BOWLING

Northern Advocate, 17 December 1932, Page 3

BOWLING

(By “Keen Green. ’’)

A team of bowlers from Whaugarei visited Kensington during Hie week, and had a good game, which was fought out in the most sporting way. Informal meetings of this sort see bowls at its best, and are much more enjoyable than the programme of competitions. It is a great pity that more of this side of the game is not seen. There are quite a number of trophies in existence for competition between chibs, but the interest seems to have languished almost to the point of extinction. It does not seem quite fair to the donors of these handsome cups. There appeared in the press a letter by a bowler who condemned the “drive.” He defined the art of the game as “the ability to judge green and weight in order lo place the bowl in Hie desired position.” He further stated that Hie drive was Hie resort of the desperate, and was, at the best, but a gamble, and should bo made unlawful. There is something to be sai l for his contention as far as the player who closes his eyes and “biffs” at a head is concerned, but there arc some players who are skilful enough to pick out a bowl or jack just as frequently as they are able to draw a perfect shot. The man who docs this is deserving of credit for his play, for he is able to secure a desired end that is quite impossible by any other means, ami is therefore the more versatile. The ■ritics of the drive are confined to the ranks of those who cannot play it with :mv certainty of success.

The ■(lMlienUy which would arise in legislating against this stroke woul 1 e to define a drive; for instance, when does a firm draw become a run, or a fast run a drive? One can picture nnpiros laying; down a measured chain •ipeedtrap and standing with stop .catch in hand carefully timing the bowls. I don’t think!

To penalise the shot by limiting dead heads would not cover the whole situation, as the jack is often carried into the ditch. One can see endless arguments in the future'if any attempt is made to alter the rules in this direction.

There would be only one way, and that is to make it an offence against the etiquette of the game, just as varnishing the bowls a bright pink might not be received with any enthusiasm. But why not? Think of the gay scene at a tournament with every set of bowls finished in an art shade, to the tastes of their respective owners. Thinly.of the discussion that could take place in the winter as to what would be the fashionable tint for the coming season. A coat of luminous/ paint on the jack would be quite a. serviceable idea when finishing a game in the dusk is unavoidable.

The careless smoker is as much a nuisance as ever. Ho throws his matches anywhere anti everywhere, together with his cigarette butts and dotteis from his pipe; tobacco is not a good weed killer, and it doesn’t fertilise the grass to any extent.