Dear All

In our last email out we posed the question as to where was our President this week – being middle week of January. The answer was he was in Taranaki playing in the Taranaki 4s with a team including David Nightingale, Ted Morris and Erroll Lee (honorary member). This time the question is, what happened? The answer is the Glendowie team did extraordinarily well. Of the 168 teams entered from all over New Zealand, they qualified and got through to the quarter finals, enough to put them in the top 10% of the teams playing. Congratulations to them. The other things that happened I cannot comment on.

Other bowls results. Last weekend saw the Women’s and Men’s Championship triples played at the Club. The women with just three teams wrapped up their tournament in just one day with winners Florence Hing, Harriet Howard and Fay Mitchell. The men played over two full days with the final being settled about 5.00 pm on the Sunday. Winners were a team of David Nightingale, Ted Morris and Frazer Hanning. Congratulations to the winners and all who survived a very hot weekend.

Upcoming events.

February is a busy month at the Club as we move full-on into the Championship Season. This weekend is the Junior (1-5y) pairs although I’m not sure if we have any entries in for it. Then of Wednesday 17 February we have the veteran Singles for full members 75 or over, starting at 1.00pm. An entry sheet is now in the Hub for this event. Following on are the Junior Singles on the weekend of 20 February and the Men’s Pairs Championship on the weekend of 27,28 February.

Interspersed amongst this are the Gerry Birks Classic, 13 February and an Open Triples, 18 February. Entry sheets for all these are in the Hub. All other events are per usual and as listed in the Handbook.

St Andrew’s Village Classic. This is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday 3 & 4 March and entries are now open. Indeed we have about 10 already but of which only 2 are from Glendowie. The St Andrews Classic is our major tournament of the year. Due to the format of the Tournament we only have space for 20 teams. Last year we had 18 teams entered but only 6 from Glendowie. Let’s do better this year to show our support for this tournament and its sponsor.

Social Bowls. The second part of our Social Bowls programme starts in just a week, Monday 15 February and then continues each Monday until daylight savings finishes. Before Christmas our season was interrupted by weather on three occasions but the way our weather is going right now, we should be good for a complete season. The issue for us is that we need more volunteers to help out each night. Diane Ley looks after the kitchen and is always pleased to see extra helpers, but the major need is for people to help in the coaching between 5.00 and 6.00 pm and possibly playing alongside our social bowlers in the game between 6.00 and 7.00 pm. Many of our social bowlers have been coming for several years and are competent bowlers but we are always pleased to see newbies (see below) who need guidance in how to hold and deliver the bowl. They don’t need coaching on the rules and finer points of the game but just sufficient to make them confident and comfortable to become regular attenders. If you can help out please call Diane (528 7056), Bill McDermott (528 8384) or Murray Grigor (585 1992). With the meal included it is a fun night.

The Exec has prepared a flyer and had it printed to try and attract new social bowlers. to be used in a mail drop over the next few days. If you can help in distributing these flyers please either call Val Brigham (575 5898) or be at the Club at 10.30 am this coming Sunday

Coaching with Esther Eu. Come along and improve your bowling with some expert advice.

Last Friday Esther came along and provided some very useful hints to those members who attended. She is now availabe to continue individual coaching on the grass green for Friday 19th February and Friday 26th. On each day there will be six sessions of 45 minutes for full club members.

10 – 11 , 11 – 12 , 12 – 1 ,1.30 – 2.30 , 2.30 – 3.30 , 3.30 – 4.30.

Therefore the first six to let me know will get the spots.  

Social members can come along after work at 5.00 on the same day February 19th. These will be group sessions consisting of about 5 bowlers. Let me know if you’re interested so I can organise.

Mike Hughes (021 0859 1112)

Glendowiebowls

5 February 2021