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Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to our most frequently asked questions are below but remember you can always email us on info@taylorbowls.com if you have any other questions.

The Basics

What is lawn bowls?

Lawn Bowls is a vibrant and accessible sport that can be played and enjoyed by all ages, both indoors and outdoors.  Lawn Bowls is popular world-wide and, because of its competitiveness, skill and the fact that it is a non-contact sport, the game suits people from a young age through to their nineties.  For an in-depth overview, see About Lawn Bowls within The Clubhouse section.

If you are interested in taking up the sport, pop into your local club for a chat.  If you’re not sure where your nearest club is, our Links section might help direct you to your country’s governing body as a good starting point. A good website to look at is www.worldbowls.com. For advice on the best bowl for you, ask your local retailer or view our bowls online.

About Taylor Bowls

Where can I buy Taylor Bowls and other Taylor branded products?


You can buy direct from this website where the goods will be dispatched from our factory in Glasgow, Scotland, from our Factory showroom at 217 Bernard St, Glasgow, G40 3NB or from our comprehensive list of all Taylor Bowls distributors and stockists worldwide in our Stockists section. If you can’t find a stockist, please don’t hesitate to email Head Office on info@taylorbowls.com and we will point you in the right direction!

Why would I choose Taylor Bowls over the other brands available?

Taylor Bowls are the most accurately made and advanced bowls in the world! Through continue upgrading of  production equipment and advancing technology we have created extremely accurately designed running surfaces that are unique to our brand and no other manufacturer can match. These offer consistent exacting lines when playing a draw shot or a controlled weighted shot.

We guarantee our bowls are matched sets and take the same bias every time having been tested by the world's most experienced testers. All our players use sets off the shelf and no adjustments are made!  These facts are backed up by our NEW 15 year bowls guarantee, a feat that we are extremely proud of!

 

“I use the ACE – it’s a good all-round model, suitable for any position from lead through to skip and reliable in any situation both indoors and out.” Andy Thomson

“There is a Taylor Bowl to suit every playing condition.  I have confidence in all the models and regularly switch between them.”  David Gourlay

What are the options for engraving on my bowls?

While your local retailer will have a selection of pre-engraved bowls for you to choose from you can now build your own bowl using our "Build-A- Bowl" on this site.  You can order your bowls directly from the factory or print out your bowl selection and take it to a retailer for them to order for you.

We are also able to engrave special orders, including engraving on the outside edge of the bowl between the scores and the grip.  Further details and costs available on request.

Do Heavy and Medium Weight bowls have a different bias?

Heavy weight and Medium weight bowls run with the same bias. Medium weight bowls tend to run on further on slow greens. Due to very little demand for Medium weight bowls, we no longer manufacture them. If you currently play with a Medium weight bowl and are wanting a new set of bowls, we would recommend coming down one size in a heavy weight. This will be the nearest equivalent.

 

If a Bowl chips – is this a manufacturing fault?

NO it is not! Our 15 year guarantee does not cover wear and tear. See below for what is considered wear and tear and can cause damage:-


Gravel or similar hard ditch fillings can cause bowls to scratch or heavily chip if they come into violent contact, as can concrete ditch walls or protruding nail heads on ditch walls or indoor carpets.
Artificial outdoor sand filled greens can cause heavy scratching and excessive wear, especially on the running surface of the bowl.
Some fertilisers and sand used on outdoor greens can be abrasive, causing surface scratches and removal of polish. This happens on all bowls but can be more noticeable on coloured sets.
Exposure to the elements will cause fading and rapid cooling/heating of bowls will "Thermal Shock" the bowls causing surface cracks.
Never use or allow others to use sand paper, scouring pads or any form of abrasive material on your bowls as this could alter their bias. If chipping or scratch marks have to be removed this should be carried out by a WB licensed tester. Placing and then removing of stickers over the painted rings can remove the paintwork underneath.

Why are some models only available in certain countries?

While some of our models are suitable on any surface and in a variety of conditions, others are developed specifically for conditions in a particular country or for a particular surface. The Redline-SR and SRV, for example, is ideal for most southern hemisphere conditions, but not suitable for the UK.

Legality, Testing and Stamping

What is the 'Master Bowl'?

The 'Master Bowl' is a working reference bowl that all manufacturers and testers use to determine the legality of new and existing models via a table test. All of the current Master Bowls are produced by Taylor Bowls.

What does the stamp on my bowls mean? / How old are my bowls?

This is an oval shaped stamp designed for the new World Bowls Limited. It is an essential requirement for bowls to be legal for competition play. The letter 'A' on the stamp signifies that the bowls were made by Taylor Bowls in Glasgow. The Manufacturing date of the bowls is 10 years before the date stamp on the bowls i.e. Bowls stamped '25' were manufactured in 2016.
Each bowl in a set should carry an identical serial number.

Is the date stamp on my bowls valid for competition play?

Please check with your relevant Bowling Association, as different rules apply for different Bodies and in different countries ie., Men/Women and Indoor/Outdoors.

Where do I get my bowls tested and stamped?

Taylor Bowls will Test and Stamp your bowls at their Glasgow factory. Please contact our office at info@taylorbowls.com or call us on 0141 554 5255 for further details.