BOWLING

Evening Star, Issue 16195, 17 August 1916, Page 2

BOWLING

[By Measurer.]

Caledonian Club.have improved their pavilion considerably-by installing the electric light. Another improvement is the thorough renovation of the billiard table, which has had new cushions fitted and a fresh cloth laid. On Monday night a match was-played with Otago Club, 10 men a side, both tables being occupied. On Otago table Caledonian won two games and lost three, and were 101 down on the total. One game was called 99 all. On Caledonian table Otago won three games and lost two, one game being 98 all. The other games were 31 and 3i2 down, but Caledonian won by 52 and 48 and were 34 up, which left Otago winners by 67 on the grand totals. A surprise was the /Substantial defeat of , the Caledonian crack, who lost by the difference in the totals.

The bowling greon at tho recent Tulip Fete was one of the features of the show, crowds gathering round it each evening to .watch the numerous players endeavoring to notch the greatest-number of points for either driving or drawing. The winners' at the close of the season proved to be Mr A. Barnett (drawing) and Sir J. Edwards (driving). The prize for each event was a set of bowls.

Roslyn Club had prepared a really good evening for their St. Kida friends last week. Unfortunately very few of the St. Kilda men wero able to attend, which fact they regretted. Still, a good evening was spent by those present, and tho visitors acknowledged that their hosts had left nothing undone to make tho timo pass pleasantly. I have received the following interesting communication from a correspondent who knows his subject all the way:—Dear "Mea-surer,"—-The controversy table versus green test is indeed one which is evor discussed by those who take an interest in bowlin» and rightly so. Why should not all have a°n opinion on all matters, as well as this one? But I am afraid most of us sum the bowltesting results up by our own weights and measures, and sometimes forget that the opinion of him who knows is worth ten thousand times more than that of him who doesn't know. After all is said and doije, whose else opinion can we use? Hence' when summing up from my limited capacity' I find the average bowler sums up his opponent's wood from a totally erroneous standpoint. To illustrate: Tom has a set of bowls which are,the lowest-crowned bowls in the Dominion. Bill has a set which are the highest-crown howls used. Now, to accurately test these two very diverse bowls, it is necessary to work up data, and this data is worked out on fact, and not on how badly Tom beat Bill with pokers on a damp, heavy green, or how badly Bill beat Tom with pokers on an exceptionally keon green. The first important data is to adopt a standard green. This is done by ascertaining the average condition of all the first-class greens in the Dominion, and in their normal playing state. The second is to adopt a standard bowl with a bias which will make the game skilful, with a view to inducing the players to exercise skill up s to their capacity and not eliminate skill for chance. decided upon bias, -we must decide upon crown, and this was done with a due regard of the crown of both Tom and Bill's set of bowls, and we make it a crown just halfway between either set. The third important point is distance. This, too, is arrived at by adding the shortest average head to the longest average head and dividing by two. Now, all will see that, with the system adopted by the N.Z.8.A., the'"'standard bowl and the rail will give absolute data to work on. So as not to waste your valuable space let us sum up quickly. Tom's and Bill's and the standard bowl all drew alike at 3 o'clock in the afternoon last week on a standard green, and to-day the championship of New Zealand was started under very fine tournament conditions—hot sun, green cut close, well rolled—and the great impartial judges stand on the bank to witness Tom and Bill decide the issue. Those judges who belong to Tom's club marvel, and call the attention of Bill's barrackers to the enormous green that Tom takes to draw shots as compared with the absolute pokers which Bill plays with. Now, the reason of all this is obvious: the green is keener than normal arftl Tom has a set of bowls, and they, obeying the immutable law, somel what overdraw the standard bowl, while Bill's set somewhat underdraw it. But in the course of this great game dark, black clouds arise and a little rain falls, which brings the green back to standard. Then one would notice that Tom's and Bill's bowls again drew exactly alike. But the rain continued and came down in torrents. Play ceased, and was resumed, say, in an hour's time with a heavy sodden green. Now Bill's cobbers find an opportunity to examine Tom's bowls to see if they bear the official stamp, and when they see that such a disgraceful set of pokers could pass the test , their contempt knows no bounds, for I can assure you pokers they are, and objects to be pitied; while, on the other hand, Bill's bowls still make some pretext at drawin" Mr "Measurer," such is the absolute law under which we work, and I am pleased to say the D.N.Z.B.A. know something of this law, hence they are able to work with the law and let the law itself effect a reasonable compromise which divides the advantages which one may have by playing with a hfgh or low crowned bowl. How few of us see things as they really are. Prejudice and preconceived ideas rule us; in short, we are not yet quite big enough to be to others' virtues very kind, and to their faults very blind. I have often seen opposing men each playing with standard bowls. Cme put his bowl on the green with the axis slightly inclined towards the small ivory and he cot slightly more than standard draw out of it while his opponent put his down with I lie axis slightly inclined towards the big ivory and he got less than standard draw; and very often, if a man gets more than normal draw on the fore hand, he gets less than normal on the back hand. Tho reason is obvious. Another cause for complaint is shrinkage. An owner brings a set of bowls to bo tested; the bowls are highly polished, but the wood is very green. They just reach the standard, and in play they get knocked about; they shrink fully, and"in"l2 months' time they have lost in some cases

2ft of draw. Is it right to blame the testing system for this? I may say, as one who has had an opportunity of studying and putting into practice the system adopted by the New Zealand Association, I know that they have solved the problem of bowl-testing and, if good work is not done, blame the tester- and not the system. I have tried to show the three main points which bowlers growl most about: Firstly, the unequal draw under divers conditions. This can only be rectified by adopting ono shaped crown. Secondly, the axis on which the bowl is delivered on the green (and the wider the bowl between the ivories the more difficult it is to deliver). Thirdly, the decrease of bias by the wood shrinking, which no association laws can avoid; but they can keep players who are a little too anxious to get advantage from hiding behind the official stamp In conclusion, Mr "Measurer," if these lines should come under the notice of "Jack High," and if my words convey any meanin" to him, I will consider myself well paid.—l am, etc., Gheen Test.