BOWLING NOTES.

Free Lance, Volume XIV, Issue 695, 25 October 1913, Page 25

BOWLING NOTES.

By Wrong Bias.

JUPITER Pluvius put on his most severe frown at the approach of last week-end, and bowlers responded with a like frown when the winds did .blow and the rain did fall on their hallowed greens. After their disappointment of the previous Saturday, the knights of the biassed bowl hoped to indulge in their favoured, pastime. But such was not to be. That little club, called Te ELwi (the - Hill) Club, which has its rinks in the prettily situated property of "Dad" Hill, ■ at Island Bay, defied old Jupiter and his elements on Saturday, and celebrated the opening of its season. It could not have chosen a worse day—ot course • bowling was out of the question—but, nevertheless, there were a large number present to witness the time-honoured ceremony attendant to an opening function. Among the representatives of other city clubs present were Messrs. £2. Moult (Wellington), V., Dymock (Thorndon), * and 3. Gallie (Newtown;. Of course President Hill's remarks • were chiefly confined to the weather, and he hoped that the ill-fortune in atmospherio conditions attending the club that day would not be taken as an augury of the club's fortunes during the coming season. He considered the green was in a well-nigh perfect condition,, and he hoped the weather would soon enable them to meet in the old friendly rivalry on the rinks. The jack was then thrown by Miss Hill, but the water on the sward gave "kitty" no chance of falling in the ditch, and the green of the Te Hiwi Club .was declared open for the 1913-14 season. A very enjoyable afternoon, was then spent in the pavilion with song, talk, and story, mingled with a cheering cup of . afternoon tea. Thus did these enthusiasts enjoy the day. * • • * Now that the season is open, and & number of "colts" are taking on the gome, perhaps a word of advioe to. the ".young 'uns" might not -be out of place. First, you will be wise to take the advice of an experienced player in making a selection of your bowls. Secondly, get as much practice as ever you can, and do not imagine that the game can lie learned without devoting time ta it. Nobody ever masters the game of bowls any more than other games, such as liards, without infinite pains and the exercise of skill and -good judgment. 1

Thirdly, attend carefully to the directions given by your instructor. Do not worry because you cannot play as well as others who have been graduating in the game for years, and do not attempt to play every kind >of shot until you havo . learned thoroughly the alphabet of the game. Thus, play a. "clean" bowl, i.e., without wobbling it, for a wobbling bowl is an abomination amongst true knights of the wood, as you will learn by experience. Take the green, i.e., do not aim at the jack, but at an object Sufficiently distant from it to allow for the - "drawing"' quality of the bowl, due to ..its bias, , - and dependent on other circumstances, such as the Btate of the weather arid the condition of the green. Be up., "i.e., play . with sufficient force oil strength, an'd ra/1 ther than play a bowl short of the jack, 1 play beyond it. Lastly, play carefully, as you would in billiards. Remember that your plaoe in an ordinary full-rink | game,- though not the most responsible, ' is none the less important and necessary, • and do not ouestion the directions of the > skip and third man, who are the only > licensed spokesmen of your side. 1 . I notice "Toucher," in a recent issue 1 of the "Gisborne Times," gives advice to > new players. In his remarks he advises > as under: "Keep your eye on the bowl and see that it leaves the hand on an even keel.'' Now, I wouldn't give much for a beginner who watches his bowl as he delivers it.. He would never make a bowler. A "colt" .or any other bowler should see that the bowl is placed upright in his hand, his eye should travel to his required green, and it should be kept there as he plays his bowl to the chosen i green. Then he should follow his bowl with his eye till the wood comes to rest. - * •» * » ' At the annual meeting of the Wellington Club, it was decided that the use of one green be given to ladies on every afternoon but Saturdays and holidays, from 2 to 5, at a yearly subscription of 255. So far the ladies nave not availed themselves of the privilege offered, but they doubtless will when the warmer weather sets in and the call of the bowls draws them to kitty's abode. A similar concession to the . ladies has been made by the Otago Club. The ladies in Featherston. have taken to tbo bowling game with enthusiasm and the latest news of these fair devotees is that they were to play a match amongst themselves, the married to endeavour to settle the single ladies. . "When are the Kelburne and Thorndon ladies going to have a game with each other, and induce their other lady folk to take on the pastime? * * * * One special feature that strikes one on reading report of the first meeting of the Dominion of New Zealand Bowl-" ing -Association, says "Jack o' the Green/' is the number of tournaments, which it ia proposed to be held. It was agreed that six and possibly seven tournaments . would be lield. Wellington requested that the North Island tournament should be held in Auckland, and as Auckland

asked leave to .hold an -Exhibition Tournament late in February, this will most likely be regarded as the North Island fixture. It is not at all likely, owing to' Auckland having obtained leave to have . a Centre Tournament from December 26th to January 2nd, a third "tournament will be favoured in one*' season. nui and South Canterbury will run tournaments at Christmas, " and Wellington Centre on January Ist to 3rd. , Then there is the Association tournament in Dunedin, commencing on January 12th. For the first Dominion Championship Tournament Meeting, at Duneain, the will ■ consist of champion rinks, champion doubles, ( and' champion singles —the rinks and" doubles to be played the first week and the singles the following week. It is expected that about 128 . rinks—sl2 —will be engaged. Dominion of New Zealand Bowling Association has fixed a levy on clubs for the f coming season of 6d per member. For this amount every member of each club will receive a copy of the constitution of the Association, and the laws of the game. This arrangement should supply a long-felt want, and is one of the blessings of amalgamation.' * » " * • in a Gisborae paper, remarks that the Kilbirnie Bowling Club opened its season this other Saturday. Evidently this writer. requireß ,to furbish up his knowledge of Wellington topography, for doubtless the club he should have mentioned was that at Kelburne. It may interest the said scribe to know there is no club at Kilbirnie, but that that district is served by the Hataitai and Lyall Bay Clubs, which axe situated at the north and south ends respectively of Kilbirnie. Quite a novelty on a bowling green was that of a cinematograph camera, which was put into operation at the opening function of the Turanganui (Gisborae) Club- last week. Perhaps some day we shall see our. local cracks playing bowls when we enter the Empress to gaze upon the "choicest of the world's pictures." . This same Turanganui Club plays bowls by electric light. Some few other clube in the Dominion do likewise, but so far our Wellington knights of the wood have not taken to the idea. Perhaps they will later; and, then, what will their wives Bay? ' * » ♦ » Word comes from Melbourne that the Victorian Bowling Association is sending over a team_ of not more than thirty bowlers to visit New Zealand at Christmastide, and that the tour is to last about five weeks. Is this true, or am I dreaming P We have heard so often of teams from Australia intending to visit us, but ere the time oomes from the team's departure from the Land of the Kangaroo, the prospect becomes blurred and fogged, and the team is lost in the mists of oblivion. I think Maoriland - bowlers will be wise' to acoept the advice of that Sydney scribe—not to expect a

visit from Australia's bowlers until we hear or their departure for our shores.

A few friendly games between the city clabs are .on the tapis to-morrow (Saturday). _Lyall Bay plays a two-rink match with Wellington, Newtown . plays Karori, ai id Te Hiwi also engages Newtown. The following Saturday sees a commencement made with th& Senior Pennant games.