Blind sportspeople are taking to the bowling greens at Mount Maunganui Bowling Club this week, for the New Zealand Blind Lawn Bowling Championships.

The annual event is being hosted at the Mount this year, and features representatives from clubs from both the North and South Islands.

Blind lawn bowls aren't all that different from the game played by those who aren't vision impaired. The main addition is that of a director – a sighted partner who tells the bowler how far the jack is in front of the mat, allowing the player weight their bowl accordingly.

After the first bowl, the director may then make suggestions as to what changes ought to be made in order to improve the outcome of the next bowl.

Bowlers are told what position their last bowl came to rest in relation to the jack by a clock analogy – six o'clock, for example, means the bowl is directly in front of the jack, while 10 o'clock would be behind and to the left.

There are four categories bowlers play in – B1, B2, B3, and B4 – depending on their level of visual impairment. B1 is for players who are totally blind, while players in B4 can often see shapes some distance in front of them, but are usually unable to make out details.

Umpire Christine Foster says those who take part love it.

'It's something they know they can do. There can be a perception out there in the blind community that, once you're visually-impaired, you can't do anything. But that's not the case at all.”

The bowlers will be at the Mount club until Thursday, playing singles and doubles. Anyone is welcome to come down and watch.