On the Jack – Blog #12(New Season)

🟢 On the Jack – Blog #12 (New Season)

“The Bowler’s Toolbox”

Ask a carpenter to show you their toolbox and you will find hammers, chisels, and saws.

Ask a mechanic, and you will discover spanners, sockets, and screwdrivers.

Ask a lawn bowler…

and you’ll be shown a polishing cloth, a measuring tape, a bowl spray, grippo, a cloth that somehow works better than the first cloth, a bowls lifter, waterproofs, sunscreen, a hat, two pairs of glasses, and a bag that appears capable of carrying enough equipment for a small expedition!

We bowlers do like to be prepared.

🎯 The Most Important Piece of Equipment

It is easy to think success comes from having the latest gadgets.

The newest bowls. The fanciest grip. The smartest trolley.

But every experienced bowler knows the most valuable piece of equipment is the one between your ears.

Patience. Concentration. Good judgement.

And remembering that every bowl deserves your full attention.

🌱 Advice for New Bowlers

Do not worry if your equipment does not match everyone else’s.

The best players did not become great because of what they carried.

They became great because they practised, observed, listened, and enjoyed learning.

A comfortable pair of shoes, well-maintained bowls and a positive attitude will take you much further than the most expensive accessories.

📚 A Little Bowls History

The earliest bowlers carried remarkably little.

A set of lignum vitae bowls, a handkerchief for wiping them clean and perhaps a small bag was all that was needed.

Today’s modern equipment has certainly made life easier, but the fundamentals remain exactly the same:

A smooth delivery. Good line. Good weight. Good sportsmanship.

🤝 Etiquette Corner – Look After Your Equipment

Looking after your bowls is also part of respecting the game.

• Wipe them clean after play.

• Check for damage.

• Keep your bowling bag tidy.

• Treat club equipment with care.

• And never leave a measuring tape where someone might trip over it.

Small habits make a significant difference.

☕ Clubhouse Chatter

This week’s mystery concerns the disappearing bowls cloth.

Several members are convinced they brought one.

Several others appear to have acquired an extra.

No investigation has yet identified the culprit.

It may simply be another of bowls’ enduring mysteries.

😄 This Week’s Green-Side Quote

“Do you really need all that equipment?”

“Probably not”

” But I know exactly where everything is.”

Usually.

🌟 Final End Thought

The finest bowlers are not remembered because they owned the newest equipment.

They are remembered because they encouraged others.

Played fairly. Laughed often.

And left every green in better spirits than they found it.

That is the finest tool any bowler can carry.

“It’s amazing how much equipment you need - to roll one bowl at a time!”

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, 12th July 2026
Alan Paterson, Press Officer.
Marine Gardens bowlers coped a little better with the sweltering conditions this week, securing three wins from the five matches played.

The WSBL double‑header against Witterings produced an evenly balanced outcome, with both clubs making full use of home advantage. In the away fixture, Witterings edged the match overall, winning two rinks, drawing one and losing one, with a 71–60 aggregate in their favour. Marine Gardens still collected three valuable points thanks to a narrow but determined 16–14 win from Bob Cole, John Nettleingham, Perry Cairns, and Ivan Godsmark.

The return match at Marine Gardens saw the tables turned. The home side dominated on three rinks and claimed a convincing 72–55 aggregate victory. Top Rink honours went to David Barlow, Norman Wishart, Ken Leadbeater and James Albon, who delivered a superb 25–5 win.

Unfortunately, fortunes dipped in the Stracey League home match against Worthing Pavilion. The visitors proved too strong, winning on three of the four rinks and taking the match 74–40. A complete whitewash was only avoided thanks to a gritty 14–13 success from Bill Hurren, Jane McHugh, Nour Dissem and Perry Cairns.

Normal service resumed in the Brodie League, where Marine Gardens produced an excellent home performance against near neighbours Goring Manor. A blistering 34–7 victory from the pairs team of Nour Dissem and Tim Baldwin set the tone for a 3–1 rink win, a 95–65 aggregate, and a welcome haul of eight points.

The week concluded with a friendly away at Billingshurst. The rinks were shared two apiece, but Marine Gardens kept their noses in front to secure a 67–60 overall win. A key contribution came from Valerie Conway, Betty Stevenson and Tim Baldwin, whose resilient bowling earned an impressive 20–12 result.