BOWLING NOTES

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11661, 27 October 1923, Page 7

BOWLING NOTES

What is Wrong with the Greens ?

Should other Methods be adopted? Two More Openings.

The official openings of the Wellington Club and of the Central Club, Petone, are to take place this afternoon. The Wellington Club opening is one of the gr.eat events of the season; ami, given fine weather, a largo attendance of members and friends is anticipated. THE HILL PINS FIRST MATCH OF SEASON. The first match of the season is fixed for Wednesday next, October 31st, when the Htxtt Club will have the right to challenge the "Wellington Club for the possession of tho Hill Pins. Last season the Hill Pins -were awarded to the members of the team which won the champion rink competition. These were ,lt. E. Manley, C. A. Innes, J. J. Roberts, and E. j. Hill (skip). The Wellington Club will probably put up this team to defend the pins against the challenge fion. the Hutt* Club. FIRST ROUND OF PENNANTS. The first round of the- pennants wilt bo played on Saturday next, when twelve of the fourteen club 3 which have entered will take part. Newtown and Rataitai have both drawn a bve in their respective sections, and wilt engage one another in a friendly fixture, which will DOMINION TOURNAMENT, occupy all the rinks on both the greens. The posters and entry forms in com nection with the eleventh annual tournament of the Dominion Bowling Association, which takes place early next year, are being circulated. Entries close at Christchurch on December 11th next The singles are to be played on Wednesday and Thursday, January 9th and 10th; the pairs on Frifclay and Satutday, January 11th and 12th; and the rink competitions on January l-ith, 15th, 16th, and 17th. The clubs are requested to note that all rinks from clubs in the Christchurch Centre must be members of the same club. Rinks from other centres, however. are allowed one player from another club, but lie must not skip. Where a substitute is required during play, he will not be allowed to skip. MARLBOROUGH SUB-CENTRE CORDIAL INVITATION TO WELLINGTON CENTRE. The Marlborough Sub-Centre has extended a cordial invitation to the Wellington Centre to visit Marlborough during the present bowling season. “We will be |?lad (states the secretary) to cooperate in any arrangements you wish, and will make every effort to ensure for your rinks as good a time as we had in Wellington last February." This invitation will be considered at the meeting of the Wellington Centre on Tuesday next." ELDERLY BOWLERS’ DAY CIiASHES WITH VISIT OF JAPANESE SQUADRON. Owing to the visit of the Japanese naval squadron to New Zealand, and its being timed to arrive in Auckland on February 13th, the day also fixed for the Wellington presidents* gala day, or elderly bowlers* day, it is probable that His Excellency (Admiral Viscount Jellicoe) will not be able to be present at the Wellington Club's green on that date. NELSON'S NEW CREEN OPENED LAST WEEK. The Nelson Bowling Club was favoured with fine weather on Saturday last for the opening of it 6 new greene. The full eighteen rinks were all engaged, and there was a large attendance of members and visitors, some 500 in all being served with afternoon tea. The Nelson Club's property, when a little more fully developed, will be one of the finest of its kind in the Dominion. The property, which is situated right in the centre of the town, has been laid off most tastefully. It will be a great attraction to Nelson, and will offer a welcome opportunity for visitors to spend some of their spare time on the greens when over there. WELLINGTON’S MAYOR 'SET SPEECH FOR OPENING BOWL- * ING GREENS. ' "Mayor Wright, of Wellington,'* comments the “N.Z. Field Sports Review," "appears to have a set speefeh for the opening of bowling greens, and sings the same old song of the independence of bowlers. He appears to think that the expenditure by local bodies on the recreation of the people is a waste of money, and that any body which does not ask for assistance is to be commended. Certainly, bowlers deserve every credit for providing their own grounds, but that does not relieve tho local bodies of the responsibility of doing so if the necessity arises. Mr Mayor Wright must have forgotten that, before he assumed the office of Chief Magistrate, the council acknowledged its responsibilities, and the whole of the general rate on city bowling greens was remitted. Since Mr Wright was elected the remission has been reduced by one-half. If lie has any doubt as to what are the obligations of local bodies, let him visit Palmerston North and see what has heen done there In providing municipal bowling greens, tennis courts, and croquet lawns. It should certainly widen his present cramped outlook as to what is justifiable municipal enterprise." HERE AND THERE

LOCAL AND GENERAL JOTTINGS.

Eastbourne green was looking trim and fresh on Labour Day, when a good muster of members took port in the pairs tournament, usually held on that day. It was very boisterous outside, and although the wind upset the calculation of some of the players, it did not upset tho enjoyment of a very pleasant day, thanks .to its shelter under the hill and it© surrounding**

Lyail Hay green, while looking bettor (ban expected, it is not going too well jn.st yet. and it is a bit lumpy in places. Thoro are also a few weeds which would bo better out of tho ground than in. But. Ibo ground should soon be in bettor condition than it was ln.st year, for it has. been levelled and a good deal of attention has been 'bestowed upon it by tho greenkeeper. Seatoun green looked tood enough for anything nt the opening ceremony last Saturday, but tbe members are handS'•npped' \:\ their (Jcsiio to extend hospitality owing Ir> the alterations and ndditi :im made to the pavilion, which, v. hen complete, will be one of the largest in the city The upstairs room wilt contain a couple of billiard tables, which •bould do mueh to ndd to the jTOpulnrity of the club in winter time, to any nothing of thpir value as producers of jovonuo. hdand Ha.v also has a scheme in hand for increasing the accommodation of its pavilion and the extension of the green, by which time the eastern suburbs clubs ""ill U* a very atrotur

position so far as playing and hospitality is concerned. SHORTENED SEASONS WHAT IS WRONG WITH OUR GREENS? ARB PROPE/R. METHODS EMPLOYED? Those who have been associated with the game of bowls for a number of years cannot: fail to have noticed that tho privileges extended to club members for play are being curtailed from year to ysnr. The time was when tho greens were thrown open at the end of September, or early in October, and play continued until the end of May, in fact 24th. May, Queen Victoria's birthday, and l afterwards Empire Day, was generally the occasion for great gatherings on the green. Now it is with some difficulty tho green committees are persuaded to allow play to start before the middle of October, and this season, in some instances, tho opening dates have been fixed later than this. The Easter holidays, whether they occur in March or April, herald the close of the season. Members are hustled off the greens on the pretext that, necessary work has to be dono before the arrival of winter. Bowling greens are made to be played on, ! not looked at. What, then, is the reason for this gradual curtailment of play, and the ever-increasing period during which the green is to be looked at and not played upon? OLD GAG PLAYED OUT. The ©ld gag that the seasons are chang'ing cannot be accepted as a satisfactory reason. The worst season in the knowledge of the oldest inhabitant cannot be worked off as an excuse every year. As a matter of fact the records will t show that the weather conditions covering a period of years will be found to be very similar for a generation past. It appears to be necessary to ask ourselves whether the proper methods are being employed in the maintenance of our greens, cr whether we are not perpetuating a great many generally-adopted methods in use for years past, which are, in themselves doing to injure the greens than is done by the play of members. One loes not have to look very far for examples of bowling greens in a high state of perfection which have deteriorated for reasons quite outside the wear and tear caused by play of members; and this has occurred notwithstanding lavish expenditure in their upkeep. Are we, then, bootmakeV, draper, auctioneer, or eomo other well-meaning and innocent person with brief authority as green superintendent or member of green committee? The meager knowledge which he is able to pick up from members, each one professing to be an expert, and cocksure that what he advocates is the right thing to do, must necessarily induce him to make the most ridiculous experiments and the most horrible mistakes. It is painful to see a club spending hundreds of pounds on work which must prove a failure, simply because those in authority do not know what are the proper steps to take to the troubles which all greens are subject to. < No continuity of policy can be maintained by this system of control. What the superintendent of to-day advocates, tho gieen committee of to-morrow condemns. LITTLE FADS TRIED.

Each one in his turn tries his little fads; the greens go back, and there is no one on to whose shoulders the responsibility can be placed. The season is started with a beautiful strong growth of grass, lovely to the eye, but not very pleasant to play upon. It is flattened out and killed by a half ton roller, and by midsummer you have a gres.ii as hard as bell metal, and as bare as a bald head Towards the late summer mem ers are chased off the j?r.een by the green superintendent, in order to give him tho oprortunity to sicken it with artificial manures, block out the air with a coating of clay soil, and promote a growth oi moss, weeds, and other rubbish. In this condition it lies during the long winter months; and, as the weather becomes warmer and bowlers are looking forward to a game, a feverish rush is made to repair in a few weeks the result* of all the previous mismanagement, and members are told the “green is not ready"—“tho opening day must be postponed"—“the season has been the worst on record." REAL EXPERT NEEDED. Ali these difficulties can be overcome by simple, natural methods, industry ard care. Is it not time that they were

adopted ? Should not a real expert—a man who knows his job—be placed in charge of the greens, and be made responsible for their condition?