What Bowls Do Professionals Use? A Deep Dive into the Brands and Models of Champions

The Pro’s Choice: Unpacking the Secrets Behind Professional Lawn Bowls

When you watch the world’s best lawn bowlers execute a perfect draw shot that curls gracefully to rest right against the jack, it’s easy to be mesmerised by their skill. But have you ever wondered about the crucial piece of equipment in their hand? Just what bowls do professionals use? The simple answer is that they overwhelmingly favour a select group of elite manufacturers: Henselite, Drakes Pride, Taylor, and Aero Bowls. However, the true story is far more nuanced and fascinating. A professional’s choice of bowl isn’t just about brand loyalty; it’s a deeply personal and calculated decision based on playing style, green conditions, and the intricate science of bowl dynamics. This article will take you on a comprehensive journey into the world of professional lawn bowls, exploring not just the brands they use, but precisely why they choose specific models, sizes, and grips to gain that winning edge.

The ‘Big Four’: Dominating the Professional Green

In the competitive arena of professional lawn bowls, four names consistently rise to the top. These manufacturers have earned their reputation through decades of innovation, precision engineering, and by working closely with the very players who use their products to win championships. Let’s delve into what makes each brand a top choice for the pros.

Henselite: The Heritage Brand with a Modern Edge

You can’t talk about professional bowls without mentioning Henselite. As the oldest manufacturer in the game, this Australian brand is steeped in history and is arguably one of the most iconic names in the sport. They were pioneers of the plastic bowl, revolutionising the game from the days of Lignum Vitae wood. But don’t let their age fool you; Henselite is constantly innovating.

Professionals are often drawn to Henselite for their consistent performance and their range of models that cater to different conditions and preferences. Some of their most popular models on the pro circuit include:

• Dreamline XG: This is an incredibly popular all-round bowl. Professionals favour it for its predictable line and consistent finish. It possesses a bias that is not too tight and not too wide, making it versatile for both indoor and outdoor play. Its defining feature is its ability to hold a steady line with a controlled, arcing turn at the end of its run, making it brilliant for drawing shots.
• Tiger Pro & Tiger II: The Tiger series is renowned for its stability. The Tiger II has a slightly wider draw than the Dreamline XG, making it a favourite for many on slower outdoor greens where more turn is required. The Tiger Pro offers a line somewhere in between the XG and Tiger II, appealing to players who want a bit more turn than the XG without committing to a full wide-bias bowl. The stability of these bowls in windy conditions is a massive plus for outdoor professionals.

World champions like Alex Marshall MBE and Paul Foster MBE have had immense success with Henselite bowls, cementing the brand’s status at the pinnacle of the sport.

Drakes Pride: The UK Powerhouse

Hailing from Liverpool, Drakes Pride is a dominant force, especially within the UK and Commonwealth bowling communities. They offer one of the most extensive ranges of models, biases, and grips, ensuring that virtually any player can find a Drakes Pride bowl that feels tailor-made for them. Their commitment to quality and variety makes them a go-to for countless professionals.

Here’s what pros look for in the Drakes Pride range:

• Professional: The name says it all. This is a legendary model with a mid-bias profile that has been trusted by professionals for generations. It’s known for its adaptability and smooth, gentle arc, making it a forgiving and reliable choice for a huge variety of green speeds. It’s a true workhorse bowl.
• Adrenaline: A newer addition, the Adrenaline was developed for the modern game, particularly for players who favour faster indoor greens. It has a much narrower bias than the ‘Professional’ model, allowing for a tighter line to the head. Professionals might use this model to navigate through a crowded head of bowls where a wider arc would be a disadvantage.
• XP: The Drakes Pride XP sits between the Professional and wider-drawing models. It offers a fuller arc and is particularly effective on medium-to-slow outdoor greens, providing the extra turn needed to get around obstructions.

Top players such as Katherine Rednall and Robert Paxton are often seen delivering Drakes Pride bowls with championship-winning precision.

Taylor Bowls: Scottish Precision and Innovation

Taylor Bowls, a Scottish company based in Glasgow, has built its reputation on precision engineering and a forward-thinking approach to bowl design. They were pioneers of the half-pipe grip, which has now been adopted in various forms across the industry. Professionals trust Taylor for their consistency and their line of bowls that cater to players who love a predictable, smooth finish.

The most common Taylor models in a professional’s bag are:

• Ace: The Taylor Ace is one of the most popular bowls on the market, period. It’s a mid-bias bowl that appeals to professionals and club players alike. Its key strength is its remarkable predictability. It has a slightly wider draw than a Vector VS but is narrower than their older, wider models. It performs brilliantly on a vast range of surfaces and is renowned for having no “hook” or “swoop” at the end of its run, just a smooth, continuous curve to the target.
• Vector VS: The “VS” stands for “Very Slim.” This bowl is designed for faster surfaces and indoor carpets. Its narrow line makes it ideal for firing shots or for drawing through tight gaps. A professional might switch to their set of Vector VS bowls when moving from a slow outdoor green to a slick indoor arena.
• Lazer: As the name implies, the Lazer is a minimum-bias bowl designed for the fastest greens imaginable. It’s a specialist’s bowl, perfect for lead players who need to get as close to the jack as possible with a minimal turn.

Icons of the sport like World Indoor Champion Greg Harlow have long been ambassadors for the Taylor brand.

Aero Bowls: The Modern Standard in Consistency

Aero Bowls might be the newest of the ‘Big Four’, but they have completely disrupted the market with their focus on advanced robotics and manufacturing technology. Their major selling point, which resonates deeply with professionals, is their “Same Line Every Time” guarantee. They claim their high-tech processes create sets of bowls that are more precisely matched than any other brand.

This commitment to consistency means a pro can trust that every bowl in their set will behave identically, removing a key variable from their game. Popular Aero models include:

• Optima: A mid-bias bowl that holds a line similar to the Taylor Ace or Drakes Pride Professional. It’s designed to be a versatile, all-conditions bowl with a consistent arc and no surprise hook at the finish.
• Dynamic: The Dynamic is Aero’s narrower-bias bowl, built for UK conditions and faster greens. It’s a direct competitor to the likes of the Taylor Vector VS, offering a tight line perfect for attacking play and indoor surfaces.
• Groove: This is a very popular model, often described as a “banana bias,” sitting neatly between a mid-bias and a narrow-bias bowl. It’s incredibly popular with professionals because it’s narrow enough for fast greens but still has enough turn to be used effectively outdoors.

Australian superstar Aron Sherriff has been a flagship player for Aero, showcasing their precision on the world stage.

How Professionals Actually Choose Their Bowls: An In-Depth Analysis

Simply knowing the brands isn’t enough to understand what bowls professionals use. The real secret lies in how they select the perfect model for their individual needs. It’s a multi-faceted decision where several key factors must align.

The Crucial Role of Bias

Bias is the most critical characteristic of a lawn bowl. It’s the built-in asymmetry in the bowl’s shape that causes it to curve as it slows down. Professionals don’t just pick a bowl; they pick a specific bias to match the environment and their strategy.

Think of it this way: A narrow bias bowl is like a race car, built for speed and tight corners on a smooth track (fast green). A wider bias bowl is like a 4×4, designed with the torque to handle more challenging, slower terrain (heavy outdoor green).

• Minimum/Narrow Bias: (e.g., Taylor Lazer, Aero Dynamic). Professionals use these almost exclusively on very fast indoor greens. The tight line allows them to play through narrow gaps and reduces the amount of green they need to “give” the bowl, which can improve accuracy.
• Mid-Bias: (e.g., Drakes Pride Professional, Taylor Ace, Henselite Dreamline XG, Aero Optima). This is the workhorse category. A mid-bias bowl is the most versatile, performing predictably on most indoor and outdoor surfaces. Most pros will have a trusted set of mid-bias bowls that they use for the majority of their games.
• Wide Bias: (e.g., Henselite Classic II). While less common now in the professional game which favours faster surfaces, these bowls are still used by some pros for very slow, heavy greens in damp conditions. The extra turn helps the bowl curve around and “find” the jack when the green is unresponsive.

Size and Weight: It’s All About Comfort and Control

You might think professionals would use the largest, heaviest bowl possible for maximum momentum. This is a common misconception. The choice of size and weight is all about what is comfortable and controllable for that specific player.

• Size: Bowls are sized from 00 (smallest) to 5, with some brands going up to 6. A professional will choose a size that fits snugly and securely in their hand throughout their delivery. A bowl that is too large will cause them to drop or snatch their delivery, ruining their accuracy. A bowl that is too small might not feel stable in their palm. It’s a true ‘Goldilocks’ situation.
• Weight: Most models come in ‘Heavy’ and ‘Medium’ weight. Overwhelmingly, professionals choose Heavyweight bowls. The extra density (achieved by using denser materials in the manufacturing process for the same size bowl) makes the bowl more stable. It’s less affected by wind on outdoor greens and is more likely to hold its line if it hits a minor imperfection on the playing surface.

The Grip: A Personal Connection

The grip is the pattern of indentations on the bowl that helps the player hold on securely. While it doesn’t affect the bias, it has a huge impact on a player’s confidence and release. This is perhaps the most personal choice of all.

• Plain Rings / No Grip: Some purist professionals prefer a smooth bowl with only the traditional plain rings. They feel it gives them a cleaner release from the hand.
• Dimple / Crescent Grips: These are the most common. A series of shallow dimples or a crescent-shaped indentation provides extra purchase for the fingers and thumb without being overly aggressive. The Henselite Dreamline XG’s dimple grip is a classic example.
• Progrip / Xtreme Grip: These are deeper, more defined grips offered by brands like Drakes Pride and Taylor. Players who struggle with grip strength, play in wet conditions, or simply prefer the feeling of being “locked on” to the bowl often choose these more aggressive patterns.

Playing Conditions and the “Two-Set” Pro

Perhaps the biggest insight into the world of professional bowls is that many top players don’t just own one set of bowls. They often own at least two, and sometimes more.

• Set 1: The Indoor/Fast Green Set. This will be a narrower bias model, such as a Taylor Vector VS or an Aero Dynamic. It’s their specialist set for fast indoor carpets where a tight line is a huge advantage.
• Set 2: The Outdoor/All-Round Set. This will typically be a mid-bias bowl, like a Drakes Pride Professional or a Henselite Dreamline XG. This is their versatile set, perfect for the majority of outdoor club and tournament greens which can vary in speed.

This strategy allows a professional to adapt to the specific challenge of the day, choosing the right tool for the job rather than trying to make one bowl work for every situation. It’s a level of preparation that separates the elite from the amateurs.

Professional Bowls Comparison Table

To help visualise these choices, here is a table summarising some of the most popular models used by professionals, their characteristics, and their ideal playing conditions.

The Sponsorship Factor

It is important to acknowledge that sponsorship does play a role in what bowls a professional uses. Many of the world’s top players are sponsored by one of the ‘Big Four’ manufacturers. This often means they are contractually required to use that brand’s bowls in competition.

However, it’s a symbiotic relationship. A player will not sign with a brand whose bowls they cannot win with. The sponsorship deals almost always follow the player’s preference. A pro who has had years of success with Taylor bowls is likely to be sponsored by Taylor, not another brand. They find a model within that brand’s range that perfectly suits their game. So while sponsorship is a factor, performance and personal preference remain the ultimate drivers of choice.

Final Thoughts: The Best Bowl is a Personal Choice

So, what bowls do professionals use? They use highly specialised equipment from elite brands like Henselite, Drakes Pride, Taylor, and Aero. But the key takeaway is that there is no single “best” bowl. The choice is an intricate puzzle solved by each individual player. It’s a combination of the bowl’s bias, the size and grip that fits their hand, the weight that feels right, and, crucially, the conditions they expect to face.

The professionals at the top of the sport have mastered their own delivery and have found the precise bowl that complements their skill. For any aspiring bowler, the lesson is clear: understanding the characteristics of different bowls and trying various models is the first step on the road to finding the perfect set that feels like a natural extension of your own hand.