Clarence Bowling Club

Clarence Bowling Club

Bowls England

“Club of the Year 2012”

Sponsored by Optika Opticians

New Members’ Guide

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New Members’ Guide

Although not the definitive answer to every question you may have - or every situation which arises – this brief guide is intended to ‘point the way’ for new members. All of the Club’s Officers are listed on the front of your Club Handbook (issued when you joined) and, although your Club ‘Buddy’ should normally be your first ‘port of call’ if you have questions, any Officer will be willing to help – as should any other member of the Club.

Starting out: You may already be an experienced bowler – or a complete novice – but, whatever your knowledge of the game, you will need to ‘feel your way in’ to the Club. The best ways to do this are to take advantage of the coaching opportunities from the Club Coaches and to join in with the ‘Paxton Cup’ on Mondays (2pm in April and September, 6pm for the rest of the year). This is a ‘club night’ where members pay £1 to play (all the proceeds going to charity). You simply turn up, pay your £1 and ‘lots’ are drawn for playing partners and rinks (usually Triples). In this way, you will meet and play with different members each week – a great way to make new friends and meet everyone.

Once you feel ready to offer yourself to play in representative games for the Club (Friendlies, Tourists, Sundays, Over 60’s Triples League or County League), you must get clearance to do so from one of the Club Coaches. They will then let the Selectors know to expect to see your name on the availability lists.

Remember: we are not looking for new bowlers to be ‘brilliant’ – but neither do we want to discourage you by playing you in matches before you’re really ready.

Match Routines.

Once you have been given the ‘go ahead’ by one of the Club Coaches, you may put your name down to play in representative games for the Club.

Putting your name down: You will see that the main Selection Board (located on the party wall between the Dining Room and Bar) has two ‘sides’. The left-hand side is where all the availability lists are posted by the Match Secretary – usually at least two weeks before the match is scheduled. As new members, you will normally be eligible to play in Friendly games, Tourists games, County League ‘B’ Team and Golds Over-60s Triples games (providing that you meet the age criterion, of course). If you are already an experienced bowler, you may be asked to put your name down for County League ‘A’ or Over 60s Blues matches. (These teams are the Club’s ‘first teams’. If, having been selected for friendly, tourists, ‘B’ or Golds matches, your remarkable skills become evident, you may be ‘promoted’ and invited to play in the ‘higher’ teams.) Each sheet that goes up on the Availability board gives details of the date, time, location, dress code, type of game and opponents. Please make sure you are available and willing to play before putting your name down.SUNDAY MATCH availability and selected team lists are on the Sunday noticeboard next to the Gents toilet door.

If you are willing to drive and take others to away games, please indicate this on the bottom of the availability sheet. Expenses are paid. Please note that transport is NOT provided for matches in Weston-super-Mare or the immediate area. You are expected to make your own way there or to arrange for a lift on an individual basis.

Selection: The Selection Committee usually meets every Monday morning to select for matches coming up in the next week or so. If your name isn’t down, you can’t be considered. Although the Selectors (Club Captain; Vice-Captain; plus three Members elected at the Annual General Meeting) are always keen to pick rinks and teams with a chance of winning, we do not select purely on ability for friendly and tourists matches. Sometimes we will give preference to members whose playing opportunities are limited (because of work commitments, for example) for particular games (e.g. mid-week evening friendlies) and we will endeavour to include new members wherever possible. For ‘competitive’ matches (County League and Over 60s Triples, inter-club County and National competitions) we are looking to win – but don’t let that stop you putting yourself forward for consideration! REMEMBER THAT NOT BEING SELECTED IS NOT ABOUT BEING TOLD YOU’RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH!! It will be more due to the Selectors trying to give everyone a fair ‘crack of the whip’ in playing. The Selector’s decisions don’t always please everyone – but remember that Selectors are elected by the membership. Any comments about selection should be kept to yourself or, if you feel really strongly, should be addressed to the Captain in writing.

When Selection has been made. Immediately after each Selection Meeting (i.e. before the Paxton), the selected team sheets are displayed on the right-hand side of the noticeboard.IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO CHECK THE BOARD AND TICK YOUR NAME OFF TO INDICATE THAT YOU WILL PLAY. IF, FOR ANY REASON, YOU CANNOT PLAY, YOU MUST TELEPHONE THE CAPTAIN AS SOON AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN. Make sure that you have the match details in your diary – and the details of matches you’ve offered to play in - and then don’t forget to check your diary – especially when ‘the other half’ (or similar) wants to book you for doing the shopping!!!

Match Day.If you’re bringing kit to the game, check that you’ve got everything before you leave home, and before leaving the Club – including the correct number of woods. You’d be surprised at how many folk have forgotten shoes, whites, chalk, measure, etc., etc. or turned up for a triples match with only two woods.

MATCH DRESS CODE IS GREY TROUSERS (TO ARRIVE / TRAVEL), CLUB SHIRT and BLAZER. YOU WILL NORMALLY ALSO REQUIRE WHITE TROUSERS (OR SHORTS) FOR AFTERNOON GAMES.

Arrive at the Club at least 30 minutes before departure time (away games) or match start time. This is to allow the Captain sufficient time to call an emergency stand-in if there is a ‘no-show’.

Check in with the Captain and pay your Match Fee (£2.00 for all games). The Match Fee may be collected by your rink’s Skip.

Your Skip will advise you of which rink number you will be playing on. The Captain will have ‘tossed for the mat’ and you will be told whether it’s your mat or the opposition’s. Normally we give the mat away to friendly or tourist visitors to Clarence. You will also be told whether it’s going to be “trial ends” or “one on the first two ends” (i.e. only one shot being recorded on the scorecard and board for the winning side, on the first two ends, irrespective of shots actually scored. In Friendly games, this is often done to save time if the weather forecast is doubtful.)

On the Green. Introduce yourself to and shake hands with your opposing team members – and your own team. It is customary to wish your opponents an enjoyable game.

Mat placement. The mat may be placed anywhere from two metres (to the front edge of the mat) from the back edge of the green, on the centre-line – to right up to the 23-metre marker from the front edge of the green. Mats are usually placed between 2 and 4 metres from the back edge – but Skips may sometimes ask that the mat is ‘brought up’ (i.e. brought further up the green). To place the mat: With mat in both hands (holding the short edge), face the rink marker on the back edge of the green. Place bottom edge of the mat down on the back edge of the green, in line with the rink centre marker, then drag it backwards as far up the green as is required.

Casting the Jack. This is probably the least-often practiced skill and yet the casting (rolling) of the jack is crucial in the game of bowls. The Skip will usually make a tactical decision on what jack length he requires and will indicate this to you – usually by standing at the length he wants the jack. Sometimes, however, the Skip may not indicate a length he wants or may say “Wherever you want it!” – or words to that effect.

Centering the Jack. Once the jack has come to rest, the deliverer should stand on the mat and indicate to the Skip how far and in what direction to move the jack so that it sits on the centreline. You need to be standing squarely on the mat and sighting directly down to the centre marker at the other end of the green. You may use gestures, verbal commands or a mixture of the two to give Skip as much information as you can to help him position the jack correctly. (i.e. don’t just vaguely wave your left or right arm about!)

Trial Ends.It is the purpose of ‘trial ends’ to allow you to get a feel for the pace and ‘draw’ of the green. “Leads” play two bowls alternately (suggest one on each ‘hand’), followed by “twos”, “threes” and “Skips”. Always watch all of your bowls all the way down the rink until they come to rest – and listen to your Skip. He may indicate (verbally or by gesture) how far short / long you are on length. You will learn something from every delivery – yours and others’ – both during trial ends and throughout the match!

Team Members’ Duties. These notes refer to the Fours game. In Triples, the number Two carries out the functions of number Three in Fours.

• ALL PLAYERS. BE SUPPORTIVE OF YOUR TEAM-MATES. Remember that no-one tries to bowl a bad wood and that we are all fallible. Never publicly criticise your players, the opposition or the green. Acknowledge good shots – by any player – and accept others’ compliments graciously. Acknowledge a ‘lucky wick’ (where your bowl takes a lucky diversion off another) – and don’t complain when others get the luck. Unless specifically asked to do otherwise, always try to bowl to or behind the jack. Skips are often frustrated when short bowls from their players obstruct their line. ALWAYS watch your bowl until it comes to rest and look at the Skip for verbal or signed communication. Skip should be giving you information after each wood bowled throughout the game. *A note on ‘possession of the rink’. The rink is said to be in your possession from the moment the opposition’s last wood comes to rest until your side’s next wood comes to rest. This means that you should not be shouting information down the green or entering the head while the rink is in the opposition’s possession. After delivering your wood, vacate the mat when your bowl comes to rest. Only Skip and Three should normally enter the head. IF YOU’RE NOT SURE WHAT SHOT TO PLAY, ASK SKIP FOR DIRECTION. (Skip will ask number Three or visit the head himself.) When not bowling, stand to one side and behind the mat or head. Remember that you can learn something from watching others’ bowls! Concentrate on the game, rather than carrying on a conversation with spectators or bystanders. Remember: whenever you are walking around the surrounds of the green, be vigilant that you’re not moving when a player is about to bowl towards you.
• Lead. Lead’s first job is to place the mat and deliver the jack according to Skip’s direction. He should then centre the jack (see later note). Having done that, Lead should try to deliver his woods as close to the jack as possible. Normally, Skip will not direct which hand you should play and therefore you will bowl your preferred hand – taking into account what you’ve learned about the green from the trial, and subsequent, ends. On each end you should normally keep to the hand you’ve first bowled if possible because you should be able to use what you’ve learned from your first delivery with your second. If the Skip does direct which hand to play, there will be a reason for this and you should follow Skip’s instructions.Leads bowl their woods alternately, with the Lead of the winning side from the previous end delivering the next jack and bowling the first wood. N.B. When it is not your mat (i.e. you are not going to cast the jack on the next end) it is Lead’s duty to collect up the woods from the just-completed end – but not before the Threes have agreed the score for that end. Sometimes ‘pushers’ are provided – otherwise it’s a question of kicking the woods back. Woods should be collected together, in one group, well behind and to one side of the mat.
• Two. Your task is to help build the head or to draw the shot if your lead has failed to do so. Skip should guide you as to what he wants you to try to do – where he wants you to finish and what weight to use. At the completion of the end – and only after the number of shots for/against has been decided - you should assist in collecting the woods together and, when playing ‘at home’, keep the scoreboard updated when you are at that end (Skip will do this when he’s at that end).
• Three. As Three, you can expect to have to play drawing shots (to the jack or to another bowl nominated by Skip), positional shots, slightly weighted shots to play out a particular wood or even full-blown drives to break up a head. Your Skip will direct you as to what shot he wants you to play. After you have bowled and walked to the head, Skip may confer with you as to which shot he should play or, when he is in possession of the mat, may ask you for your advice as to what shot to play with his next wood. If you are not sure, invite Skip to come up and have a look for himself. As Three, you will need to ‘read the head’ – i.e. figure out what will be the likely effect of bowls entering the head from different directions and with different weights. Three must also be aware of the position of woods behind the head – ends can often be lost if the opposing Skip can get the jack back to un-protected back woods. Once all the bowls have been bowled, it is the responsibility of the Threes to decide and agree the number of shots. Numbers One (Lead) and Two should stay away from the head during this process and, technically, no woods should be moved until the number of shots has been decided. IF YOU ARE UNSURE ABOUT WHICH WOOD IS CLOSEST TO THE JACK, MEASURE!!! (Refer to guidance on measuring.) Having agreed the number of shots, Three should communicate the outcome to Skip. This may be done by shouting (e.g. ‘Three!’ or ‘Two down!’) or by gesturing. The accepted convention is to indicate ‘shots for’ by tapping the shoulder with the hand of the opposite arm and ‘shots against’ by tapping the thigh, the required number of times – often accompanied with a shout at the same time!
• Skip. YOU’RE IN CHARGE! But that’s not to say you should boss, bully or intimidate your players!! It is your primary responsibility to support, encourage and motivate your players to win the end and the game - or minimise the loss. You need to communicate with your players to give them information about the shot you want them to attempt and the outcome of their effort (e.g. “Great try! You’re just a couple of feet heavy.”). Skip also has to ‘read’ the head in order to decide on what shot to ask his bowlers to play. It is not always the case that, as Skip, you will want every bowl played to the jack – and it’s your responsibility to communicate clearly and effectively to your team-mates. Of course, you have a crucial role to play with your own bowling (to win the end or minimise the loss), but your role as a motivator must not be forgotten. There will be times when you will have to take considered risks with the shots you play – sometimes they’ll come off ……………… and sometimes they won’t! Your team-mates need to recognise this and shouldn’t rely on you to ‘save the end’ every time! Neither should they blame you for a well-considered but risky shot which goes wrong. In addition to being in charge of your ‘four’, you should also be aware of the overall state of the game. Matches can often be won and lost by small margins and, even if you’re streets ahead or miles behind on your rink, remember that every shot counts.SKIP IS CURRENTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING THE SCORECARD BUT THIS CAN BE DELEGATED TO No.2. Whoever is keeping the scorecard should routinely check the card with their opposite number after each end in order that discrepancies don’t occur.

Scorecard. Whatever else there may be on the scorecard, there are always four columns for recording the score. An example of part of a scorecard is given below. In this example, your scores are recorded on the left-hand side of the card. You should also record your opponents’ score on the right-hand side.