Offensive or foul language

[kiwi bowler]

What the rule's at your club and what happens to anyone who uses offensive language.

In the Club House Rules at my club it says "offensive or foul language will not be tolerated".

Anyway for the first time in my 14 years of bowling, I had a fellow bowler have a Tantrum and call me names "wanker" and "arse hole".

This had happened after we had had a disagreement on the prior end, even though our marker had aggreed with me.

We were playing the semis of the mixed consistency singles and I did have a good lead on him, which also annoyed him as he had expected to beat me.

Our consistency single's is the first to 80 and point on each end are as follows: 4 for closes, 3 for next, then 2 and 1 for the fourth closes.

But anyway after the game which I won I talked to the marker and others and they said this wasn't the first time he's been like this.
But nobody has done anything about it, maybe as he's the Bar Manager and as I found out later the Vise-President also.

But I still don't think he should have called me those names, so I talked to the Club Captain, who said "if I still feel unhappy about it, to put it in writing" which I have.

Now I will just have to wait and see or hear what happens?

[E T]

Not the first to raise this & unfortunately probably not the last!!

This came up at my old Club in the U.K. and I was also advised to write to the committee as the swearing & unacceptable antics were worse in MIXED games!!

He was interviewed under the Club rule 'pasted' below;

' A Committee shall have the power to expel any member who shall offend against the Rules of the Club or whose conduct shall in the opinion of the Committee render him unfit for membership of the club. Before any such member is expelled the Honorary Secretary shall give him or her seven days written notice to attend a meeting of the committee and shall inform him or her of the nature of any complaints about the conduct of such member. No member shall be expelled without first having the opportunity of appearing before the committee and answering complaints made about the conduct of such member or unless at least two thirds of the committee present at such a meeting vote in favour of the expulsion of such member.'

He was interviewed by the committee under the above rule & was given a final warning!!

Has it worked NO funny he was also the unpaid Bar manager & expect the Bar's best customer. Recently due to health issues he has had to stop drinking and to be fair has improved his language substantially but have a feeling he will be swearing during a touring side visit or the like & that will be it!!
The down side Kiwi Bowler is that it has split the club a bit but deep down there is total support of the Committees action!

[keith]

Hi E T,

Our out door club had something similar and was put in writing to the committee, a final warning was given by the Committee.

Found in last years e-mails the rule that applied in our Club, quite like the rule which seems similar to yours and can cover these awful issues, see below;

POWERS TO SUSPEND

The Executive Committee shall have the power to suspend reprimand or expel any member who infringes any rule or bye-law or whose conduct shall in the opinion of the Executive Committee be prejudicial to the Club. Seven clear days notice shall be given by the Hon Secretary to the member to appear before the Executive Committee and such notice shall contain a statement of the complaint brought against the member.

[Angel]

Got every sympathy with you Kiwi Bowler its one thing having these rules its another thing getting a Committee to do anything about behavior like this, spoils the whole game when you get someone going off in a strop there is no excuse for language like that,
If this Chap holds any position in the Club I would be very surprised if anything is done, Good on you for putting a complaint in it will be interesting to see what the outcome is and what they do about it,

Bye for now Angel:roll:

[John]

Hi All,

Always a difficult issue but one thing certain if you don't confront it it DON'T (DON@T) go away!!!!

My club has a rule for this type of language is a quiet word from the Chairman, call it a final warning, if it happens again & a letter comes in
then the offender is invited to the Committee meeting then expelled from the Club. Often the only answer, & linked to drink or Bar association!!!

[kiwi bowler]

Yes, well I have written in as I was requested to do so, still not sure if I have done the right thing or not, but it's too late now.
I was told after by others that he is a bad loser and has lost his cool in other games in the past.
But no one has put a complaint in writing before because they don't want to make waves or as he's the vise-president and the Bar Manager?

[keith]

Well Done Kiwi Bowler, sure you have done the right thing, as soon as standards drop in sport we will be back on the streets where swearing and no respect for each other is common place!!!

Have seen rules of a few clubs in my time and swearing offensive behavior is not specific by comes under general rules.

It's for each club to enforce standards and Swearing is not acceptable especially in your circumstances when it's personal and aimed at an individual!!:mad:

[Devon Bowler]

We all have the odd moment when frustration with our game gets the better of us, but using foul language against a fellow Bowler is taking things to a personal level and is not to be tolerated,
When a Club gets a complaint like this it should be brought up at Committee, and seen to be dealt with.

[snapper]

We have at one Club down here in Cornwall someone lets say of the religious Cloth, who has written into the local paper about the bad and foul language that is used during the game of Bowls, I was trying to find a copy of this paper,
Its nothing like what happened to Kiwi Bowler where he was insulted on a personal level but some of the men can get carried away when they have a bad bowl and resulting in swear words being said, when this Particular Bowler is playing its surprising how people change their language,
Must say no Lady member has ever been let the side down with using bad language


Snapper from Cornwall

[mary]

Got to agree with you Snapper and I have never heard any of our Girls using bad language on the green, we have one Male Member who is prone to throwing his cap off the green in a violent manner when he is having a bad game nearly missing spectators nobody says anything but I think this is quite a dangerous thing to be doing,

[keith]

Hi Kiwi Bowler,

Any news yet??

Apparently we have had a similar problem at our club during the winter, the Club uses the Club house to play 'short mat' thats the little mat with a 2 foot bit of wood in the middle (not for me).

Any way our secretary was looking through the web and this thread came up. Our rules are fairly specific for the out door season on bad language he was checking because the club is sub let to another committee & not all club members!!

Unfortunately the swearing happens from 1 older man often during mixed seasons of the short mat. A quiet word from the organizer has no effect!!!

[kiwi bowler]

Hi Keith

No, I have not heard anything yet?

I will give them to the end of this week, which will be 3 weeks since my complaint, before deciding on my next line of action.

A few members have heard about it and asked me for more details and most say I have done the right thing.

[keith]

Thanks for the update, was beginning to wonder as not heard from you, can be a bit unsettling but sure looking back in a few months you will have done the right thing.

More importantly I think it it establishes standards as most clubs around our way are trying to recruit younger/youngsters into the club.

My indoor club is taken over on a Thursday afternoon 2pm - 4pm by the local secondary school.
Proving very successful as had a few youngsters join & more importantly 6 parents!!!

[kiwi bowler]

I rung the Club Captain tonight for an up date and he tells me he didn't get my letter until last Saturday:confused:.

Why the secretary delayed giving my complaint letter to him I don't know, but think it was so it wouldn't be brought up at last weeks monthly committee meeting?

But anyway he said he's now given a copy of my letter to the person I have complained about, so he can do a written reply.

[keith]

Thanks for the update Kiwi Bowler, guess a period of time & reflection helps so its based of fact.
At least I expect it will but an and to unacceptable behavior in your club!:)

[snapper]

Hi Kiwi Bowler
Sounds like delaying tactics to me I think they are hoping you will forget about the Incident and go away,
Seen things happen like this down my Club they play for time to see if you will follow your complaint up,

Snapper from a Wet Cornwall:rolleyes:

[Oldie]

Good to see this thread, standards are so important unfortunately you see problems in many sports where unacceptable behavior is now the norm, often the role models are driven by money and young people see it as acceptable behavior!!

At my club foul language will initially lead to a tempo ray suspension as a warning then expulsion after that. Our club is admired by the condition of the green , clubhouse and sportsmanship.!!!

[Oldie]

Good to see this thread, standards are so important unfortunately you see problems in many sports where unacceptable behavior is now the norm, often the role models are driven by money and young people see it as acceptable behavior!!

At my club foul language will initially lead to a tempo ray suspension as a warning then expulsion after that. Our club is admired by the condition of the green , clubhouse and sportsmanship.!!!

[kiwi bowler]

Well, another week and still no response? :mad:

[keith]

Hi Kiwi Bowler,

Does seem a drawn out process, sounds like your committee might be getting cold feet.
Can understand a period of reflection helps but this can only cause bad feeling on both sides.
Hope you get a SATISFACTORY outcome soon!!

[kiwi bowler]

Got a phone call this week from the Club Captain to say he has finally written in with his apologies for the "colourful language" he used.
A copy of his very brief letter has been sent to me, with a note from the Club Captain saying this will bring this unfortunate incident to a close....