BOWLS NZ UMPIRE EXAM NEWEST 2026 COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) |ALREADY GRADED A+||BRAND NEW
VERSION!!
Before the start of a team game who tosses to decide which team will play first? - (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? - (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? - (answer)Faster. C25
What is the specification for the footwear to be worn by players, umpires, and markers? - (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? - (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? - (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? - (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? - (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
,BOWLS NZ UMPIRE EXAM NEWEST 2026 COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) |ALREADY GRADED A+||BRAND NEW
VERSION!!
"A", who is holding 3 shots, asks you "Do we just carry on, then?" What should your reply be? -
(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? - (answer)Yes. Law 12.1.3
Having instructed the third who is about to deliver a bowl, what should the skip do next? - (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? - (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? - (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? - (answer)Player A Law 20.3
What is the definition of a skip, and what are the skip's duties? - (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
, BOWLS NZ UMPIRE EXAM NEWEST 2026 COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) |ALREADY GRADED A+||BRAND NEW
VERSION!!
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? - (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? - (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? - (answer)A member of the team that delivered the
bowl. Law 15.1
During a team game who should remove the chalk marks from a bowl which is a non-toucher when it
comes to rest in the head? - (answer)A member of the opposing team. Law 15.5
During a Triples game a bowl belonging to player "A" is damaged beyond repair. The player wants to
replace the damaged bowl, and the other two bowls, with a new set of three bowls. Is this permissible? -
(answer)Yes, if the umpire agrees that a replacement bowl is needed - subject to the new set of bowls
passing inspection by the umpire. Laws 31.1, 31.5
What are the duties of the lead who plays first in an end? - (answer)Place the mat, Deliver the jack,
Make sure that the jack is centred before delivering the first bowl. Law 40.3
What does a marker mean when telling a player that a bowl is jack high or jack level? - (answer)It means
that the nearest part of the bowl is in line with and at the same distance from the mat line as the
nearest part of the jack. C26
DETAILED ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) |ALREADY GRADED A+||BRAND NEW
VERSION!!
Before the start of a team game who tosses to decide which team will play first? - (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? - (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? - (answer)Faster. C25
What is the specification for the footwear to be worn by players, umpires, and markers? - (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? - (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? - (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? - (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? - (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
,BOWLS NZ UMPIRE EXAM NEWEST 2026 COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) |ALREADY GRADED A+||BRAND NEW
VERSION!!
"A", who is holding 3 shots, asks you "Do we just carry on, then?" What should your reply be? -
(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? - (answer)Yes. Law 12.1.3
Having instructed the third who is about to deliver a bowl, what should the skip do next? - (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? - (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? - (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? - (answer)Player A Law 20.3
What is the definition of a skip, and what are the skip's duties? - (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
, BOWLS NZ UMPIRE EXAM NEWEST 2026 COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) |ALREADY GRADED A+||BRAND NEW
VERSION!!
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? - (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? - (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? - (answer)A member of the team that delivered the
bowl. Law 15.1
During a team game who should remove the chalk marks from a bowl which is a non-toucher when it
comes to rest in the head? - (answer)A member of the opposing team. Law 15.5
During a Triples game a bowl belonging to player "A" is damaged beyond repair. The player wants to
replace the damaged bowl, and the other two bowls, with a new set of three bowls. Is this permissible? -
(answer)Yes, if the umpire agrees that a replacement bowl is needed - subject to the new set of bowls
passing inspection by the umpire. Laws 31.1, 31.5
What are the duties of the lead who plays first in an end? - (answer)Place the mat, Deliver the jack,
Make sure that the jack is centred before delivering the first bowl. Law 40.3
What does a marker mean when telling a player that a bowl is jack high or jack level? - (answer)It means
that the nearest part of the bowl is in line with and at the same distance from the mat line as the
nearest part of the jack. C26
