The Bowral Bowling Club  Senior Singles final was held on Saturday 28th November 2020.  That day coincided with the first heat wave of the season which made conditions uncomfortable.  Add a gusty North West wind into the mix and it produced a non ideal day for bowls.  The wind produced a predictably  wide side to the West but the Eastern side played far narrower than would be expected.  The finalists were Mike Holmewood and Robin Staples and the result was as close as it is possible to be, with just one shot the difference.  Men’s President Bob Crowley was marker for the match.  He also kindly agreed to measure close bowls to save the delicate backs of the senior bowlers, a decision he probably regretted as he spent a lot of time kneeling on very hot synthetic fibres.  So how did the game pan out?  Mike started out strongly and won three of the first four ends  to lead 3-1.  Robin’s turn next with a one shot and three shots to take the lead 5-3.  Mike took back the lead by winning the next three ends 7-5.  Robin’s turn to win four ends in a row , including a three and four shot end so lead 14-7.  Mike responded,  won four of the next five ends and reduced the margin to two shots, 15-13.  Next two ends saw Robin with a further four shots and he now had a 19-13 lead.  The see saw match continued but this time the swing to Mike was more pronounced and he had a purple patch over the next eight ends, winning all but two of them and from being behind surged ahead to 24-22.  Still playing super bowls, on the next end Mike took all four shots and was now comfortably ahead 28-22.  Robin replied with four shots over the next two ends, score 28-26 to Mike.  Mike edged  still closer to the finish next end with one shot. 29-26.  Two shots to Robin and then one shot to Mike and after thirty four ends the score stood at Mike 30 and Robin 28 shots.  One shot to Robin to close the gap to one shot.  Final end  and the bowls fell in favour of Robin with two shots and the narrowest of wins 31-30.  So well done to Robin and Mike can hold his head high with the closest of margins and he won two more ends than Robin during the game with 19 to 17 ends.  A thank you to Carl Spilker Bowls coordinator for his excellent organisation and to all participants and those who made the games possible by marking.

 

Sunday 29th November was the scheduled day for the final of the Bowral Mixed Pairs Championship.  Due to a medical procedure to one of the finalists this final has been delayed for a week and will take place at 10am on Sunday 6th December.  I happened to glance at the weather on my phone at 10am on Sunday, just as the final should have been starting, and the conditions were 32 degrees centigrade with a gentle breeze of 52 kph gusting to 80 kph.  I am sure the bowlers would agree that that would have produced interesting bowling conditions.

The first of the Club Friday Evening Hit Up competitions has been completed.  Friday saw a final nine end game between the six teams and then the final was between the top two teams.  Top of the table was Glynn Phillips and Alistair McGhee with second spot Dugald Braithwaite and David Coltman.  These positions were reversed in the final with Dugald winning 16-7 and winning the money pool of $510 while Glynn and Alistair took home $210.  The second competition of this series is on the notice board, so if you feel like winning big money and not paying green fees then find yourself a partner and put your name down to play.

Another important event over this weekend was the AGM of the Men’s Bowling Club.  A meeting at which the new committee wished to explain their thoughts on the bowls program for 2021.   There was an excellent attendance by nearly all the new committee members and also the Club Chairman and both Vice Chairpersons.  However, the attendance by club members was very disappointing with no grade two player  and not many social players either.  President Bob Crowley explained the committees thinking for the new season.  For a start the committee feel that the Club handicaps should be scrapped entirely and the handicap events disappear also, to be replaced by Minor Triples and Minor Fours events.  Understandably this first proposal generated a fair bit of discussion.  A quick show of hands indicated seven members against the proposal and six  in favour.  Entry criteria for the minor events was also handed out to the meeting.  Basically it is as now, Club Singles and Pairs winners are not eligible and past minor singles and pairs winners may defend their title the following year only.  The committee members have received much comment from bowlers after the last RSL Shield and are attempting to address the concerns raised.  Without handicaps the proposal is that bowlers  form pairs, either from the top two grades as tier one team and are draw a pair from the rest of the Club who are tier two teams.   Women bowlers are included in this system.  General consensus seemed to be in favour of this idea though with money involved in the event some others may not agree.  There were no nomination at the resent Club elections for “selector” so it is proposed that the Men’s Committee  should take on this task.  General agreement from the floor and seems a good idea as there are all levels of players within the Committee ranks and feed back is to be requested from pennant skippers.  Finally it is proposed that the pennant players have yet another change of uniform to reflect new sponsors of the Club.  An informative meeting and just a shame  that more members did not make the effort to come to listen to their new officials who seem to be listening to bowlers concerns and looking to make events for all levels of bowlers.