The midweek pennant will begin on Tuesday, November 17, and Saturday pennant on November 21.

In addition to a shorter season, the biggest change is the shift of what had previously been known as Monday pennant to Tuesday.

BDBD president Marilyn Blake said one of the major challenges for the sport in the COVID-19 compromised environment was being prepared to be flexible and this change to midweek pennant was a prime example.

She said the need to meet social distancing as part of return-to-play protocols would put pressure on sourcing enough venues for Saturday pennant.

Blake said there might be the need to play on Friday nights - a timelslot which had already been utilised - and Sundays.

She said with this in addition to a full schedule of Bowls Victoria state events, greens would need to be carefully managed and so it had been decided provide some respite for facilities on Mondays.

In another change to what will now be known as Tuesday pennant, play will not start until noon.

Blake said this competition traditionally had a starting time of 10.30am, leading into a lunch break.

She said with clubrooms not permitted to be open under COVID-19 restrictions, that same opportunity for socialising would not be available, so the decision had been made to play straight through.

Blake said a noon start would enable any players who needed to pick up children from school time to fulfill this obligation.

The pennant seasons will feature 14 home and away rounds - reduced from 18 - and a remodelled two-week finals season. Trimming the finals series from three weeks maximises the number of home and away games, and ensures the season finishes before the end of March.

Finals will conistent of two knock-out semi-finals - first v fourth and second v third - and a grand final.

The Victorian Government on Tuesday announced that as of Thursday all community sport for under-18s will resume and non-contact sport for adults.