BOWLING NOTES.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20092, 22 November 1930, Page 5

BOWLING NOTES.

(BY "HKIl'.'V

Championship games are progressing very satisfactorily amongst the clubs, and the two weeks' respite from pennant play has been much appreciated. As the Centre's games commence again to-day the remainder of the champion games will have to be continued in the evenings, and one can only. express the wish that the weather will be more favourable next month than it has been.

It seems early to talk about New Year tournaments, but when one realises that in six weeks' time we will have 1931 here, they seem no great way off. The Canterbury Club have met with a considerable amount of success in their entries, and four more rinks will complete their list. The Linwood Club have not been so fortunate, and at the time of writing the entries received can be counted cu the lingers of one hand.

Canterbury Club received an entry from Blenheim, and it is very nice to know that clubs outside the Canterbury Ontre are taking such an interest in this tourney. Some years ago efforts wero made by the Centre to run a New Year's link tournament, but unfortunately it was not supported by clubs. However, there now seems to be a revival of interest, and with the addition of many more clubs it seems quite possible to get a very good entry. _ Perhaps the Centre officials will seriously consider and try it out again next year. "A" "A" Players are reminded of the little tournament which is held at Sunnyside every Anniversary Day. This is one ot the most pleasant little outings of the year and is always well patronised. As tho entries close on December 2nd with Mr T. Hose, bowlers should see that their team has not been overlooked. The green is undergoing special preparation at tho hands of Mr Cullimore, and everything is sure to be in excellent order on the 10th. As the whole of the proceeds are devoted to Christmas cheer for the patients, bowlers will realise how worthy the object is.

The fixture booklet which has been issued by the Christchureh Centre is a decided improvement on their first venture, and the secretary, Mr E. W. Wade, is to be congratulated on its compilation. Besides containing the fixtures it gives other valuable information which must bo appreciated by players. The idea of incorporating the Laws of the Game along with tho Greens Advisory Committee Report calls for special mention. It is ot handy size and should be in the possession of every bowler.

Mr Arthur Rose, the vice-president of the Canterbury Club, arrived back from his visit to the Old Country and tho Continent a fortnight ago. While at Home he did not find time to play, but he did not forget his club in his wanderings. He has had sent out from London a very handsome silver cup, which will be competed for each year. This was a very thoughtful act and is much appreciated by his fellow members. "A" Mr Tim Healey, who has been on a visit to the West Coast, returned early this week. His three weeks' holiday has done him a great deal of good and his health has considerably improved. He was a visitor on the Greymouth green, but did not tako part in any games. -7C -XThe Riccarton Racecourse Club, who were successful in winning the Watson shield badges, were not allowed to keep them very long. A rink from the L/inwood Club went out on Thursday afternoon, and after a most pleasant and enjoyable game the town club proved winners by a few points. ■35- -X- -XMr Frank Cother, of the Sumner Club, who has been seriously ill, is now able to be about again. His many friends will be delighted to welcome him back on the green in the course of a week or two. vr "v "A" A very decided improvement is noticeable in the New Brighton green and with care it should come right back to its own. It is very well grassed, and the levels are right, and apart from it being a little on the heavy side, one cannot otherwise complain. ->C- -vr "ve A record number of teams have been entered by the Auckland district bowline clubs for the annual pennant competitions. Between now and the end of February, five rounds will be played, and in each round 1152 players representing 32 clubs, all, except Helensville, within a radius or lo miles from the city, will take part. Under the present system, which has been followed with only slight tions since 1919, half the teams entered by each club plav away and tno other half at home. The silk pennant has been won by Helensville for the past two years. -Jfr -X- -AHints on Bowling. A first-class bowler on a fine surface wins by sheer accuracy and concentration (says a writer in a , nor * h ®r" paper). He maps the track of the wood and glides it gently along its destined course with hardly a move- - ment of the body. When playing over a well-grassed green, however, a bowlpr must-use more strength. He may Una, too, that he cannot rely so much on the accuracy of the draw. The S 1 " 6 ® may be "chancy "m which case he will one© in a -while be tempted to try a firing shot at a time when, it more certain of the run of the ' he would pin his faith to more subtle methods. ~ A rink of players, finding the surface to their liking, can give a magnificent demonstration of bow! although it may not appeal to the initiated. The lead is nearly always there, and, if not, the secondlcubJ depended upon to take the shot. 1 third player gives a fine dl ®s y The the art of consolidating the end. in® skip uses marked ability at the d to drive the advantage home rather than .any striking shots or spectaculaHeavy' grass covers up many de{ec {* in style. When the surface tends to take charge of the wood, the "dumned" bowl Joes not look so greatly different from the skilfully launched wood. With a fast surface, h° we J»r the green is revealing. Small larities of delivery are emphasised by the perfection of the turf, and it behoves the bowler to glide his woods with more than usual care. A fault in delivery must affect the run of the wood. k' S ' more noticeable on turf than on grass, but a really bad delivery revealsi itself on any surface A bowl that "shows its eyes" is clearly one has been dispatched with haste Wobble may right itself in the early part of the run, so that it does not appear to influence the true course of the bowl, but real accuracy cannot be attained in the lon<i run without a perfectly smooth delivery. Tlngainliness in style may cost the player nothing—the best players sometimes seem the most awkward. But unevenness and jerkiness are, always fatal. It is a fact that most novices . and many more experienced players. too —tend to "dump" tho wood on the green instead of allowing it to slip away. This habit is bad for the green, ii- marks will show toward the end

of the season, and it is bad for the accuracy of the bowler. A jerk in delivery may be simply laziness. The player does not trouble to bend low enough. Always remember that bending low exercises the muscles of the abdomen, so if you play bowls only for health s sake there is a lot to be said for "getting down to it." Many players find, too, that the lower they take the eye the better sight of the jack they secure. The hand must certainly be as low as it possibly can be. As the wood is dispatched, the hand and the turf should come as nearly as possibly to forming a single plane. The nearer you can get to this ideal the smoother will be your delivery, other things being equal. A sufficiently loose hold on the wood is important. Much ''throwing" is tne direct result of gripping the bowl tightly. The amount of strength that, must be put behind the delivery will depend on the surface of the green. The bowler should aim at "grooved delivery. This is to say, his action should bo the same whether he is sending up a long bowl or posting a short guard. And it should be the same on all kinds of green, whether fast or slow. Naturally, strength will have to be varied, but the arm should always move in the same groove. By cultivating a grooved delivery, the accuracy that is so essential in good company can be acquired. _ Many players seek to manipulate bias by means of the fingers. This 1S not so difficult as some people P*" e ' tend, but I cannot see that it helps in the draw to the jack. Th ei "f P 1 ? times when a finer wood is needed, but I recommend howlers to make an invariable practice from the beginning of using bias to the full. It is a g°°. f habit, and one that brings reward 1 assiduously practised. The best advice is to vary your strength according to the green, b" not the "groove" of your action. vcur action constant, and you wu find yourself judging strength more shrewdly.