BOWLING NOTES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21411, 8 February 1933, Page 15

BOWLING NOTES

JJLUB games taking place TOURNAMENTS NEXT ' MONTH NEW SYSTEM OF SELECTION BY SKIP The early part of February is generally * quiet time in local bowling circles. The usual pilgrimage of bowlers to Rotorua et the week-end did not tend to make matters any better and the attendances at the various greens on Saturday were noticeably less than usual. The routine for a while will be of a purely club nature, the various club authorities being busily engaged in exhorting the members to play their matches off while the evenings are Jong and the weather is fine.

The usual concentration on the championship of each club, with a view to ascertaining the winner in time to take part in the champion of champions event jii March, is now taking place. In several clubs the competition is well advanced and any day the proclamation of the first cf the season's champions may be made. The final gamo in the pennant competition will be played on February 25, most likely on a neutral green. This item, of course, interests only the tow clubs concerned, Stanley and Helensville.

The first important fixture next month is the champion pairs tourney. The date c f this is March 7, and it is an event not wholly open to all and sundry as the day, not being a holiday, precludes the attendance or participation of many wellknown tournament patrons on account of business ties. Still there are sufficient retired and those who can tako the Jinie off from business to make up a fairsized entry. Pairs Tourney at Eotorua The second Rotorua tourney has been turned into a pairs event, and it will afford mi opportunity for local bowlers to try out tor the March event. The greens were rather dead on Saturday on account of the previous rain which ,was sorely'needed. The going was a distinct contrast to what has been experienced for a month or more. Skips of teams were kept busy advising their partners to "be up." Previously the cry was " not too heavy. V The filial of the Auckland Chrb'-s-Anni-versary Day tourney in which 30 teams competed, was played off on Saturday. Muston's Auckland rink, after trailing the Balmoral team practically all the way, established /a lead on the 19th head, when Muston drove and secured four shots. Roberts, the opposing skip, had just drawn two nice bowls, so it was no fault of his that the second last head was entered upon with the score three in arrears. On this head the Aucklanders outplayed their opponents and scored a three, which practically settled the i^sue. Just at the moment when the club fours competition is in progress in almost every club, it is,worth while recording the expeiience of the Auckland Club's trial of u new system with regard to the method of choosing the rinks. On a recent Saturday there was only an ordinary draw, and some memhers inquired why:the new system . was not put into operation instead r.'f the usual way of choosing the teams by balancing the combinations with supposedly good and inferior players. 1 his .was proof of its popularity. A Successful System The system, which was mooted by Mr..: T>. C. Fraser, of the Mount Eden Club some years ago, and more, recently ushered along bv Mr. R. Thomas the Mount LAlbert CJnb's sole selector, consists merelv of handicapping the players and then balloting the teams by taking the. players out of each grade to make up a link. Each player's handicap goes with ]:ini and t}ie difference between the margin of points of one side over thb other is the start or Jiandicap that particular ■ team receives from the opposing rink. The handicapping may be done in two ways, either by handicapping in the lour grades,/ starting off from the scratch player in each group up to tho limit men, or "it can be done straight out in the game manner as is now done for a handicap singles event. The Auckland Club i» using the former way and so far it seems satisfactory. Handicaps up to five points arc allowed in each grade. In a large club the use of this system means a great saving of time. Under the eld methtfd of straight-out selection of. say, ninety or a hundred players into teams it was not possible to produce the id raw inside of half an hour I'.om time of closing/ wherear under the new system the teams can be produced in a tew minutes.