Update 23rd September.

The Handicap pairs was a bit of a wash out last Saturday.
We managed 1 game and about 6 ends of the second game before the heavens opened up and the plug was pulled.

Bowling On
23^rd September

Bowls New Zealand is honouring it's century of existence with the overdue establishment of a Hall of Fame.

At a recent function 36 bowlers were named as the inaugural inductees. Of those 27 are named as athletes of the highest calibre and a further nine were selected for their outstanding efforts in support of the sport. Manawatu provides three athletes in Phil Skoglund Snr, Sharon Sims and Russell Meyer and all are justly honoured.

Five of the 27 athletes were chosen to wear the mantle "Kiwi Bowling Legends" and the only two males in the five are Phil Skoglund and Peter Belliss from our neighbouring Centre Wanganui. The women included are Elsie Wilkie, Cis Winstanley and Millie Khan and I wouldn't expect any arguments there.

 Many have long espoused Skoglund as New Zealand's finest ever male bowler and it is good to have that recognition. He remains the only bowler to win three consecutive National singles and that was in a time that the tournament attracted three times the numbers it does today. He is also a NZ Sports Hall of Fame inductee.

What disappoints me about the line-up named is the absence of the names Nick Unkovich and Gary Lawson. Both are superior bowlers to some of those named and one can only assume it was their brushes with officialdom that caused their absence. They remain our only double gold star National winners. Hopefully their omission will be rectified in time.

•  I have noticed with interest that in the latest edition of it's handbook the Manawatu Centre is again publishing membership numbers for each club.

While not wanting to sound too negative a good number of clubs are clearly on life support. In the five city clubs there are 432 members using a total of 14 greens. In days gone by the rule of thumb was 100 bowlers per green but the above statistics work out to only 31 bowlers per green. Only Palmerston North is located on freehold title and I wonder how satisfied the Palmerston North City Council is with effective use of its assets.

City Clubs are more vulnerable than the country clubs, players have options and are more likely to move clubs for a variety of reasons including dissatisfaction with green standard, to play with mates or a spat with someone in the club. As long as they can get someone to keep the green our country cousins seem to survive. Kimbolton, Ashhurst and Te Kawau with seven women between them have largely ineffective women's sections and with a total of 271 women playing in the Centre that game is more at risk than the men's.

• Terry Puklowski has returned to selecting duties after a long absence and will select our men's teams at all levels. No doubt one or two fringe players are offering to mow his lawns!

• Players need to be getting entries in for the Centre Open singles from 12-14 October and I am glad to see a return to the two life system.

• I'll battle to make this a weekly column without support from Clubs. Email news to tony.jensen@aon.com. So far I have had a nil return from my first appeal for news. Good bowling.

Tony Jensen

Update 16^th September  2013.

Saturday was the opening of the 2013 – 2014 season.

After a welcome and the rolling up of the first bowl of the season by our club Patron, Noeleen, play commenced for the Herbert plate.

This Progressive Tournament has been weather affected more than most in the last couple of seasons so it was sort of a surprise, given the forecast, that we were able to play for the plate in what was pretty good weather on green 2 which to me, appeared to run nicely for the first use of the season. The winner of the Herbert Plate was Doug Hayward our Club Captain. Well done Doug.

With all the smart phones and camera’s around these days, if you are at a tournament or a game, the likelihood is that you may see an opportunity to take a candid picture that is worth sharing with others in the club. Please take it and put it up on our Facebook page or if you prefer, send it to me and I will put it in the Blog or on Facebook for you. You can send it to my email address or to my mobile phone. The number is in the Club Program booklet.

Bowling On, 16^th September.

Bowling Clubs knew the season was upon us at the weekend when many celebrated opening to the accompaniment of the usual biting breeze that only the Manawatu can produce.

It will be a busy season at Centre level with Open tournaments restored although champion of champion events will still be the pathway to regional and National finals. Many of our competitive bowlers felt short changed with the absence of Open events last season so hopefully they will provide enough entries to justify the restoration of these tournaments.

Whether running a Centre Open Singles in mid October is wise planning is another thing. We usually strike our worst weather then, greens have not reached their best and players are likely to be short on match play. Playing the Blue riband event so early may be folly.

Another major change this season sees Manawatu joining Wanganui for a combined premiere interclub of four teams each. Something had to be done at that level and I welcome the initiative. In the women's competition there had only been three teams for several years and the men only fronted with four clubs. Johnston Park has stepped up to be the fourth women's team although there is a possibility they may yet have to combine with another Club to select  a competitive seven players.

Whether women will enjoy the elongated competition and travel commitment as much as the men I am guarded on. It was only two years ago there were howls of protest from some over extending the competition to two days.

• There are usually many rumours about player movements during the off season and among those I have heard but not substantiated are;

- Manawatu singles exponent Ross Ellery is taking a total break from the game to concentrate on family.

- Sharon Sims is having a break from bowls altogether and I note she has no administration roles in the Centre or her Northern Club.

- Feona Sayles now has involvement with Bowls NZ and will not be playing as often

- One I'm delighted to confirm is that current Manawatu singles champion Stephen Love has joined Johnston Park. Stephen was very competitive at the Professional Bowlers Association singles in Invercargill recently until a wonky knee forced him to withdraw from the semi-final and forfeit the chance of a trip to England.

- Craig Gush is heading to Fiji with his job. With his ability don't be surprised to see him bob up playing bowls for the country at Commonwealth games or the like. There's a challenge for you Craig.

- Promising women's bowler Tania MacKay is back after a year's absence playing at Johnston Park.

- Current Manawatu singles champion Lyn Jensen won't get in much play at all this season as she abandons her husband and concentrates on her other role of Inner Wheel NZ President.

• Bowls and in particular the Hokowhitu Club lost a gem of a man with the recent  passing of Don McPhee. Don had been Club President, greenkeeper and I will remember him best for his coaching. I often turned up to play at Hokowhitu to find Don tutoring a group of newer bowlers. Don always took the initiative to involve those bowlers. He was no mean bowler himself and was good enough to earn a Centre title leading for Scruff Gordon's four in the champion of champions in the 2001-02 season. I lead against him in that final and we had a torrid scrap. As an aside Scruff's performance at skip that day rank's as one of the finest I've seen.

Don had many and varied interests, a piper, clansman and Rugby refereeing and never lacked an opinion on sport. He will be missed.

• I won't be on the greens much myself before Christmas. I recently had a hiatus hernia repaired which will keep me quiet for awhile and I will then be having a knee tidied up.

 To make this column relevant I need support from Clubs so please email news to tony.jensen@aon.com or txt me on 021491808 as a passing comment if you see me at a club will likely get lost.

I was disappointed last season when I asked for all Division One interclub teams so I could do a preview and received only one. So as soon as you select let me know. Good bowling.

TONY JENSEN

Thanks Tony

Update 14^th May 2013.

Saturday was the return match with Takaro for the TeRaki cup. On Takaro's home turf, the carpet this time, Northern once again comprehensively won the challenge. This cup has been played for a on a regular basis now for the last 80 years. Takaro as usual were the perfect hosts putting on a very nice lunch and afternoon tea. Thanks Takaro.  We look forward to once again defending the TeRaki cup in the 2013 – 2014 season.

Sunday was the official closing day for our club.  In absolutely fantastic weather, the Herbert Plate was up for grabs in the final games of the season. Tom Palmer was the eventual winner.

Being a progressive tournament it is not often that a Skip wins this trophy. Well done Tom.

At the end of play the prize giving ceremony was held with the trophies for the year being presented by our Patron Bevin.

After which the Centre Certificates and awards were presented by our Manawatu  Centre Executive guest for the day, Woody (Tony Woodley).

After the presentations there was a pot luck tea and very nice it was too.

Once again, great weather, good company and well catered. What more could you ask?

Don’t forget, the AGM is 10am Sunday the 16^th of June. See you there!

Have a great winter!

Here is a couple of photo taken on Sunday.

I can’t take the credit for all of these as Sue, Bill, John and co all had a go.
(Click on the image to make it larger.)

Apart from Anne, who else can you see?

That's got to be Bill! Who else?

Anne again with Murray and Joan

That looks like Elaine getting ready to deliver.

Gee, Anne again with Tom, Bob, Doug, Max, Lindsay and Bevin.

Sue and Margaret being presented with the Gwen Mckenzie Cup.

Sue and Margaret with the Gwen Mckenzie Cup.

Lindsay was presented with the Frank Fee Trophy. He is with Noel who is a previous winner of this prestigious award.

Winners of the Division 2 Inter-club Title receive their Certificates.

Winners of the Division 2 Inter-club Title receive their Certificates. 

Winners of the Division 2 Inter-club Title receive their Certificates.

Bruce Harris with his trophy the John Smith Trophy for best overall performance in the Men's Club Championships.

Feona was the recipient of the equivalent Ladies award, the trophy Donated by Sue Way.

Congratulations to everyone.

Update 7^th May 2013.

It was a very successful day for the club on Sunday in our annual battle with Paraparaumu.

As you probably have heard, Northern once again comprehensively won the challenge.

Great weather, good company and well catered. What more could you ask?

Well done to all involved. Players, Markers, Catering, Bar Staff and our hard working Green Keeper.

Here are a couple of pictures of the occasion.  

Don’t forget the last day for play this year will be on Sunday the 12^th which is Closing day.

The AGM is 10am Sunday the 16^th of June.  See you there!

Have a great winter!