MC1:      The Senior Individual Merit shall be open to all players registered to play in Leagues run by the Association.

MC2:     The Junior Individual Merit shall be open to all registered players for any affiliated League of WWCBA and shall be confined to competitors who shall not have reached the age of 18 years on the 1st of January in the year of the Competition.

MC3:      The number of greens to be used shall be determined by the Competitions Sub-Committee, influenced by the number of entries received. The first and subsequent stages shall be played only on the greens of member clubs and shall include greens identified in response to Leagues arranged by WWCBA.

MC4:      There will be 32 qualifiers for the final stages of the Men's Senior Merit.

MC5:      The BCGBA will subsequently determine how many players take part in the BCGBA National Merits and, where necessary, best scores will apply.

MC6:      The Competitions Sub-Committee will undertake an open draw, by random selection, for the preliminary and final stages of the Merit.

MC7:      Only those players that have entered and been drawn to play by the Competitions Sub-Committee in the preliminary stage will be allowed to compete no substitutes will be allowed in any singles events.

MC8:      Preliminary stages of WWCBA Merits will generally start at 2:00 pm however, the Competitions Sub-Committee will be empowered to adjust the starting time if the number of entrants deems it necessary.

MC9:      The Preliminary Round Draw will be made by the green official at the designated time, and only those competitors who have reported at that time shall be included in the draw. Players failing to answer their names when called shall be struck out of the competition. The official will identify two competing players, in the circulated list of attendees, who will witness the draw.

MC10:   The final stage of Individual Merits will commence at 11:00 am unless otherwise determined by the Competitions Sub-Committee.

MC11:   All qualifiers must attend the commencement of the final stages otherwise they shall be removed from the competition by the Green Official Appointed by the Competitions Sub-Committee and any prize monies due shall be forfeited.

MC12:   No competitor shall be permitted to play on a green of any Club of which he is a member, either in the qualifying rounds or in the final stages. Competitors who are members of more than one Club must give full details to their Club Secretaries upon entering, and Club Secretaries will furnish such details on the form provided for such purpose when submitting entries. Any Club Secretary competitor failing to furnish correct details of a competitor will result in that player being disqualified.

Duties of Host Clubs

MC13:    The Clubs on whose green the first stages are played shall provide one Official, who shall have full charge of that stage of the Competition. They shall also provide six Jacks of BCGBA. ‘Standard’, Footers and Measuring Equipment, together with a copy of the BCGBA Official Handbook which they can refer to in time of the dispute.

MC14:      The Final Stages shall be controlled by officials appointed by the Management Committee or Competitions Sub-Committee of the Association.

MC15:      In the event of a Host Club failing, for whatever reason, to provide an Official the Competitions Sub Committee may require the Secretary or Club Committee Representative to attend in person at a formal meeting to give evidence.

Where it is established at an enquiry that a Club has failed in this duty a fine of £10 will be payable.

Fines must be paid to the Treasurer before clubs are accepted into membership for the following season.

MC16:      Should an Official of the host club declare the green unfit for play, at any stage, alternative arrangements must be made at the time and agreed upon with all players who remain in the competition. The alternative arrangements should be communicated to the Merits and Cups Officer within 24 hours.

MC17:      All games are to be under the control of the official, who shall see that the ‘Laws of the Game of Crown Green Bowls’ as published by the BCGBA are strictly adhered to, without waiting for an appeal against any infringement of same.

MC18:      Competitors shall not be permitted any practice except for any player who is required to play their first game against an opponent who will already complete one game, such player shall be entitled to 15-minute practice arranged by the Green Official who shall ensure the practice takes place while the opponents first game is taking place.

MC19:      No player shall be eligible to play in the Preliminary stage of a Merit Competition unless he has been correctly entered by their Club by name or on any official registration determined by the Competitions Sub-Committee.

MC20:      No substitutes are allowed at either the Preliminary or Final stages in singles competitions.

In doubles competitions, one substitute from the named draw is allowed in the preliminary qualifying stage only, provided the substitute player has not already entered the competition.

MC21:      Competitors must play on the green allocated to them by the Competitions Sub-Committee.

MC22:      Any breach of Merit Competition Rules of this rule will render the offending player and/or their club liable to reprimand, suspension, or expulsion at the discretion of the Management Committee.

MC23:      In the event of a Preliminary Stage being completed and an ineligible player being subsequently identified, the result of that Stage will stand, except where the ineligible player wins the Stage, in which case the losing finalist shall be treated as the qualifier.

MC24:      The WWCBA Individual Merits shall be played on a Knock-out basis, with all games to be 21-up. The preliminary stage may be played on a Saturday or Sunday.

MC25:      The WWCBA Pairs Merits shall be played on a Knock-out basis, with all games to be 21-up.

Competitors in the WWCBA Men’s Pairs Merit are not required to be from the same member club in the WWCBA but most must be registered to play in the WWCBA League except for Junior Players who can be selected from affiliated leagues.

MC26:      No player shall be eligible to compete in the Final Stage and Sub Final Stage of a Merit Competition on a green on which he has practised or played during the fourteen days preceding the Merit Final except the following conditions:

1. Where the player has played in an original league fixture as a visiting player in a match where no more than 2 players have qualified.
2. As a visiting player in a WWCBA organised Event
3. As a visiting player in an Affiliated League and including cup games but excluding Merits
4. As a Player in a BCGBA Event managed locally by the WWCBA
5. As a Player in any Affiliated Event Managed by the WWCBA.
6. All other competitions not identified above are to count as practice and the player shall be withdrawn from the Merit Competition.

MC27:      Where a club has more than 2 players qualifying for a Merit Final and has a league match programmed within the fourteen days of the Merit Finals the League match may be postponed in accordance with CLMR3 and any re-arrangement will be in accordance with CLPP2.

MC28:      The onus for notifying the Cups and Merits Officer as to the winner of a preliminary stage shall lie with the qualifier. Failure to inform the relevant parties may result in exclusion from the Finals stage.