ArmChair Bowls Critics

After Seven years and over 110 blogs on Lawn Bowls and various Aspects of our Sport;

"Using the Head" Blog Stats Aug 25th

I believe that the stats of the blog's Readership, ( nearly 32,000) indicate that this blog has a following of want to learn Lawn Bowlers.

What is best in reader's stat is what can be implied. On the 25th Stats the number of readers was less but several readers read several Blogs.  The list of recently read Blogs show rhat 4 individuals read "Walking the Mat" and aspects of that topic and whether Bowls is an "Open or Closed Sport"

Photo (right) from website www.startat60.com and reminds me that the rights of armchair critics has been fought and won by great critics of the past.  (joke) As I was here writing this blog I have missed the broadcast of the Canadian Championship. But because I went to twitter and saw that my neighbouting province has advance to Bronze and playing in minutes I am rewarded for the blog.  (which I announce on twitter)

This sort of blog readership suggest a demand which as always I try to bring forward and maybe today 4 years after the "Walking the Mat" blog, I should address. (Ex: I modified (updated) the blog Feb 2015 :Walking the Mat " to include the recent Mat movement Blog of this month which showed that we all can have bad habits. Of course I added a note to the blog which correctly suggest that "Walking the Mat" is and advance bowlers trick"

Update Aug/2018 - A recent 2018 blog on the fault of experience bowlers being overly dependant on a Delivery Line Reference  during their delivery instead of seeing in the "Mind's eye" where their bowl will go needs me to make clear how this trick helps experience lawn bowlers with their delivery line  If you bowled to roll the jack and passed within inches and you know your properly delivery line; maybe the missing of the jack was because of a small hill or valley which changed the bowl line.  If you do another instinctive delivery the bowl will pass the same place as the previous one.  By walking the mat, (opposite side of missed jack) and double the missed jack distance you will hit the jack this time because the change in your bowl's roll has been adjusted.  (Why double ?? Because your skip will tell you the distance from the bowl to the edge of the jack.  You want to hit the jack in the center to add a few inches in your stepping the mat)

The photo from that Blog of Andrew Thompson of England taken as a Screen capture

from the 2015 Potter indoors Single Final show much which an Armchair critic can see and learn.  I choose the photo because Andrew is placed on the far back corner of the mat.  But remembering that these indoor bowls players have ideal conditions and draw within inches of the jack on their first delivery; there are style points to be learn.  The two hands on the bowl which is on the mat has several reasons.

  First, He does not look up at the jack once he has moved into his delivery stance.  This means his bowl delivery line is in his "mind's Eye and he know from his stance what his delivery line will be.  (A bowler using a point of reference must always be checking his line) We teach.. Step into your line of delivery and do a smooth delivery, which means looking where your line of delivery would be. Also notice the bowl on the mat  Pre-Delivery Routine.

Aron  Sherriff (Aus)

From an earlier blog on "Pre-Mat Routine", We find this same style with Aron Sherriff and a lot of younger bowlers from Australia and New Zealand.  Why.? Hold your bowl arm out in front and it may be found to be anywhere from shoulder to middle body placement.

We should all be on the web looking at the instructive videos from Australia. Some are very good and if you think what is being taught as to what you hear; much can be learned.

Why mention this in Arm Chair Critic type of blog ?  Well, when I look at the blog stats and answer some of the comments which readers pose or correct me;  I am happy to have contributed.  Most of the 188 twitter followers who read this blog are great bowlers. I follow almost 1000 lawn bowl clubs or players and try to re tweet interesting information as it arrives. (handle @Springhiler)  One day soon, I am now 73, I will be called to play my bowls game in Heaven and while there will be happy to look down at some great bowlers who took time to read my blog and applied it.  

It may seem a small thing to watch and comment how a player"s style is  with the second arm being used as a Guide of " Bowl Arm Placement" but maybe now  you have a consistent starting point for your Delivery . This older style of preparation of the bowl is also seen by the style of Robbie Dobbins but a bit longer arm extension.  Starting with your bowl arm in the same position always.

Also on a indoor bowls surface a bounce of your bowl, even only a few inches will remove a lot of the weight so the on the mat pre-delivery style is common and even used here in Canada during outdoor bowls. 

When watching a bowls game there is much you can see and then ask the question why./