Do make visitors to the club welcome, whether new members, visiting players or their supporters or occasional visitors. If they seem uncertain, explain where our club facilities are.

When playing away, do not criticize your opponents’ green or other facilities.

During a match, be friendly towards the opposing team, especially your opposite number. For example – pick up the mat or pick out their first wood if they have the mat. Quietly praise good shots by both sides. By all means engage in pleasant chatter, but please observe reasonable silence when anyone on your rink is in the act of bowling. Do not stand in the line of vision of the bowler on the mat or move about or knock woods when a bowler is about to deliver his/her wood. Do not move about behind the “head” of bowls whilst a player is about to deliver a bowl from the other end of your rink; it can be distracting. Do not encroach onto adjoining rinks.

Be conscious of the need to preserve the playing surface and the surrounds on the green.

Be generous to your opponent both in victory and defeat. Lord Sebastian Coe said, when speaking in defence of the preservation of school playing fields and team games: “Team games teach people to win and lose with equal dignity”. A brief period of socialisation with your opposite number after a game never hurt anybody; and if drinks are available, offer your opponent a drink. Enjoy a drink and relax! Remember – there is no need to have a post mortem of the game!

The enjoyment of bowls largely depends on the attitude of its players. Do not spoil it either for yourself or for your opponent.