On the Greens

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 126, 24 November 1923, Page 18

On the Greens

BOWLERS ONE MEETS

"HARD LUCK" SHOTS, FLUKES,

AND DRIVING

•£I£MENT OP CHANCE IN GAME OF SKILL.

(By " Number Two.")

Bowlg is said by some to be a game of skill, while others deride this claim, and declare the game to ba one of chance. Undoubtedly, there are many occasions when the element of luck sways a. game far more than any amount of skill. The other evening on a local green a rink -was one down on a head, the shot bowl being a foot off the bowl. Halfway up the green, but near the boundary of the rink, lay a lead's bowl that had been sent on its career with the' best ol intentions, but with not enough "push," and as a consequence it reposed ,there, a menace • to anyone who wanted to attempt a wide draw. Imprecations and maledictions had been cast on the unfortunate player who had put the bowl there, and he felt very mixed, not dreaming for a moment that he had actually played a good bowl. The skip of the rink which was one down decided to drive the shot out with his last bowl —if he could. He made a gallant attempt, but hi 3 sense of direction was hopelessly out. "Ugh! What a rotten shot," he cried, "but one never knows what'U happen." Never did he say a truer word. The bowl which he skittled collided with the lone piece o! timber out near the boundary on the rink, ricochetted into the head, sent the shot bowl flying, and left him five up! Indulgence in loud laughter was the only manner in which to applaud such a; result, and everyone joined in. skips, players, spectators, and all. Yea. bowls must be a scientific game, caliinu for the exercise of a high degree of skill! As flukes are never heard of in bowls (except when the opposing player managed to draw the shot), it may not be out of place to consider what players should or should not do, according 'to the experts (whose number is legion if their own version of how to play bowls are to be credited). The writer is neither a self-appointed expert nor a bowler showing any sort of promise, therefore he feels qualified to write on the subject. One of the things that always strikes one as rather singular about some skips is the remarkable number of "hard luck" shots they make when drawing loud attention to how they have played a particular bowl. If they are skips with a reputation to lose. they will sometimes' take especial care with their delivery— and then miss everything. "Hard luck!" they cry to solace themselves; but directly the other man beats them his effort is characterised as a fluke. Then, one sometimes encounters a skip who has a very poor idea of his team after it has done its best to make up for his own shortcomings in the way of scoring. "Oh, I had a rummy team, and they lost" is the bleat of a certain type of Ekip, who, when- he has managed to get m a win is asked how he fared, invariably responds with, "I won!" thus taking every bit of credit to himself. "My team lost" is translated into "I won" on the principle that circumstances alter cases. Another kind of skip is he who encourages his faulty one, two, or three with the informative announcement that "Anywheres shot!" and then finds that he cannot always draw it himself.

The deadly driving three or skip is a stalking menace. One never knows what to do when he is in action except to look after one's ankles and have someone handy to the telephone to ring up the ambulance in case it is needed. Sometimes it pays to be on the skiller's side, and sometimes it doesn't. When he is banging and belting away he is just as likely to give four or five to, the opposing side as to score one for his own. If his tactics are well understood, and he is a good fellow, he is sometimes forgiven, but he often breaks another man's heart. Those who hold that bowls is a j;ame of skill must often wish to see the driver's license cancelled.

"Leads and twos must not drive" is a very sound rule, and to impress on a I lead thnt his duty is to draw draw, draw is quite good advice if he who imparts it likewise follows it for himself when the circumstance* demand that he should do nothing else. It is humorous, though, to see a man who is advising another to stick to the draw to get only half way up the green himself—and the excuse that "that will be a good 'block' " cannot always be justified by the position of. the bowls at the time. One wants to lie in' wait for this class of bowler and "put the hoodoo" on him everytime the opportunity offers. Well, if it were not for all the«« different sorts of bowlers, the game might be humdrum, and even a game of skill so why worry? BOWL STAMPING. In Wellington lately there has been much discussion on the question of bowltesting, and the subject is liksly to be dealt with at the general meeting of delegates to the Dominion Council of the iiowhng Association in January. What Wellington desires to see achieved is uniformity in stamping in the different centres, for, as things are at present, a bowler with duly stamped bowls runs 't ; "sk of having them challenged and burned if he competes in a tournament in another centre, where a different form of test to that.employed in YVellington is gone through. Christchurch Centre is now interesting itself m the matter, arid has carried the discuseion to the etage of what should or should not be allowed in club game». " At the last meeting of the Christchurch Centre, a proposition for the .appointment of umpires for competition matches revealed a wide diversity of opinion a« (to which testing stamps are official. Eventually it was agreed that the most sensible course was to obtain comes of the various stamps which are officially recognised and to circularise clubs on the matter. A suggestion by Mr. W. Wei-rick that clubs should not allow their members to take part in club games with unstamped bowls found strong support. Several delegates related their experiences as umpires, and it was generally agreed that it was time that clubs set to work and refused to allow any unstamped bowls on their "greens./ This'is an aspect of the matter which might very well receive earnest, consideration in Wellington. It is altogether incongruous that umpires acting for the cent" have pnwer to disallow the umi of unstamped bowl* in pMUHwfc matchei,

while in club championship match* it is nobody s business to worry about whether bowls are "pokers" or otherwise. It would seem that the solution of the matter is for the D.B.A. to press for the iesting of all bowls before they are sold. If players are unscrupulous enough to tamper with them afterwards, then there is only one thing to do with offenders, when caught—disqualify them for life. There is.power in the rules of the association to do this, for rule 32 says, inter alia, that the council or any centre shall have power, on inquiry, to disqualify or suspend, either temporarily or permanently, any player who may be found guilty of unfair play, of wilfully altering a bowl after it is stamp- ! ed by the official bowl-tester of such association. One hesitates to think that | there are many players who would do such a thing, but it is always wise to be on the look-out, and to protect themselves bowlers should insist on having bowls tested before they purchase them, i whether new or second-hand. Seeing is believing, with bowl-testing as with other things, and now that this question of stamping has come so much to the fore, bowlers would do well to look after their own individual interests. . ISLAND BAY'S NEW PAVILION. This week the Island Bay Club's new pavilion was opened, and that club now possesses excellent accommodation. The scheme has been carried out by adding a larger floor on the top of the existing building, and a billiard-room, 36 feet by 23 feet, with two tables, together with a kitchen, has been provided. Plans for the alterations were prepared gratuitously by Mr. Chin, and the contractor wai Mr. H. S. Pillar.

Among those present at Monday night's social function were the Mayor (Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P.) and the president of the centre (Mr. F. Meadowcroft).

The vice-president (Mr. W. Kerr), after apologising for the absence, owing to ill-health, of the president (Mr. A. S. Collins), said that the accommodation would have been increased earlier had the time been opportune. They were specially indebted to Mr. J. 0. Shorland for initiating the effort, Mr. Willoughby for arranging the finance, the members for taking up the debentures, and the builder, who had done such excellent work. Mr. Lewis had made a gift of a clock. Another billiard table had been provided, but should give a financial return. They had also engaged a fulltime greenkeeper, which they hoped would add to the benefits received by members. He then declared the pavilion open amidst hearty applause,. The Mayor congratulated the executive and the club upon the results they had achieved in pursuit of the game. The building was one which was a credit *o the builder and the club. He had heard of little disagreements. at the meetings of the Wellington City Council, and also at the Synods when the ministers met, but never amongst Island Bay bowlers.

Mr. Meadowcroft also tendered his congratulations on behalf of the Wellington Centre.

Hearty cheers were given for the visitors. '

Refreshments were served in the course of the evening, and songs, etc., were contributed by Mrs. O. Bennett, Mrs.D. H. Taylor, Misses J. Hunt, Hutten, W. M'Keon, B. Maile, and E. Herron. There was a large company present, and dancing was also indulged in. Mr. J. H. M'llroy was M.C., and the mußic was provided by Key's orchestra.

; THE DOMINION TOURNAMENT. Greens in Christchurch are reported to ?,V. n,,8 ood-order a"d playing nicely. Skip says in 'The Press" that green superintendents and greenkeepers are vicing with each other in getting the best-prepared. green, and that by 9th January, when the Dominon tournament starts, visiting bowlers will have nothing to complain of when they gtart their tournament game's. Already Messrs. dv *eu and H. Burson have made a visit to the different greens in the interests of the Dominion Executive, and so far they are well pleased with the progress being made. As the selection of the grens rests with those two gentlemen, bowlers can rest assured that the playing surfaces have to be "some good" before they will be recommended. The Railway Department has agreed to the usual concessions to bowlerg trayelling to the Dominion Tournament." Those taking part in the tournament will be granted holiday excursion fares. The Union Steam Ship Company has agreed to make a 10 per cent, reduction on saloon fares. Mr. E. W. Wade, secretary of the Dominion Council, has already received one set of entries for the Dominion Tournament. The entries come from an Auckland club. Mr. Wade states that he would be glad to receive the entries as early as possible in order to avoid a last-minute rush. . '• . AN AUSTRALIAN VISIT. A suggestion has been made by the Hon. M. Cohen, M.L.C., of Dunedin, that a team of Australian bowlers should be invited to visit New Zealand during the Dunedin Exhibition. Commenting on the proposal, "Measurer," writing in the "Dunedin Star," says that a visit from a really representative Australian team—not from a- particular State in conjunction with the big association tournament in Dunedin, when the chance would occur of a thorough test of Australia's and New Zealand's strength at bowls, would be a great attraction. According to schedule, it would be Auck- | land's turn to hold the big tournament,,] but the bowlers up North are sports enough to allow of arrangements being made to fit in with the peculiar circumstances. WICKS. The Wellington Bowling Club is going in for an electrically-driven lawn mower, the use of which, it is claimed, will enable a green to be cut in twenty minutes. This will be a decided advantage, when any of the greens have to be prepared at short notice. It is stated that electric mowers are employed with success on several Auckland green*. To hear wag expressions it is not necessary to travel very far from a bowling green "That's the first of a long series of defeats," was how one player described his first roU up of the season the other day. This week two tmnd- | lers renewed acquaintance after a lapse of many moons. "How are you getting on? inquired the younger bowler of the elder. "Oh, not so bad, despite the assaulte of Anno Domini," repfied theI other. There's more than one way of saying that one is growing old; besides, originality is exactly what to encourage in the rising generation. The " Oamaru Mail " states that if tht lighting of Takaro Park proves successful, the Phoenix Bowling Club will also provide an installation with a view to prolonging the hours of bowling. This will obviate the old custom of holding a handkerchief and a lighted match behind the kitty.

Mr. Paget Gale (Dunedin), who is well known m bowling circles throughout the Dominion, is suffering from a very rare complaint, and at .present is practically blind. He has been operated upon, but it will be at least four months fcefore ho will be able to be about again

Pullman care equipped with wirelew receiving «ets will be tunning shortly on th» vKioai railway serviced in England.