Face up

Looking around the green this evening, I'm surprised just how many experienced bowlers seem to be making the same mistake as me about stance. 

Back at Hemingford Bowls Club, scene of last week's loss. This evening it's another Club knockout competition, the Dilley Cup. Three rinks, each team four players per rink with two bowls. Most rinks won is the winner. I'm playing second.

Realised my tendency to bowl too narrow is from standing facing the jack, rather than the line I'm about to play. With the correction as shown above, my line is bang on throughout the match other than two wayward bowls from lack of concentration and three narrow deliveries.

Wish the same could be said for length. No excuse. Playing on rink four, same as last week. In spite of drought conditions, the green is slow. Typically my first bowl short, second bang on. Even when I get up to the jack, an extra foot is needed.

At least I'm not alone. Fortunately our skip, current National Two Bowls Men's Singles Champion, is on typically magnificent form. No matter how difficult, both we and the opposition expect him to make the shot. And he does, time after time. Very close throughout until we drop five near the end. Lose on the other two rinks as well.

Think I'll have to start gauging my length to land beyond the jack on heavy greens.