My third indoor bowls match this evening, and at least I'm getting some shots on target. Even flagged up a single score during the match against The White Hart of Warboys, the top team. In fact we were holding our own a few ends into the match before we annoyed them by scoring two in one end. Wasn't much of a competition after that, the end result being 17-3 to them after 16 ends.
I commented to one of our team, the White Hart players yet again delivering their bowls within inches of the jack, how boring it must be to be that good. And that's the problem with indoor bowls... it's just too clinical.
For outdoor bowls each shot has to take into account four main factors... line (i.e. aim), length (i.e. strength of shot), lie of the green (i.e. reading the bumps and hollows) and conditions (i.e. how has last night's rain affected the green). Whilst the first two are constants and are individual to your own set of bowls, the last two vary with each end and sometimes with each shot.
To some extent lie and conditions operate as a levelling medium. A good player will certainly read the green better and be more consistent. But there's always the odd shot you play which, in spite of initially looking like it's a no hoper, suddenly gains the help of a dip and ends up making you look brilliant. A lot of my game depends on that. The element of the unexpected is completely absent for indoor bowls. Every shot is just line and length. There's no good fortune involved.
There's also a mind battle going on. I now know my bowls are so heavily weighted I have to aim into the far half of the adjoining rink. But my subconscious says that's just silly and all too many bowls are delivered narrow. In spite of having a bit more of a clue, I'm not sure I'm all that keen on the indoor game.
Here's the league positions at 10 November, with both St Ives teams struggling. Our team (St Ives 1) are playing St Ives 2 next Wednesday. Should be fun!
I commented to one of our team, the White Hart players yet again delivering their bowls within inches of the jack, how boring it must be to be that good. And that's the problem with indoor bowls... it's just too clinical.
For outdoor bowls each shot has to take into account four main factors... line (i.e. aim), length (i.e. strength of shot), lie of the green (i.e. reading the bumps and hollows) and conditions (i.e. how has last night's rain affected the green). Whilst the first two are constants and are individual to your own set of bowls, the last two vary with each end and sometimes with each shot.
To some extent lie and conditions operate as a levelling medium. A good player will certainly read the green better and be more consistent. But there's always the odd shot you play which, in spite of initially looking like it's a no hoper, suddenly gains the help of a dip and ends up making you look brilliant. A lot of my game depends on that. The element of the unexpected is completely absent for indoor bowls. Every shot is just line and length. There's no good fortune involved.
There's also a mind battle going on. I now know my bowls are so heavily weighted I have to aim into the far half of the adjoining rink. But my subconscious says that's just silly and all too many bowls are delivered narrow. In spite of having a bit more of a clue, I'm not sure I'm all that keen on the indoor game.
Here's the league positions at 10 November, with both St Ives teams struggling. Our team (St Ives 1) are playing St Ives 2 next Wednesday. Should be fun!
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