Other Walking the Mat Usage 2/3

Watching a game of bowls is more than what is seen as the bowl stops in the head. I have seen bowlers adjust their placement on the mat to get the best result for their bowls. This "Walking the Mat" allowed  the skip (last bowls) to be able to change from 1 point (draw point) to 5 as his bowl drew the jack back to waiting bowls.

Line of Delivery References

We don`t all take a line for the delivery, but if you do use a line; I must ask how accurate can you modify that line.  Using a distance point off the green, you certainly can't adjust your bowl by a few centimeters as you change the line object.  If using a "On The Green" point (in front of you) as your delivery line, you may find more accuracy by a small change but not a few centimeters.

So in conclusion, if you use a point of reference for taking your line, it should be just that. "A Point of Reference".  And if your bowl depends upon your pre-bowl delivery reference then you are also guessing at where your bowl will arrive in the head. I say `Pre-Bowl Delivery" because many players use their line of reference as a Feedback "Post Bowl" reference.  After having released the bowl a Post Bowl Reference is when you look at that point of reference to judge how good a delivery was made.The walking the mat can also be used in indoor bowls as with the blog "Walking the Mat" of the 2015 indoor bowls.

In an earlier Blog, I suggested that you stand at the mat and do four fast "relaxed" deliveries to find your natural distance.  If you did such an exercise and did not wait to see where your bowl stopped before doing the next delivery you will probably find that all four bowls would have been together on the green.  Probably touching or within  a few centimeters or inches (in Canada) but maybe not at the jack.

The ability to make very fine adjustments to your line, or point of reference does not give you a close change in bowl position at the head.  But if you use the "Walking the Mat" as the very fine adjustment you want, while keeping the same point of reference; you will be amazed by what you can do.   In the photo right we see a rain soak green which shows the high sports. Imagine if you were bowling left to right the ridge these high make.

Following are some of the applications which a bowler may find the use of his "Walking the Mat" technique will help with difficulties other than just making that fine adjustment suggested above.

We all have found that difficult green where we have noticed that our bowl has continued to follow a straight line rather than take it bias as we expected it to do. Somewhere, half ways up the green, when the bowl  should have been starting it bias swing or “Arc” (the small curve after the straight line of delivery) we are surprised by the lack of swing on the bowl.

 Often referred to as "a small run" or raise in the green,  you saw your bowl as it cross over  to the opposite side of that rise and then  remain on the opposite side as it attempts to come back over the top of the "rise". In the photo above, the collection of bowls is probably such a raise as weight (draw) is lost as the bowl fights with the return over the rise.

 Until NOW, there was nothing you could do but try again with the next bowl and watch as again it seems straight off bias.

  

NOW, your knowledge of “Walking the Mat” will keep your bowl from passing over the top of the rise as you move on the mat and keep the bowl below the top of that rise. If you have the opportunity to replay the end with the mat at the same location a solution is to "Place the mat forward" to prevent this Straight run. (Why not place it back a bit ??)However,  maybe the mat was placed by  the opponent to get you and your teammates caught on the “Run of Green” difficulty 
Knowing and using the  “Walking the Mat”  will be a useful “tool” in the  Bowls trick or “toolbox  of knowledge" .  Note, also that such a rise and you not going over the top (running straight) also has an "increase Bias" as it runs down the side of that rise.

Secondly, your knowing this trick of position of your feet on the mat  will  also increase your confidence. You have a decision to make in your "Pre-delivery Routine" where going around a blocks or avoiding a bad green rise has resulted in  a good draw to the jack.

This trick has also improved my delivery and appreciation of a game. If I am watching  a quality game of Bowls, and  detect a  players on the mat; who  actually know and uses  a “Walking”.  

Thirdly, as discussed in blog "Being a Lead Player", with a good lead, who knows the delivery styles of their teammates we find the mat placed in such a position that all players on the team can lay their bowls to the green and find a clean "Receiving area". 

The photo (right) shows what could be expected if the mat was placed at 2 meters from the ditch in the left-to=right direction. All players have a different method of delivery and if you, as lead,  know that your team mate is placing their bowl on the green at the center line then you should be careful to place the mat at such a location as they have  the center line with a good “Bowl Receiving Area”; as a bowl which falls into a debit just as it is placed to the green will certainly not finish where it is expected.  

On the second side of  this problem is that maybe the mat was placed by the opponents and you have a bad "receiving area"  of green where you plan to place your bowl,  Now your   “Walking the mat” ability may be need to give you a  better “Receiving area” for your bowl, and  avoid a bad section of the green. 

If the problem is caused by your lead, rather than always being required to do a  “Walking the mat” as part of your delivery routine;  talk to your lead about the mat placement. A good team will teach their lead  this aspect of bowls and have them always check the area in front of the mat. 

So, next time out at the practice green, build your knowledge of how and when to use the "Walking the Mat" as a  tool of delivery. Do the following blog exercise to learn how the bowl changes it location in the head as you "walk the mat".

  Like any tool, household, carpenter or Bowls, if it is not always needed then don`t use it.  It is something you decide in your Pre-Delivery routine as a helpful tool for a problem..  Not a part of your regular Delivery Routine.  However, you may find that to develop the most of "walking the Mat" you will want to use a different "Normal Feet Placement" as part of your Delivery Routine.

Next blog.  A drill or skill development to help with “Walking the Mat” and avoiding “Bowl Blocks”.