BOWLS NZ UMPIRE EXAM QUESTIONS STUDY GUIDE // A+
GRADED PRESENTATION // LAWS OF THE GAME
OFFICIATING DECISIONS MATCH PROCEDURES AND
PROFESSIONAL UMPIRE STANDARDS FOR FULL
COMPETENCY // ACADEMIC YEAR 2025/2026
Before the start of a team game who tosses to decide which team will play
first? - CORRECT ANSWER-Coaches in a side game, skips in a team
game or opponents in singles. Law 5.2.1
What choices does the winner of the toss have? - CORRECT ANSWER-
Either place the mat and deliver the jack and the first bowl or tell the
opponents to place the mat and deliver the jack and the first bowl. Law
5.2.2
You are told that the pace of the green at 10.00am was 10 seconds and
that at 3.00pm it was 14 seconds. Was the green faster or slower at
3.00pm? - CORRECT ANSWER-Faster. C25
What is the specification for the footwear to be worn by players, umpires,
and markers? - CORRECT ANSWER-Flat-soled ("heel-less"). Note that the
permissible colours for footwear are generally covered within the
Conditions of Play for a competition. Appendix A.2.1
A running bowl hits a toucher on the green. The toucher hits the bank and
rebounds onto the green and lies beside the jack. Is the toucher a live
bowl? - CORRECT ANSWER-Yes. Law 17.2.3
,A player plays out of turn. The player's bowl does not touch anything during
its course. The bowl comes to rest 2 metres from the jack. What should
happen? - CORRECT ANSWER-The bowl has not disturbed the head so
the opponent should choose whether to leave the head as it is and play two
bowls one after the other to get back to the proper order of play or return
the bowl and get back to the proper order of play. Law 29.1.2
A player decides to play a short bowl to act as a "blocker‟. It finishes very
short of the head but is still within the boundaries of the rink. The opposing
skip calls for an umpire. What should the umpire's procedure be? -
CORRECT ANSWER-The umpire should measure, in a straight line, the
distance from the centre of the mat line to the bowl. If it is less than 14
metres, the bowl should be declared dead. Law 17.1.3
When you are inspecting the bowls before the start of a Fours game you
notice that one player has bowls from 2 different sets. What action do you
take? - CORRECT ANSWER-Advise the player that playing with two
different bowls is not permissible as both bowls must be from the same set.
Law 52.1.9
At a Fours game there is a downpour during the course of an end - only the
leads and seconds have played their bowls. There is a mass exodus of
players. They reappear 20 minutes later. The skip of team "A", who is
holding 3 shots, asks you "Do we just carry on, then?" What should your
reply be? - CORRECT ANSWER-Since the end was not completed before
the players left the green, it should be declared dead (and, therefore, be
replayed). Law 32.2
During a Fours game team "A" is holding 5 shots - closely grouped around
the jack. The skip of team "A" wants to protect the head. The skip walks
past the head in the direction of the mat line. Standing 2.5 metres from the
,head the skip says to the third, who is on the mat, "I want a bowl here". Is
this permissible? - CORRECT ANSWER-Yes. Law 12.1.3
Having instructed the third who is about to deliver a bowl, what should the
skip do next? - CORRECT ANSWER-Take their position behind the jack as
soon as the bowl has been delivered. Law 12.1.3
You are marking a Singles game. Player "A" delivers a short jack. No-one is
sure whether it has travelled the minimum distance from the mat or not.
Both players say "It's fine, we will play to it". Can you intervene, or do you
accept the players' willingness to play to it? - CORRECT ANSWER-As
marker you must intervene. Law 42.2.2
You are marking a Singles game. Player "A" delivers a short jack. No-one is
sure whether it has travelled the minimum distance from the mat or not.
Both players say "It's fine, we will play to it". What would your procedure for
checking the jack length be if you were the umpire? - CORRECT
ANSWER-Make sure that the jack has been centred, having made sure
that the mat has been centred. Check that the mat line is not less than 2
metres from the rear ditch and not less than 25 metres from the front ditch.
Law 6.1.1 Measure the distance from the centre of the mat line to the
nearest point of the jack - if it is less than 23 metres it is not in line with the
laws after being centred. Law 10.1.3
Having won the previous end player "A" delivers the jack - which goes
straight into the ditch. Player "B" then delivers a jack in line with the laws.
Play continues and the end is subsequently declared dead. Who delivers
the jack when the end is replayed? - CORRECT ANSWER-Player A Law
20.3
, What is the definition of a skip, and what are the skip's duties? - CORRECT
ANSWER-The skip is the player who is in charge of the team. Have sole
charge of the team. Decide all disputed points with the opposing skip,
making sure that any decision reached is in line with the laws. Refer any
disputed points to an umpire. Be responsible for the Score Card. Can
delegate their own powers and duties to any member of their team,
provided that the delegation is notified to the opposing skip. Law 40.1
At 10.00am on Saturday 10th June a player plays a friendly game on rink 2
of the East green. The previous Sunday evening (4th June) the player was
drawn by the competition committee to play a game on rink 2 of the East
green at 6.00pm on Saturday 10th June. The player plays the tie and wins
21 - 20. What action, if any, should the competition committee take? -
CORRECT ANSWER-They should disqualify the player because, on the
day of a competition, a player is not allowed to play on the same rink before
starting play in the competition. Law 3.3
A running bowl played on rink 2 hits one of the other bowls on rink 2
causing that other bowl to enter rink 3. On entering rink 3 it collides with a
bowl at rest in the head before anyone can stop it. What should happen on
rink 3? - CORRECT ANSWER-If the displaced bowl has not disturbed the
head, the skips should agree on the position of the bowl. If the displaced
bowl has disturbed the head, the skips should agree on the position of the
bowl and on how to replace any part of the head disturbed after the
displacement. In either situation if they cannot agree, the end should be
declared dead. Law 37.3.4
During a team game who should mark a toucher? - CORRECT ANSWER-A
member of the team that delivered the bowl. Law 15.1
GRADED PRESENTATION // LAWS OF THE GAME
OFFICIATING DECISIONS MATCH PROCEDURES AND
PROFESSIONAL UMPIRE STANDARDS FOR FULL
COMPETENCY // ACADEMIC YEAR 2025/2026
Before the start of a team game who tosses to decide which team will play
first? - CORRECT ANSWER-Coaches in a side game, skips in a team
game or opponents in singles. Law 5.2.1
What choices does the winner of the toss have? - CORRECT ANSWER-
Either place the mat and deliver the jack and the first bowl or tell the
opponents to place the mat and deliver the jack and the first bowl. Law
5.2.2
You are told that the pace of the green at 10.00am was 10 seconds and
that at 3.00pm it was 14 seconds. Was the green faster or slower at
3.00pm? - CORRECT ANSWER-Faster. C25
What is the specification for the footwear to be worn by players, umpires,
and markers? - CORRECT ANSWER-Flat-soled ("heel-less"). Note that the
permissible colours for footwear are generally covered within the
Conditions of Play for a competition. Appendix A.2.1
A running bowl hits a toucher on the green. The toucher hits the bank and
rebounds onto the green and lies beside the jack. Is the toucher a live
bowl? - CORRECT ANSWER-Yes. Law 17.2.3
,A player plays out of turn. The player's bowl does not touch anything during
its course. The bowl comes to rest 2 metres from the jack. What should
happen? - CORRECT ANSWER-The bowl has not disturbed the head so
the opponent should choose whether to leave the head as it is and play two
bowls one after the other to get back to the proper order of play or return
the bowl and get back to the proper order of play. Law 29.1.2
A player decides to play a short bowl to act as a "blocker‟. It finishes very
short of the head but is still within the boundaries of the rink. The opposing
skip calls for an umpire. What should the umpire's procedure be? -
CORRECT ANSWER-The umpire should measure, in a straight line, the
distance from the centre of the mat line to the bowl. If it is less than 14
metres, the bowl should be declared dead. Law 17.1.3
When you are inspecting the bowls before the start of a Fours game you
notice that one player has bowls from 2 different sets. What action do you
take? - CORRECT ANSWER-Advise the player that playing with two
different bowls is not permissible as both bowls must be from the same set.
Law 52.1.9
At a Fours game there is a downpour during the course of an end - only the
leads and seconds have played their bowls. There is a mass exodus of
players. They reappear 20 minutes later. The skip of team "A", who is
holding 3 shots, asks you "Do we just carry on, then?" What should your
reply be? - CORRECT ANSWER-Since the end was not completed before
the players left the green, it should be declared dead (and, therefore, be
replayed). Law 32.2
During a Fours game team "A" is holding 5 shots - closely grouped around
the jack. The skip of team "A" wants to protect the head. The skip walks
past the head in the direction of the mat line. Standing 2.5 metres from the
,head the skip says to the third, who is on the mat, "I want a bowl here". Is
this permissible? - CORRECT ANSWER-Yes. Law 12.1.3
Having instructed the third who is about to deliver a bowl, what should the
skip do next? - CORRECT ANSWER-Take their position behind the jack as
soon as the bowl has been delivered. Law 12.1.3
You are marking a Singles game. Player "A" delivers a short jack. No-one is
sure whether it has travelled the minimum distance from the mat or not.
Both players say "It's fine, we will play to it". Can you intervene, or do you
accept the players' willingness to play to it? - CORRECT ANSWER-As
marker you must intervene. Law 42.2.2
You are marking a Singles game. Player "A" delivers a short jack. No-one is
sure whether it has travelled the minimum distance from the mat or not.
Both players say "It's fine, we will play to it". What would your procedure for
checking the jack length be if you were the umpire? - CORRECT
ANSWER-Make sure that the jack has been centred, having made sure
that the mat has been centred. Check that the mat line is not less than 2
metres from the rear ditch and not less than 25 metres from the front ditch.
Law 6.1.1 Measure the distance from the centre of the mat line to the
nearest point of the jack - if it is less than 23 metres it is not in line with the
laws after being centred. Law 10.1.3
Having won the previous end player "A" delivers the jack - which goes
straight into the ditch. Player "B" then delivers a jack in line with the laws.
Play continues and the end is subsequently declared dead. Who delivers
the jack when the end is replayed? - CORRECT ANSWER-Player A Law
20.3
, What is the definition of a skip, and what are the skip's duties? - CORRECT
ANSWER-The skip is the player who is in charge of the team. Have sole
charge of the team. Decide all disputed points with the opposing skip,
making sure that any decision reached is in line with the laws. Refer any
disputed points to an umpire. Be responsible for the Score Card. Can
delegate their own powers and duties to any member of their team,
provided that the delegation is notified to the opposing skip. Law 40.1
At 10.00am on Saturday 10th June a player plays a friendly game on rink 2
of the East green. The previous Sunday evening (4th June) the player was
drawn by the competition committee to play a game on rink 2 of the East
green at 6.00pm on Saturday 10th June. The player plays the tie and wins
21 - 20. What action, if any, should the competition committee take? -
CORRECT ANSWER-They should disqualify the player because, on the
day of a competition, a player is not allowed to play on the same rink before
starting play in the competition. Law 3.3
A running bowl played on rink 2 hits one of the other bowls on rink 2
causing that other bowl to enter rink 3. On entering rink 3 it collides with a
bowl at rest in the head before anyone can stop it. What should happen on
rink 3? - CORRECT ANSWER-If the displaced bowl has not disturbed the
head, the skips should agree on the position of the bowl. If the displaced
bowl has disturbed the head, the skips should agree on the position of the
bowl and on how to replace any part of the head disturbed after the
displacement. In either situation if they cannot agree, the end should be
declared dead. Law 37.3.4
During a team game who should mark a toucher? - CORRECT ANSWER-A
member of the team that delivered the bowl. Law 15.1
