playing bowls

Well, we have a lovely morning here, but yesterday when I played bowls, it was drizzly rain and wind. It would be so nice to play in fine weather, but whenever I am due to play the weather seems to decide to be very unfriendly. Played mixed pairs and we lost by 5 shots, we deserved to lose, we were both playing under-par. My husband played the Zealous against a 94 year old member, and lost. The 94 year old's only concessiion to his age is that he wears a hearing aid - no glasses, no walking stick, no lifter for his woods, and must have more 'wicks' than anyone is entitled to - a lovely man.

I will not play with my husband if I can help it - I always feel he is considering my play, and will sometimes comment on it afterward, which he knows I hate, but of course I am the better player!

One of the teams we bowl against is two couples in their 60's. One week their opposition forfeited so they all filled in for other teams and commented they were enjoying themselves much more NOT playing with their partners!

We have the perfect morning here to play bowls, but of course I am not playing, and I did not play yesterday either, when it was another perfect day, I did however, play on two of the most miserable days of the week last week - nearly played a third, as the opposing team arrived two short, and as we were home reserves, were asked to take the place of the non arrivals. Fortunately the came a little late, having got lost, so we were relieved of duty, I am relieved to say!
I am playing in the club mixed pairs competition on Tuesday - round one - not sure if I want to get through or not, just hope the weather is fine. I am already through to the next round of the Zealous. I now have the mixed pairs, as above, the ladies pairs, with my friend Janet, the triples - a mixed bunch, including my husband, (not keen on that arrangement), and then the fours, and the ladies singles - playing against another friend in that. At the beginning of the season I said 'I am only entering the Zealous and Ladies Singles' - look where that got me!

I find if I have an open jacket or jumper I always get tangled up and the bowl is crap. Now on cold nights I wear a zip up hoodie and zip the bugger up before each shot.

O.K. so I did play after all, and it was showery, and cold but I was more sensible this time, had trousers on (not telling what I had underneath) instead of the white skirt, and put a nice warm scarf around my neck, and a hat, surprising what difference they made. I do find I can't play if I am too bundled up with clothes. Had a lovely game against a new younger member, and managed to beat him, although it was not a walkover. His dad has brought him to the club, but unfortunately is dad plays a firing game, which is all very well, but he has not really taught his son what my husband likes to call the 'finer' points. However I think he will come along very well as the time goes on. Hope so, because he is a very nice young man, and we do so need young blood. Quite made made my morning

I was elected as skip of our night owls team, but last season I suggested we rotate the position and it's worked well. The other couple in our team have started to listen to me when I'm skip as they now have a better understanding of the game, and on the weeks when my 12 year old grandson is skip I make sure the opposition skipper is someone who is patient and communicates well with youngsters. On those weeks he gets very excited and tells me all about the comments and tips from the opposition skip, so it's given him a better understanding of the game and the rules too. Mind you as he's 12 and a bit of a charmer most of the people we play against think he's the ants' pants! It's so cute when I tell him to watch out for the cougars!

OH is playing tomorrow morning in a match but he doesn't mind the rain or the cold, he has fleece lined waterproofs just in case and thermal longjohns for under his greys if necessary... if it rains to hard they just sit either in the clubhouse or on the veranda drinking tea and jawing..lol

Brrrrr! Don't envy you, PRINTMISS. Hope you have a nice big flask of tea (or something) for between ends! I don't know where you are, but it isn't raining here - better luck to you!

Well now, yesterday I played in a match - I was skip of the friendly game - I only EVER play No. 1, so it was bound to be a fun game, but we did win. However, it was so COLD I could have cried! I came home and wrapped myself round a cup of tea. Now this morning, I am supposed to be playing again, in a club competition and although I don't want to spoil the day for everyone, I just hope the rain keeps on for another hour or two so that I don't have to venture on to the green today. Sorry about that folks.

Here, here, to both tanith and PoppaRob, the game is really good, and the more you play the more you enjoy it. New members are always welcome, you may be able to get a local group up on the web, try searching, and do let us know how you get on. Today is our 'roll-up' day, when we just turn up at club and get ourselves into teams, so we play with different people every week, and play for an hour or two, however the weather is doing it's utmost to prevent that. I personally do not play in the rain if I can help it.

It's not a complex game. In the book "Sex and Bowls and Rock and Roll" the author makes the comment that the only rule in bowls should be "Try to get your bowl closest to the little white one and take it in turns - everything else is just a regulation - bowls shouldn't be a game for pedants or the terminally anal."

ladybird, just go to a local club and if anyone's out on the green watch for a while. Seriously though, if you visit a local club and no one come up and smiles and says hello then you've picked the wrong club!

ladybird find a club in your area they welcome new members with open arms and its not difficult to learn the game.. clubs usually have an open day at the beginning of the year where you can go along and have a go, they won't mind if you need lots of coaching, the old hands love it..

I would love to join a bowling team just to 'have a go', it appears to be very sociable which is what I need at present, is it difficult to achieve ????? can anyone help ????? is it a difficult game to understand the rules?
would appreciate comments .
have a good day and thank you in advance

ladybird9

Right!

They say the amount of politics of a group is inversely proportionate to the importance of the activity, so where a group that achieves a lot has very little in the way of politics but the local pigeon club (or similar) is full of it!

What a wise husband tanith! Committees seem to go to folks heads at time, and they forget that the roots of the club (and indeed anything) are with the people at ground root, i.e. the members who contribute toward the game itself. (OH! on my high horse there, sorry just fell off)

My husband plays plenty of evening competitions in the Summer, usually at least 2evenings plus Sunday PM.. they play from 6:30 till the light fades usually then a quick pint in the clubhouse and home . They have been getting a few younger members in the last year or so , they have an open evening regularly to encourage people to bring along friends or family members to have a 'roll up' and see if they like it.. He has found that once people get on 'the committee', they seem to lose track of the point of the game and get immersed in the politics of the thing.. he steers well clear of being coerced .

We have social Night Owls competitions at most clubs here in summer. Usually it's a 6pm or 7pm start and you play 14 or 16 ends so the night is over by around 9pm. To be honest the income from Night Owls keeps the clubs running so the old buggers can argue over the politics and push their purist barrows!

Some states have started night pennants competitions, and the latest is to break the competition into two 8 weeks blocks, one before Christmas and one after. It was going to a vote at state level to see if clubs were in favour and I asked out president how he was going to vote. Despite the fact that I said we would have probably a dozen to 20 Night Owl bowlers who would pay full membership and make a commitment to at least one of the 8 week seasons he'd already decided it was rubbish!

The two greens at my parents' old club are now waist deep in weeds waiting to be converted into a community garden. What was a thriving club with a waiting list in the 1960s dwindled to a dozen pennant payers and 60 or so Night Owl bowlers and last year the decision was made to merge with another struggling club and hand the facility back to the local council who owned the land. I have to wonder if things may have been different if the club had redefined its attitude a few years ago.

PoppaRob, not heard of the 'bowling arm' must look out for them here, as they might be useful to one or two of our members who are feeling the strain. Do you have trouble finding 'younger' people to play bowls. Here it is all the oldies who are getting older, who enjoy it, but getting young people to come along is becoming really difficult. I think it is mainly because we play during the day, when they are at work, but it would be good if some young folk would join just for the weekend. It is just getting them to the club which is the hard bit.

Printmiss - sounds like you had a great day despite a wet start!

susiecb - have you seen a gizmo called a "bowling arm"? They retail for AUD$195 here in Oz, but Drakes Pride do them in the UK so they may be more affordable there.
www.drakespride.co.uk/accessories/bowling-aids/bowling-arm-(b6514).aspx#product

www.drakespride.com.au/18,DRAKES_PRIDE_BOWLING_ARMS.html

Sadly Tanith my slipped disc wont now heal its out permanantly and I have spinal arthritis as well so bending forward is agony. Strangely I can still play golf with a modified swing as its a sideways motion but Zumba was a step too far.

Thanks PoppaRob. I played bowls yesterday in what felt like a howling gale! We arrived at the green in pouring rain, and almost decided as a group to go home, but someone had opened up and put the kettle on, so coffee with friends was really enticing. After about 10 minutes in the club house, the sun came out and shone brilliantly throughout the morning (wished I had put the washing out!), so we all enjoyed a rather diffficult game.

Love your work PrintMiss! :-)

Yes, PoppaRob, the ground is getting lower - with regard to the lifters, you might like to hear my story - I knew my husband was having trouble with picking up his woods so went to the howls shop and asked for a 'hooker' - only to be told with great glee they did not sell those, but provide me give me a lifter! (Hooker's are of course lady street walkers here).