What happens if a player plays out of turn, plays the wrong bowl or changes their set?
Rule- Australia
- Bowls Australia
- World Bowls
- Laws of the Sport of Bowls
- Crystal Mark 4th Edition
- Open age
- 2026/27
- Players
Playing out of turn (law 29.1). The opposing skip can stop the bowl and return it to be played in the proper order. If it has already come to rest without disturbing the head, the opposing skip chooses to leave the head and have their team play two bowls one after the other to restore the order, or to return the bowl and go back to the proper order. If it has disturbed the head, the opposing skip chooses to leave the disturbed head and play two bowls in a row, replace the head and return the bowl, or declare the end dead. If each team has already played a bowl before the error is found, play continues in that order.
Playing another player's bowl (law 29.2). The other player's bowl is replaced with the player's own bowl, and if it was marked or nominated as a toucher, the replacement is marked or nominated.
Changing sets (law 29.3). Changing your set of bowls during an uninterrupted game (or one stopped and continued the same day) forfeits the game, unless a bowl was damaged or the game moved between a vegetation surface and a synthetic or indoor surface. If a stopped game continues on another day, a different set can be used.
Failing to play (law 29.4). Once the result of an end has been agreed or the process of deciding the shots has started, a player who failed to play a bowl loses the right to play it.
Source: World Bowls, Laws of the Sport of Bowls Crystal Mark Fourth Edition, law 29, https://www.worldbowls.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Laws_of_the_Sport_Fourth_Edition.pdf
Added 24 Oct 2026