Rain and Wind Bowls Play 2/2 (NMem)

Under development 2/2 March 14,2026 

As mention in the first of these two blogs, the  similarity between condition of play for rain and for days of a strong wind address the same problems a Lawn Bowls athletic must work to overcome.  As often said in these blogs. There are three aspects of Lawn Bowls perfection. Delivery development ( Line, Weight and Bowls), Mental Development (Focus, Muscle Memory and Game strategy) and last  Condition of Play (what nature give us as a new day)

Condition of play involves the speed of the green, the equipment used (type of bowls) and the difficulty which the environment offers. All of these will influence the game as we develop our perfect delivery, choose the various type of bowls and equipment and build through practice an instinctive performance. But what we can not control is  the weather unless we decide to alway do indoor bowls. 

 We would all love to go to the club on a nice sunny day and roll bowls, but when a competition of major level of players is scheduled; we often find the conditions of play very demanding as we can not order the weather as we would like for that important game.

As  I would like to finish an important aspect of Bowls in the rain by bring forward a previous August 2012 blog and  for a bit discuss some problems or nightmare of Lawn Bowls in the Rain. Before Covid (2020 to 2022) most Canadian club executives and green keepers were concern for the large size debits made in the greens by new members learning to bowl, but in money competitions players bowled an open green.

2024 photo of Club practice

The blog  was written 6 years before the Covid, and at a time when we saw "Protective Screens"being only used in Club games for Coaching. But with COVID and clubs losing volunteer, their Green Committees in trying to keep clubs with playable greens, continued to use the screens during major money competition.

 Even today in some parts of Canada, (Here in Montreal Quebec) ; the "Protective screens are still used. In the blog we see a reference to "Lonnie" size debits and suggestion that during rain condition of play; one should be concern for their best delivery style.  (Lonnie is the name of the Canadian dollar coin because the image a Canadian bird, called a Loon, on the coin face and "Lonnie Size Debits" is still a expression hear at clubs and competitions).

Updated Blog of August 2012 "Rain and Green Debits" deeply editted.

The nightmare of Lawn Bowls in the Rain is not the wet clothes but the wet greens and the "Lonnie" size Debits.  
There are two basic debits types   Those caused by the dropping of the bowl at the front of the mat, and those caused by not bending low enough and thus having a long throwing bounce at about 3 feet from the mat..  Both cause damage to the green because the bowl is not rolling as it hits the green and then the surface of the green is use to begin the bowl's rolling movement.

   A good delivery will have a finger flick or the bowl will roll of the finger. This  type delivery will make the bowl roll before it  hits the green.  Otherwise, the soft wet green will be one debit for each bowl delivered. (With 100 rolls per team even 20% bad delivery mean 20 or 30 debits at both end of the rink)

 On rainy days, the player's thought is, "I am short because of the rain" so we throw the bowl (not roll it) harder and  hear someone say "oh a debit" and we think "Oh  that happens because of the wet green". 

And because we know why, we easily forget that last bowl and it debit, as others are rolled and new debits made. Immediately instruct your self of the  need for a smooth rolling delivery, and be concern for the green.  Remember, when you need to catch your balance after a heavy delivery and a  "long stride" delivery that the side of your footwear may causes quite ugly debits. 

Henselite #5

WHAT CAN YOU DO ??  

 First, if you have more than one set of bowls, use the smaller bowls as you will find  a better grip and delivery easier when your hands are wet. If you Bowls  have "grips" it may help you to grip better, but also it may cause bad debits when you have one of those off-bias rolls because of forcing your delivery. (Update added) The photo right is a #5 by Henselite from the 1960's and the bowl's grip is less than you will find today on 2025 bowls (end)   

Use a different type of Gripoo.. (there is a sticky wet weather type)  If Gloves are allowed... try those Kitchen rubber gloves with grip ridges.  Maybe even change your grip... The Claw grip requires your finger grip the bowl where cradle grip requires a  rolling bowl movement.

Second, Move the mat a lot. It does not need to be always at the same placement. When the mat stays at the 2 meter mark and end after end replaced to the same spot it can cause damage.  A lead, when laying down the mat, should look at the delivery area of the green where the bowls will be deposited.  Remember, you may have left handed team member.

 And Third, although, we do not want to tell an opponent that they have made a bad debit; we can still before rolling our bowl, walk forward and repair that last debit. (Just a light foot push back of that crescent moon shape grass rolled out) This will show the player their debit and eventually the repaired debits will recover.  Rather than close our eyes to opponents marking debits, if we repairs that last debit made by the opponent; it shows and tell them to be careful. 

  Strange, in Petanque, the french sport of throwing and rolling the metal balls to the jack, rules prevent a player from arranging the receiving area of their delivery but a players is allowed to fixing the last debit made. (The game is play in sand or gravel so the full moon indent is best fixed before your ball rolls over it).

 Interesting fact of Boccie, kthe Italian bowls game now being played in the 2012 London Paralympics games  this week.(August 2012) Players can have different hardness of balls in their six balls team group. Soft balls for hard to remove when hit and once at the jack and hard balls for those throwing shots which will be a slam takeouts. That year British boccia player David Smith took Gold I believe.

End of 2012 Blog..

Returning to Bowls and condition of play with Wind.  The last month blog  Analysis 2026 Australia Classic Singles (Info) o has good video commentator about the choice of Bowls for windy conditions of play. The final is played by two of the best (World bowls Ranking ) players and Irish Gary Kelly as commenator is # 6 ranking. At the video 7-7 Gary explains why the choice of the narrow bias bowl by Corey Wedlock (# 2 ranking WB) is an advantage where there is a heavy cross wind.

Bowls with wind behind mat

In the Atlantic International Challenge which happen last summer in Windsor Canada and brought together Scotland, England, United States and Canada we see a strong wind behind the mat and bowlers bowling into that wind. The photo right show the  bowls placement in the head when the wind was face on or east to west (see the flags behind the players) and the photo below show the bowls in the head when the wind was  west to east (behind the bowlers)  A  completely different collection of bowls in the head at these two back to back ends. The players found with the wind behind them that the bowls were blown off line more than the bowling heavier bowls (into the wind) which stopped quickly without much bias.

A May 2, 2021 blog titled "Bowls in New Zealand Wind (AMem) has a good insight into how the wind can change the bowl's bias. But as noted by the (AMem) classification this blog was intended for Advance players who have a good Muscle Memory and are still developing advance aspects of it  Some of my ideas are so badly expressed the an unexperience bowler might see them in a manner which seem too much detail of a beginning lawn bowler.

Bowls with Wind behind Lawn Bowler's Mat

 For example in the next few paragraph I will discuss how the wind affect the bias but depending upon the curvature of the running surface which defines the bowl's "finish" bending.

Another Lawn Bowls Blogger "The Greens Bowler" who as a retired scientist does a mathematical description of a Bowl's Bias with diagrams and mathematical equations. His blog objective is to explain why the bowl keeps the same bias as the mat is moved forward. 

However, this also explains what makes a bowl as a narrow bias. If the bowl has narrow running surface, like a car tire or a disk, when it become slow enough to begins to fall to its side, it will drop without rolling any farther. But because on either side of the running surface of the bowl there is another curved surface to catch the green and continue it to roll, the bowl does a "Finish" bend. How wide is this 2nd surface is what makes a bias narrow or wide. The closer this 2nd surface is to the running surface the bias will begin at a faster speed. And if the 2nd surface is wide it becomes an extension of the running surface and prevents the bowl from not falling and is a narrow bias.

 I once had an old set of "woods" which has such a wide bias and finish curve that it seem to hock like a walking cane handle. Actually place your bowl on a hardwood or tile floor  with a very small movement and you will find it actually doing a complete circle before it fall to its side.

In the photo above, I have marked the bowls of the "Lead" (L), 2nd, and Skip and there is an interesting study of the photograph's bowls. The Skip's forehand delivery see the bowl keeping its bias (standing still) while the Skip's Backhand (near the Jack) has almost fallen over. (because of the slow green 12.8 seconds). The same with the two bowls of the third (in the square box) the bowl are different stopped because of forehand/backhand  delivery.

Let now understand this as to how the wind affect the bowl during it's roll. A fellow bowler said to me "Don't tell me that the wind is going to push the bowl off line". No, the bowl is not pushing over. but on a narrow running surface it is pushed enough to want to go to the 2nd curve surface and bend off it's delivery line. On a wide running surface (almost no clear running surface) the bowl is like a car tire (flat like) and will roll straight until the last minute before falling.

 Like Clark, In the blog of the mathmatical study (above) if he continued his study he would find that for each 2nd running surface of a lesser distance from the main running surface you would have a quicker change in direction of roll.  If a wide bias bowl (narrow running surface) is pushed a bit by the wind its small main running surface shifts to the 2nd surface as the wind  push the bowl to start its Bias sooneer then with no wind .

 In the above photo there is a small cross wind although  the wind is basicly from behind, you see how the bowl has a completely different curve finish for each delivery hand.   You can almost tell if the bowls are wide or narrow bias by how the bowl stopped or fell over (came to rest on the slow green). Compare this to a strong cross wind like the  suggested viewing Video of the New Zealand game in a strong wind.  A lot to think about, maybe too detail. Certainly not the detail for a beginning lawn bowler and maybe even not a subject for an elite who simply thinks. "Play into the wind push with wide bias" to push the bowl back straight and "Play with the wind's assistance to increase the bias of the bowl."

Because we must change the "Delivery Line" to allow the wind to change the bowl's bias, (more or less) I have over the years developed a "Oof-bias Draw" delivery for the wind. Normally "Off-bias" grip on the bowl is used in "Runner" deliveries, but with practice you can take a lot of speed of a "Draw" Delivery.

 The advantage is that with the extra delivery speed needed on the "Off-Bias" Draw one finds that  the Bowl's Straight Line part of the Bias is extended beyond where the bias starts (its "Belly") and allows for getting around blocks or pass "Falls" in the Green. 

Interesting week of Stats on my blogs.  0ver 4000 read visit a week.

 (Finish. except to date the above blogs.. 14/2026)

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Rain and Wind - Bowls Play 1/2 (NMem)

This blog is a redo of starting to blog in August 2012, wanting to help on knowing how to judge the Green's speed in "Rainy" play condition.

The best of Canada and United States with windy conditions

I  It can be difficult to know what effect rain, whether heavy rain or light drizzle; has on our Delivery..  But there are tricks which used wisely will allow your first bowl as lead, to be on or near the jack. I have combined this blog with another on Windy conditions of play because if the video  of the last blog was watched; we see those Australian elite players doing many of the same things suggested in this blog. Wind and Rain conditions of play require the same delivery calculation and mental discipline.

First, if you are rolling  the jack to start the end of play, you have a sort of "Green Testing" opportunity. Certainly,  the skip's requested distance is your objective, your efforts and how they are affected by the rain or water on the green; can tell you a lot of how the speed of the green has changed.

Normally. as a lead with a good ability to roll to the skip's  foot, your "Jack roll" should not be modified for the conditions of the rain. Thinking of a heavier roll because it is in the rain, is a "Buzz kill", If you want to know the speed of a car you compare it to something going at a speed you know. Your own speed as it passes you. Likewise, rather than change the "Jack Roll" for the rain, do a normal effort to deliver it to the skip's foot. If the jack has stops 3 to 4 meters short this is a gauge of how much the conditions of play affect your roll. Not just your "Jack Roll" but also your "Bowl Roll".

First, your subconscious mind knows that the conditions of play will slow the "Jack roll" and when you attempted to roll to the skip's foot, it will instinctively made an adjustment. But this lost of distance which happens is the "Error of Subconscious correction" which occurs even after your subconscious mind has done a heavier "Jack Roll". 

BumBum, a friends pet

Unless all the spectators are in the clubhouse, there are others sharing the rain with you. Find things to relax your mind between your deliveries.  Do not rush your game because of the conditions of play which may only mean a lost in "Focus". Keep your mind on the game. Sometimes a thought of something funny like this photo will bring a bright focus into your delivery.

The 3 or 4 meters short of the jack that happen with the "Jack Roll", now allows you to make an adjustment of your Bowl Delivery. Very often we think of an addition and the Muscle Memory of the "Jack Roll" adds something more. Other than thinking where you want your bowl to finish, don't see these calculation as added delivery weight. (think "more weight" is a conscious thought which destroys Muscle Memory performance) The jack may not have lost it distance because of "green speed" but maybe a lost of speed due to other conditions. (wet hands, slippery footing or maybe just discomfort due to the rain).

 
  -  Learn by watching the jack roll each time, whether you are lead, second or mate, because the collective information will be used for all your bowls in this end of play.  Read the "Cock Tail" or standing spray of water behind the jack as it rolls. It will indicate areas of your green which have more water than other areas.

An Australian Finals

The higher spray of water behind the jack is because it is passing through deeper water. The photo (right) is from New Zealand Championship final and within 15 or 20 minutes players were on the green starting their morning game. Good drainage is a major part of a good construction of our playing greens.

The green speed may have changed by what you believe is your bowls "Rain Resistance". Because you have practice in these rain conditions and have build your knowledge of how certain rain conditions will change your "Bowls Speed", Of course your club's green conditions during your practice have given a value. My term for this calculation and measure is "Green Quarter" because I use a thought (image or word) to tell Muscle Memory my expected resistance that the rain causes to my bowl roll.

  If you have not rolled previously in the rain you may have to calculate that a wet green requires a certain distance increase in your delivery weight. However, if you have build a "Condition of Play" knowledge base, from information collected from a rainy day "Cock Tail" study: you can  now added to this knowledge your known "Water Resistance" distance increase. 

Pointe Claire LBC after downpour

The photo (right) is the water map of my club last year after a heavy rain fall. It is in my Log Book to remind me of where the green is high and low (now dark area or water soak green)

My calculation adjustment term of "Green Quarter"  is based upon the legal 10 meter distance that a jack can be played. (21m to 33m) Dividing the Hogline Jack to the Max Distance Jack into 4 areas of play. The 1st Quarter (hogline to 23 or 25 meters), Halfway. (26 meters). 3rd Quarter(28, 29 meters) and Full Length (from respot to the Ditch). Also, since we all have weak delivery distances, if you play a "redefined Jack" for a jack distance then add that too to your "over delivery" jack decision.. (redefined jack is playing a visual jack behind or in front of actual jack position because of a condition of play)

The idea of changing your "Jack Distance" is similar to the skip asking for a bowl 1 meter behind the jack. If you need 2 "Green Quarters" adjustment than you are bowling as if the skip is asking for a bowl 2 meters behind the jack. This mental calculation is a "Focus" point because you accept the ability to play to a requested position by the skip and as your accept the skip's knowledge you also accept your success or failure of delivery. When your adjustment of weight results in your bowl being on or near the jack; you accept your focus was not lost by questioning the reason for the extra delivery weight.

This stats photo shows how sudden a volume of readers might decide to search or seek out a type of blog information.

Blog Stats days later

Sometime, such volume occurs because at the beginning of a bowl's season a coach suggest a subject and discussion which send students to this blog.

Also sometimes it might be because of the use of a particular word. With Trump again in the news and countries like Russia searching the WWnet for that name; it will result in an increase in blog reader volume stats. Where my blogs are not short, to have over 2000 read/visit in a week may mean hours of bowls knowledge being distributed.

Also, as I have done here by insert photo and stats; sometimes the change of subject is a pause of reader attention and only relax the mind. (take a break). Such pause or break prepares readers to better understand the following text.

If you watch the video suggested in the previous blog on the  2026 Australian Classics Singles game; you will have seen several times Barrie Lester often waiting for the wind to decrease before playing. You can also pause yourself during an increase in the rain volume.  Often we take a pause in play to improve our clothing or get a drink. If you are in a pause it is important you do it by leaving the mat so as not  to affect our delivery or Pre-mat decisions. Standing on the mat drops us out of our "Focus" zone.  In doing a pause, if your Delivery routine had a decision making aspects, then it is necessary to restart your Delivery Routine from the "going to the Mat" step so everything involved, from "Focus" to the instinctive rolling of your bowl can be finished in one complete "Delivery" and you can get out of the rain.

 If you feel guilty doing a pause in your delivery, I suggest you look toward the officials as if to be asking "Are you going to pause the game". The reason for this pause is that prior to coming to the mat (Pre-Mat Routine) you did your calculations and now you are ready to do your delivery to that spot.  Your change in "Focus" by the distraction of the sudden down pour of rain; does not now need you to decide to make an adjustment in the middle of your delivery.

      Under rainy conditions, there are many things that will slow your bowl.  Many new bowlers think that these conditions of play problems  is a "Trail and Error" part of the game of Lawn Bowls.  (Roll the first bowl and see where it goes.. then adjust your delivery  to get closer with idea that by the third bowl you should be on the jack). 

 Can you afford to waste 2 bowls (or 3 in singles) to get one bowl close to the jack.  A  "Trial and Error" approach to your delivery is wrong and you are better to go work in the kitchen or be on the club's Social Committee than be in a Lawn Bowls Competition. Your bowls' "Rule one" is "Every bowl counts" and  your thinking is "My Post Delivery analysis where I am in preparation for the next bowl is where I do thinking and analysis. Like the "Skips Expectation", your expectation of your self and your delivery should be at a high standard.

  Other helpful hints.

  -  Know what effect your raingear has on your delivery. Do you hear the movement of your raingear during your bowl delivery. Does it restrict your movement, balance or even destroy your "Focus".

    - Watch and learn from your opponent. If he/she is has difficulty doing a good  roll to the jack, and their bowl is 3 meters short then you know to add 3 meters for  the jack when you bowl. (Of course, have they that "Trial and Error" attitude ?) If yes, then make no adjustment because the only bowl which matters is their last bowl.  Every bowl you roll matters and your focus and calculation are all good.

 -  Virgin Greens are worst with Rain. A "Virgin Green" is an area of play where no bowl has yet rolled. Often in the first few ends of play or when the jack has been moved away from center line. In rainy conditions your new "Line of Delivery" following a movement of the jack may require a delivery when you do not have the information on the amount of water at various parts of that green on your that line.

 On a "Moved Jack", where possible, change your hand of delivery (forehand/Backhand) so you roll using more of the center of your rink where you have  knowledge of the conditions of play. Remember that previous delivery line have had the water removed from the grass leaves (laid down like which happens with morning dew). If you took an approach line, you can after your opponent has wasted a bowl and shown  the conditions; expect a fruitful delivery. Your "Focus" after "Calculation" in the Pre-Mat Routine is of major important, as to a quick to the mat and bowl because of the disconfort of the rain.

  -  Bias is depend on the speed of the bowl... Faster roll gives less bias,  and be aware that the quick stop of your bowl in rain may mean your bowl has little or no final bend (finish). Your bowls will only swing in the last few meters when it has slowed to  a normal Bias speed.   Even with wide Bias bowls do a narrow line draw for those heavy delivery on rainy greens.

   -  Watch the water spray behind your bowls..  This "Cock tail" will indicate low green areas with more water and if you can avoid them. Decide on your "Point Radius" (how far from the jack and still be a point) which might allow you to change the delivery line or even the Delivery hand (forehand/backhand).

   - Roll the same bias each time.. using the previous line now showing in the wet green. By using the same delivery line your expectation of your delivery will offer more confidence and success.

   - Fast delivery bias (with a finish type bias) greens are found when  the jack is placed around where the mat was previously placed several times; the traffic of  the bowlers as they stood waiting their turn on the mat. (usually behind the mat) packs the green. If your bowl has a wide bias then this trick might mean a proper bias finish.

   -  Listen to your skip.. He may be adjusting for the weight ( by asking for a back bowl) or giving a narrow line (accepting the frontal bowl being a good block on a dangerous "Runner line").

Analysis 2026 Australia Classic Singles (Info)

It is rare that all my blogs and lawn bowls instructions can be grouped into one game's analysis but this happens (January 6,2026)

Players Photo

with the 2026 Australia Classics Singles between Barrie Lester and Corey Wedlock (# 2 World Bowls 2025 Rating). Beside great players, also we have commentators who know their bowls and  their Special Guest commentator Gary Kelly who is one of the world's best players. (#6 World bowls 2025 List)

The first part of a single's game after the trial ends and handshakes is the first bowls of end number one. A great example of how this first bowl is suggested to be played. We see on their first end that they both do a  "foot over weight delivery" with an attempt to do a "Jack Trail". 

 You probably have two questions at this comment. "Why ?" and "Why do I think that was their objective. Is it not better to put the bowl on the jack and pressure on the opponent. ". Yes, true. but a good "Jack Trail" will also have the bowl with the jack.

 First, a single's game is "You and Them" (all those you must play) and if it was just who is the best lawn bowler we can ask the members of the club. But even a beginning bowler who puts thought and planning into his game can win over the best bowler. To do this we must quickly evaluate our opponent and their strength as well as do our best performance. We will make mistakes but so will our opponent.

We learn the the green quickly and our opponent's playing weakness. Starting with the Trial Ends, your opponent has shown you their ability with a jack on centerline. Move the jack on the first end of play and see how your opponent handles that new condition of play. If your opponent cannot handle a moved jack, or "Open Jack"  weakness, an advantage which is best not used until the end game when you want to pick up points. 

Second, Corey is left handed and Barrie is right handed and as per the photo we see that each have chosen to play their backhand. From your "Club Coaching" sessions, we learned that "Backhand" is easier to precisely perform. When Barrie missed his jack and his "Behind the Jack" bowl had stop; we get our first lesson from the video. Why did he miss by so much his weight? The answer might be the wind, because he played "Up-wind" and with changing wind speeds it is possible your bowl is send to it Bias quickly. Maybe the player's intention and his is just learning the wind. 

 Corey probably would have likewise missed the jack except the wind kept his bowl out and on line for a Jack roll. Corey is using a narrow bias bowl which is ideal for windy conditions.

Aero Bias Chart

If neither player had touched the jack, they would both still have had a  good back bowls.  Sometimes a player will change his bowls for the condition of play as we see with Corey who is using a "Aero Dymanic" with a narrow bias probably has an advantage over Barrie who in using a wider "Aero Optima" which has a wider bias. 

This information was asked of the commentator by a viewer (in comments at end 5) because this is part of "Playing the Conditions" and some athletes do watch and learn from these videos. Later following the Mid-game interview where the players mention their different in their Bowl's bias; Gary, the guest commentator takes time to explaining the raison why a player would change their bowl for a windy condition of play. (End 11 with score 7-7)

The photo below shows the frist end play with before and after the jack trail. Photo #1 as Corey's Backhand bowl is about to trail the jack and photo #2 the final jack and bowls position afterwards. Also the photo is a good opportunity to show how to trail the jack by bowling to a "False Jack" but learning it also requires much practice. 

First Bowl of Singles

There are tricks for a toucher, or jack roll and the photo (right) show how these great lawn bowlers (Barrie Lester & Corey Wedlock) do such a shot. So often we see the first bowl of a Single's game played like Barrie's bowl was played here, and so we think "not a great shot". But if we take time to think what it was that the player was trying; we realize it was a hard shot and a good effort. The trick is to know the clock position for the over weight of the bowl being played for the jack Trail, False jack always between 1:30 and 2 or 11:30 and 10 depending on delivery weight.

Because these players have and use a well developed  "Muscle Memory", they are not thinking of a heavy bowl for a jack roll, because this type if thinking becomes a conscious instruction to the muscles and interrupts the "Muscle Memory". We use a 'False Jack' to allow our Muscle Memory to performance without interruption because a 'false Jack' is like a 'block' simply a bowl placement without an instructive thought. As seen in the photo (above) which shows "False Jack" at 2 o'clock and 10 o'clock this trick allows your bowl's finish to move the jack, If you are bowling to a position, False Jack or Block, your  Muscle Memory just doing a delivery. 

By playing with a foot or two heavy we get a jack roll and if we play toward those "False Jack" the "Muscle Memory" adding weight asneeded for a toucher or jack roll. However, a different time (10:30) is needed for wind as a cross wind increases the roll to the jack after the bowl has passed the shoulder of the delivery.  (Play to a jack 10 inches heavy at those positions) I used the word "Trick" for this performmance because we have tricked our "Muscle Memory" into performing what they want, In any modified delivery if we don't want to interrupt 'Muscle Memory' by thinking  a muscle instruction to the conscious mind we must trick the subconscious mind like with false locations of where we want the bowl. This will even work with wind but you have to learn about wind on your bowl. A strong wind will stop your bowl from taking bias. Most changes in bowl direction are done in the shoulder and finish. The hardest adjustment for win is a 45degree as it has increase distance and swing. Practice and learn.

In viewing good Youtube game videos it is important to have good game announcers as with this Single game. The three game commenators are Peter Susovich, Sammy Atkinson and Gary Kelly, and they offer excellent detail evaluation of the players' abilities and performances. Gary Kelly who is from Ireland but living and playing Bowls in Australia has made the top 10 of the "2025 Male Player". In the over 5000 players listed, including the "2025 Female Player"  List, you will be surprise of whom from your country is listed. Hell, I played last summer a Club Single's game and my opponent is in the top 100. With Youtubes now catching most every countries competition you can now know and watch your best players on the internation scene.

In an earlier blog I said that there are three conditions which influences our Lawn Bowl performance. "Delivery" (Muscle Memory and Line) Mental Strength (Focus, Zen, and Knowledge) and Conditions of Play. This Single's game is a great teacher of "Condition of play" as we see by the photo (right) Corey Wedlock checking the wind with his bowl wipe towel prior to his delivery or maybe he is waiting for the wind to decrease in strength. Remember, a different level of wind, means a different line for that strength of wind. The video sound is bad because of the wind on the announcer's mike. 

 The photo (right) suggest a blog written in June 2019 about playing with wind. "Natural Distance Bowls and the Wind" suggest if you are going to study the effect of a windy day you should practice or study at your natural distance. Someone once said to me in a course that the bowls are so heavy that the wind will not affect them that much. This is not true but you should know how to check for the wind and play accordingly.

Blog on New Zealand Wind Play

A good blog and Video for seeing the effect of the wind on a Bowl is " "Bowls in NZ strong Wind" because the bowl just runs across the green. Written in May 2021 it looks at the Wellington Men's Pairs.

In the 9th end of play with Corey holding two, Barrie attempts to kill the end with his last bowl but missing he leaving Corey to draw for a third point to make the score 7-4. Gary Kelly as guest commentator and #6 in world Bowls Ranking is from Ireland but playing in Australia. His experience and knowledge (2nd part of Delivery) is from northern UK Lawn Bowls teaching and sharing what he was taught. Gary express how he expected Barrie to draw backhand and trail the jack to his bowls behind with his last bowl. His surprise as  to see Barrie goes heavy and speaks of his views of this decision.

Missed Takeout Shot

Sanny says. "One each to play" as Corey walks up the green behind his 3rd bowl which stops short and Sanny continues  "Bend's (nickname for Corey) hold two". Then like a professional announcer want the opinion of the guest  Sanny asks Gary Kelly  "What do you think he will play here?"

 Gary began to explain his opinion as Barry walks back to the mat for his last bowl of this end.  "I think he will play some sort of weight". "The hand will be similar" (backhand into wind). "Maybe a fraction more" (weight). "Yea, he will be trying to trail that jack. He's got two just waiting bout a yard pass". As they wait for the delivery Sanny is surprise of the heavy runner Barrie has just send down the green.

After Barry missed the take out or burning the end and a long silence after Sanny finished with "He's Miss, He's got nothing", Gary says "I don't blame him for that". Once again, these conditions. You know". He has obviously opp for what he believed was the easlier shot".

One of my blogs which talks about "Playing your Successful Percentage ", written in April 2021, looks at your shot choices. As Corey walks to the mat for his last bowl, Gary continues his comments. Gary  feels the important of explaining what just happen as he is aware of the viewers need for an explanation. Gary says:

"Just for our viewers at home. The textbook way, he probably would have played a yard (pass) to trailed the jack but in these conditions, once again, it all the "Percentage play". " It's what you play and trust". "So, what you can achieve". "Maybe not the maximum outcome, but (you try for) a positive outcome". "So Blost (nickname) opped for what he believed was the easier due to the wind".  "Taking the elements out of it, considering the wind"

Sanny also followed with "Couldn't agree more. With the bigger weight, you take the bigger weight, you take the variable of the wind and green out of it  a bit". "Compare to a yard-on shot", Gary - "The game is always about "Percentage Play". "In my mind, in my opinion" "You got to consider the conditions and what is a good shot and get a positive result there".

(Stats show viewer's interest in similar Blogs in past week.)

The Second part of the photo above, is the reaction of Barrie. His surprise to his missed "Takeout drive" and his disappointment is an important part of the game.  A good  performance at the mat requires "Focus", and his reaction is a release valve after such a shot. It is important because Barrie has to go back to the game with "A Total Focus".  Not thinking of regrets or disappointment.  Yes, he has a few minutes while the mat is placed and the jack is rolled, and centered, but to hold emotions is bad management, even if his visual reaction is not agreeable to the spectators.  Every athlete needs a method for the necessary outlet of emotions, without which he could pass 2 or 3 complete ends of bad play before recovery. 

Before one last subject... Measuring; I wish to say thank you to my readers. This blog is 8 pages (when printed) and quite a read of maybe an hour if you access also the other blogs mention.  However, looking at the stats of today, one week after posted; the  top 6 blogs are those 6 suggested or linked. Thank you.  To read is one thing, but to do the link to reference blog is another. 

Good discussion for a reader who will be playing their singles in a windy conditions and the need to take the time to consider the factors which give the best result.

Earlier they were playing minimum distance jacks which make takeout easier; but after several umpire measures in a single end of play they when to the longer jack. 

In a blog on "Measuring which bowl is Shot"  there are a lot of different methods and devices mention, even a Sonic Measure (before 1950s and Lasers).  This request for a measure in the 12th end shows a  "Measuring Extension" for the bowls' measure of over 3 feet distance from the jack and needed the use of calibers. Although the 4th point was refused, this end-to-end head and the heavy wind gave Corey  3 points and permitted a  catch up on points to a 6-7 score from 3-7.

Web Links suggested: 

 Game Video 2026 Australia Classic Feb 2026           www.youtube.com/watch?v=egXAOFniM5c

Blogs references :

Natural Distance and Wind Practices - June 2019             www.ishi-in-sn.blogspot.com/2019/06/natural-distance-usage.html

Bowls in New Zealand Strong Winds  May 2021                    www.ishi-in-sn.blogspot.com/2021/05/bowls-in-nz-strong-wind.html

2025 WBowls Men's Rating  www.worldbowlsseries.com/male-rankings.hrml

2025 WBowls Female's Rating www.worldbowlsseries.com/female-rankings.html

Present Blog activity - March 2026 - New Season of Bowls beginning in Canada in a few months so now doing a clean up of older blogs for new members coaching.

March 5, 2026 - Green's committee  Part 1.   Protecting your Greens as a member. Written October 2016. Updated

Subconscious Mind - Biological Computer (NMem)

 This blog is written to expose just how much power exist over time if one works daily in developing the subconscious mind. I will not approach this topic again and this is the deepest i intend to go in an attempt to reveal this subject.   Read with an open mind and Enjoy.

Where to start ? First If the mind has a biological computer power it might explain the "Third Eye" concept as an influence on our abilities.  To start. let us imagine there is just  "Us and Them" or "Science and Mankind" in this our world. Taking "Us" as ourselfs and our own abilities and "Them" as all those things outside of us as an individual. A lot of the subconscious mind unique abilities has leads to people mentioning their developed mental ability as the "Third Eye" and it as the center of intuition or the sixth "Chakra".

 Like science, the mind's ability is not a recent development. Although Static Electricity was identified by the Greek Philosopher Thales of Miletus in 600 BC and it was later termed as "electricus" in 1600; we still were forced to wait for Thomas Edison in 1887 to invent the light bulb, thus starting our total dependence on this daily power.

As for "Us",  as an a biological species, the mind's development also began gaining recognition early, around late 300 BC, with the Greek philosophers like Aristotle exploring the interworking of the mind and then later Hippocrates (400BC) challenged the supernatural. (Google AI)

 "Google AI says "The recognition of mankind's mental power has evolved over thousands of years, transitioning from ancient spiritual interpretations to scientific cognitive and psychometric evaluation"

If we can see our brain as a "biological Computer", in this our age of computers and cellphones; we might realize that our "Subconscious" or "Instinctive" actions used daily, but too often overlooked; as revealing the extreme powers of the mind. (both the conscious and subconscious mind).  How much of our daily action, are really what we are allow  to control? Many daily actions actually happens without our involvement. Our body functions, breathing, and even walking and keeping our Balance; are not a physical action we control. Actions we think we control, like running are still done as an automatic mental performance.

For "Them" I will allow you to realize all the different waves types which are now passing through our surroundings but were unknown only in the past decade. (radio, Television, Microwave, Light and color wavelengths) and still new items being named daily like "Quarks","Leptons" and even their waves (wavicles). As for "Us", I use this photo (a screen capture from Youtube video of Carlos Castaneda Journey to Ixtlan " to explain our surroundings and the aspect of our brains.

In my personal development of Archery, I discovered the writings of Carlos Castaneda about his  anthropological investigation of  the Mexican Yaqui tribal sorcerer Juan Matus.  The title given to these native powers, by white society, was "Native Sorcery" because what is not understood is attacked spiritually. These mental powers are found in all cultures, both the South American and North American natives societies.

 With thousand of native cultures and  their spiritual needs, these  powers were developed over the many centuries and used for spiritual and medical healing insight. In all of these culture, over these many centuries,  they perfected a subconscious mind development which can only be identify as an unbelievable powers.

The three parts of the photo (above) and defines "Us" is explained as: 1- our daily life, then 2 a " Our Reality", which we see as the world around us (but a slap on the back will show us this reality as a moment of white light)  and 3 - "The separation of this "Reality Line" into many different realities which really exist". These realities are what the mind is able to tune in like a radio or electronic device. 

I will here mention a few subconscious abilities, a  few which I have personally experienced, and mention others like from the book  "Black Elk Speaks" (1932). This interview with a American Oglala Lakota medicine man, has a description of a vision he had several year earlier. Although the book was published 50 years before Jet flight at 20,000 feet, the vision he describes is what we all see today when we fly.  He describes in precise detail the view that someone else had experience some 50 years into his future.

 There is an important principle here. Ghost, real or imaginary, are seen because the energy released by excitement, fear or violence has capture that action in time and can be viewed like your TV program was captured. This capture excitement of a first flight was what Black Elk saw and was the excitement of someone 50 years past his death. 

In the same manner, an action by one person can generate a response by hundreds of people thinking the same thing. Especially with today's use of the internet and Google search. First, now , Feb 09, 2026, as I write this blog, I discover a Facebook notification as an Instagram posting by "My Abilities, Sport Media", I don't know of their existance and the only  reference to my blog writing is that now Australia is busy in Lawn Bowls.

 Maybe, cookies (collected data or user's search) linking my work of these days to them. (all 458)  Maybe an advertising on a common communication apps (like Facebook).  Why am I surprise ?? I have not posted the blog yet and something drew an extremely large volume of readers to my blog site. This group which explain  their object of a internet webpage as  "Showcasting Australian Disability Sport, because inlusion inlcusion matters" seem to touch a bit on this subject.

 Their contact  on that day would have been overlooked and have mean nothing had not also at the same time I received almost 500 view/readers in my blog's stats. My past 10 years of blogs (174) has been about the sport of Lawn Bowls and the development of "Muscle Memory" and only recently (this last month), a bit about the power of the "Third Eye". 

 The 174 Blogs,  which normally receive an average 3500 visits per month because of a daily reader volume of 100 read/visits; had receive 458 visit/reads. These blogs, which are sometimes six or seven pages when printed, would take several hours to read  just a few  of the blog on some particular subject.

 My work on developing this subject has triggered some sort of a mass introduction of my blog to readers. (yes, a crazy idea).  Later in this blog, I will be talking about a "Thread of Global Thought" and explaining other experiences; but this experience seem like something had made such a linkage without any of my involvement.

 A reality and/or a power, from our  combined thoughts (the reality of thought on a unique subject or somethings); maybe  it seems more powerful than just a lucky occurrence.  As the blog was being build over last weeks of January and I was write about using my mental powers to go to Mexico and remove a headache for my daughter. Some how these readers linked with the blog (my thinking) which was in development and not yet published,  (I did send the link to a friend from Argentina for a review after which it was deleted within hours). 

I asked my friend if  this was too much said and too strange in details. Sometime in today's internet, there is that "too strange for understanding reaction" by readers who visit a new sites; 500 visitors is a lot when my viewer base are mostly about their interest in  a sport (lawn bowls) for more than 10 years.

(to continue) The development of Mankind (us as humans) would not have survived  as a species, was it not the ability of the subconscious mind  "to identify danger" and then to act quickly toward saving our lives. As humans evolved, we build an instinctive mind (the subconscious mind) to take total control of all our actions in order to protect us or perform what seem impossible.

The same mind function saw our body functions needing instinctive control, (such as self balance when walking), and with a self-awareness, we created an instinctive abilities which in today's sports is  identify as "Muscle Memory" or "Instinctive Performance". .

While the conscious mind is us thinking and instructing our muscles in their performance, the subconscious mind is a behind the scene actions (instinctive in nature) which are performing action, sometimes an extra power and precision.

To know the force of this biological computer we can  look at a few sports but first, what is more amazing is many mental abilities which are never discussed in certain cultures. "Aura reading" or "Aura sight" is the ability some individuals seem to have as an ability to see an individual's auras or energetic fields which are surrounding people.

 Google AI explains this as "Scientifically, this experience is often attributed to a neurological phenomenon called 'Synaesthesia'. In some cultures this ability identifies health problems and even followed by treatments. The simple explanation is often stated as "Specifically emotion-color or face-color synaesthesia".

Sometime we attempt to explain the subconscious mind having been developed to address weakness in body parts, like our eyes. The eye's movement and visual abilities are very limited. Because the brain can only resolve visual action by way of "Flicker Fusion"; it has lead to the invention of television and movies by using the 60 Hz (frames per second) flicker.

Where our eyes hold an image for 1/30th of a second and retina image retention is about 2 minutes; you can experience this by looking at a bright object (window or light) and then closing the eyes see the image remain on the eye's retina for some time.  As I wrote in a previous blog, sometimes the subconscious mind will impose these memory images when the image being viewed is about an extremely fast actions which was not seen.

 In one of my blogs while working with an athlete preparing for a world championship; the athlete was sure he saw his target, he was attempting to hit with his Petanque ball,  fly off in a certain direction; only to later find out that he had seen a memory substituted by the subconscious mind. Because the brain did not see the actual object fly and because the athlete had need to see something, the mind had provided the athlete with a memory of a previous event. ( I had removed the cochon from behind the petanque ball whichwas in front of it)

The sport of Baseball, is probably the most amazing indication of this extreme limits of  the adaptation and development by our subconscious mind. How can a Baseball batter see the baseball which is being thrown at 100 m/h, over  the short distance of 61 feet or 18 meters). The batter must see the baseball, activate the needed muscles to swing and then have the precision to strike the ball; and hit the ball in the wanted direction.

Asking Google  " If a baseball is thrown at 100 m /h how long does it take to travel 61 feet", and AI  replies was  " approximately 0.416 seconds for the baseball to travel 61 feet." . 

Google AI, also  further explains that the distance is more likely is closer to  54 to 55 feet because of the pitcher's step forward while pitching. 

 "From this closer release point, a 100 mph pitch reaches the plate in approximately 0.375 to 0.400 seconds, which is about the same time it takes for a human to blink." 

Also because of air resistance,  the baseball has probably been slowed a bit.

I approach the sport of baseball because the adaptability of the eye to see the various types of pitches in this split second also show how muscle memory is not muscles being developed and controlled by also changes on how it is done by the subconscius mind. Certainly a sort of mental artificial intelligence as new skills are developed in the eye's need to identify the baseball's path at that speed.

AI says of this:   "the eye uses "smooth pursuit" to follow the ball, but when the ball's speed exceeds the eye's ability to smoothly follow (typically around 30°/s), the eyes switch to "catch-up saccades"—rapid, ballistic jumps to align the fovea (the center of highest acuity) with the ball's new position" and as for the speed of the brain "

Now back to the American Native culture and their development of the subconscious mind's powers over decades of spiritual and medical needs. Because of  lost of  these mental abilities by a system of "Forced assimilation" during the conquest of the many "New World" peoples; I will mention here a couple of events which will show how far they had advance these mental powers.

Thoughout my sport evalation blogs of Lawn Bowls, I  have discuss how "Muscle Memory" is part of the athlete's development and I often speak of a "Zen Moment" or "Void of thought" which in East Asian culture is know as "No-Mind" (Mushin),  short mental moment which is experienced and known by most professional athletes. With their total involvement in their performance they have allowed the subconscious mind to perform with perfection their developed skill. How these athletes in other sports use "Muscle Memory' can be see in the now televised Olympics Winter Games in Milan where the best athletes are performing daily.

 In Chinese and Japanese cultures, this mental development of the subconscious part of the mind has become projected more toward spiritual and health and well being; with the exception being the sport of Kyudo. This traditional Japanase martial art ( a type of archery) is deeply rooted in Zen, Shinto, and Confusianism, and it emphasizes "correct Shooting" (seisha seichu) where an arrow aimed with a pure mind and proper form will find its mark naturally. A sport developed with  an equal important on the  perfection of performance and the subconscious mind's balance in the athlete's daily life.

This same culture development across the ocean to the Americas is found in the writing of Carlos Castaneda  and his experiences in understanding the Mexician Yaqui spiritual teachings.  In his first two books his interests seems more in the psychedelic drug of  Peyote, but his third book "Journey to Ixtlan" , we find the teaching of his spiritual guide, a Yaqui shaman "Don Juan". This first introduction to possible  ability to "stop the world" with a development of a strong mental abilities.  Sometimes referred in other writings as the "Third Eye" aspect of our subconscious mind; we are shown how it applied to Global Interaction of individuals minds over great distances. (like removing headaches of the distance from Canada to Mexico)

To understand Castaneda there is a good Youtube video called Castaneda Journey to Ixtlan by Howdie Mickoski.  Mention not as suggested viewing but as possible reference if the reader was of interest to know more. The "Journey to Ixtlan" was probably his best of his books, because Castaneda  began introducing his readers to many exercises of "stopping" that suggested the advance abilities of our subconscious mind and ability to enter different realities. 

In the blog's title, I suggest our brains are like a biological computer, where our storage of memories from our actions is more like our home computer than a human body part. With our computer "Hard Drive" of many Gigabytes of storage we can relate our "Brain's memories and experiences in the same relationship. Where in the past we build our "Muscle Memory" for a basic need for survival and in time of danger, today athletes now work on  it to advance development of their sports. In other blogs I show "Lawn Bowl Athletes" how they can use their stored memories of previous events to develop their subconscious actions toward a better performance. 

The sport of Lawn Bowls, which this blog writes views for, is more then the simple task of a bowl's delivery with it step forward and arm swing delivery movement. In today's development and with the internet "Google" searches. people find anything. For example, my blogs suggest exercises for further development of the subconscious control of muscles and because it is part of  my belief  Neuroprotection. (prevent degeneration of brain cells).  The American natives don't get Alzheimer's or Parkison because their elders are responsible for story telling the history of their people and work hard to remember and recall. Neuroprotection (google says) refers to strategies and mechanisms designed to prevent delay or reduce the loss of neurons and preserve brain structure and function.(Prevent Neurodegenerative).  

 The mental exercise of projection into your mind needed for forcing the subconscious mind to learn new action, which was done above with the headache or done in "Muscle Memory" building, is the feeling that is mention  when Carlos Castaneda describes the Yaqui's mental power as a Global Thread of Universal Thought.  This age old idea of the brain's ability when explained and says " When you focus on it, you'll feel the energy concentrated in your forehead, sometimes extending back into your head or spreading across your temples " ( a "Third Eye")

 A internet search of this will reveal the following: "The "Global Thread of Universal Thought" refers to the concept of a shared, interconnected consciousness or underlying intelligence that links all beings and phenomena in the universe. This idea appears across diverse fields, bridging ancient spiritual wisdom, modern psychology, and theoretical physics, suggesting that individual minds are part of a larger, unified whole",

Lets look at what might be such an example of this power of the Subconscious mind, or the "Third Eye".  Believe it or not.. what follows is true.

During a online Pachisi game last month with a New Jersey resident as my partner, she was explaining her several headaches of the last several days. I explained  that my wife, who is third generation Native, was given by her father's brother (her uncle) the ability to removes headaches. Having done many mental exercises over the last 20 years, I explained I had never tired it but would try it for her as I had seen my wife do it so many times.

After an half hour explaining the principle of  "Global Thread of Universal Thought" (developing her confidence) we decided to try it. It was hard to convince her but eventually I felt her headache and she replied that although it was not completely gone; it was bearable now.

A few weeks later I was talking to my daughter who was wintering in Mexico explained how she also had again one of her headache, which she had often asked her mother to remove. I told her of the New Jersey incident and  I  wantrf to try to remove it for her.  I was wondering if distance was a problem. Being a family member, I felt it might be easier than a stranger like my online game's partner from New Jersey.

I tried and was successful only to discover  that her headache was one hell of a headache. I was glad it lasted for only about an hour, because I never get headaches. Three days later when I again got that same bad headache, I text my daughter to asked it was her headache I was feeling. She and her daughter had been talking about my previous interaction a few days before and it appeared to recreate the link as she  said "NO but Chloe has one ", my grand-daughter had been complaining all morning about her bad headache.

Google AI Defined

Why, this ability explained here ?  Although I am not of native blood, after several years of developing an instinctive style of archery and   intense work to build an abilities my concentration at the shooting line was so deep I had experience of being at the target when the arrow struck and felt with the arrow's sound as if it was hitting me. Concentration, so intense that I several times saw myself at the shooting line doing my Archery shot as if I was looking down at myself. Yes, an experience called  "out-of-body".

I did a lot of Instinctive Archery competitions and actually won three medals at the Canadian Nationals in the late 70's. (2 gold and a silver) because I was not looking at the target but  "visually" seeing the small "X" at the target center.. In developing my ability to see and shoot instinctively I searched for information on the ability of mental concentration and got into reading books by Carlos Castaneda. 

One other important support of the reality of this power is in the writings about a Holy Man of the Oglata Sioux called "Black Elk". In  the Poet John G Neihardt  book called "Black Elk Speaks" we find the 1930 interviews and conversation with  Black Elk who explained his life and spiritual visions as he passed his later years at the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. As mention above, his vision of flying above the clouds is not uncommon in native literature as there are other stories from native experiences of seeing things before they actually arrived. In Southern native culture there are stories tell about the coming of the Conquistados in Flordia and South America before they arrived or Americian and Canadian shamans seeing the building of the Railway and tmoving rains before they arrived in the west.

I will look for my copy of the book "Black Elk Speaks" and update this blog with the detail of his vision of flying above the clouds in a Jet.  An image described and published in 1932  which was printed 50 years before planes flew that high. Black Elk was viewing through his subconscious interaction (vision) an image which only could be the experience of a airline flight a modern day passenger had experienced. 

All of these powers , if they existed, were lost with the conquest of the South and North American Natives. Actually a lot of medicine was also lost as today's aspirin, is one of the many drugs registered in Europe in the 18th century which has become medicines developed from those native plant usage.

Stats n Post of last 7 days

Google AI - Willow Bark: While used globally, Indigenous knowledge of its pain-relieving properties (salicin) was adopted by European settlers, directly leading to the development of aspirin.