Finished Oct 14, enjoy Tks 4 ur Patience.
Here in Canada we are beginning our last month of this season's Lawn Bowls. and this week we have been playing on a very sandy green as the top dressing slowly settles into the newly "Aerated Greens".
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| Photo from Myamazingcanada.com |
So as the Lawn Bowls season ends, most of our members have completed another year of Bowls. I say most because some took a month off. Maybe for a travel vacation or others like myself have been off the greens because of an accident. But as our season's year-end approaches, it ends with many of us having identified the more experience players and asking them meanful questions.
Last week I had a club member, who has a very well developed delivery, ask me a common question. "What Line do "YOU" take ?". This member having won may competition in a similar sport (curling) was on the green practicing when I arrived. He listed several point of reference and even gave examples of his understanding of Muscle Memory. When, after several minutes, he inquired on the performance of our best provincial elite; I explained a bit of these two blogs. I replied that that individual who had only a five second delay from picking up his bowl and delivery, that he did not take a line but simply saw where he wanted it and bowled.
As I recently changed club I do not know if this, my new club, offers Post Novice instructions at the end of the season, Post-Novice courses to the advance members before the Lawn Bowls Season ends it is very important. This year, our Provincial Organization had an elite giving three hours type seminars.
Since this club member inquiry was before the seminar date, I did not answer with the question, "Which Line ? " " Do you mean Line of Aim, or Bias Line, or Body's directional Line". Sometime when advance players ask such questions they will make refer to a " Pre-Mat Routine Line". Seldom have I heard asked about "Pre-Shot".
To some readers this topic is not where they are. Not ready yet?. Really?, Eventually we all become ready. Sometime the member is asking with expectation to know which line is best as they have tried several; and my advance bowls answer was not what was wanted. Maybe this blog is likewise something for later for you the reader. As I will explain the division of your delivery into five sections and suggest a path for years ahead; you should place the idea where it best fit your plan of development. These mental and physical improvement, suggest here, may seem a bit too much. It is ok to wait a few more years before attempting this major change of direction. "Dropping the "Aiming Line". Knowing of it is important too.
New Members or "Novice" learning to bowl need a direction of Aim to roll their bowl as they learn how a delivered bowl bends in toward the "Center Line". But, with those member who have had three or four seasons, which we call a Post-Novice"; they are still looking to explain the best "Line of Aim". This blog, explains how eventually bowlers (and now the Post-Novice reader) will abandon the use of a "Line of Aim"; and how they need to understand their Muscle Memory Performance and Delivery. Yes, we advance beyond the "Crutch" of "Line Aiming" if we have used the same bowls for a few seasons. We actually see or visualize our bowl's bias which brings it from our delivery back to "Center line"
Even my 232.725 blogs views/readers are shifting at season end to the topics of Advance Members (AMem). After several months of "Bowl Rolls", their interest is in "Where to work on next" and search online for answers to that questions.
The photo of Blow Stats (right) show an increase interest in topics like Wind, "Green Speed" and "Conditions of Play"; as well as performance tricks like "Walking the Mat" or how to use your Natural Delivery distance and put on and take of "Delivery Weight". After several years of bowls and changing their "Line" from "Distance Bank" to "Spot on the green" or even the "Bias Curve's Shoulder" they are looking for a better way.
If you have NOT been rolling bowls for more than three years, then this blog which is long, will make no sense to you. It is intended for more experienced members and will sound like an idiot going on about LaWn bowls ('LaWN' my acronym for the three seconds Delivery). During these closing month of bowls, many better clubs begin and offer their Post-Novice coaching and courses. If a club receives an individual without knowledge of bowls and only give coaching in the first year, I am sure they are also experiencing a large lost of membership every new season.
During those last four or five years, as the new members has heard people talk about their "Muscle Memory" and how their delivery becomes an instinctive performance; they have more serious questions. Where the newer members have been busy developing their delivery and learning various tricks; they have advanced toward participation in one or two serious competition. Playing with better players they are ready to understand what makes an top lawn Bowls athlete.
The photo, (below), although a "many year ago", old photo, is not a beginner's course being discussed, but a "Post-Novice" discussion or game study. Here in Canada, "Novices" are those members of three to five years and we have special competition to let them play against others with the same experience. Those new member, are now finding them self making decisions on how to fine-tune their "Delivery" and are also learning a few "Performance Tricks".
The Post-Novice Courses are of a major importance because now these players are hearing of the need to break their Delivery routine into various unique "Routines". With each routine preparing the player before his delivery; these routines will allow for that time on the mat to be uniquely a time which is dedicated to the perfection of the performance of a "Perfect Delivery". Post Novice Members have probably heard discussions about several mental restrains like concentration, focus, or how a good performance needs positive self-talk. All these topics are questions.
All this is a new part of LaWn Bowls", where each little thing has an effect on the final result of our delivery performance. Even "LaWn", (my acronym), which will be the three seconds routine for the Pre-Shot" thinking, has a different meaning for each of the four parts and their importance. (Capital "L" (Line) is more important than "a", which is what you are attempting (Apply). and which may maybe not even be a thought at that time. Certainly "W" (weight) will be important but your "n" may be different for every one of us. (Small "n" here because it is "Now" and how your release the thought to bowl "now" is unique to each individual.
Like in the photo, right, as in the past, even today; after a game we see teams on the green with placement of bowls We wonder about those long "Team Discussions" between members or over hear club members discussing their games.. Then, as now, it is a method use to educate new members on the decisions which the skip made. To the Post-Novice member who was playing, these "Skip Talks" are an opportunity to learn. As are the club Coaches "Post-Novice seminars or courses.
These two blogs will suggest to the experience player, that they can make their delivery into "Five Routines". However, as a Novice and the "5 years of Bowls" defines a player as still a "Novice"; the two "Few second" routines before and after the Delivery actions; may be best reserved for those with another five more years experience. As this blog suggest the removal of the teaching crutch of "Point of Aim" Line to the "Post Novice"; so also you can now begin to organize and build your Delivery Routine with only the "Pre-Mat Routine", "Delivery" and "Post-Mat Routine". (having not yet considered the Pre-shot and Post-shot actions and thoughts around a short delivery)
After another five years the competition athlete will understand and work on their Delivery having an extra two routines. Short three to five second communication with the subconscious mind prior to the actual "Perfect Delivery". Too long a thought for the "Pre-Shot" will cause the conscious mind to attempt to influence your "Muscle Memory performance. Thoughts. are only remainder to the subconscious. Anything of a thought as an instruction becomes a conscious mind instruction of muscle performance. Seeing the "a" of "LaWN", your bowl touch the jack, is a micro-second vision; while thinking how to roll to the jack is an instruction on how the conscious mind will do it.
After the decision to allow Muscle Memory to perform the delivery, the short three to five second "Pre-Shot" with "LaWN" thoughts and your "Muscle Memory Delivery", will be seeing your bowl now rolling up the green. Now, your delivery will begin another action of three to five second thoughts called the "Post-Shot" or "Post Delivery". The reason this short few seconds of thoughts, after the delivery, is because it is at this time you can feel everything good or bad about your delivery.
An example, give here, will show this. From the Youtube Video of the 2025 Musgrave Easter Open Singles between Ryan Bester and Michael Burgess. The 4 screen shots of Ryan Bester's decision are at the end of the blog; but this example is only to show how important the "Pre-Shot" must be only a micro-second thought before Muscle Memory Delivery performs the shot.
So we see in this 2025 Singles game how a "Pre-Shot" "Action" ("a" in LaWN) is a small thought after all the Post-Mat analysis (and the head analysis) was finished. The end of blog photos are placed to show the decision of Ryan's shot. During the Post-Mat Analysis as his previous bowl rolled to the head, Ryan learned information about the green speed and other playing surface facts. When in the head he did an analysis of what he could do; and he sees the danger of a mistake. Ryan saw not only how to play the shot in a safe manner but also how not give away 4 shots to his opponent, Michael Burgess with too narrow a line or green effect on his bowl's roll.
All this was what is called "Post-Mat Analysis", and Ryan's shot decision of seeing the possible shot of removing the one bowl of Michael, which is shot that with luck might be more than a single shot gained. He felt that with a lucky rebound his bowl could remove the other bowl to give himself 4 points. However, he also saw that if his line is wrong (photo #4) he could be sending the jack back for a lost of 4 points. So his decision is "Better to be wide than to be too narrow" (my self I would be visualizing the target bowl as a flat clock and wanting to hit the bowl at "7 o'clock".
As Ryan walks back to the mat for his delivery his mental focus is positive and confidence and without doubt of his decision. Players who know and understand Muscle Memory and subconscious communication knows that these thought during the walk prepare for the "Pre-Shot". They know that on the mat a long thought of the action to be attempted would invite the conscious mind to get involved. He has everything right as he steps to the mat (Mental and physical) and does his few second "Pre-Shot" where he know the action ("a") is a remainder to play safe and his Delivery will be perfect.
Myself, being visual and not auditive in nature, I would simply think of "image of a clock at 7 O'clock" (The auditive individual may think "7") and move immediately to "W" (weight) and NOW (delivery). Most important that thought of the "action wanted", if it is part of the "Pre-Shot", is only a split second image and is a remainder to the subconscious "better wide". So Ryan does his quick delivery with "Line" ok, "Action" ok Weight and Now. (LaWN) The screenshot image (photo above) has at the end of the blog, 4 other screen shots; which helps the reader better understand the thought..(skip there now to understand).
Self-confidence is important but this example show the need for "a" to be just a micro-second memory image. or thought as a remainder. Maybe it will take another 4 or 5 years of practice for the reader to learn how not to think the shot but just pass a though as a "Muscle Memory remainder" of the action of the shot. One might ask were I get this experience. My previous sport of Archer deals with a lot of mental and subconscious communication. In instinctive Archery you become one with the bow, become the arrow, Become the target and draw the arrow to youself. all micro-second performances. As for performance, one of the many blogs show the gold medals won at a Canadian National competition.
(End of example) .... So your Post-Novice course and instructions will attempt to tell you that no longer will you be take a point of aim "Line" and that you must separate "Non-Delivery" thoughts and actions to be performed at a "Pre-Mat" Routine and after delivery be using a "Post-Mat" routine for the collection of information and any decisions on the next "Delivery". As Post-Mat information is processed, and you are waiting for the opponent to finish their delivery; there are many things that become a part of your next delivery and mental problems like emotions must be now consider and addressed..
Now with this new development these three routines as a Delivery, when you go to Mat, it is uniquely for the performance of a "Perfect Delivery" and not to stand and have discussion with the skip. The many preparations to bowl the next bowl are performed off the mat. (Yes, you can do the Pre-Mat Routine's action while standing on the mat but only if your mental strength is strong. To each their method of delivery. But to have yourself on the mat for a mind-free delivery is to seperate your preparation from your performance). Take possession of the mat but anything but Delivery should be a step back of the mat and restart your Delivery.
Usually the making of decisions of shot or actions, like checking line or bias; is done before. If the only things done when on mat is delivery the many interruptions to Muscle Memory will not happen. You will do a three or four "Pre-shot" and be looking at your bowl rolling up the green as you return from an absence of thought.
I mention that this time of the year is important because during the evening games we now have "Dew" on the greens and can clearly see our "Bowl Roll" bias marked in that dew. When I was asked about what I take as line I should have answered " Is that during my "Pre-mat" or "Pre-Shot" routine ?" because both are done before the Delivery. The "Pre-Mat" are actions performed before stepping to the mat while the "Pre-Shot" is a Line, Apply, Weight and NOW few second delivery checklist. Yes, as a Novice learning a perfect delivery, we stand on the mat to take our "Line of Aim".
The Per-Shot's few second of the Muscle Memory delivery "Check List" is imporrtant in that the mental preparation for this instinctive performance must be created. This first few seconds of the Final Delivery which is often seen with elite athlete's performance is morre than a "Check List". It is a few seconds of thought and communicate with your subconscious prior to your instinctive "Muscle Memory" action delivers your bowl in a total void of thought. As we do the Pre-mat to be certain that all our Bowl preparation are completed; we must also check that all mental baggage is absence from our delivery. By doing both, Pre-Mat and Pre-Shot we welcome that feeling and expectation of a "Perfective Delivery". A Zen Moment where we experience a "Void" of thought as our conscious mind regains control of thoughts and we watch our bowl roll from our hand.
The Pre-Shot are actions or thoughts of a very few seconds before you authorize the Muscle Memory to perform your well developed delivery. Myself, a acronym Checklist of "LaWN" is used where the small "a" is because this expectation of an action may not always be needed or always present.)
You must stop taking a "Point of Aim" line as the only correction of a delivery error. By havinh confidence that after placing your self in your proper delivery position that you have a proper body alignment. By doing quickly a "LaWn" thought where the "Now" command instructs your Muscle Memory to execute. Confidence that your body alignment and that perfect delivery performance is going to happen and your final result will be good because of years of practice.
With this change, you are now putting down the "clutch of blame" and building your Muscle Memory's Pre-Shot Routine. Routine because each of us will find a prepared sequence of thoughts for these few seconds. If you already have a "Pre-Shot" started then lets keep going and Practice it as part of our Delivery. To this point our bowl practice has been physical. Now we move toward a mental performance practice. (my biggest "LaWn" Mental "a" was the word "Cool" with all it different meanings). Imagine the feeling when upset with something you are doing your Pre-Shot and "cool" is your thought instead of the interruption or emotional problem.
This blog is a part of my Post-Novice Course for developed players who roll a good bowl but seem to be at a point where they feel as if their improvement and development is stuck. You have been going from one correction idea to another, every year and most likely after a season trying something new, you have returned to the old method. This is "Bowl Stuck" or "Ground Hog Day" at the Lawn Bowls Club.
Because the "Pre-Shot" is not a "Routine" but only three to five seconds of thought and actions it can be forgotten, I use the Acronym: "LaWN" for my thought and Memory pattern. (Line, Applied (the expected Change), Weight (needed), before the "Now". The small "a" is because your "Action" may not necessary be a physical action which you are attempting as a change or an improvement; it may be a mental action you need to keep.
There is little difference between a "Dead Draw" and a "Touch-Tap Draw". Your method of adding those few feet may be a thought rather than a Weight adjustment action or maybe nothing. I use my "LaWN" as my thinking "Acronym" because the "Now" is my Muscle Memory delivery trigger. In these few seconds my thoughts finish as I see the letter "N" and the delivery is done. (This trick to your Muscle Memory, will be your own "All is good" thought to trigger your "Muscle Memory Delivery". If done properly you next thought will a feeling of returning from a state of a lost of thinking. This lost thought or "Void" is different for each and seeing your bowl's roll and feeling it, will be your start of your Post-Shot.
It is here the feelings of the "Post-Mat" become important because this feeling is like food to your confidence. You feel it and know the delivery was good. A Muscle Memory feeling of "absence of thought" is the subconscious was doing your delivery and with a "lost of conscious thought". Some call this a "Zen Moment" because our instinctive delivery was not consciously performed.
It tells you that your Pre-Shot was done properly and if the final bowl result is something else then what was expected; you must learn to discover or identified the cause and avoid it or address it for correction. Previously with your "Line of Aim" you blamed it on your line and went about changing or find a new line; no longer, as you know your delivery and line was good.
So in summary. "Stepping to the mat for the Delivery Routine means "LaWn" where "N'' is "Now Deliver", As a Delivery Trigger you will have transfer a thought to the instinctive or subconscious mind and feel the empty mind return after your subconscious "Muscle Memory" delivery. The Acronym is not thought of the letters as "L","A","W","N" but your practice action to verify each of the three values. If "L" means "Line",(you see your body line is right), "A" means "Adjustment", (you remember your change to be "Applied ); likewise for " Weight" and "Now"(Deliver the Bowl).
To this point I have shown hat is the Pre-Shot action, timing and thoughts, the second part (2/2) will show how you get there throught steps of improvement. A kindergarden teacher showing a child to multiply 7x8 will first show how to say or see it and the result. Example "Seven times eight is 56", Here I have said "When on the mat, "Line ok?,Attempted shot, Weight needed, Now (release)", but because I am visual in nature I see those four things. Same as I have shown, a fast (3 to 5 second) Pre-shot.
The kindergarden student has no idea what the teacher said except they know the number 8 and 7 and that 50 something is a big number. Likewise, you, the reader know and remember seeing people doing these 3 to 5 seconds delivery, and seen the result but don't know how to get there. The big point is you no longer are going to be consciously telling you muscles but now maybe decided on developing a Pre-shot Delivery. Yes, as confused as the children with the confusing math lesson and the number 56 to the kids.
Next blog I will show you how you get to that point on each of the three parts of the "LaWN" Pre-shot. (the "a" is not always implied as it is just a remainder thought). So how does the teacher probably explained her math to the child ? They probably start simple. with "8" and "0" is "80". which is 8x10 times. but it is not "10" it is "7" or 3 number less. My self with my grandkids I would make 8 lines of 3 black pennies on the table and have them count them. Of course, they would then tell me it was "24" pennies. I would then explain "ok the "80" less "20" is "60" and "60" less "4" is "56"." With one grandchild which does not accept everything, I had to put out "8" lines of "7" pennies and have her count them. Then I said.. which is easlier the total "56" counting or the "24" counting.
Like yourself, after reading this long blog on "Pre-Shot", the kindergarden child accepts the fact but was a little bit confused. So to show this thinking the teacher would show how this applies with other number and is similar by changing the numbers. Maybe then would say "if it was 8x9 and "9" is one less than "10". At this point my grandchild took all the pennies and did "8" lines on "1" penny before saying "8" less. I then said "So the "80" is now "10" less "8" times less or "72"." In a similar manner, "If it was 8x11 and "11" is "1" more than "10" then the answer is "80" plus "8" more or "88". The same with Blog 2/2, it will show how you get to that "Three second Pre-Shot point",
In the second part of this blog, after having explained briefly the five parts of the Delivery quickly, and the complete thinking sequencet until the "on the Mat Delivery" point, and then the final stepping off the mat and waiting for the opponent to finish. Each country has a different way of their teaching and we will see that Australia with "W" of weight uses a "dual arm swing" to feel the "Delivery Weight". In dealing with the Post-Shot feelings and "Post-Mat Routine" (after your Delivery), will look at "Post-shot" feelings, "Post Mat Routine", "Post Mat Waiting" and even "The Head visit" Routine".
As the old Children cartoon use to say at its end "That all there is Folks"
The "Post-Novice player, will at this point in their development, no longer just be learning to bowl or do a good Delivery but learning skills of mental control. Sometime our personal character has an influence on our performance and to go further in our self-perfection we look "Inward". The best we can be may mean handling more than just some sort of distractions. (like fear of Losing). On Youtube, a sport psychologist Eli Straw has over 150 short videos on many mental problems like a quick "Reset of your Mindsets" after a bad performance or game.
An extra few screen shots at the blog end will give as example above of the Too Long a Thought during the game of Ryan Bester explained abovein the example above.
I will say that now over 80, that all my bowls performance during a big competition game; that now I find that all this detail thinking is just too much.
Yes, the habit of step-by-step is still there but not for a two hour game. Sometime in Pairs, I will do a two-bowl Complete "Five Point Delivery" and the remaining two other bowls during that end will be a "let it happen" Delivery. The question then becomes which of the four bowls are most important.
You are learning to build a confidence performance with a structure like "Shot Routine" with "Pre-shot" and "Post-Shot" thoughts and actions. This detail and basic instruction of the two "Shot Routine" is probably what you sometimes do already. But now every time you go to the mat these two extra thought and action routines are a part of your Delivery. The "Pre-Shot" just prior to instruction you instinctive Delivery and the "Post- Delivery Routine" consisting of a "Post-Shot" collection of feelings and the "Post-Mat" Routine being your thoughts and feelings as you wait for your next delivery.
A normal weekly (7 days) Viewer/Reader Stats as the end of the month arrives.
As it took several years to get that near perfect performance it will take several years to fine-tune it or sand-off the rough mental edges.. Enjoy the game.. Practice at Practice Sessions not during games.
