If a bowl does not touch anything during its course and then hits the bank, what is the status of the bowl?

The status of the bowl in this scenario is that it is considered dead because it did not touch anything during its course prior to hitting the bank. In the rules of bowls, a bowl must make contact with either the jack or another bowl to remain live. When a bowl travels without touching any object and subsequently strikes the bank, it has not met the criteria to be classified as live. Its initial failure to make contact with any object before reaching the bank automatically determines its status as dead, regardless of its further actions or any potential retrieval afterward.

This rule ensures that the game remains structured and fair, as it clarifies how bowls are classified based on their interactions with the intended play area and objects during play. Thus, "dead" is the appropriate classification for the bowl in this situation.