Lesson One 

Bowls is a target sport.

I’ll always remember the person who gave me my first ever bowls lesson, and for beginners, all going well, so will you.

Coaching plays a vital role in developing bowlers. Not everyone aspires to be a bowls champion, but I think it’s fair to say that the sport is more enjoyable when you feel that your game is improving and that you have played well during a game.

Coaches can have a major influence on a bowler’s understanding and enjoyment of the game, and this is particularly so where it concerns beginners.

At the start of the 2025 outdoor bowling season, Chepstow Bowling Club has (check the number) coaches who are willing to help bowlers with their game.

The bowls coaches at Chepstow have been accredited by The Welsh Bowls Coaching Association (WBCA).

Coaching is free and is available to all.

The Club has a traditional Monday afternoon session called the ‘Club Afternoon’ which Coaches attend early in the season (check the booklet for dates) to help bowlers who want to be coached.

The names of our coaches are listed in the fixture booklet. Some of them are amenable to being contacted for one-on-one sessions. Bowlers who are keen to progress might find that individual attention from a coach suits them better.

There is a lot of information about bowls coaching on the internet in written and video form. It’s a bit of a minefield: most of it has some merit but some of it might be confusing for a beginner. I regularly scour the internet for new content and have compiled a directory of anything I find to do with bowls coaching. I’m happy to suggest online material that might help new and more experienced bowlers.

Videos: some of the videos produced by Bowls Wales are on this page: Bowls Wales Coaching Tips and Techniques

Coaching never stops. You will constantly be looking for ways to improve your bowling. That is something that all of us have in common!

“Have fun.”

Graham Horder