On the Jack – Blog #23(New Season)

🟢 On the Jack – Blog #23

“The First Bowl – Setting the Tone”

There is something slightly intimidating about being told:

“You’re first.” Everyone is watching.

The jack is sitting out there looking innocent. The green looks perfectly flat.

Your teammates suddenly become extremely interested in the weather.

And the opposition appear to be studying you as though you are about to take an important exam.

No pressure then.

Just pick up the bowl, deliver it perfectly and casually pretend you have been doing it all your life.

🎯 The first bowl matters

The first bowl of an end does not necessarily win the end.

But it can certainly influence how the end develops.

The first bowler is effectively introducing the head.

You are establishing the pace of the green, the amount of grass required, the bias, and how the bowls are likely to finish.

For newer players, this is one of the most important things to understand:

Your first bowl is not just an attempt to get close to the jack. It is also information.

If it finishes short, you have learned something. If it runs through, you have learned something.

If it swings more than expected, you have learned something.

If it finishes beautifully beside the jack...Well, obviously you meant to do that.

🟢 Read before you roll

Before delivering the first bowl, take a moment.

Look at the jack. Look at the rink. Look at the conditions.

Consider the hand you are being asked to play. Then think about the line and weight.

Experienced bowlers often appear to make this decision almost automatically, but there is a lot going on.

They are considering:

• the pace of the green

• the amount of grass required.

• the bias of the bowl

• wind and weather.

• the position of the jack

• the likely response from the opposition

• and, importantly, what the first bowl can tell them about the green.

That is quite a lot to fit between picking up a bowl and stepping onto the mat.

🧠 The first bowl is also reconnaissance

Think of the opening delivery as a scouting mission.

You are finding out what the green is going to allow you to do.

Perhaps you have played on the green before. Perhaps you have practised on it.

Perhaps you have been told: “It's running a little quicker today.”

And then you discover that “a little quicker” apparently means:

“Hold on to your hat.”

Every green is different, and even the same green can behave differently from one day to the next.

Temperature, moisture, grass condition, wind, and maintenance can all affect how bowls travel.

That is why experienced players watch every bowl carefully.

They are gathering information.

🔍 What did your first bowl tell you?

Imagine your first bowl finishes short of the jack.

Do not simply think: “That was rubbish.”

Ask instead: “Why was it short?”

Was the weight too light? Was the line wrong?

Did the bowl swing differently from what you expected?

Was the green slower than you thought?

Did you deliver differently from how you intended?

That is a much more useful way to look at it.

One poor bowl does not have to be a disaster.

It can be a lesson delivered.

♟️ The first bowl and the opposition

Your first bowl also gives your opponent something to think about.

If you place a good bowl close to the jack, they have a decision.

Do they draw closer? Do they change hands? Do they try to move your bowl?

Do they play a defensive shot? Or do they simply attempt to improve on what you have done?

The first bowl can therefore influence the tactical choices that follow.

And this is where bowls becomes wonderfully complicated.

One bowl changes the situation. The next bowl changes it again.

Before long, the head you have started with bears little resemblance to the one you thought you were creating.

💡 Tip for new bowlers

Do not put too much pressure on yourself to produce a perfect first bowl.

Instead, give yourself three simple jobs:

1. Pick a realistic target. 2. Don't try to perform a miracle. 3. Deliver smoothly.

A controlled delivery is more useful than trying to force the bowl.

Learn from the result.

If it is not quite right, use the information for your next bowl.

The aim is not perfection. The aim is to improve the information you have with every delivery.

🌿 A little green reading

One of the most valuable habits you can develop is watching other bowls.

If your opponent bowls before you, watch carefully.

Where did it finish? How much did it swing? How much weight did they use?

What happened as the bowl approached the jack?

Do not simply watch to see whether they win the shot.

Watch the journey.

Their bowl may be giving you valuable information about your own delivery.

📜 A little bit of history

Bowls has always involved far more than simply rolling a bowl towards a target.

As the sport developed, players learned to adapt their deliveries to different greens and conditions.

Natural grass surfaces could vary considerably, making the ability to judge pace, line, and conditions especially important.

Modern greenkeeping has made playing surfaces more consistent, but the fundamental challenge remains:

the bowler still has to read the green.

The equipment may have changed. The judgement has not.

😄 Clubhouse chatter

The first bowl can produce some interesting conversations.

“How's the green?” “Quick.”

Five minutes later: “Definitely quick.”

Another five minutes: “It's slowed down.”

Ten minutes later: “It's quick again.”

At which point somebody quietly suggests: “Maybe it's the bowler.”

🗣️ Something you may hear on the green

“Just get one away and we'll see what it does.”

This sounds simple. It is not. It really means:

“Please provide us with some useful information about the green without embarrassing yourself, the rink, or the entire bowling club.”

No pressure.

☕ The Rink side Rambler's thought

The first bowl is a little like the opening sentence of a conversation.

It does not tell you everything. But it sets the tone.

A good first bowl can put pressure on the opposition.

A poor one can provide information. A poor one can provide entertainment.

And occasionally, a bowl comes out perfectly, sits beside the jack and makes the bowler walk back to the mat pretending that was exactly what they expected.

“Good bowl.” “Thank you.”

🟢 Final End

Do not fear being first. Embrace it.

You have an opportunity to establish the head, test the green and give your team something to work with.

And remember:

The first bowl does not have to be perfect.

It simply needs to tell you something useful.

Because bowls is not about getting every decision right first time.

It is about observing, adapting, and making the next decision a little better.

So, the next time you hear:

“You're first.” Take a breath. Look at the green. Pick your line. Settle yourself.

And deliver.

Then watch what happens. Because the green has just given you your first piece of information.

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, 27th September 2026.

“Why stop now?” was the cry echoing around Marine Gardens as our bowlers closed the season in style, winning three of the final four matches — including two long‑awaited victories in the Stracey Shield, the first of the season.

Brodie League – Maltravers (Away)

The week began on the beautifully prepared green at Maltravers, where the home side secured a 3–1 win with an aggregate score of 76–62. The margin would have been greater had it not been for an outstanding performance from Perry Cairns and Tim Baldwin, who produced a superb 25–7 victory in the pairs.

Stracey Shield – Goring Manor (Home)

Marine Gardens then celebrated their first Stracey Shield win of the season, defeating Goring Manor 3–1 with an aggregate score of 71–56. Top Rink honours went to David Smith, Peter Guy, Jenny Ashman, and Perry Cairns, who delivered a confident 23–12 win.

Stracey Shield – Tarring Priory (Home)

Tarring Priory arrived needing six points to clinch the Stracey Shield title — but left with only one. Marine Gardens produced one of their strongest displays of the year, winning 3 and drawing 1, with a commanding 77–57 aggregate score. Top Rink honours were earned by Clive Wootton, Les Gritton, Bob Cole, and Perry Cairns, whose well‑managed 21–11 victory capped a memorable afternoon.

Brodie League – Shoreham (Away)

The final league match of the season was a tight Brodie encounter at Shoreham. The rinks were shared 2–2, but Marine Gardens edged ahead with a 56–52 shot advantage, securing 6 of the 10 available points. The last Top Rink honours of the season went once again to the pairs team of Perry Cairns and Tim Baldwin, who posted a solid 17–10 win.

A special mention must go to Perry Cairns, who featured in all four Top Rink honours this week. What a per(ry)formance to finish the season.

End‑of‑Season Roll‑Up

The End‑of‑Season Roll‑Up was blessed with warm sunshine and an excellent turnout. A sincere thank‑you to everyone who contributed to a thoroughly enjoyable and successful season.

Roll on next April. Alan Paterson, Press Officer