On the Jack – Blog #14(New Season)

🟢 On the Jack – Blog #14 (New Season)

“Reading the Green – Bowls’ Greatest Puzzle”

If you ask a newcomer what they are aiming at, the answer is usually quite straightforward.

“The jack.” then

Ask an experienced bowler, and the answer might be quite different.

“About two feet outside the rink marker, then let the green do the rest.”

To anyone watching for the first time, it can seem completely baffling.

Why would you deliberately bowl away from the target?

The answer lies in one of lawn bowls’ greatest delights, the bias.

Unlike a football that travels straight or a dart that flies directly at the board, a bowl follows a graceful curve. Learning to understand that curve is one of the game’s greatest challenges… and greatest pleasures.

🎯 Every Green Has Its Own Personality

No two bowling greens play the same.

Some are quick.

Some are slower especially after rain.

Some have subtle slopes and runs that only reveal themselves after a few ends.

The best bowlers do not fight the green, they learn to work with it.

Reading the green is a little like reading the sea. You see, adjust, and trust your judgement.

🌱 A Tip for New Bowlers

If your bowls keep finishing on the same side of the jack, do not be discouraged.

Every missed bowl is giving you information.

Watch where your bowl begins to turn.

Notice how your opponents’ bowls behave.

Learn from every end.

The green is always teaching if you are willing to listen.

📚 A Little Bowls History

In the early days of lawn bowls, players quickly realised that every natural grass green had its own character. Before modern maintenance techniques, changes in weather, mowing and even the time of day could noticeably affect how a bowl travelled.

While today’s greens are more consistent than ever, reading the conditions is still one of the finest skills in the sport.

🤝 Etiquette Corner – Watch and Learn

One of the nicest traditions in bowls is that experienced players are often happy to help newcomers.

If someone offers a friendly tip about the line or the pace of the green, accept it with a smile.

And if you are the experienced player, remember that encouragement builds confidence far better than criticism ever will.

A kind word today may help create tomorrow’s club champion.

☕ Clubhouse Chatter

• The green was beautifully running this week.

• Opinions differed on exactly how beautifully.

• One member claimed it was “the quickest green in Sussex.”

• Another replied, “Only after your second cup of tea!”

As usual, everyone agreed the green keeper had done an excellent job.

😄 This Week’s Green-Side Quote

“I played exactly the same bowl as you.”

“Yes, but the green liked mine better!”
The green is always teaching.
The best bowlers never stop learning.

🌟 Final End Thought

Reading the green is much more than a technical skill.

It is about patience, observation, and experience.

And accepting that, every now and then, the green will still surprise you.

That is not a fault of the game.

It is one of the reasons we keep coming back.

Every end is another puzzle waiting to be solved.

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, 26th July 2026
Alan Paterson, Press Officer.
The week began on a tough note for Marine Gardens as our teams travelled to Tarring Priory for a Stracey League encounter. Despite determined effort across all four rinks, the home side proved too strong, taking every rink and securing a 77–43 aggregate win.

Fortunes improved midweek at Worthing Pavilion, where Marine Gardens produced a far more competitive performance. The match finished with two rinks apiece, and although Pavilion edged the aggregate 69–65 to claim the bonus points, our bowlers earned a well‑deserved four points. Top Rink honours went to Nour Dissem, Norman Wishart, David Barlow, and Perry Cairns, with an excellent 18–13 victory underlined the team’s resilience.

The highlight of the week came in the quarter‑final of the PC Cup, where Marine Gardens delivered a superb result against First Division side Chichester, winning 68–65 in a nail‑biting finish. Skip Rod Smith led his rink of Brian Jones, David Barlow, and Ken Leadbeater to an outstanding 24–12 win, providing the foundation for the overall success. Every rink contributed strongly, and the squad can take real pride in overcoming higher‑division opposition. Norfolk now awaits us in the semi‑final.

The week concluded on a high with a home win against Goring Manor in the WSBL. Marine Gardens secured a 3–1 rink victory and a 69–56 aggregate, earning eight valuable points, a result that goes a long way toward securing Division 2 status for next season. Top Rink this time went to Gerry Perch, David Sayer, Rod Smith, and Graham Ray with an impressive 18–11 win.

A special mention must go to John Nettleingham, who interrupted his 90th birthday celebrations to play in three league matches during the week. An extraordinary commitment and a wonderful example to us all. Congratulations, John.