In Canada, we are starting our Lawn Bowl Season, Over the next three blogs, I will attempt to address the possibilities of the Lawn Bowls Game called "Fours". In my province, there is talk about why these competition and expecially the Nationals. My friends will go to BC to respresent our province at the nationals. I will attempt to explain why "fours" should be continued and what advantages it gives to new Lawn Bowls recruits. Please, think how we must do everything we can to save our sport. If "fours" teach something which only "fours" can do... maybe we should use it to save Bowls.
Sometimes, A question is not intended to have an answer, but the contents is more intended to induce thought. "Which came first, the chicken, or the egg?" Or "What is the sound of one hand Clapping?".
In Lawn Bowls the discussion and question of "What is the raison for playing Fours?" is such a thought. If one perfect Lawn Bowler could exist and play the perfect game; why would you want to divide it into two parts. A "Pairs" team works to develop a Lead which can build a foundation of a Game which with strategy and "Skip leadership" will lead to an advancement of point or points against an opponent.
"What is the sound of one hand Clapping ?" to those who know of Zen also know that this question is a question which has an answer. " The same as two hand clapping" The logic is as simple in Zen as the question of "If a tree falls in a forest and no-one is there to hear it, does it make a noise ?" So to the Lawn bowls' question of "Why do we play fours ?" "So we don't use game play to practice."
What would be the advantage to divide these four "Lead" Bowls between two players, a "Lead" and a "Second" and create a "Lead component" of the Bowls Game of "Fours" I believe, in my own view, that we as individuals are to busy in the games of "Pairs" to take time to understand and analysis our role as "Lead" in developing the Head for our "Skip" (I inject here, YES, the skip is the boss, but we are not thoughtless robots rolling bowls to some position on the green, like chess pieces moved about.) I like the skip instruction of "Your choice" on wheather forehand or backhand delivery.
Yes, in a Pairs Game, we bowl up the green and before you have time to think; the opponent has delivered their bowl and you are again into the routine of rolling that perfect delivery toward the head. Seldom do we even find the time to "Prepare our bowl before stepping onto the mat". Although we all know from practice and coaching that we do prepare ourself before the act of delivery.
When we began the action of delivery, it is a routine of perfection giving us the result we expect. We all know, and probably agree; that after the bowl stops rolling, we confort ourself that the next bowl is always be better than the last. With the Game of Fours we don't have this confort,
But, as a lawn bowler, do we need 3 bowls of practice before we delivery that fourth and hopefully, the best of the four bowls. Would golf be a foolish sport if we suggested that they try three balls before the last striked ball.
As a lead, I hate watching my skip trying a complex shot like a jack roll or tape-back and miss it and then try again. and again. Or have you often say to your skip about the opponent skip; "He missed it twice, but be sure he will try again and the third bowl will be successful. What does this say about us? Are we performing at a peak performance level ?
Now if Bowls is a game of strategy, then lets look at a game of strategy like chess. Do we play defensive or offensive when we play a chess piece. Sort of both... Attack and be defensive about too quick a decision. Maybe this is why two individuals are each given two bowls so that we learn to be defensive and offensive in our Bowl delivery. Yes, we give the skip the best of what he wants. But when we stand preparing our bowl before delivery, are we defensive or offensive. When the skip leaves the head to come to the mat, he is thinking defensive (if you give a strongly developed head) or Offensive (if it is necessary to recovery the head and point before that last bowl).
But also, I would like to look toward the split personality of a Lawn Bowl Lead. Do you think "If I miss my shot, what is best defensive or offensive" before going to the mat. Confidence is not doubting you are going to do the shot.
In the Lawn Bowls game of "Four" we have first the question wheather the first two bowls "Lead" are more or less important than the last two "Second" bowls. So before the team is builded we must think of the opponent and if defensive or offensive is our game plan. Do you put a better player as "Second" or as "First"? Do you draw to the jack, and take charge; or do you prevent the opponent from taking charge? Maybe, the perfect front end of a Four team is two individuals who each talk and question their bowls in these two view of strategy.
Don't tell me, Lead and Seconds are not expected to think. When I tell my lead, "Place the mat so that my Bowls' receiving area is the best I can have ": I expect them to think as they place the mat onto the green. Look ahead of it, debits or weak grass areas are not there. I expect that they will know how I delivery off the center of the mat, along the centerline, toward my line of delivery. I hope that they will maybe even analysis how the opponent (lead, second and skip) does their delivery. Like finding a crossword puzzle word, they excite as they discover their part in the game.
And if there is something to be learned.. whom do you tell it too. Of course, the lead and second are busy sharing and improving their knowledge of the game and their responsibility and contribution to the winning point.
A Four team is made of 4 different individuals and the Lead "END" of the Four and the Skip "END' (mate and skip) must be working together, not just throwing two bowls and waiting 20 minutes before throwing the next two. This is the raison that I give to the Game of Fours in Lawn Bowls. Learning with the help of your twin (partner) how to be a better lead, mate or skip.
 |
| Bowls in the head and a Jack |
Sometimes, A question is not intended to have an answer, but the contents is more intended to induce thought. "Which came first, the chicken, or the egg?" Or "What is the sound of one hand Clapping?".
In Lawn Bowls the discussion and question of "What is the raison for playing Fours?" is such a thought. If one perfect Lawn Bowler could exist and play the perfect game; why would you want to divide it into two parts. A "Pairs" team works to develop a Lead which can build a foundation of a Game which with strategy and "Skip leadership" will lead to an advancement of point or points against an opponent.
"What is the sound of one hand Clapping ?" to those who know of Zen also know that this question is a question which has an answer. " The same as two hand clapping" The logic is as simple in Zen as the question of "If a tree falls in a forest and no-one is there to hear it, does it make a noise ?" So to the Lawn bowls' question of "Why do we play fours ?" "So we don't use game play to practice."
What would be the advantage to divide these four "Lead" Bowls between two players, a "Lead" and a "Second" and create a "Lead component" of the Bowls Game of "Fours" I believe, in my own view, that we as individuals are to busy in the games of "Pairs" to take time to understand and analysis our role as "Lead" in developing the Head for our "Skip" (I inject here, YES, the skip is the boss, but we are not thoughtless robots rolling bowls to some position on the green, like chess pieces moved about.) I like the skip instruction of "Your choice" on wheather forehand or backhand delivery.
Yes, in a Pairs Game, we bowl up the green and before you have time to think; the opponent has delivered their bowl and you are again into the routine of rolling that perfect delivery toward the head. Seldom do we even find the time to "Prepare our bowl before stepping onto the mat". Although we all know from practice and coaching that we do prepare ourself before the act of delivery.
 |
| A four team from You tube |
When we began the action of delivery, it is a routine of perfection giving us the result we expect. We all know, and probably agree; that after the bowl stops rolling, we confort ourself that the next bowl is always be better than the last. With the Game of Fours we don't have this confort,
But, as a lawn bowler, do we need 3 bowls of practice before we delivery that fourth and hopefully, the best of the four bowls. Would golf be a foolish sport if we suggested that they try three balls before the last striked ball.
As a lead, I hate watching my skip trying a complex shot like a jack roll or tape-back and miss it and then try again. and again. Or have you often say to your skip about the opponent skip; "He missed it twice, but be sure he will try again and the third bowl will be successful. What does this say about us? Are we performing at a peak performance level ?
Now if Bowls is a game of strategy, then lets look at a game of strategy like chess. Do we play defensive or offensive when we play a chess piece. Sort of both... Attack and be defensive about too quick a decision. Maybe this is why two individuals are each given two bowls so that we learn to be defensive and offensive in our Bowl delivery. Yes, we give the skip the best of what he wants. But when we stand preparing our bowl before delivery, are we defensive or offensive. When the skip leaves the head to come to the mat, he is thinking defensive (if you give a strongly developed head) or Offensive (if it is necessary to recovery the head and point before that last bowl).
But also, I would like to look toward the split personality of a Lawn Bowl Lead. Do you think "If I miss my shot, what is best defensive or offensive" before going to the mat. Confidence is not doubting you are going to do the shot.
In the Lawn Bowls game of "Four" we have first the question wheather the first two bowls "Lead" are more or less important than the last two "Second" bowls. So before the team is builded we must think of the opponent and if defensive or offensive is our game plan. Do you put a better player as "Second" or as "First"? Do you draw to the jack, and take charge; or do you prevent the opponent from taking charge? Maybe, the perfect front end of a Four team is two individuals who each talk and question their bowls in these two view of strategy.
Don't tell me, Lead and Seconds are not expected to think. When I tell my lead, "Place the mat so that my Bowls' receiving area is the best I can have ": I expect them to think as they place the mat onto the green. Look ahead of it, debits or weak grass areas are not there. I expect that they will know how I delivery off the center of the mat, along the centerline, toward my line of delivery. I hope that they will maybe even analysis how the opponent (lead, second and skip) does their delivery. Like finding a crossword puzzle word, they excite as they discover their part in the game.
And if there is something to be learned.. whom do you tell it too. Of course, the lead and second are busy sharing and improving their knowledge of the game and their responsibility and contribution to the winning point.
A Four team is made of 4 different individuals and the Lead "END" of the Four and the Skip "END' (mate and skip) must be working together, not just throwing two bowls and waiting 20 minutes before throwing the next two. This is the raison that I give to the Game of Fours in Lawn Bowls. Learning with the help of your twin (partner) how to be a better lead, mate or skip.
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