Feeling the Distance 3/5

If, to yourself, your judgement of the Jack Distance and your delivery of your bowl to touch and stop at the jack. is like the Baseball player, It is a feeling and

Instinctive Baseball Throw

"I just do it" is your reply to "How do you know the distance ?"; then you understand the mental balance between Physical Performance and Subconscious Performance and probably find yourself  in the Zone. The zone is a period of a absence of mind which during the delivery allows the subconscious to perform the action which for years, you have repeated the same action. (Muscle memory)

A state of mind where you are "Void" of thoughts, and this void allow the body to perform, without though, the actions and even decisions of how much weight is needed to draw to the Jack.

Much has changed in this mental aspect of sport performance and the book "The Inner Athlete" written in 1976 on this subject by Robert M. Nideffer (Phd) with the topic of "Mind Plus Muscle for Winning".   The ideas are the same but over time changes. Saw a book last week of "Zen and your Sport". 

The Inter Athlete (1967)

Always we hear that Physical performance is 10% while performance toward winning is close to 90% mental and long time developed mental abilities..

Pre-visualization was then "Mental Rehearsal" and the basketball player would see in his mind doing his basket shot and after the "Mental Rehearsal"; he came to the line to without effort made the shot. So, why not ? It had already been done 20 times in his mind.  I use the term Pre-visualization because this thinking and seeing your bowl rolling up the green; is done before you actually do the delivery of your shot.
Also Mental Rehearsal was a term use for a method of an athlete studing his  game after it had been completed. Some player can  recalls each point won or lost and analysis what could have been done differently in the game strategy; while others can not remember.  (another topic)

Earlier, I suggested training the mind to measure the distance by counting the jack throw until it stopped. This is an exercise of Visualization and teaching the mind the feeling of the jack distance from seeing it roll. The mind see the action but does not collect information unless it is instructed.  Afterward it will have the feeling and alway compare the information to previous collected information.
Also before delivery of your bowl try a  is mentally seeing your bowl  roll up the green to the jack. It is quick and a couple times before you delivered your bowl will not seem to affect you delivery. Like the Blind Bowler who can not watch his bowl roll to the jack. In his mind and knowing the time it takes for the bolw to roll to that jack distance; he visualize seeing the bowl roll to the head. (especially if he was previously a visual lawn bowler and had this visual experience before he lost his sight).

Earlier I suggested that the bowler after rolling the jack and his bowl within 30 seconds. Here we are replacing the mental Pre-visualization with an actual roll of the jack.  Try this exercise. Go out to the green and roll the jack, while counting its distance  during the roll and announce from the roll; the jack's final distance in number of meters. After several times rolling and counting the jack; ask a fellow bowler to assist you and like the blind bowler, after releasing the jack close your eyes as counting the jack roll. You helper will tell you "now" when the jack has stopped and before opening your eyes you tell them the jack distance in number of meters. This exercise is training the mind and memory.

 How precise are you ?. Over a short time you only need to count a few numbers and the mind will compare the jack speed and you can actually tell where the jack will stopped.  In the beginning of developing this mental skill or ability it will requires you count always count but eventually you can close your eyes and feel the distance of the jack.

Rebecca Van Asch
in the zone

One of the good things of streaming is the close-up view of bowlers. In the photo on the left Rebecca Van Asch for a moment is in the zone during a jack delivery. Becky has the habit of always keeping her eye on the bowl or jack but in the photo she is in her "Zone". Watch her bowl delivery and you will frequently see this microsecond moment and empty expression.

At this point in the jack roll, the instruction of how far the jack is to be send has already been decided and given to the subconscious mind. Now, being in the Zone it is just to let the mind to do what it know how to do. Using muscle memory and a the mental pre-delivery instruction, the subconscious mind now combines everything to perform and give the expected result. But also immediately after the release of the jack or bowl the player can feel  the "Subconscious feeling" of satification on what has been done and even before we see  the result.

This feeling of distance, can be said to be just that awareness of jack distance from seeing over the years several thousand incidents of the bowl rolling to the jack and feeling the duration of  time that the rolls needs for that distance of the jack.

To be in the zone and your mind in a void of emptiness is hard to do. But in the delivery of Chloe Stewart we see a trick which allow the player to find or be in the Zone.

A Zone getting Trick
Chloe Stewart of Australia

 In the photo on the left, we see in her delivery that she starts with her hand on her leg above the knee and as she lower her body to delivery the bowl she slides her hand down her leg to the knee. This action is a "Zone getter" in that to empty the mind  we need to be occupied our thoughts  with something else.  In the early stays of development of her style someone suggested that if she thinks of feeling her hand on her leg and knee the subconscious mind will take total control. Probably now she only thinks of the felling of her hand when she find herself losing her Zone delivery period.   Just muscle memory and subconscious mind doing what it knows how to do. Letting it happen by being involved in another thought.

This visualization also help in times of mental instability. Being upset for something is not an international athletics regular problem but some people get upset regularly during a game.  Mathew, a young club member, mention in a earlier 2015 blog used visualization to relax himself and return to concentration on his game by visualizing the image of the tree at the end of the home club green and the sunset behind it which was a regular early evening beauty that most of us club member knew. Use your mind more and more to help you perform that perfect Delivery to the jack or a spot you want to leave the bowl.

The next step is being able to feel your  delivery as being well done. When doing a relax delivery and reaching your "In the Zone period" you also have a positive feeling of success which only gets better and better.  While practicing without a jack, try to have that feeling which occurs when you have done a good delivery ?

Tighe Bowls Video Nominate
your bowl ressults.

In the Lachlan Tighe Coaching Video series (2018) found on Youtube Coach Tighe defines the exercise  by saying "By the time the bowl has gone 7 meters, they (the bowler) must Nominate where the bowl will finish", He then explains  the reason for this exercise is to help the participants "to be in touch with their body".  As I explain in this blog, to have a feeling of your delivery and maybe your mistakes and success.

In this same principle of practice, bowl your bowl up the green but without a jack, Repeat it several times to get a nice grouping of your four bowls but the exercise is to search for that feeling which indicates you did a good delivery. Like with the above exercise of  Lachlan Tighe video; announce your bowl placement immediately based upon your feeling of how good your bowl was. Remember, unless you seek to feel that feeling it is not easily to find or feel. This is the purpose of this exercise, Feel the feeling of a good delivery or what was done wrong. (feel the lost of balance or the little grip slip.

I have seen and explained in an earlier blog how the subconscious mind was able to detect a shot error of  2 mm off target at a distance of 8 meters. In "Muscle Memory Managing" May 2019 I was recalling a coaching I was doing in 2010 0r 2011 with an International Petanque player who was practicing. He thought he has seen the jack (in petanque it is about 1 inch large) being hit and fly off to the left and we went there to find the hit jack. However I had the jack in my hand because I had removed it from its hiding place behind the bowl. The exercise was for Alex to pass the ball in front and hit the jack but while Alex was returning to the shooting circle, I had removed it. But he did not know this  and continued his exercise. His subconscious mind knowing his shot was good but that he had missed by a small 2 mm off center  in his shot;  actually created an image in Alex's visual feedback  of the jack flying to the left as would have normally happen with that missing the center of the jack.

Some questions to think about and the feeling of Jack distance.

 Does the players in the head influence how we see or feel the Jack distance?. (I sometimes stay on the bank with a long jack because the player thinks the jack is closer and less chance to be too heavy and in the ditch).  A tall person in the head make the jack seem closer as distance is calculate by size of objects.

Looking up the green towards the Jack we have an open field behind the fence at that end of the green. How does this change your evaluation of the jack distance ? With the big clubhouse behind the jack we find we are often to heavy think the jack is closer..

These deceptions on how we  feel about the Jack distance should be part of our first  three or four ends as we are always remind ourselves that the objects we see behind the Jack changes our  judgement the distance to the Jack. Eventually in time  the subconscious will include this variable in its calculation of where the jack is located.. but the subconscious need to be told or trained to look for these things.

As a conditions of play changes, speak to the subconscious mind telling it "the rain will slow the jack" or "the lifting of the dew has increased speed as the green warms up". Remind the subconscious during the delivery those adjustments that must be made for the changing conditions. Having done this we do a delivery from within the void or Zone.

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Judging Jack Distance Coaching

Planning a series of Blogs on a basic topic like Judging Jack Distance requires an approach to the presentation of the topic with what most of the blog readers actually know. I believe that most of my readers are great bowlers with a prefected method of delivery. Using "Muscle Memory" and even a "Mind's eye" view of their bowl to the Jack; they are fighting to "Being in the Zone" and identify when  "Not in the Zone". This "Zen" Zone is an absence of thought period during Delivery when the subconscious is free to perform without us attempting to consciously control our movements.

A good Club Coach, teaching new members would be wise to begin with these members first practicing with the jack at alway the same distance. As their delivery become a smooth movement and their ability to roll the ball to always the same distance without changes or effort we define this as their "Natural Delivery Distance".  If on each Coaching session the Jack is always at their "Natural Delivery Distance" there is no judgement but simply prefection of the Delivery and the corrections suggested by the coach. Any Coach who places the jack at always a different distance and tell the new member that they will develop a feeling of  the Jack distance is lacking in understanding. The student should be told that the jack distance is now fixed (like the house in Curling) and they will later develop the ability to roll to various jack distance based upon their "Natural Delivery Distance".  Of course, as the student makes correction to their style of delivery they find the correction causes their natural distance to change to a new distance.

All new members, are first taught the proper style and techniques of delivery and if the club offers the following year a follow-up "Second Year Coaching";  you then teach them how to add on distance and take off distance from their "Natural Distance" which they had seen their development the previous year. As from year to year, we develop our personal style of delivery and have now a constant movement and result; our subconscious mind was collecting and developing a storage of these memories as performance information.

Through these blogs you will read about  "Being in the Zone" and now when you stand at the mat and looking up the green toward the jack and prepare for the Delivery we think  "Jack is about 26 meters", This thinking is a calculation of distance and allow the mind to search out the memory needed for Muscle Memory. Above I said "You stand at the mat" because all this thinking is Conscious mind working to know the distance. (example of thinking ... the mat is out 3 meters from the "Mat Line" and jack is just a few feet over half way. (half way between  the minimum distance (23 Meters) and the back ditch which is probably 33 meters. Half-ways is 23 + 5 or 28 meters and now substract the mat distance which is now out 3 meters.

 With this 25 meter plus a few feet calculation, your subconscious mind is now ready to use a trick of Delivery to add on or remove some delivery distance from your Natural distance. This Distance evaluation must be a part of your Pre-mat routine unless you feel you can judge the jack distance and you just roll the bowl and the subconscious does it.  (Yes maybe after many years this will began to  happen).  For the beginning member (2nd or 3rd year) the subconscious will know that for that distance "YOU" must take off 2 or 3 meters from your "Natural Distance" of  28 meters.

When we are teaching a new student, we want to develop consistency in their delivery; so we explain how  the pendulum swing, the body movement and even balance; all contribute to the "Natural Distance", During that first year they saw (and told by their coach) how perfection of their delivery had change their jack distance. (I did not say "Natural Distance" because in the first years few new members have a natural distance) We then instructed  the students on  how they can put on distance with increase body movement or roll to a shorter jack distance by shortening the pendulum swing or our forward step. (I use a clock method as if the arm and pendulum swing is going back to 7 o`clock)  Over time the subconscious mind will combines all these modification to your delivery and depending upon it's evaluated distance to the jack; will always give a  delivery which is in the Zone. (Zen Zone)

If Lawn Bowls was like the Canadian Ice Sport of Curling we would find the jack always place at the same distance, 23 Meters, and all Novice bowler  need only to develop is a style and weight of delivery for that one Jack Distance. But with Lawn Bowls we Learn our Delivery movement then we "Learn to Deliver to a Distance".

Curling Rink

 In Curling the center of the "House" (which is like the jack in Bowls with several rings) is always at the same distance; 21 Meters from  the "Release Hog Line" (today our Short Jack in a Lawn Bowls game is still at 21 meters); Probably when Curling was being firstr developed it was easlier on a frozen lake to create the "Center Ring of the House" and thus thee removal of the need to always evaluation  the Distance to the jack before delivery. Lawn would be so much easlier with a fixed jack distance. 

Back to the topic...In "Golf", The golfer arrives at the tee (or his ball in the fairway) and  looks up the fairway and decide the distance to the green (or his layup location) and decides how he will arrive at that distance. Like the Lawn bowler, the golfer knows that he has a consistent swing giving distance for each club, and with  always

Golf Clubs for
difference Distances

 the same amount of energy to his swing. ( same delivery. In Lawn Bowls). In Lawn Bowls, this delivery energy which the bowlers has developed give him a "Natural Distance" when performed correctly.

 However,  the Golfer has several Clubs and know each club distance that his constant swing will give  as a "Final Drive Distance". The novice Lawn Bowler, however when stepping up to the mat, after evaluating how far the Jack is from the front of the mat; and must also modify his delivery for that distance. His "Longer Forward Step" or "Faster body movement" are like clubs in the golfers bag. We often call these tricks of delivery modifications in our "Toolbox" as tricks of How To modify our delivery to get that distance.

With most Lawn Bowling Greens about 33 meters ( a normal square green) and the minumim distance of a "23 meters Jack" (25 from the front ditch) is12 meters from the "Back Ditch" which is 33 meters. Even when the mat is not brought forward and the jack is placed at it's farthest distance on the "Respot Mark" (31 meters);  the Lawn Bowlers may has to adjust their delivery weight by 10 meters, (impossible for some).

Have you ever watched a Blind Lawn Bowling competition.  In our club we have a "Blind Lawn Bowler" who is winning gold at  international Competitions. Before losing his sight he was a Australian Lawn Bowler and for many years did international competitions. So, having bowled as a sighted lawn Bowler he had his "Muscle Memory" an evev a feel of the jack distance.

Having experence the actual distance of the jack as a visual lawn bowler, the front of the mat to the jack being given by the Jack Placement Assistance; his bowl were frequently  on the jack. the Jack placement  assistance would announce the distance of the Jack was from a the "Mat Line, If the mat was not on the "Mat Line" the Blind Bowler's assistance or "Coach" (Assistance) would tell him about the placement of the mat ahead of the Mat line and maybe even do the calculation. The individual  "Born Blind" Lawn Bowler had with their introduction to Lawn Bowls been taught and developed his Delivery without the need for an evaluation of the  Jack Distance? It is simplethe subconscious has mixed the Learning of the Delivery  and Corrective Delivery instruction with where the bowl will actually roll. Their thinking was only to do a good delivery and accept what their coach was telling them about the jack distance. 

In an earlier Blog about evaluating the jack distance it was said that the Baseball player in left field when throwing the baseball to home plate for a runner; knows that his subconscious evaluate the distance while he is expected to throwing the ball.  This evaluation is experience, or "Muscle Memory" over years of rolling bowls which the blind and  experienced Blind has developed.

 However, as all baseball fields are about the same distance to home plate from left field, and all lawn bowls greens are the same size; we can began our Novice bowler by explaining each new jack position must be followed by a evaluation of the distance.   As a coach, when I start my new bowlers, I place the jack at their Natural distance and discuss different jack distance in the 3rd or 4th lesson of coaching. But to tell the new "Novice"  bowler (new club member being coached) that he will eventually gets to a feeling  of distance after years of experience can be rather discouraging. Remember, every new bowler has a different "Natural Distance" so the first 3 lessons are a "one on one" coaching.Later in the 4th lesson where the coach is with 2 or 3 new bowlers the instructions will  now began explaining how to bowl to different jack distances. Certainly, not expect the new member to know how to do it.

Sometime, a "Short Jack" Delivery might have a different "style" of delivery; and  also one would say that the "style"  has change for a long (maximum) distance Jack. One "short jack "style might remove the  body movement part of the delivery while the Longer Jack style might do a larger step which creates a faster body movement.  Looking like two different style of delivery they are just modification to the Natural Distance Delivery. 

As we become more consistance and on the jack; we may think we have advance beyond this method of Evaluation of  Jack Distance and Delivery of our Bowl; but if we feel we can drop this modified style method:  we get the feeling of the jack distance. Do we still need all our  tools or tricks in our Tool Box?  No !! we must remember that the trick that helps us also require we learn to quickly fix our errors, One such error is putting more confidence in our feeling the distance.  The sister (Blog 5) of this method will show tricks to understand our evaluation of  the Jack Distance. 

.Blogger.com helps the blogger to know and evaluate his audiance with stats like the one on the right. the following two charts show the participation after I posted the new blog on twitter.

May 19th Blog Stats only a day after publishing
of the 2nd Blog on Jack Distance.

The 2nd part of this blog of 5 parts was published only a day earlier than writing this. The stats on the right show the volume of readers who follow me on twitter and received the  announcement of the blog. 

Each line on the graft show one reader and how many blogs they viewed.  Like advertising, one blog brings a reader and they stay to look at other blogs. The Map (Lower right) show the area of the world  where the blog viewer accessed my blog.  Because I am in North Americia and posted midday here, the mat shows a lot more Canadian and Americian bowlers visiting the blog. 

Blog Stats taken 6:29 am 21 May
showing the australian blog readers

The Stats on the right shows 2 days later when I did this blog. Of course the readers seem from the same area although the blogs they read differ.  Two days allow for local club discussion and suggestion to other club members to go look at the blog.  Stats are not always go as sometime they give false information.  I saw a lot of participation from Russia and thought that they were interest in Lawn bowls.. Actually now Russia is always showing as a small participation because once I wrote "Would you invite Donald Trump to your Club ? " and since then, their BOTS are  always checking my blog for TRUMP news. No I don't think Lawn Bowls is being developed in Russia or similar areas.

Update, Today June 15, 2022, I have cleaned up this blog and published it under a new title..How to Judging Jack Distance. The Old blog "Golf Like look at Jack Distance" which was  deleted.  Enjoy actual date should be June 2022..

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Judging Jack Distance 2/5

By calling this "The Baseball Method" of evaluating the "Jack Distance", I believe, the reader will remember that the baseball player has an instinctive feeling of his needed distance. (which is what this method of distance evaluation is really)

The baseball player has developed this feeling, over years of training and game play; where he has always tried to accurately throw the baseball to that precise distance needed for a great play. In a similar manner lawn bowlers have developed an instinctive ability to roll the Bowl to the Jack distance they feel.

How the brain might judge an object's distance, whether by using Vision Preception, Times Elapes  (of moving objects) , Revision of Action/Results would be a long blog. It is best to suggest the reader google these actions.

However, the brain is a lazy organ which does not want to repeat the same thing several times; and therefore our subconscious makes judgments from what it  has previous seen and done. This blog and its sister (blog 3) will attempt to define the errors this laziness has caused and how the developing bowler should work to re-educate or program the subconscious so instinctive actions are based on information that has been changed and now is accurate.

In the "Baseball player" example we only looked at the physical action and the minds' instinctive ability to throw the ball. What made the profession outfielder is a lot of other things and other decisions. He would not have caught the coming ball without evaluating the speed and his expectations of the bounces. His decision to throw to second base involves a "Open Sport" analysis (Bowls is a "Closed Sport") as he remained open to everything happening around him. His judgement on how far, and how much energy he needed may also have meant learning about the stadium in which he was playing. Left field may be an extra 30 feet as to his own Stadium.

 All of these things he has calculated in a  fraction of a second and the muscles and instinct have made the required delivery. His feedback as he watches his ball go to where it was intended; thrown with all the experience of years, now  provides new information to the subconscious mind for the next time this instinctive throw is needed.

You win the coin toss and you have a choice to take the mat  or give the mat away.  It would be nice to have the last bowl. What do you do? You make the decision based upon your knowledge of your "Lead". Your team must have been build on the ability of your lead to throw the "Jack" and draw a "Bowl" to its location. How does the lead do this ? Distance Evaluation ? or Performance ?

Rebecca Van Asch

Why mention the "Lead" on a "Judgement of Distance" blog ? Because any skills of "Instinctive Draw" and a delivery has to be based upon a proper evaluation of the jack Distance. When you started lawn bowls, and probably as a "lead"; your mind began, on the first day; collecting information on evaluating the "Jack Distance". With each "Jack" delivery or "Bowl" delivery the mind has added more information.  Photo (left) from 2018 Australian Indoor Championship Woman Singles. Both players, Rebecca Van Asch and Chloe Stewart (behind) watch the jack as it is rolled up the green.
 As a beginner and you watch the jack go up the green, but did you tell your subconscious  mind: What to watch? how to measure?, and what information is available and how to use it ? What you think, will become instructions to the subconscious, so be thinking while you watch the jack roll.
If nothing, what did the mind see and analysis?

In your first year of bowls, did you always count the jack speed like you later learn to count the bowl's;  to know the green speed? The mind is collecting information on distance and a good count helps evaluate distance; otherwise the mind will only get a feeling.."It feels short" "It feels Long" or a lazy mind "I don t feel anything".
 The count does not matter (don t remember the number); it is just teaching a lazy mind to watch and calculate as the jack rolls. Better than the new player who turns to go get their bowl as the jack is rolling; because later as the bowler develops, more refined an "Instinctive Draw", the subconscious will  still needs a habit of collecting precise information.

 The problem is. Like any computer machine without instruction, and the mind is an organic computer;  the subconscious mind will made decision based on  bad or missing information. Today, regardless of your type of Distance Judgement, the subconscious is still developing its method of an evaluation of distance and how to perform a perfect delivery roll to that distance. 

In https://www.verywellhealth.com/ while talking about "Motion Parallax" Dr Tony Bedinghaus  OD  writes. "your brain uses the information to help determine distances."  One of the most valuable tools of distance determination for the lawn bowler, is the speed and roll of the jack. Unlike a baseball which is stopped by a catch, the Jack is stopped by the friction of the green and the harder it is thrown the farther it goes.. (by the way, Motion Parallax does not apply in Bowls because it refers to left/right movement of the head as vision information is collected about several distance objects and analysis by the brain for distance. But, the "Motion Analysis" of the jack as it rolls up the green does offer a lot of 

Arron Wilson ready
with bowl as Jack
is placed

information ) 

Have you ever heard said " Jack and Bowl makes 30" ?  If I was coaching on the side of the green, I would wait while you think and analysis what it might mean. You will notice with both Australian players that they are waiting at the mat with their bowls as the jack is rolling up the green and placed. (In the photos Van Asch has her bowl beside her, Arron Wilson (above) has picked up his bowl and is ready when the jack is placed)

Instinctive Bowlers know that if the Bowl is delivered within the 30 seconds after the jack delivery; the mind and body Subconsciously remembers (Muscle Memory) the energy used to throw the jack; and then repeats this energy with the Bowl delivery. All works together and allows the player to draw to the jack with their first Bowl.  Below, we see Canadian bowler, Ryan Bester during the 2018 Commonwealth Games Singles Final against Arron Wilson from Australia; with bowl in hand as throwing the jack. This video now (May 2020) available on Bowls Australia Facebook as their FlashBack Friday video of the GC2018 Rewind Video Series.  Another good habit to develop.

If I was to go out to the green with a golf ball, a jack and your bowl and told you to throw each one with your Natural Delivery force or weight what would you say?  What would you think would be the result ? Have you tried it ? Why not ?

Ryan Bester
Bowl in hand as roll Jack

The principle of the Natural Delivery is that you make all the same movements every time and it results in the same energy being developed and put behind your bowl. This is a collection of energy from the Pendulum swing, body movement, balance, green speed; all combined to create an instinctive delivery.  Call this energy Send Force and Green speed or lack of it as Green Friction. When you attempt to put the same energy to three objects of different size they take only what energy they can collect and the rest of the delivery "Send Force" remains in your arm. (sore arm from throwing the golf ball) The Send Force is now divided between delivery force to the ball and rejected force felt as a sore arm from throwing the smaller golf ball.  Try other balls of different weights.  (The lighter the object the more rejected force and muscle backlash) 

Yes, all three balls will go the same distance if you don t allow the subconscious mind to think that the smaller and lighter therefore must need less to go that same distance. Remember your subconscious is trying to use it knowledge of distance and give you an analysis of what you need.  You, on the other hand is  just trying to do a Natural Delivery with different objects. Don't think Bowls and that you are on the green; instead  think.. "This is an experiment" telling the mind.. Out of here

 Why?  I believe that the  the  grass friction applies differently  to the weight of the object  ball and this Green Friction change by the object size needs less energy of the Delivery. But with the same Natural Delivery  energy it will be harder with the smaller object to do that energy.. Each ball will not take the same energy storage to the ball and it will result in the same distance. 

The reason your arm hurts with the golf ball is your natural energy tries to do the same but finds because of the ball size it can not. Try it. But remember use the same delivery weight and don t think of anything but doing a perfect delivery. Your mind will want to attempt to make an adjustment and this is you taking charge of the lazy computer of a mind (subconscious).

So this Baseball Method of knowing what is the jack distance is not a measure of say "27 meters" but an instinctive feeling or ability of the subconscious to gather a feeling for the distance and than  do a  delivery with a sufficient energy, The mind will even adjust as new information is being gathered. (you now watch the jack roll, and use clues of how far the jack is  away, as learned in the next blog). Or maybe even now, you have started to do your delivery  within that 30 seconds between jack delivery and your perfectly delivered bowl and your subconscious is learning something new.  

A good exercise here is to go to the green with 4 jacks and do 4 Jack/Bowl in 30 to develop this ability of quickly following the jack. and now your subconscious with its Muscle memory results in a better delivery. When you see the difference in results you have made the  first step. Now  the next step is to feel the muscle memory feeling and know of your bowl's success.

Now for the problem.  You have finished your first bowl and leave the mat.. A minute later you come back to the mat to roll a 2nd bowl... How does that Instinctive Bowl find the jack distance?  How do you gather the subconscious into a state of readiness which will give the same result as the first bowl.

The biggest problem is that the mind is lazy and subconscious delivery does always what it want to do.. You must make the mind work to gather and hold the information and must teach the Instinctive Bowl that is delivered  by the subconscious mind, to change and do what you want it to do.  Not what it wants to do.  How?  I will attempt to explain some tricks in the next blog.

Judging Jack Distance ? 1 of 5

 You step onto the mat look up the green and see the Jack. How does the Bowler know the distance of the Jack and is able to bowl to the Jack.

Using a screen capture of Australia / New Zealand match from Day 1 Round 1 of  2020 Trans Tasman Competition on February 3, 2020 and played at Club Helensvale  in Queensland,  Australia, we see how very far away the jack appears to be during this game.

However, if the maximum distance for the jack is 28 to 32 meters depending upon the club one visits; we must wonder why sometimes in photos or videos, the "jack" appears to be closer.

Looking at the outdoor lawn bowls photo (left) and the indoor lawn bowls photo (right below) it appears a big difference in distance of the jack in these two Screen captures. But the rules of Bowls are the same for both conditions of play, and both these Jacks are at the maximum distance or near.

If we remember that the camera used to do the video might be the cause of an effect of distance.  For example, a video camera with a Zoom, would allow for a close-up look at the bowls in the head;  but then again. that camera len when looking at a distance shot will be creating an exaggerated view.

Why is this important ?

There are two basic methods, which we bowlers develop as we learn to bowl to the "Jack", In the next 4 blogs I  will explain these two method and the tricks needed to correctly use them .

 However, we must learn both methods, because many things in our life are exaggerate from what we think we see; as to what we really see. Our Brain in translating events sometimes makes mistakes and we accept those mistakes are facts. You certainly must remember such mistakes .

These two methods, we develop to judge the "jack" distance, are developed because we have confidence in our brain's ability to judge distance;  and that we are (without being fully aware of it) accepting its accuracy as we slowly developed our ability to bowl and our method of distance evaluation.

First method , I will call it "Baseball"  Like Method, because like the baseball player or outfielder, who is throwing the ball  to a position on the field; the Lawn Bowler is throwing (we should say rolling) his bowl to the location on the green where he sees the "Jack". Like the Baseball player, he has developed a feeling for the distance and allows his body to roll his bowl that distance.  Photo from a 2012 blog "Subconscious Mind Exercises" where you let the mind do the work.

The second method, I will call the "Golf" Like Method,  because like the golfer changing his club for the distance he wants the ball to travel; the golfer is using always the same force for his swing and knows how far

each club will send his ball.  If he attempts to force his natural swing, in trying to hit the ball farther; he will find himself making errors. In this method, the lawn bowler always uses his natural delivery distance which requires the same force. He has developed  this and has worked to be consistence. He knows that with that delivery efforts he will send  the bowl to a given distance. But has he thought of how much its also depending upon green speed, weather and even type of clothing. The photo (left above) shows the seperation of bowls during a study of wind behind the bowler.  Blog of June 2019 "Natural Distance Bowls and the Wind" (Mat was positioned to give an indication of bowl distance difference.)

In both methods, the lawn Bowler must know about his method of judging the distance and also develop a tool box of skills to assist himself with corrections of his performance.  Also, each lawn bowler may find he uses some of the tricks of the other method of distance judgement in his bowl delivery.

Because my blogs in the past have been long as I try to explain with examples, this blog will introduce the subject. The 2nd and 3rd blogs  will look at  the "Baseball Method" and the tools to develop with that method of distance evaluation.  They will explain how you feel the "Jack" distance because your eyes tell you the distance. but  also how you waste your first bowl  verifying that your distance evaluation is correct.  The 4th and 5th blogs will look at the Zone Method and it's mistakes and the tools need to correct and adjust your thinking before the bowl is delivered.

An example of how distance evaluation can win or lose a game.  In a Inter regional championship between 4 provinces of Canada's east coast, I knew that the club's second greens were not square. That going toward the river was about 4 meters shorter. The Quebec team we were playing was a strong team which always took the gold.  But in this game we made a unbelievable difference advance. The lead and second judge distance by how far the jack was from the back ditch and the skip always stepped out that distance. Near the end of the game they discovered the problem but well after we had made enough of a gain to give us the Gold.

 The "tool in my toolbox" was that I always measure (pace off) the width of the rinks and multiply by 8 to know the length of the greens. The previous day of play the second green was being played in the opposite direction. So the rink measure said that the opposite direction would be short the next day.

We will all make a bad delivery  and the "Feedback" section of your Delivery Routine should evaluate and know why that mistake. These five blogs will leave you with tools to be confidence your distance evaluation was correct.

Phase 1 and Re-Opening

As our Canadian Lawn bowls Organization has published a document for the Phase 1 of the Canadian Re-opening of Lawn Bowls

I am working on preparing a structure for our members and visitors to the club with the objective of being able to do Drills and Training Sessions.

As Countries open sports by Phases and  where the first phase is restricted to no spectators and the minimum number of players; I have attempted to use the Guideline established by our national Organization Bowls Canada as foreseen by them will be requested by the Canadian National Government Guidelines.

Bowls England CoVid 19's Advice
added on 19 May 2020

First, most Countries seem to be restricting Phase 1 to what their National Sport body can define as the minimum number of players and minimum foe individual'sHealth Safety like the guidelines released by   Bowls England   with a poster (left)

Because, I was working on this proposal for our club and the letter of a introductory proposal, has been send to the Games Committee Chairperson; I share it here with you my Blog followers.  

Hope it helps to create in you a creative approach to how we must do this re-opening of our club. One problem unique to Canada is most clubs have annual Membership  and the Lawn Bowls Greens and Clubhouse is under the responsibility of the muncipalities.

How does Canada's National Lawn Bowls (BCB) organization suggest the local club should evaluate and advance in studing their "Phase 1 Readiness"

1.  "MUST first contact their Provincial Bowls Associations before implementing Phase 1 of the Return to Play protocols."
2.  "MUST  also confirm with their insurance providers that they are covered for this phase of Return to Play protocols."
3.  "MUST identify the stage of physical distancing relaxation approved by local public health authorities dentify the stage of physical distancing. relaxation approved by local public health authorities "
4.  and because most Local clubs are volunteer administrated MUST prepare rules of club usage which allows for easily and frequent Cleaning and Disinfection of material and club facilities.
   

The 6 parts of  BCB recomendation for phase 1 are detailed in their press release of May 15th 2020. 

Until Lawn bowls return to the Pre-CoVid-19 level of access and play; most clubs which probably not be collecting Annual Membership. This proposal  looks at club revenue by charging a Greens Fee each  training or practice session of Bowls.

 This proposal is more build for those experience bowlers of several years, who have been members for years and want to return to the green for practice and may even be seeking a "Skill Development Session", Often, when building such Skill Development exercise I find good suggestion from videos like those found on Youtube.com from countries like Australia or the United Kingdon.

 Of course by removing the need for changing of  rinks by the participants, this proposal  can be  applied to the practice period of a member wanting to use a rinks for a period of time. And even can define the club's membership greens time projection for the months as the CoVid-19 re-opening progress through 2020.

Bowls CAN Boulingrin

liked your Tweet May 19, 2020

Letter of Proposal Sent to Club Bowls Activity Chair

May 16^th 2020

John Tupper Club Coach

Dear Fellow Lawn Bowlers.

In Preparation for some sort of Lawn Bowls Activity for this summer (2020) I am proposing to the Club executives the following Training and Practice Structure. In accordance with BCB Phase 1 recomendation, this suggestion is that  the players will do their Training exercise on 4 greens of two individuals.

I suggest if you, as past member or a visitor to our club, are interested in this, that you first access and become aware of Bowls Canada Phase 1 suggestions by reading https://www.bowlscanada.com/en/news/Coronavirus.html

All participants of the Training or Skill Developing Session should indicate their interest by making a commitment to the Training Session Schedule. There are places for 8 bowlers for each Training Session and will cost each bowler a green fee of $15 for a rental of the greens of 3 to 4 hours; (morning or afternoon) as made available by the Club Executives. This $15 should be e-transfer to myself at info@Gmail.com at least 5 days prior than the Greens schedule for the next Training Session. The Green fees of $10 and the Disinfection Fees $5 *, will be e-transfer by myself, to the club executive 2 days prior to the date of  the Schedule Session. If the Green time is cancelled due to Club or Weather, your payment will reserve for you the next available Training Session.

All participants are requested to bring the following items and carry them home upon completion of the session.- A plastic Bucket (with or without lid) for washing Bowls, Dish Washing Soap, Hand Soap, Their Bowls, A cloth towel of the Mat size. A personal Bowling Towel, A large Towel as  a tablecloth.

All participants should have their own Protective Face Mask and Gloves (if they wish) and agree to the rules of Safe Distancing, Material Preparation and Club Bowls Cleaning (before and after); before listing their name for the Session.

Each Rink will have only two bowlers; with one bowler being a marker (at the opposite end) while the other bowler is  bowling up the Green. afterward a Changing of roles. Every 2^nd Green will be empty and used for Safe Distancing and movement to the opposite end of the assigned Rink by one of the two bowlers. When all participants are ready to begin the practice the START whistle (One hard, Long Whistle) will be blown. All bowlers MUST stay on their green and at their ends, When the bowlers/ Markers have each finished their 4 bowls, (in both directions) a Session administrator will blow a “Change End” Whistle (One hard, Short Whistle) which indicate to all that they can change end of the Green which they have been playing on. The "Last bowler" will walk up the center of his green and the "Last" Marker will move to the left neighboring green and walk down that green. This change will now put the Bowler with his own bowls. NOTE: No bowler will touch any bowls except his own bowls, and if bowls need to be moved it will be done with the feet only. (Unless you have decided to wear gloves as a Marker)

If at the end of 4 or 6 End the bowlers are required to change rinks for the next Trial or Training Session; all participants will wait until all rinks have finished play and indicate 'READY' to the Session Administrator, (when asked), by raising their hand. At this time the Administrator will blow the “Change Rink Whistle “ ( two Short whistle) to indicate to all it is time to now collect your bowls and move to the next available (higher number) Rink. If Setup bowls must also be moved for the next Trial or Training Exercise the Administrator will again blow the whistle twice to indicate to return to the past Rink and get your Setup bowls. The marker will ALWAYS use the same Setup bowls (which he will cleaned before and after the Session) . A third “Change Rink Whistle “ will be used to return to the next Play Rink and prepare the green with the setup bowls. Bowlers, to bowl first, will wait until finish bowling; to attange the next Trial bowl setups; and his marker, will now bowl his turn up the green.

When moving from Green to Green the players and Marker will move ONLY to the next Higher (or Lower green for the players and Marker NOW on an End green; (#7)) These two participant,  will move 6 to 8 feet to their rink's centre and move to the opposite SIDE. (crossing the centre of all the other greens). All other players will move, with their bowls and setup bowls; along the Rink's Ends. This way all participants are "Respecting Social Distancing Rules".

When all participants are ready to start the next session of Training or Skill Development the START whistle (One hard, Long Whistle) will be blown again to allow Players to continue in ther performance skill Training Session, following the same structure of the first ends.  Bowler to Marker and than Marker become Bowler.  These two methods of play and rink changements continue until the end of the Session.

Please read and respect the Club House Usage Rules and Restrictions prepared by Club Executives concerning entry to the Club, the use of Toilets and the restrictions on items taken into the Club House.

All participants are required to arrive only 20 minutes before their session starts and to not gather in the parking or in groups but go to the Player`s Table which has been prepared for the Green of their Play. There will be one table per two players (similar to Greens) and all participants are requested to sit at opposite end; and place a cloth table cloth on the table for their bowls, bowls bags and other items. All Participant will await the Session Administrator Announcement of Rules and Trial Play. (this Letter)

Upon Completion of the Training or Development Session all cleaning will be done on the player's end of the table and using their own towels and brushes. (Which you were requested to bring) The bowlers bowls will be brought and placed on the ground at the foot of the table's end. Also the Setup Bowls (if  they were used). All participants will collect water from the Outside Tap in the order, of Green and Table numbers (1,3,5,7) and returning to their table, to clean and disinfect Bowls using their own soap. The bowls finished. the jacks are done. and then the participants will do a good 30 second hand washing. When finished the participant will wait before going and dumping the water (in order of table number  ).

When all participant are finished their Cleaning,the Session Administrator give his "Thank You" announcement and blow his whistle  for dumping the wash water and Bowls are now placed in the clean / dry bucket; with all cleaning material and the participant's Garbage he has created or collected (Score Cards). Garbage is not be dumped at the club but taken to the participant's car as you leave.  Remember that leaving the club is not a gathering in the parking or on the club greens but departure  in an orderly fashion (1,3,5,7) as per Green numbers ;  while respecting  Social Distancing with other bowlers.  Thank You, I am sure all will go well.

A member of the Administation will probably be present to observe the Training or Skill Session and should be greeted with all the caution of Social Distancing. IMPORTANT:  If you feel sick before , or During the Session please notified me as I can find a replacement and reallocate your green fees. PLSE STAY HOME

* The Disinfection Fee will be used by the Club Disinfection team to purchase supply such as hand disinfection, and other items as well as purchase necessary cleaning and Club House and Area disinfection material.

End of Letter

To encourage my regular Blog readers, Here in May 2020 I am starting

a new thing. Shorter Blogs so the next blog on "How do you see the Jack Distance" will be in 5 parts. Introduction explaining the two basic methods of Bowling to the Jack, Explain each method (2nd, 4th ) and Examples of distractions which prevent you from a perfect performance (3rd and 5th)

As an example one method is to look up the green and judge the distance..(2nd Blog) but how does the open field behind the back ditch effect this situration ? Do you bowl short when bowling to the clubhouse end of the green ? (3rd Blog)