[1][2][3][4] The organisation is responsible for the promotion and development of lawn bowls in New Zealand, and is affiliated with the world governing body World Bowls.

[5] The first bowling green was constructed in Auckland by a group of Scotsmen during 1861.

George Turnbull introduced the sport to the South Island later that decade and the Dunedin BC was formed in 1871.

[6] In 1886, the North and South Islands came together to form the original New Zealand Bowling Association (NZBA).

[6] In 1931, the word Dominion was dropped[7] and the NZBA continued until the name was modernised to Bowls New Zealand in 1996.