BOWLING ITEMS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19953, 10 November 1934, Page 16

BOWLING ITEMS

HINTS TO THE BEGINNER I First of all get a person who knows | something about what would suit you as to size to procure a set of bowls j that you can handle with confidence, , says a writer in the Dunedin “Star.” Then get some good player with the ; proper style of delivery to give you a lesson or two on the correct way to stand on the mat, which is somewhat like mis: Stand in the middle of the mat, or even a little inclined further back, then address yourself straight at the kitty. Draw the foot of the side on which you intend to deliver the bowls slightly backward, about lin. to 2in. This will then take you slightly off the direct line of kitty and assist you to take the proper green or width of shot. Do not worry too much about getting the length to start with, but concentrate and try to get the proper greening, that is to finish in a direct line with.the mat and the kitty. While standing on the mat with bowl in hand do not keep the feet closely together; just separate them by about an inch or two. Now, say you are going to deliver a bowl on the forehand (right side), just draw the right foot slightly back about an inch or two. This will then give about the right green to take, step forward with the left foot, at the same time making a downward movement with the right leg, the distance of the length of the step by the left foot should be just about the length of the leg from the knee to the toe, approximately 24in., just enough that if the right knee went to the mat it would be just behind the left heel. A most important point is the time to let the bowl go from the hand. This should be just at the moment that the right knee is fully extended, the bowl and right hand will then be a little in advance of the knee. The hand movement should be as close to the grass as is possible, so that the bowl goes away cleanly. Bumping the bowl does not assist one, so try and get your delivery as low as you can. When through the first step with the left foot a step with the right foot should com-

plete the movement. There is no necessity to make a third step, though a great number of very good players do so. It is essential that plenty of practice be given to delivery from the mat, and it is a good plan for beginners to take a bowl home and go through the delivery movements (always with a bowl in the hand). For your first few weeks on the green try and get a rink to yourself and practise to a kitty placed about 80ft. from the mat, then try 70ft. and later 90ft. Play the four bowls each way on the forehand, and then do it again both ways on the backhand. This will assist you to concentrate. Try and get a player who has a good style and is a good player to observe you for a night or two, so as to correct any serious fault. Unfortunately some very poor players are very free with advice. This class you should try to avoid.