SUN CITY CENTER, Fla. — Top competitors from across the country have descended on Sun City Center for the National Lawn Bowling Championships.
- National Lawn Bowling Championships
- Tournament taking place in Sun City Center
- Sun City Center Lawn Bowling Club
Some say it's like golf.
Others say it's like curling, and others say it looks a lot like bocce. But it's called lawn bowling, and the national champions are being crowned this week in the Bay area.
Janice Bell and Ginger Harris of California are veteran lawn bowlers who have played for titles in the past.
"There's a lot of things to like about the game," Bell said. "It's very challenging -- it's a little bit mental, like chess."
As part of the Pacific Inter-Mountain Division, the ladies are taking on competition from teams in seven different regions. The competition is taking place all week.
The object of the game is to deliver bowls closer to the jack (the small white ball) than your opponent to earn the right to score points.
The player or team with the closest bowl to the jack earns one point, or "shot," for each bowl closer to the jack than the nearest opponent bowl.
Usually the first player to reach 21 points, or the highest scorer after 18 or 21 ends. This system is based on winning ends, not total number of points.
Sun City Center Lawn Bowling Club President Eric Porr said the players are quite talented.
"This takes some skill," he said. "Because you have to adapt to the green's surface and no two surfaces are the same."
The unpredictable nature of the game adds to the skill set and keeps top-notch players working on their craft.
"I think anyone can beat anyone on any given day," Bell said.