Well, if you've made it this far, either you're a new bowler who has either yet to play and wants to know what bowls to use or you've played with a few sets of bowls in practice and aren't sure what to buy now you're going to get playing.

So what sorts of bowls are there in the crown green game?

The first variation is size. Apart from juniors and bowlers in need of medical allowance, bowls are of a minimum size of 2lb and, while there is strictly no maximum size, the largest you'll see is a 2lb 14oz bowl. Most makes go up in 2oz increments, but 2-07, 2-09 and 2-11 are reasonably common.

The second variant is density. Bowls are either high density, standard density or low to ultra low density.  High density means a smaller bowl. Low density bowls were originally made to emulate the density and running of older wooden bowls. As jacks are made of a standard density material, it is usually recommended to start with a standard density bowl. 

You will also see that there are several makes and models of bowls, as well as different colours. Most bowls are black or brown, with a central disc of a certain colour. The main bowls companies are Taylor's and Drake's Pride, along with other brands including Stevens and the Australian company Henselite. 

So, to the bottom line, what should you get? Well, the simplest recommendation for a new bowler is to get a standard density bowl that feels right in your hand, i.e. you are comfortable bowling with it. We have a selection of bowls in the club that new bowlers can try to see what is right for them and members will generally be happy to let you hold their bowls(!) to see how they feel. Feel free to ask them why they bowl with that particular brand, always get as much information as you can.

Once you think you know what you want, the obvious question is new or used? It boils down a lot to what you can afford - new sets are typically around the £150 mark, while second hand bowls can usually be found for £40-£70.

The most local stockist of bowls in north Manchester is Pyramid Sports, but they are only stockists. A more specialised place is Premier Bowls on the west side of Stockport, who are open Saturday mornings, which is a nice quiet time to travel on the M60 usually. The staff all bowl and stock a variety of models and even sell some second hand bowls.

What else would I need to start off, now I've decided to keep at it?

The obvious one is a bowls bag. There are different sizes of bags which will hold a different number of pairs of bowls. The smallest is a 2 bowl bag, which easily goes over the shoulder. 

Next is a mat and practice jack; while not necessary, it means that you can always practice anywhere. Mats are typically a few quid each and a practice jack shouldn't set you back more than £30 for a second hand one - a second hand match jack is absolutely fine to practice with. 

Other essentials: a pen or two to mark a scorecard with, a couple of cloths to dry your bowls with (microfibre, a dedicated bowls cloth or even an old bar towel will do), a waterproof top are enough to start with. Maybe a tube of Grippo or other bowls polish to maintain your bowls mid season, a cap to keep the rain or more hopefully the sun out of your eyes and a set of measures albeit all clubs provide their own.