Australia Day 2022 fell on a Wednesday.  So it was only right that Bowral Bowling Club should celebrate the day with an afternoon of bowls.  Social bowls took place as well as a Australia Day Triples competition.  Four team took part in the triples competition and each played three games of eight ends.  This was a prize money event.  With only four teams, after each team contributed $45 first place was $120 and second place $60.  Teams were Stephen Della, Terry Norwood and Kevin Stafford.  Keith Edwards, Bob Crowley and Brian Porter.  Lynn Boshier, Rita South and Gail Fraser.  Josh Woodcock, Alistair McGhee and Dugald Braithwaite.  The Stafford and Braithwaite teams both had two wins and a loss while the Porter and Fraser teams had two losses and a win.  The result was decided by score margins.  Winners with a margin of plus 11 was the Stafford team.  Second on plus 4, the Braithwaite team.  Porter team third with minus 5 and Fraser team fourth with minus 10.  Consolation for the Fraser team as they beat the event winners 8-6 shots.At the presentation the Men’s President Bob Crowley expressed his hope that this event will grow in stature.  A bit of a conundrum as the good players will not play unless there is prize money and social members, as witnessed by the 23 social bowlers, pay enough for their bowls without making a donation to the good players.  If you asked members to rate the teams prior to the event nearly all would place them in the order they actually finished.  The Club no longer has handicaps so quite a problem.  The social bowlers enjoyed four games of triples though one triples game had a swinger.

The Zone 5 Triples competitions have been held over the last couple of weekends.  Bowral had four team competing.  Two teams made early departures but excellent results were achieved by the teams Carl Spilker, Nathan Boyers and Mick Anderson and Bob Crowley, Stephen Della and Glynn Phillips.  The Phillips team won their second round match  26-20 and followed this with a quarter final win of 27-18 to move into the Open semi final.  Mick Anderson won their second round match 26-20 and their quarter final in a close one shot game 19-18.  So two Bowral team in the Zone Triple Open semi finals.  The draw did not match them together and unfortunately both teams did not progress to the final.  Mick Anderson team came really close with a narrow 23-24 loss and the Glynn Phillips team going down 24-17.  A great effort from the Bowral teams.

We are still waiting on a program but in the mean time there are a couple of events on the board.  The Chris Benton Memorial event will take place on Saturday 5th February. So far eight team of four are entered but Glen Giese is trying hard to find another two teams.  So if you are not yet playing there should be a spot for you.  Start time is 1 pm Saturday and we will play two games of ten ends.  Also on the board are two events normally played over November and December and featuring the other local Clubs Robertson and Bundanoon.  The first to be played is the Crowe Brenning Cup which is played between Bowral and Robertson and matches up the club champions in singles, pairs, triples and fours.  This will be played at Robertson on Sunday 6th February.  Best of luck to our champions.  The other event is the Southern Highlands Trophy played between Bowral, Bundanoon and Robertson.  This event has each club playing the other and then a final with all clubs competing.  From memory it is two teams of triples and one of pairs but this format changes for the final.  Teams will presumably be selected by the Men’s Committee so watch the notice board to see if you are selected.