Too often, the position of Lead is undervalued.
You’ll sometimes hear, “It’s only the lead — the second can cover their bowls if they miss.”
In reality, many experienced skips will tell you: “Pick the skip, pick the lead, and then fill the other two positions.”
That’s how vital a good lead really is.
The Role of the Lead
A lead’s job is simple in theory but crucial in practice — to set the foundation for the entire end. Ideally, a lead should aim to deliver two bowls close to the jack and one just behind. It’s always better to be a little long than short.
Good leads are gold dust. Skips regard consistent leads who draw close nearly every end as a luxury — and rightly so. When the lead performs well, the skip can dictate the pace and rhythm of the game. Few matches are lost when the skip controls the head from the start.
Length, Communication and Control
The length of the end is a powerful tool in controlling the flow of a match or recovering lost shots. Always communicate with your skip about the length they prefer and adjust accordingly.
Short bowls from a lead are a disaster — they clog the head and put the entire team under pressure. A bowl finishing around 15–20 cm short of the jack can sometimes be promoted later, but anything shorter usually needs too much weight to be useful unless the mat (or green) is running particularly fast.
If you’re having an off day, play deliberately a little long. A long bowl is rarely wasted and still gives your team a chance to draw in from the second to the skip.
Concentration and Consistency
Leads have the least pressure placed on them in terms of tactical decision-making, but that makes it easy to lose concentration. Stay alert — watch the game develop, notice changes in pace or bias, and applaud good bowls from your teammates.
Avoid playing unusual or attacking shots unless directed by your skip. Your role is to build a solid head by drawing two close bowls on the same side of the mat unless told otherwise.
Tactics for the Perfect Lead
If you’ve drawn a front toucher or finished very close with your first bowl, concentrate even harder on your second. The best place for it is behind the head. Resist the urge to “guard” your good first bowl — more often than not, that results in dropping short and wasting your advantage.
A good lead provides confidence and control for the entire side. Teams built around strong, steady leads tend to be the ones lifting the trophies at the end of the season.
