BOWLS NOTES

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21329, 23 November 1934, Page 18

BOWLS NOTES

[By JACK.] I The announcement of the representative team has given cause for some satisfaction at the obvious desire of the selectors to introduce some new talent into the provincial fixtures. It fcannot be said, however, that every blayer has been chosen on his merits, For it would not be a difficult task to pick two or three rinks of players whose performances in recent years have placed them -in the forefront ascompetitive bowlers, and who, on paper would be much stronger combinations than any of the rinks chosen to represent the centre against South Canterbury. Recent performances ihould be the deciding factor when representative teams are being picked, I end although surprise may be shown lit the exclusion of some players, the rhosen team should be able to give a good account of ijsclf. The Edgewiuc Bowling Club is pushing on with the competitions rapidly, jmd so far the first round is nearly Completed in the championships. In the champion singles, Buxton beat JMyward. Brunsdcn beat Kennedy; Bennett beat Gagliardi, Keen beat Ferguson. Ives beat Goodwin, Lowther beat Ecgg, Henry beat Baker, Efford tieat; East, Burns beat Emmett, and L'osney beat. Gilbert. In the champion doubles, Crocker fend Kennedy beat Burns and Matson, Ives and Gagliardi beat Collins and Lowther. Gosney and. Henry beat Adam and Ferguson, McCullough and Chatfield, beat Grant and East, Lcgg and Efford beat Burgess and Baker, Pearcet end Spiers beat Price and Hayward. fn the champion rinks, Ives beat Hayward, Henry beat East, Efford beatBennett, Keen beat Haworth, Baker beat Lorimer. A remarkable feature about the Singles was the defeat of Hayward by ei comparative novice in Buxton. Hay-i card's seasoned experience was of no Bvail against the solid display of his opponent. * * * The recent rainfall was most welirome to the greenkcepers, who would have had a harrft task to maintain a 'good surface if the dry spell had continued much longer. The ends of many local greens suffer severely ; through lack of proper care, and the example of the Caledonian Club could (?>e advantageously emulated, ft is the practice there to shift the position of I tiie rinks about two feet every day. I By following this method a fresh place for the mat is obtained every day for six consecutive days, and the following week the green is played in the opposite direction, with the same procedure. Thus only once in a fortnight is the mat placed in the same .position. The evergreen condition of the Caledonian Club's property is sufficient recommendation as to the efliWacy of the method used there in preserving the surface. , Several alterations and additions I, Jiave been made to the pavilion of the i "Carlton Club. Auckland. The Carlton ;' .greens can accommodate 200 players, -whilst Remuera has even a larger flaying area. Tt is probable that Carlpjrton will be headquarters for the Do;'minion tournament, which is scheduled ' lo commence on January 7. * m * t The fourth brother of the Gladding i family had his first game on the Auckland Bowling Club's green on Satur- * day last (says the "New Zealand J -Herald"). He has joined the club and j'his participation in the game makes [jiip a full rink of Gladdings. Two other '(brothers, G. L. and A. 8., are members S'of the Carlton Club, while W. J., forsmedy of Rocky Nook, now lives in »Dunedin, and is a member of the St. f.Kilda Club. All three brothers have ; distinguished themselves on the bowling green, G. L. Gladding having Do- ; minion honours, while A. B. Gladding, ? Although a comparatively young player. r skipped the winning team in the junior ytfours last Easter. W. J. Gladding has Avon important events both here and :- in Dunedin. When measuring a shot a great num('•ter of players make the mistake of one end of the measure up K against the jack first, instead of addressing the bowl first, writes "Draw" Kin the Dunedin "Evening Star." The jjsjack is a much lighter object than the |-bowl, and incidentally much more important, so'every care should be taken 'that it is not displaced by any measurer. When a player is about to do ; the measuring he should place himi; self right in the centre of the two r° objects, make sure that his. movef ments will not interfere with any of fr.the other bowls that are likely to be \ included in the measure, and also make I- certain that he has his opposing third's * permission to take away any of the * bowls that affect the count. Do not - forget that the opposition is in the game as well as you, and has a say in the matter. Some players are inclined to be a little autocratic when it comes to measuring. A little touch v of sportsmanship is essential in this department. The Akaroa Club is holding a twoday rink tournament on January 26 find 27. and the secretary will be pleased to receive further nominations. Whilst the green there is not firstclass, the old-world charm of Akaroa i more than compensates for any minor ; deficiencies, and visiting bowlers are assured of a hearty welcome. Ninety candles adorned the birthday cake of Mr Henry Jay, whose friends met recently at morning tea at "Beverley." Fitzherbert terrace, Wellington, to give him their good wishes. The cake was made in the form of a bowling green, for Mr Jay has been a great follower of that ancient game, and is a well-known member of the Thorndon Bowling Club, [n his younger days he played « great game.

Handicaps and Other Things I play golf and I play bowls. In the game of golf it is an easy matter to estimate my shortcomings as compared with the play of Colonel Bogey. This is done, and I am told that my handicap is M. Golfers elsewhere, when J meet them in play, accept this assessment of my value as a partner or as an opponent. Some years ago [ asked myself the question: Why not a bowls handicap on the same lines I played about with what was to me Ihis fascinating subject for some time, but was at last forced to abandon it as impracticable. Some day, when all bowling greens are as true as the tables that Willie Smith and Tom Newman play on, I will take it up again—perhaps this inequality of greens was my first snag? T had. however, bigger' stiles than this: to get over! If T take on an opponent at golf and his handicap approximates to mine, I have a reasonable prospect of a win. His play does not interfere with mine, except in the rare instance of a stymie. We play the 18 holes according to our own sweet will with perfect freedom. You cannot do Ihis in .the game of bowls. What you do depends on what your opponent does, and an experienced bowler does not need me to tell him of games where rank novices have erected effective barrages, tumbled in on the jack, and done many other things to block or thwart you without knowing •what Ihcy were doing or why they won the game that you thought at the start was yours for the asking! Arising out of this handicap quest and its consideration comes what is to me one of the oddest things in the game of bowls: Such clubs' handicaps as I am familiar with are based or supposed to be TDased on the player's proficiency in singles play The club champion is . , perforce a back-marker, and if he wins his club championship a second ;'■<£!,?«'i£ r < othe, \ club competitions, he '■PS.,™ in J* ? ass b y himself on the -»™ Cap sh t et or table - These successes may have been his 10, 20 or go i but there ne st * nds totureT - ° r any other club

He was put on this pedestal because of what he did in the past, and he remains there to-day with this false estimate of present-day skill. Nor is this all! As a back-marker, he must skip in rink play. He may have a manner as irritating as the itch; he may have a temperament that is as uncertain as the weather; he may be utterly incapable of seeing danger until he is involved in it; he may be incapable of sizing up the designs of the opposing skip; he may be all bravado when winning, and all funk when losing; he may be all these, and many other things, denoting unsuitability for a skip—but there, he is a back-marker, and, ipso facto, a skip, so custom decrees! We all know first rank singles players who are also first rank skips. Who is there who does not know also what a trial it is, what a purgatory it is, to spend two or three hours trying to play bowls under a skip who is only in the position because of his handicap and who is as unsuitable in this job as a greyhound would be for rat catching? Perhaps others may know of a game v/here a player's assessment of value in one phase of the game is applied to something totally different as in this handicapping in the game of bowls?— "Bowls News" (England). RINKS FOR TO-MORROW IMPERIAL CLUB v. Shirlev. :i( lmp.Ti.ll Welsh, Mnj-rnu, f. ia.Ui,,...-.-. Draper (-0; Patioo, Probbtc, llowson, Clark (.<)- v. S-hirlov, f ,t Shii-lcv—Craniim-r, -M.-Cnl-lough, Fuller, Wornall. Ji'KfENDI.Y CAMES v. Shirlev, at. Imperial—.MrCrackeu, ''uu/.ins, lhidioy, (iilligan. v. New Brighton, at. New Bright im —Wi lis, IJuiiinleinii, .Miller, Fox. KAIAPOIJ WORKINC MEN'S CLUB v. I.inunod, at Kiii;i[H>i-- Shepherd, Tavenliale, Kiiin.-av, Mealings U); Bnlli ngh.n, Williamson, S. Ifichards/ Taplin <s). \. I.iiudnul, at liinwnnd - I'.e.i-, K. K'iehar.l,. Kobson. .1. Simpson (,); Price, Hunter, r.rislmv. Mrn.k (s). v. Ilnrnhv. at js'nia pni —(I rren « ood. \\ . Simps.mi, Anderson, Brown fn. friendly .Kink—Baker, Slur-.-.---=, Jlir.-I, Panic.. SIIffiLEY CLUR v. llealhc.nto, at llcathcuto Wass, Dingle, Bi-iJ.s, ,lnl»is (s). v. llealher.tr-. a I Shirley-- Stewart, t'lelcher, Alrlmlne, William;, Is); Ko.v. .Nicholas, .Allen, Quane (-). v. Imperial, at. .Imperial—Al iles, Cusaek, West, .Ramsay (s); Douglas, JJcurh, Dick, Amlcrlnii (s). v. Imperial, at Shirley--Cooper, Rowlands, Kinston, ..'eathcrsfon (s). l-'ItIKNDIA" CA.MKS v l-.,i-.-ware, at Shirlev— I'.urii.-t I, I-raiik-lan.l. Alilcrsle..-, Morrison (s). v. Imperial, at I mperia I—l lad ley, Chap man. Woodward, Calvert (s). Colts v. Opawa, at Upau a--Cameron, llarrall. Kin-rows, Petrie. (s). .Ptavers not. mentioned will he accommodated on Shirley srrcen. j BELFAST tXUIi ; v Spi-rvdon, at. Sproydon \i. I'riddis, .1. Uobb, C. Shepherd, A. Dickson (s): W. .Motley, A. Woodhani, 11. Halliyan, W. Crmishaw (> v Spreydon, at lielfa.-t—W. Astle, J. Bea'dev A. Wotton, 11. Stevens (s; ; V. . Ilev" It. Hall, .7. Itadley, AV. Kosers (s). v Horitbv, ac P.elfast (friendly same) W Lillev, A. Cittle, T. Hollin{,'tou. P. llroivn (si; P. "Thomas, ,1. Ilalligau, K. Jludkin, C. Clarke (s). NEW BRIGHTON CLUB r.erkenlnuii, at Beekcnham --Kan-. .Monro, Drake, Muirsoti (sj ; Skipworth, Arilurn 1.. Lawrence, Barrett (s). v tl'eckeuhain, at Nov.- Brighton —Smith. Kol.ms, Ilookur. Besley (>,. v Aulsebrooks, at Anlsebrooks.—hvair;. Watts, (llassow, JI. A. Bishop (s). v Aulsebrooks, at New Brighton —Matson, Jacol.son, Buist, l'attriek (.-) ; Carmalt, Christian, Bisman, Stokes (sj. V. Opwa, at New Brighton— Ilolloway, Dean, JlcCartliy, J. .Marriott (s). PrictHlly match v. Imperial. at S:::: Brighton—Hill, Cockle, JI. lloeker, C. I.awWATSON SHIELD MATCH The second match for the Watson Shield was plaved last evening on the Elmwood ..,ecn The results were as follows: Elmwood—Hatch, Ilayman, J. If. Smith, Oakey. '■. l beat Canterbury—Buchatun, Heward. Sc'wpll. and d. Smith. 'J 1. WOMEN'S BOWLS NEW ZEALANDERS AT MELBOURNE (Received November 22, 11.5 p.m.) MELBOUPiNE, November 22. Playing in the women's Centenary bowls carnival, Mesdames Cooke and Bolwell (New Zealand) won their secon* round, but were defeated in the third. Mesdames Appleton and Currie (New Zealand) won their first, second, and third rounds. Miss Wilson and Mrs Smith (New Zealand) won their first round but were defeated in the second.