On the Jack – Blog #8(New Season)

🟢 On the Jack – Blog #8 (New Season)

“The Tea Break: Bowls’ Most Important End?”

Ask any newcomer what lawn bowls is all about and they will mention skill, precision, concentration, and sportsmanship.

Ask a long-standing member and they will often reply:

“The tea break.”

Now, before anyone reports me to the Committee, let us be clear. The game itself is magnificent. But there is something wonderfully British about pausing fierce competition to discuss biscuits, weather forecasts, and whether someone should have played a yard more weight three ends ago.

☕ The Great Equaliser

One of the joys of bowls is that the tea break has no respect for the scorecard.

Winning by ten shots?

Tea.

Losing by ten shots?

Tea.

Just played the bowl of your life.

Tea.

Just delivered two consecutive bowls into the ditch.

Definitely tea.

For a brief period, everyone becomes less opponent and more companion.

It is one of the reasons bowls clubs feel more like communities than sports venues.

🍪 The Biscuit Question

Every club has its traditions.

Some have homemade cakes.

Some have chocolate biscuits.

Some have a mysterious selection that appears to have survived several previous seasons.

The discussions around the tea table can become surprisingly passionate:

“You can’t beat a chocolate digestive.”

“Nonsense, shortbread is the champion.”

“Who had the last custard cream?”

These debates remain unresolved across the bowling world.

🌱 New Members Soon Discover

For newcomers, the tea break is often where friendships truly begin.

Advice is shared.

Stories are told.

Names become familiar.

And before long, people who arrived as strangers feel part of the club.

The bowls are important.

The people are what make clubs special.

📚 A Little History

Bowls clubs have long been social centres as much as sporting venues.

In many communities throughout Britain, the clubhouse became a gathering place where members could enjoy companionship as well as competition.

The tradition continues today, proving that while equipment may change, friendship never goes out of fashion.

🤝 Etiquette Corner – Win Gracefully, Lose Gracefully

The tea table is neutral territory.

Whether you have won, lost, or drawn, it is a place for good humour and good company.

A genuine compliment, a friendly chat, and a shared laugh are often remembered far longer than the result itself.

☕ Clubhouse Chatter

• Tea consumption remains at championship level.

• The biscuit supply continues to experience unexplained depletion.

• Several members have volunteered to “sample” future cake donations for quality control purposes.

Their dedication is admirable.

🌟 Final End Thought

Bowls may begin on the green.

But many of its best moments happen around a table with a hot drink and good company.

Because while trophies gather dust,

Friendships last forever.

And both are improved by cake.

See you “On the Jack.”

Your Rink side Rambler, Norman Deegan.

 THIS WEEK ON THE GREEN – Club News and Activities

🗞️ Marine Gardens Bowling Club Weekly Report

Week Ending Sunday, 14th June 2026
Alan Paterson, Press Officer.
It was a week of mixed fortunes for Marine Gardens bowlers, beginning in fine style before momentum slipped away as the days progressed.

The week opened with an excellent away victory at Pagham in the PC Cup. A strong all‑round performance secured a 70–56 aggregate win, booking us a home tie against Chichester in the next round. Leading the charge were Gerry Perch, Trevor Punnett, Duncan Gayler and Graeme Poole, who delivered a commanding 22–9 result.

Confidence remained high as we travelled to Arundel for a friendly fixture, where Marine Gardens edged a closely fought contest 62–57. Top Rink honours went to David Sayer, Julian Ogglesby, Les Gritton and Albert Leatham, whose well‑crafted 17–11 win proved decisive.

From there, however, fortunes turned. Our Stracey League visit to Goring Manor yielded just 2 points, courtesy of the solitary winning rink of David Smith, Pam Duffield, Alan Paterson, and Duncan Gayler, who posted a solid 21–13 victory.

The week concluded with a tough home encounter against West Harrow, whose bowlers clearly enjoyed their return to the seaside. They left with a convincing 84–47 win, though Marine Gardens avoided a whitewash thanks to a spirited 19–14 triumph by Valerie Conway, Geraldine Whitehead, and Mark Berriman. Their determination provided a bright note on an otherwise challenging afternoon.

A warm thank you go to all members who helped ensure our visitors enjoyed their trip to the seaside.