How to Run a Bowls Tournament: Step-by-Step Guide

Why Good Tournament Organisation Matters

A well-run bowls tournament is one of the best experiences in club sport. Players arrive, the draw goes up on time, matches flow smoothly, and the day ends with results, prizes, and a sense of occasion. A poorly-run tournament, on the other hand, is an exercise in frustration: late starts, confused draws, missing scorecards, and players standing around wondering what is happening.

The difference between these two outcomes is preparation. Running a bowls tournament is not difficult, but it requires a plan. This guide gives you that plan, step by step, whether you are organising a small club pairs day or a large open tournament with 30+ teams.

Step 1: Choose Your Tournament Format

The format determines everything else: how many players you need, how many rinks, how long the day will run, and how the winner is decided. Here are the most common options:

Round Robin

Every team plays every other team (or a fixed number of games). The winner is the team with the most wins or the best shot difference.

• Best for: Small fields (8-12 teams), social days, regular club competitions
• Pros: Everyone plays multiple games, fair results
• Cons: Takes longer, needs more rinks as fields grow

Knockout (Elimination)

Losers are eliminated after each round. The winner is the last team standing.

• Best for: Large fields, dramatic events, gala days
• Pros: Quick to run, exciting
• Cons: Losing teams have a short day, seeding matters

Swiss System

Teams are paired based on their current results. After each round, teams with similar records play each other. No elimination.

• Best for: Medium to large fields where you want fairness without a full round robin
• Pros: Competitive matches throughout, no elimination
• Cons: Harder to administer manually

Sectional Play + Finals

Teams are divided into sections (pools). Round robin within each section, then the top teams play semi-finals and a grand final.

• Best for: Large events (16+ teams), pennant-style competitions
• Pros: Combines round robin fairness with knockout excitement
• Cons: More complex to organise

For more about game formats and team compositions, see our formats guide.

Step 2: Set the Details

Before you open entries, nail down these details:

• Date and time. Allow for weather delays. Morning starts are standard (8:30-9:00 AM registration, 9:30 AM first bowl).
• Format. Singles, pairs, triples, or fours? How many ends per game?
• Entry fee. Covers green fees, prizes, and catering. Typical club tournament fees range from $10 to $30 per player.
• Maximum entries. Based on your rink capacity. Each rink can host one match at a time. If you have 8 rinks, you can run 8 matches simultaneously.
• Prizes. Trophies, vouchers, or prizemoney? Will you have prizes for runners-up, best first-game score, or best-dressed team?
• Catering. Morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea? BBQ or sit-down?

How Many Rinks Do You Need?

Use this rule of thumb:

If you have fewer rinks than teams, you will need to stagger matches with byes.

Step 3: Open Registration and Manage Entries

Give players at least 2-4 weeks to enter. Provide clear information:

• Date, time, and location
• Format and rules
• Entry fee and how to pay
• Entry deadline
• Contact person for questions

Managing the Entry List

Keep a master list of all entered teams with:

• Team name or skip name
• Player names
• Contact phone number
• Payment status

Confirm entries a few days before the event. Nothing derails a tournament faster than teams that entered but do not show up, or teams that show up without entering.

Step 4: Generate the Draw

The draw is the schedule that tells each team who they play, on which rink, and in which round. This is where most tournament organisers either shine or struggle.

Manual Draw Generation

For a round robin with 8 teams, you can use a standard draw template. Number the teams 1-8 and use a rotation schedule:

1. 1Create the first round by pairing teams (1v8, 2v7, 3v6, 4v5).
2. 2Fix team 1 and rotate all others clockwise for the next round.
3. 3Assign rinks to each match.
4. 4Display the draw on a noticeboard.

This works for small fields but becomes cumbersome beyond 12 teams. Errors are common, and rink allocation gets tricky.

Digital Draw Generation

This is where technology makes a real difference. A digital tool like LawnBowl can generate a fair, balanced draw in seconds:

• Automatic rotation ensures rink fairness (no team plays on the same rink twice in a row).
• Balanced opposition prevents teams from playing the same opponent more than once.
• Bye management handles odd numbers seamlessly.
• Instant publishing means the draw is on every player's phone, not just the noticeboard.

If you are running more than two tournaments per year, digital draw generation will save you hours and eliminate the most common source of complaints: "Why did we play on that rink again?" or "We played the same team twice!"

Use LawnBowl to automate your next tournament draw.

Step 5: Prepare the Day Before

The day before the tournament:

• Prepare the green. Mow, roll, and set rink markers. Ensure ditches are clean and bank boards are in position.
• Print scorecards. One per rink per round. Include team names, rink number, round number, and space for end-by-end scores.
• Prepare the results board. Whether it is a whiteboard, a printed sheet, or a digital display, have it ready.
• Set up the registration area. Name badges, entry list, pens, and cash box.
• Brief your helpers. Make sure your greenkeeper, bar staff, and any volunteer officials know the schedule.
• Check equipment. Jacks, mats, and measures for every rink. Spare chalk for touchers.

Step 6: Registration and Welcome

On the morning of the tournament:

• Open registration 30-45 minutes before the first match.
• Check off teams as they arrive. Confirm player names and collect any outstanding fees.
• Handle late changes. Players get sick. Be prepared with rules about substitutes.
• Welcome speech. Keep it brief (2-3 minutes). Cover: format, number of ends, time limits (if any), meal arrangements, and bar opening times. Introduce the greens and explain any local rules (e.g., ditch markers, rink boundaries).
• Display the draw. Put it where everyone can see it. Announce the first round and get bowls rolling.

Step 7: Run the Matches

During play, the tournament organiser's job is to keep things moving:

• Collect scorecards promptly after each round. Do not wait for teams to bring them to you. Walk the green and collect them.
• Update the results board immediately. Players want to know where they stand.
• Announce the next round as soon as all matches are complete. If one match is running slow, consider a time limit rule.
• Handle disputes calmly. If there is a measuring dispute, send an official umpire. Have World Bowls Laws or your national body's rules available for reference. The rules page on our site covers the essentials.

Time Management

This is the area where inexperienced organisers struggle most. Here are tips:

• Set a time limit per round (e.g., 90 minutes for 12 ends). When time is called, complete the current end and count scores.
• Build buffer time between rounds (15-20 minutes for toilet breaks, refreshments, and the next draw announcement).
• Plan meals to coincide with a break between rounds, not during play.
• Start on time. Even if two teams are late, start the matches that can start. Late teams forfeit the ends they miss.

Sample Tournament Schedule

Here is a typical schedule for a 16-team sectional event:

Adjust times based on the number of ends per game and the speed of your green.

Step 8: Score and Rank

After each round, update the competition standings:

• Round robin: Rank by wins, then shot difference, then total shots scored.
• Sectional play: Same ranking within each section. Top 1-2 from each section advance to finals.
• Knockout: Winners advance, losers are done (or move to a consolation bracket).

Make the scoring transparent. If you are using a whiteboard, show the running tallies. If you are using LawnBowl's digital platform, results update automatically and every player can see standings on their phone.

Step 9: Finals and Presentations

If your format includes finals:

• Announce the finalists clearly and give them a brief rest (10-15 minutes) before the final.
• Assign the best rink for the grand final if possible.
• Encourage spectators. A good final deserves an audience.

For presentations:

• Thank the volunteers (greenkeeper, bar staff, kitchen helpers, markers).
• Announce results starting from consolation prizes up to the winner.
• Present prizes with a handshake and (if available) a photo.
• Thank participants and invite them back for the next event.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

After running or attending hundreds of bowls tournaments, here are the mistakes that come up again and again:

• Starting late. Respect everyone's time. If you say 9:30, start at 9:30.
• Manual draws with errors. Double-bookings, teams playing the same opponent twice, or rink allocation mistakes. A digital tool eliminates this entirely.
• No time limits. One slow match can hold up the entire tournament.
• Poor communication. Players should never have to wonder what is happening next. Use a PA system, a whiteboard, or a digital app.
• Forgetting about catering. Hungry bowlers are unhappy bowlers. Plan meals and breaks.
• No contingency plan for weather. Know in advance: do you shorten the format, postpone, or move indoors?
• Not collecting scorecards. If you wait for them to come to you, you will wait forever. Go and collect them.
• Ignoring the social element. A bowls tournament is a social event. Make time for conversation, food, and celebration.

Automate the Hard Parts

The most time-consuming parts of tournament organisation are draw generation, rink allocation, score tracking, and results calculation. These are exactly the tasks that software handles better than humans.

LawnBowl was built for club organisers who want to spend less time on administration and more time enjoying the bowling. Generate draws in seconds, track scores in real-time, and publish results instantly.

Try LawnBowl free for your next tournament and see how much time you save.