these Open Championship Clubs choose to relief grind - Pitchcare

“The days of putting the mower to bed
in September and getting it out in March
are now a distant memory,” smiles Alan.
We close our conversation with a nod to
the past as Alan suggests, “we criticise our
predecessors for cutting greens too short
and giving very little thought to matters
such as aeration yet, in truth, it was
‘Hobson’s choice’ back then. The only way
to achieve a semblance of consistency was
to shave a green on a regular basis.
Hampered by a lack of money, equipment
and education, greenkeepers probably did
as much as they could, and bowlers got
what they got. I’m sure expectation back
then was much less of an issue.”
Looking to the future of his own green,
Alan is keen to continue upgrading both
the quality and quantity of the clubs
equipment. “We’ve just managed to
obtain a decent second-hand aerator,
which is really the last piece in the jigsaw.
That said, give me a blank cheque book
and I’d happily add a new mower and a
dedicated scarifier to the inventory!”
As I conclude my quest to throw some
light on bowler’s expectations, it’s clear
that, despite whatever expectation might
be, reality dictates, “you get what you pay
for”. Maybe the expectations of the
average bowling club membership should
extend no further than the budget. As a
bowler myself, I’ve always been curious
why members are so reluctant to put their
hands in their pockets, in comparison to,
say, golf. Bowls has always been a sport
supplied on the cheap with greens to
prove it! Probably the greatest skill that
guys like Alan and Eric possess is to turn a
‘Vauxhall’ budget into a ‘Rolls Royce’
Summer Sports - Bowls
“We criticise our predecessors
for cutting greens too short
and giving very little thought to
matters such as aeration, yet it
was ‘Hobson’s choice’ then”
Alan Bentley, West Bromwich Football Supporters Bowling Club
engineered for perfection
surface.
Ultimately, the whole question of a
bowler’s expectation relates very little to
anything tangible, and very much to the
human psyche. Expectation is really just
another word for opinion and, like
backsides, everybody has got one!
Whilst bowlers might say they want
‘consistency’ from greens, I’ve a hunch
that removing the element of the everchanging
green - influenced primarily by
the weather and secondly by the
greenkeeper - would remove the very
essence of the game. The heart and soul
of our sport is playing outdoors and
adapting to a constantly changing
situation. Now, who wouldn’t want to be
involved in a game like that? Err, indoor
bowlers I guess!
A first class finish
…. every time
For more information on our full
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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012 PC 79