ON THE GREEN

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 760, 5 September 1929, Page 14

ON THE GREEN

Bowls and Bowlers

(By

JACK HIGH.)

No subject connected with bowling is more earnestly commended to beginners’ attention than tho actual “delivery of bowls” on the green. At this special period of the year, when so many new adherents are finding their way into the already swollen ranks of the sport in the province, to try themselves out in the game, no subject is more appropriate and worthy of their most intimate study. Indeed, to the beginner watching some tournament final in progress, the participants seem to exert little special effort in rolling their bowls along the green, but appear to handle the implements of the game easily and contentedly, without anything extraordinary either in the way of skill or knowledge. Unfortunately, it has therefore been the experience of many players in the first years of their membership that they have taken the subject without due regard for tho underlying principals, and have developed bad habits, which, in many instances, have taken several seasons to correct. FIRST CONSIDERATIONS The following are some rules laid down by champions of the game, both in tho Dominion and Australia:—The first principle to note is that the bowl is scientifically shaped on definite lines to a standard basis. According to its size, weight and shaps, it will curve or naturally arc on the green tu the law of gravitation, and, while the player’s delivery may vary, the bowl does not. The player is, therefore, advised to ascertain that all his four bowls are of equal weight and equal draw. The learner would do well to concentrate on getting his bowl away smoothly, irrespective of results for a lime. The slightest suspicion of a wobble is especially to be avoided. If you do wobble, find out the cause, and go on correcting it. THE GRIP The primary point to be considered is the size of the bowl. Waxman, one of the leading singles players in Australia, advises that the bowl must fit tho hand of the player to allow that it will run smoothly and evenly off the tips of the lingers. To obtain this advantage the following rule is laid down by Mi. Fleming Laurenson:—“Take a bowl in tho left hand. Place the right hand on the bowl. Reach round with the thumb to the centre of the left disc and with the little finger on the other disc. It will bo then observed that the second finger lies down the exact dead-centre of the bowl and that tho first and third are equally distant apart. Turn the bowl over. Immediately it will be noted that the fingers, one, two and three, with their pads at the base of the lingers, form a natural cradle for the bowl, and that the bowl is naturaally away from the butt of the thumb. If a bowler cannot reach the two discs with thumb and little linger, or, if the bowl sits against the pad at the foot of the thumb, then the bowl is too large for the player to handle and execute with perfect control.

It will be quickly noted from the above directions that there are actually three bowling lingers—first, second and third—-and that the use of the thumb and fourth linger are purely and simply as steadying factors only, while in practise the bowl runs from the aforementioned fingers at the pads where sensitiveness of touch is developed to send the bowl on its mission to tho jack. A modification of the use of the thumb and little finger is obtained by using them as steadying factors only, and as near the discs as possible. THE DELIVERY

All players of note are unanimous in their opinion that the green must bo faced. It is noted that the human framo is so constructed that it this action is not at first performed, the hand has a natural tendency to swing across the body and misdirect the bowl. After facing the green, the heels should be placed together and toes in a natural position. To deliver the bowl the player should step forward with the left foot, bend down till the hand almost touches the ground, and release the bowl. It is necessary throughout this action to maintain perfect balance and to keep all parts of the body in harmony. The bowl should leave the hand just after the left foot touches the ground, jilst about level with the left toe. The balance may be sometimes improved by shortening or lengthening the stride taken. The length of swing varies according 'to the class of shot that is being played. For a drawing shot. the swing is short, this shot depending to a considerable extent on wrist and finger work, which is more or less instructive. For a trail, the running shot, and the drive, the swing becomes correspondingly longer. THE RELEASE The manner of releasing the bowl at tlio moment of delivery is of extreme importance. Keleaso makes for style —which has as much value in bowls as in any other game. The bowl should run off the pads of the fingers smoothly, without trace of wobble. Mo point of the hand should cling to the bowl after it has left the other points. Do not grip the bowl too tightly; do not cling to it; do not scrapo it on the ground and above all, do not let it drop the slightest distance out of your hand. Just let it roll off tho tips of the fingers on to the ground. To enable this to be done, it is obvious that the hand must bo very near the surface of the ground at the moment of delivery. If you find you are bumping your bowl through not getting down low enough, bend the right knee a little more. It is worth while concentrating on getting the right release. THE FOLLOW-THROUGH Tho player’s hand should always follow through on the line of delivery, the palm upward at the completion of the shot. The length of the followthrough depends upon the class of shot that is being played. For a drawing shot the action is slow and the follow”-th rough not exaggerated. Still it should be there. For tiie trail and running shot, the follow-through is greater, while at the drive it reaches its maximum. The palm of tho hand should always be upward. Do not check the action at the moment of release or even after release and do not allow the hand to swing across the body so that the palm is sideways or downward. Like Auckland's experience in the inter-club pennant competition a few years ago, Wellington bowlers have had the competition in the melting pot for remodelling to fit in with their desires. But all to no purpose. Delegates at a recent nieeting had many suggestions which have been thrashed ' out here and discarded as unworthy of adoption. They included the timeworn division of players into A, B and C grades, and the division of the clubs into areas. Bowlers in the Empire City have still to learn that only when the competition is regarded in the light of a huge friendly compe- j tition will it give satisfaction. Six j hundred and eighty-eight players are j participating in the event there this | season. The Wellington Bowling Centre is j without a bowl tester. Billiards. Ltd., j which erected a very fine table for the j purpose, probably- the best in the , Dominion, gave up bowl testing last ; season. Mr. IT. G. Mayer, the presi- ! dent of the centre, stepped into the i breach and tested for a time on the ;

! Wellington Club’s green. Being a i pupil of the famous Scott, of Dunedin, he did his work well. However, the present situation seems to point to the fact that the green test will be adopted there again. Anyway, what is wrong with testing bowls " upon a green? Why the table test at all? Surely bowls have to be played upon a green and not upon a table? There should be no hesitancy about the green test. DOMINION ROAD CLUB The following skips have entered teams for the Dominion Road Bowling Club’s i tournament, commencing next Saturday play commencing each day .-it 1.30 p.m.:— Section A.—Richmond (Epsom). Curtis (Grey Lynn), Maud (Edendale). Best (Ponsonbv), Layland, Denison, Goodall, Benson (Dominion Road). Section B.—Whittle (Grey Lynn), Pranglev (Mangere), McMahon (Edendale), Sheath (Hillsborough), Kelly, Ramsey, Bush, Chappell (Dominion Road). NOMADS TEAMS The following teams will represent the Nomads in their matches on Saturday (“Zig-Zag” games days); Against Hillsborough, at Hillsborough. —J. W. Atkin, G. R. Stenson. J. S. McMillan, A. Gray; J. W. Hardy, 11. S. Hill, Rev. A. Drake, A. Roylance: Aliss Carr. W. Platt, A. S. J. Lamb, J. R. Lundon; J. Hendry, R. Johnston. IT. N. Bell. IT. K. Clayton: .T. J. Donnell, Needham, J. Amburv, J. AY. Hardley; C. J. Elmsley. G. C. Pickens, R. I-I. Colthurst, Rev. C. F. R. Harrison; M. Young. AW F. Hardley, W. Boyne, AV. Skinner; J. Poole. IT. R. ATartinson, C. AV. Ross, T. Fairbrotlier; Rev. AV. D. Morrison-Sutherland. C. E. Clarkson. A. B. Gladding, J. B. Ramsay. Against Rawhiti, at Rawhiti.—C. H. Solomon, J. McDougall, E. Yearbury, C. H. Gatward: C. Whitehouse, F. AA r oods, J. Richmond, J. Wylie; F. Flynn, AV. Dawson. J. Keenan. T. Price: R. Wiseman, J. Campbell, W. R. Lawrence, F. Stubbs; ,T. Foster, Rev. J. Pattison. J. Christmas, M. J. Scelly: A. Blackie, T. Cowden, R. N. Melville. AV. Cox. In all the Nomads teams those placed as leads will skip the first five heads; afterward they will move one place up each five heads and finally lead for last six heads. Those visiting Rawhiti will loin in their novel weekly competition.