2014 here I come!

Can't honestly say when I've looked forward to a new year quite as much as I do 2014. And the lust for bowls is one major reason.

Got six more indoor bowls matches to play before the outdoor season starts in April. Six more opportunities to sort out the annoying tendency to swing my arm across and bowl a narrow line. So I'm practising at least twice daily with the high tech aid.

Can't help setting myself some targets for 2014, all outdoor related of course. So here's the list...

• To win more games than I lose.


• To book a regular place in the club's men's triples B team.


• To win a club competition.


• In solo practise, to get half my bowls close to the jack.


• And of course the most important of all, to beat my brothers!

It's the last of these that's the most difficult. Having played for over fifteen years, my brothers are canny. More canny than I can ever hope to understand with less than a year's experience. So with loads of practise I just might improve enough to be as accurate as they are on the green... but as I well know to my cost last September when the standard was set, it takes more than just accuracy to beat them. First test will be in Spring. I've got an easy measure of whether they're feeling under pressure... if they suggest half way through a game popping into the clubhouse for a couple of nips. Watch this space!