Our Mate and Greens Responsibility

Sitting on the bench, preparing for a game; you notice a player (visitor or club) tossing his bowls from his bench position to the green.  What do you do ?  Whom should you suggest that the bowler be approached.  Or maybe you do it yourself and consider it ok.

Of course, fun play requires a mate to be more
cceptable with club members.

Many greens appear to run toward the ditch for the last few feet because of the continual walking behind the mat, and the placement of the bowls at the mat.  Every club when instructing the new member suggest what should and should not be done when putting bowls to the green. And it is sad to see a club, whether visitors or at home, which does not have respect for the greens.

 

Is this a mate giving green behind the skip ??

There was a time, in the past when bowls was more of a gentleman's game, where the Mate or Second (in Thirds) was the game and club ambassador.  It was normal when two team came to the mat, to find the mate busy introducing his teammates by name and position. "Our Second will be Dave Thompson from Armprior Club with several years experience".  and finishing with his own introduction.
Today, we walk to the mat, shake hands and wish each other a "Good Game" and sometimes finish the game without even knowing the name of the players.  As ambassador for the team, the mat has also responsibilities toward the Stewardship of the Green.  He should be the communication to his lead and second about damage they do to the green by faulty deliveries, and also should be the communication to the opponent mate about unacceptable debits by their players.

The mate is the respresentative of the skip and in communication should be holding his team together by suggesting actions which will improve the game.  If the mat need to be moved forward to protect the green, he should be visiting the mat and suggest to his lead such action.  If it occurs that damage is being done to the green and the possibility that screens will be installed, the mate should know the proper method and communication.

When screens are installed it changes the whole game because the position of the mat can not be changed as rules require that the mat be placed with the mat line (front of the mat) be at the back line of the screen.  No, damage will not be created on the greens with the installation of the Green's screens; but also the inability to move the mats forward as a strategy can also change the game.

Why the screens ?  Maybe fast greens which are more
sensitive to damage.. Social learners ?

Every club should have a Greens Manager who like a Tournament or Social Play Manager, is responsible for actions which help the club executives and greens keeper to Manager the Greens. So often I have seen the game start without the needed protection because it was doubt able if it was going to rain, only to find after a fair down pour the greens were very sensitive and easily damaged.
A green manager would be the individual who would approach the skip or mate to suggest that maybe it would be necessary to place protective screens.

The mate would, knowing his responsibility, discuss with the skip and even supervise their lead and second.  Supervision might be the simple instruction to never put the mat in the same position twice in a repeat of the end because of the sensitive nature of the greens and the wish to not need to install the Protective Green Screens. Who said that the mats had to all be at the same distance. This decision if not taken by the Greens Manager, becomes the decision of the skips (in agreement) and administrated by the mate.

 

In the above question of whom to suggest the action of talking to a player about possible damage to the green, the answer is your team player who is "Mate" for that game. He is then free over the period of the game to mention to the opponent mate his concern when next he notices an action which continues to damage the green. 

Very often the team"s mate is busy discussing the game with his lead and second (in the game of fours) or giving instructions from the skip.  When the front end of a team begins to fall apart because of weakness, either delivery, game strategy or performance, it is the "mate" who will attempt to reunite the team by supporting the skip to the leads and helping the lead improve his performance.

 

 

(Sometimes looking for a blog photo finds hidden away in club photos 10 of 18 on Champion Club Photos)

A Leads as Greens Steward

Greens stewardship is taking a responsibility for the greens condition and maintenance as a club member or lawn bowls player. It does not mean becoming a Greens keeper but being aware of the damage and protection you as lead can do.

 In these blogs I was attempt to be short and tackle only one suggestion of stewardship..  Each club member or game position has certain responsibilities, whether delegated by rule, by the skip or by individual efforts to improve and do what is right.

 



Greens protection with good delivery and bowling step (photo
 http://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/lawn-bowling.html )

When the lead places the mat does each mat placement give  a good receiving area for the Bowls? Receiving area ?.  Each bowler has a different style of delivery and where his bowl is layed down onto the green is his "Receiving area". Never place a mat where the debits of previous end are the same area where new debits, if created by error, will be created  



Does a Drive or long Step require a bouncing Bowl ?

 Coaching will teach a new bowler to step into his line of delivery and delivery across the center line.   Usually suggesting the bowl should come to the green at the center line. Over time as new bowlers become long time members their style of delivery changes and the receiving area become further from the mat or from the center line.  A team of three players may have three different receiving area. 

 

If the mat always placed at the same place, on the mat line and center line, certainly after a 12 end game there may be debits or damage to the greens. Even the best bowlers will make debits. Taught to lay the bowl down lightly onto the green, many coaches forget that the front foot while doing the step arrives on the green and digs in to stop the body's forward movement.

 

Although the forward movement of the mat is considered a decision of the skip, most skips will place very little importance on a small forward movement of the mat if it results in  good receiving area for the team members.

 

Several years past, I was playing pairs with Scott as skip and Richard, as the opponent team skip.  Both skips are club green keepers at their club.   I left the debits of the previous ends directly in the receiving area, and to my surprise, Richard's delivery did not  faultier while Scott, my skip, just freaked. His bowls were every where on that end.
 

 

Why ??  I was just beginning to understand the duties of the lead and  I learned that by studing the deliveryreceiving area, we also identify if the bowler is left or right handed.  Here, the debits were made the opponent lead who was right handed as was my skip, Scott. On the other hand, (punt) I am lefthanded as was Richard the opponent skip, having no worry about those debits.

Are you a Alley bowler during the off-season of lawn bowls? Why ?  Because there is a different style of bowling  for alley bowling and often new lawn bowlers may find that they have that "swing around your body" bowling alley style delivery. 

If this is the case, there is always a pivot on the mat which will cause damage under the mat. Another raison to change the mats position a few feet.

 

Even without any errors in delivery, the damage from all 6 bowlers on the same mat every end can be seen when the game is finished..  Also remember, when the Greens Keeper makes a shorter cut for a faster green, these conservation action of the lead and others is more important as we will see faster, the damages to the green under the mat.