter any internal Club Competitions, the winning of which results in an entry as the Club’s National and/or County representative the following year.

Nor will that member be selected to represent Braintree Bowling Club in any County, CMBL or NWEBA representative competition.

Names of members not eligible to play in such competitions shall be posted on the Club notice board to ensure they are not used as substitutes.

TO PROTECT YOUR GREEN, GROUNDSHEETS TO BE USED AT EACH END UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

HOW TO FIX GROUNDSHEETS.

Use 5 pegs down each side.

DO NOT PUT PEGS ACROSS THE FRONT EDGE OF THE MAT.

Deliver your woods by rolling across the groundsheet – do not bounce your woods.

It is essential that after play, you remove the mat and COUNT AND RETURN 10 PEGS FOR EACH SHEET.

DO NOT LEAVE ANY PEGS ON THE GREEN.

In the case of non-availability of “tested and passed” rinks, the following order of priority should be observed at all times.

1. National
2. County
3. NWEBA
4. CMBL League
5. CMBL Competitions
6. Monday Club Roll-Up and Friday Avian League
7. Club Internal Competitions

These general priorities apply at all times with the following qualification for MONDAY EVENINGS:

ONLY County & NWEBA Singles can be pre-booked on Mondays once the Club Roll-Up starts.  This facilitates those competitions that have a mandatory day of play, rather than a play by date which should be arranged earlier where possible.

PLEASE NOTE

• Members are urged to complete afternoon matches by 18:00.

• No play may commence before 13:00, Monday to Friday unless previously arranged and agreed with the Green Ranger.

• No other block bookings will be allowed on any night without reference to the relevant committee.

The following Dress Code to be adhered to whilst playing on the green is as follows:

Men: White/Grey Trousers, White Top with Collar or Club Shirt.

Ladies: White/Grey Trousers or Skirt, White Top with Collar or Club Shirt.

White/Grey Tailored Shorts may be worn for Club Events and where outside Competitions allow.

Smooth flat sole bowls shoes must be worn at all times on the green.

All the above also applies to those Members who are Marking Internal and External Competitions.

Members not complying to the above may be requested to leave the Green.

Because we can often forget some of the things we learnt when we started playing bowls, etiquette can appear somewhat lacking at times.  Perhaps the following may serve as a useful reminder as etiquette is central to the sport of bowls and should always be observed:

• Dress correctly for all games and arrive in good time.

• Mobile phones should be switched off during play and used with discretion while in the vicinity of the green.

• Greet team members and opponents at the start of the game and congratulate or compliment them at the end of play. Shake hands at the start of the game and at its conclusion.

• Remember to thank the marker at the end of a singles game for sparing his/her time and offer a drink to your marker as well as to your opponent.

• Concentrate fully on the game and on all bowls as they are being delivered. In a competitive match, save socialising until afterwards.

• Be ready to bowl when it’s your turn.

• Do not talk or make a noise behind the mat, or move at the head end, when a player is preparing to bowl.

• Remain behind the mat or behind the head when it is not your turn to play.

• Always remember that, as soon as your bowl has come to rest, possession of the rink (at both ends), passes to your opponent.

• Avoid obscuring the rink number, rink markers, or the jack.

• Outdoors, on sunny days, be aware of your shadow. Don’t let it fall across the jack or head and don’t allow it to fall in front of the mat when a player is about to bowl.

• Keep to your own rink. Don’t become a wanderer and distract other bowlers.  Walk down the centre of your rink when you are changing ends.  Don’t walk through the head.

• Be aware of players on the next rink, especially indoors.

• Don’t walk past the end of a rink when a player is about to bowl towards you.

• Pick up the mat for your opponent after the last bowl has been delivered.

• Once the score has been agreed, everyone should help to clear bowls. 2s alter scoreboard after bowls have been kicked back or pushed back by losing lead (if pushers are allowed).  Losing lead can also put out bowl for winning lead, whose only concern is to put down the mat and deliver the jack.  Skips fill in the scorecard outdoors.

• Take care of team members, and the head, when drive shots are being played, and warn others on adjacent rinks of the intended shot. One of the 3s could be ready to go in front of the head in order to see if the delivered bowl is a toucher.

• Encourage and praise the rest of the team, including the skip. Bowls is a team game; everyone should be working together.

• But don’t applaud a team member who has outrageous luck.

• Admit a fluke with grace.

• Compliment your opponent on a good shot.

• Don’t wave opponents’ bowls through the head.

• Never criticise your opponents, the green, or your own team. If you cannot say something positive, don’t say anything at all.

• Always appear to be enjoying the game.

• Be gracious whether you win or lose.

• Learn the laws of the Sport of Bowls and abide by them.

Good etiquette and manners make for a pleasant game and cost nothing.

Enjoy the game!

To comprise of at least 3 Full Club members. Additional members can be co-opted to the committee for specific events as required.

To report direct to the Management committee (MC) as necessary, attending MC meetings at their request. MC members can also request attendance at any social committee meeting.

To make proposals to MC for social activities for the benefit of the club.

To receive and consider suggestions from club members for social activities.

Ensure each activity is properly costed and will at least break even so that no net loss will be borne by the club. The exception will be if approved by the MC that the club will support costs for the event.

Once approved by the MC, to organise the event requesting support from the MC and / or other members as necessary.

Changes to the social committee can be made after making a proposal to the MC.

No events are to clash with any other club activity and any proposal must be made only after checking that this is so.

All events are to be open to all members.

The MC decision on any proposal will be final.

Please note that smoking is not permitted anywhere within the clubhouse nor on the green or its surrounding playing and seated areas.

There are 2 designated smoking station areas which are available to those wishing to smoke.  Please ensure that spent cigarettes are placed in the receptacles located as follows: –

1. To the left of the green area entrance gate outside the main clubhouse doorway on the car park side.

2. The area adjacent to the three flagpoles where a bench is available.

Please note that normal access to the clubhouse is restricted to between 8am and 11pm daily. The intruder alarm will automatically activate between 11pm and 8am the following morning.

1. Always use the left-hand door at the main entrance to enter and exit the clubhouse.  You will always require a security fob to enter. If the bolt inside is engaged then you will gain access. However, if the bolt inside is not engaged then you will also require the key from the key safe located on the wall to unlock the left-hand door. Please ensure the key is replaced back in the safe. The code will be advised to you on receipt of your fob.

2. The main entrance doors must always remain closed.

3. When exiting the clubhouse always use the same door as entering. Press the green exit button on the office wall and push the exit bar on the door to open.

4. If you are the last person to leave the premises then the bolt needs to be disengaged before closing the door. This must be done regardless of the time of day.

You are expected to return all green equipment used after a match or roll up to the equipment shed.  If you are the last person accessing the shed then you must ensure that the shed is locked and the key returned to its location on the hook at the side of the bar. 

All visitors to the club who are not members must sign the visitors book to comply with the club insurance policy.  This also includes members partners who are not paid-up members.

Visiting club and representative teams can be signed in en bloc by the visiting captain.