Understanding Bowls Markings: Your Complete Guide
When you buy a set of bowls, you will notice that each bowl has several numbers and letters on it. Some of them are pretty obvious, such as the brand name. Others might not make much sense at first glance, though! That is where we come in. As your trusted suppliers of second hand bowls for sale, we want every single customer to have all the information they need before they make their purchase. So here is everything you want to know about the numbers, letters and symbols on your bowls!
Where to find the markings
It's important to know where to look for the different markings on your bowls. You'll see them on both sides, with one featuring a more prominent circle that contains the manufacturer's logo and model name. The other side with the smaller logo contains the key technical details such as the brand and serial number, World Bowls stamp and the size and weight.
In terms of play, the side with the smaller logo is the bias side, AKA the side it will turn to as it travels.
Brand information
First up is the brand information on your bowl. Much of this is self-explanatory: a Henselite bowl will have Henselite written on it, and so on. You'll also see the name of the line of bowls that your set has come from. So, using Henselite as an example again, you will see that brand new followed by the line, e.g. Tiger, Tiger Pro, Tiger II, Tiger EVO or Classic. Brands have many different bowls lines, all with their own unique uses and characteristics.
You will also see a serial number on each bowl in a set. This number should be the same across all of the bowls.
World Bowls logo
You should always ensure that your bowls carry the World Bowls stamp. This is within an oval that also contains the expiry year of the bowls. So if they were expiring this year, you'd see '26' and 'WB' underneath. You only need to worry about this number if you are playing professionally, as they need to be retested and re-stamped before use in competitions. Expired bowls still have plenty of life in them and are ideal for casual players.
Size and weight
Last but very much not least are the size and weight of your bowls. These details can be found on the same side as the World Bowls stamp, and will look like a number followed by a letter H or M. The number is the size and will range from 0 to 4. Finding the right size bowl is really important if you are going to be able to play comfortably. The letter following the size is the weight of the bowl. H stands for heavy, and M for medium. Most modern bowls are heavy.
Talk to us
To find out more about the markings on bowls and how to choose the right ones for you, please get in touch today!
