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Short Mat Bowls

Short Mat is the popular indoor version of bowls played in village halls and other indoor arenas where space is limited. Dedicated competitors wil prefer a set manufactured by Drakes Pride, for decades the leading name in bowls equipment.

Short Mat Bowlers tend to use either Drakes Pride Professional with a medium bias or some prefer Professional Plus bowls with a stronger bias designed originally for outdoor greens.

Short Mat Bowlers usually use a heavyweight Jack with a special alloy coating. Please be aware that alloy Jacks are prone to chipping - this is unavoidable due to the material and the nature of the game. We will not be able to accept returned Jacks if they have been used. However, Drakes Pride do offer an exchange service for old Jacks - please email for details.

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Drakes Pride Professional bowls (set of 4)

£113.96 £133.90 3 + transit time




Drakes Pride Professional bowls (Heavyweight, Coloured, set of 4)

£144.60 £169.90 30 + transit time



Drakes Pride Professional Plus bowls (set of 4)

£113.96 £133.90 3 + transit time




Drakes Pride Professional Plus bowls (Heavyweight, Coloured, set of 4)

£144.60 £169.90 30 + transit time



Shortmat Yellow Extra Heavyweight Jack (approx. 890g)

£27.15 £31.90 3 + transit time
For an immediate quote and ETA, add to the basket & select your location.

 

Short Mat Bowls Accessories

Short Mat Carpet Fenders

Short Mat Self Aligning Centre Block

Carpet Mat and Trolley

 

Drakes Pride provide the special carpets for the game. Each one is 45 x 6 feet with a smooth foam back. They roll up and there is a special bag (above) available for convenient storage and handling. The carpets are pre-marked with the appropriate white lines. The speed of the bowls on each carpet is the same but the more expensive carpet has a thicker, chip-foam backing that is slightly more durable than the latex-foam backing on other carpet.

Also available are the fenders and centre block (standard in white or self-aligning), and a little trolley to assist with moving the rolled up carpet around.

Bowls mats measure 14 x 24 inches (35.5 x 61.5cm).

Left above - Mat, fenders and standard centre block. Left below - Self aligning centre block.
Click on the picture to enlarge.

 

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Drakes Pride Supagrene 45 x 6 feet Short Mat Bowls Carpet

£589.70 £692.90 10 + transit time

Wygreen 45 x 6 feet Short Mat Bowls Carpet

£813.53 £955.90 10 + transit time

Short Mat Regulation White Fenders (Pair) with white 15 inch Centre Block

£84.17 £98.90 3 + transit time

Short Mat Regulation White Fenders (Pair) with self aligning Centre Block

£106.30 £124.90 3 + transit time

Short Mat Self Aligning Centre Block

£33.96 £39.90 3 + transit time

Carpet Carry/Storage Bag

£53.53 £62.90 3 + transit time

Trolley for carrying Bowls Mats

£65.45 £76.90 3 + transit time

Regulation Foot Mat (pair, black with white border)

£14.38 £16.90 2 + transit time
For an immediate quote and ETA, add to the basket & select your location.

 

 

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The Origin of Bowls

Bowls historians believe that bowls developed from the Egyptians.  One of their pastimes was to play skittles with round stones.  This has been determined based on artefacts found in tombs dating circa 5,000 B.C.  The sport spread across the world and took on a variety of forms, Bocce (Italian), Bolla (Saxon), Bolle (Danish), Boules (French) and Ula Miaka (Polynesian).  The oldest Bowls green still played on is in Southampton, England where records show that the green has been in operation since 1299 A.D.  There are other claims of greens being in use before that time, but these are, as yet, unsubstantiated

King Henry VIII was a lawn bowler.  However, he banned the game for those who were not wealthy or "well to do" because "Bowyers, Fletchers, Stringers and Arrowhead makers" were spending more time at recreational events such as bowls instead of practising their trade.  Henry VIII requested that anybody who wished to keep a bowling green pay a fee of 100 pounds.  However, the green could only be used for private bowls play and he forbade anyone to "play at any bowle or bowles in open space out of his own garden or orchard". In 1845, the ban was lifted, and people were again allowed to play bowls and other games of skill.

Nowadays, Bowls is a hugely popular world sport. It appears in a variety of guises - Lawn Bowls and Indoor Bowls are recognised International sports with formal bodies at all levels. Crown Green Bowls is also a major pastime for thousands of people but this game is restricted more to the British Isles. The smaller modern indoor versions of the game - Shortmat Bowls and Carpet Bowls are also more of a British game but are less popular. Table Bowls appears to have turned up in the 19th century around the Carlisle area and although, it has never become hugely popular has apparently spread as far afield as Australia...

You can learn more about the Bowls from from The Online Guide to Traditional Games.

 

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