District Fours - Final

Joel Bourke & Peter Taylor - Kempsey Heights

Pat Grotty (left) & Roger Gill - Kempsey Heights

Craig Howard - Kempsey Heights

Some spectators enjoying the comfort of the bowls lounge

The final of the LNC District fours championship was played this morning at Port City under ideal weather conditions without yesterday's gusty winds.

It was a Kempsey Heights final with the team of Terry Burley, Roger Gill, Craig Howard & Joel Bourke (skip) taking out the title with a convincing 26 - 10 scoreline. Runners up were Max Ironfield, Greg Powick, Pat Grotty & Peter Taylor (skip).

Joel and his team played well but the scoreline does not reflect the level of play from Peter and his team. Well done to all players for reaching the final and all the best for the Zone 14 playoffs later.

For additional photos click on the "bowls photo albums" link on the upper right.

Pre Pennant BBQ & Practice

David Gabb with a few "words of wisdom" for Pennant players

Some of the Pennant players during the practic session

Trevor Scholz and Athol McAuliffe manning the BBQ for the enjoyable lunch

With Pennants starting next Saturday the 1st March the Port City Men's Club held a practice session, BBQ lunch, and information talk by David Gabb, our Bowls Co-Ordinator and Chairman of Selectors.

Teams have been selected with details posted on the notice board.

Good bowling to all players and, win or lose, enjoy your games.

District Fours - Semi Finals

Peter Taylor (Kempsey Heights) letting one of his drives go.

Joel Bourke (Kempsey Heights) with his smooth delivery

John O'Neill (Port City)

Graham Connell - official measurer for the day

Play continued today at Port City in the District Fours Championships resulting in an all Kempsey Heights final to be played tomorrow morning (Sunday 24 th Feb.) The weather was clear today but gusty winds challenged the bowlers during the day.

Quarter final results from this morning as follows:

C. Osborne (North Haven) def. B. Isaac (Kew) 20 -17
P. Taylor (Kempsey Heights) def D. Carney (Wauchope) 20 - 12
J. O'Neill (Port City) def. M. Kirkman (Westport) 28 - 11
J. Bourke (Kempsey Heights) def. K. Martin (Westport) 23 -15

The semi finals in the afternoon saw the following results.

Peter Taylor (Kempsey Heights) def. Claire Osborne (North Haven) 22 - 17
Joel Bourke (Kempsey Heights) def. John O'Neill (Port City) 27 - 15

It should be a great final - come out and see some exciting bowls and support your favourite players.

Additional photos will be posted on the "Bowls Albums: see the link on the upper right.

ABN AMRO Australian Open 2008

Julie Keegan in action at the Open

The 2008 Bowls Austalia Open is currently being played at the Darebin Int. Sports Centre in Melbourne from the 17 th - 23rd February. Click on the following link for the Bowls Australia web site for some excellent coverage of all events plus some photographs:

http://www.bowls-aust.com.au/Default.asp?pg=home

District Fours Championships

Play in the LNC District fours was cancelled last Sunday due to the rather wet weather. Play will continue (weather permitting!) on Saturday the 23rd February at Port City with the quarter-finals in the morning between:

B Isaac (Kew) vs. C. Osborne (North Haven)
P. Taylor (Kempsey Heights) vs. D. Carney (Wauchope)
M. Kirkman (Westport) vs. J. O'Neill (Port City)
K. Martin (Westport) vs. J. Bourke (Kempsey Heights)

Semi finals in the afternoon followed by the finals on Sunday morning.

Some Comments on Synthetic Greens

The other day I happened to see a reference on my favourite bowls site, The Tweed Heads BC, (see the link on the upper right) to a club in Western Australia, the Bedford BC. Have a look at their site for a great variety of topics, jokes etc. Click on: http://www.bedfordbc.com.au/

The Port City Board has advised that our number 3 & 4 greens will be converted to synthetic later this year in September and October. This has generated some interesting discussion amongst bowlers with some for and some against. I thought the following article from the Bedford BC site would be of interest and would highlight some of the advantages and opportunities that this change will open up to our club.

"December 7, 2007

Sherro,As you can imagine I can\'t let the letter from C White pass without some comment.

In some respects it is indeed sad to see the changing face of the game with the continued push from a great many clubs to replace grass with some form of synthetic surface. However there are a number of indisputable facts supporting such a transition:

- the high cost, high maintenance of grass in a State that will continue to be suffer from drought conditions and one that will increasingly seek the reduction of chemicals/fertilisers in the community,

- the difficulties of finding good, long term greenkeepers that will justify their expense in an industry that lags behind in terms of financial reward,

- the emergence of corporate bowls that in many Clubs has become not only their financial lifeline for which the synthetic option offers a hardy,year round opportunity to be introduced to the game but also provide a continuing cash-flow in the slow winter months and probably not least,

- the synthetic surface provides the older, less athletic player to remain competitive on surfaces that run consistently and at good pace.

The introduction of carpet to South Perth has been the catalyst to turn an ailing, unfinancial Club into a vibrant boutique organisation that is both successful on and off the green, is at one with its local council and provides the opportunity to showcase our game to the general public. (South Perth will host 45 corporate functions in the final eight weeks of this year).


To C. White I know of no-one at South Perth who would not wish to play on \"good\" grass rather than carpet, but in today\'s world the financial realities of the move will be the future of the game, not its destruction.

Ken PrideVice Pres.South Perth BC"

Comments from any bowler would be appreciated. Click on "comments" on the lower right and leave your message.

Monthly Newsletter Jan 2008 - Women's BC

Port Macquarie City Women's Bowling Club - Newsletter January 2008

Many thanks to Robyn Biddle, Publicity, for providing this Newsletter for posting in "Bowls News"

Club Championship Program 2007 - 2008

• Club Singles: Open 11/03/08, Close 01/04/08, Play 15/04/08


• Club Pairs: Open 20/05/08, Close 10/06/08, Play 24/06/08


• Club Triples: Open 08/07/08, Close 29/07/08, Play 12/08/07
  
  Hastings Haven District Championships Program 2008
  
• James Wall Shield: Open 12/02/08, Close 26/02/08, Play 13/05/08


• District Singles: Open 12/02/08, Close 26/02/08, Play 27/05/08


• State Singles: Open 12/02/08, Close 26/02/08, Play 27/05/08


• State Pairs: Open 18/03/08, Close 01/04/08, Play 17/06/08


• State Triples: Open 18/03/08, Close 01/04/08, Play 08/07/08


• State Fours: Open 18/03/08, Close 01/04/08, Play 29/07/08
  
• Special State Events 2008
  

• Pennant District: Play 05/02/08


• Pennant Group Play-Off: Play 5 to 09/05/08


• State Carnival Dubbo: 2 to 06/06/08

News:

Our first month was busy with the Club Fours being played, the final was played on Saturday morning. Our congratulations to the winners: Ingrid Code, Frances Green, Julie McKay & Hannah Clohsey (skip).

Runner-up: Barbara Owens, Patricia Abe, Judy Brady (sub for Hazel Durrant) & Dulcie Holihan (skip)

Notebook:

We ask that all our new members to the Club read the rule book as in any sport there are rules and it is not good if in the middle of a match you have a problem and do not know the correct answer. We do have umpires and they will help.

In the Bowls News each month there are questions on the rules. Read it and see if you know the answer, the correct answers are also printed. Read your uniform code making sure your uniform is correct in colour, length and jewellery is worn with discretion, no big errings and necklaces. Bowls is a sport - just ask your President.

We start our Pennant Season and the round Robin this month. We hope all the members playing will enjoy the games and the best of bowls, maybe we will win a flag.

Shirley Devine has entries for the Easter Open Ladies Triples - they are also in the folder on the notice board.

It is good to see the seats on number one green being replaced, as well as the two shades on the western side.

Ladies think about your entry for the Club Singles Open being held on the 11th March, as well as a team entry for the May Carnival 19th to 21st.

It was nice to see the Ladies enjoying the Coffee Shop. Indulging in the coffee makes us ladies work overtime on Tuesday and for those of us that are game to try all the beautiful calories...yum yum...

To any of our members that are not well, we wish you a speedy recovery. Ladies if you know of a member not feeling the best please let our welfare officer June (Hook) know. Also if a member is having a special anniversary.

Now for a little fun....

Jim and Edna were both patients in a mental hospital. One day while they were walking past the hospital swimming pool, Jim suddenly jumped into the deep end of pool, he sank to the bottom and stayed there. Edna promptly jumped in to save him. She swam to the bottom, pulled Jim out and took him back to his room. When the hospital doctor became aware of Edna's heroic act, she immediately ordered that Edna be discharged from the hospital because she now considered Edna to be mentally stable. She went to Edna and said, "I have some good news and some bad news, the good news is that you're being discharged because you responded so rationally to a crisis by jumping into the pool to save Jim. The bad news is that Jim has hung himself in his bathroom with his bathrobe belt right after you saved him." Edna replied, "He didn't hang himself, I put him up there to dry, now when can I go home. ?????

District Fours Championships

Bill Ross. North Haven, & Chris Stone, Port City

John Haines, Westport

Graham Connell, measuring a close one

The District Fours Championships commenced today at Port City with rounds 1 & 2 played today. Sorry but I don't have results but I'll do my best to obtain the details of the quarter and semi finals due to be played tomorrow on Sunday. Additional pictures are posted in the Bowls Photo Albums (click on the link on the upper right)

Vale - Monty Hall

Monty Hall on the mat

Allan Cutler (left) and Monty Hall

Monty passed away late last week after suffering health problems during the past few months.

Always a keen competitor Monty enjoyed his pennant play and social bowls to the fullest. I have known Monty for the past 5 years at Port City and always enjoyed playing with or against him in any game.

He was also a fellow umpire who took the job seriously and was one of our top umpires at Port City who could officiate at any game including State Finals.

Monty always had a bowls story to tell including his play at Engadine and games at Port City - this always covered an end to end detail of the bowls and position. We'll miss these Monty! Events during his umpiring did not escape his memory as well!

A private service to celebrate the life of Monty will be held in Port Macquarie.

Rest in peace my friend.

State / District Triples

Reports available at the Club indicate the final of the District Triples will be played at Hat Head on Saturday 9th February with the teams of P. Howard, B. Anderson & P. Taylor of Westport up against T. Burley, C. Howard & J. Burke of Kempsey Heights.

WBC Major Fours Final

Dulcie Holihan & Hanna Clohesy

Barbara Owens (left to right) , Pat Abe, Julie McKay & Judy Brady

Rosemary Roach (left to right), Judy Brady & Julie McKay

A few of the spectators enjoying the game

The final of the Port City Women's Bowling Club fours was played this morning with the team of Ingrid Code, Julie McKay, Frances Green & Hanna Clohesy (skip) taking out the title 25 - 18 with the runners up Barbara Owens, Judy Brady (substitute for Hazel Durrant), Pat Abe & Dulcie Holihan - skip (Replacement player for Rhonda Evans).

Hanna and team broke away to an early lead 12 - 1 after 6 ends. Dulcie and her team then "got into gear" and narrowed the lead to 13 - 10 after 10 ends. They again came back to reduce the margin to 19 - 17 in favour of Hanna but couldn't take it out from there.

Well done to all players for an excellent final enjoyed by all spectators.

Click on the link ,upper right, "Bowls Photo Albums" for additional pictures.

Men's Pennant Practice

The "poser" Trevor Scholz back in action!

A quiet beer after the game

Many thanks to the players from Forster who travelled to Port Macquarie for an enjoyable pennant practice today. After a few interuptions due to rain we managed to finish the game and enjoy a drink after the day's play.

RNSWBA Ammended Conditions of Play

The following is a copy of the release from the RNSWBA web site advising that the State Conditions of Play have been revised and the minimum length of the jack will revert back to 23 metres and the winner of an end has the option of giving the mat away.


"World Bowls Decrees on Law Change (30/01/08)

At its meeting of 23 Janaury 2008, World Bowls did not endorse proposed changes to the Laws of the Sport of Bowls.

The proposal, suggested by the RNSWBA, to have the minimum length of an end revert to 21m has been rejected.

The RNSWBA Board has resolved that the RNSWBA would comply with advice of World Bowls on the Laws of the Sport of Bowls.

The mimumum length of an end is as printed in the Crystal Mark Edition of The Laws of the Sport of Bowls, which is 23m.

The winner of the end also has the option of whether to roll the jack and play first or have their opponenents roll the jack and play first, as printed in the Crystal Mark Edition of The Laws of the Sport of Bowls.

One Law Change has been approved by World Bowls, scoring in a tie-breaker in sets play will now be by the number of shots scored over the three ends. If shots are tied after three ends an extra end or ends will be played until a winner is found."

Copies of the ammended Conditions of Play are available from the Royal's web site: http://www.rnswba.org.au/jsp/c_index.jsp