Sticks for setting Jacks

[George Garner]

Rumours are circulating that sticks used to set the minimum distance of the jack from the ditch are to be banned on Health & Safety grounds.
Has anyone reliable evidence of this or is it just an old-bowlers tale?

[Oldie]

Rumours are circulating that sticks used to set the minimum distance of the jack from the ditch are to be banned on Health & Safety grounds.
Has anyone reliable evidence of this or is it just an old-bowlers tale?

Hi George,

No rumours at the moment, we did have a gent fall over a score board, so maybe they will ban them as well.

Now come to think of it have seen bowlers stand back and fall over 'woods' so ban them as well!!!:o

[foxyone2]

Rumours are circulating that sticks used to set the minimum distance of the jack from the ditch are to be banned on Health & Safety grounds.
Has anyone reliable evidence of this or is it just an old-bowlers tale?
What is wrong with a chalk line across the green at each end. Chalk the string, stretch it tight and ping it down. Or am I misreading the problem?.

[John]

What is wrong with a chalk line across the green at each end. Chalk the string, stretch it tight and ping it down. Or am I misreading the problem?.

Hi foxy one,

Now you are encouraging the geeks in White Coats, nearly impossible to run a business these days without being told you can do this not that, from generally little men in White coats who have NO idea!,
Do agree the scorebord will be next then the bowls etc etc

The string with chalk on is a good idea, but in the U.K. We have rain and lots of it onto very green grass, just wouldn't stick on lots of days!:cool:

[foxyone2]

Hi foxy one,

Now you are encouraging the geeks in White Coats, nearly impossible to run a business these days without being told you can do this not that, from generally little men in White coats who have NO idea!,
Do agree the scorebord will be next then the bowls etc etc

The string with chalk on is a good idea, but in the U.K. We have rain and lots of it onto very green grass, just wouldn't stick on lots of days!:cool:

Believe it or not we do get rain over here. We use a coloured chalk compound which is normally used for marking sheep and is reasonably weatherproof and lasts a few weeks. We also mark a succession of rink centre lines in the opposite direction (saves a lot of time with the mat placement).
If any club over there is interested I'll check with some of my greenkeeping mates and get them some details. I'm pretty sure they would use something similar in your part of the world (unless you live in the middle of London!).
Just out of interest average annual rainfall figures:-
London...23.6"
Manchester...31.76"
Adelaide...21"
Melbourne...25"
Sydney...47"
Brisbane...48"
Perth...30"

[John]

Hi foxyone2,

My reply was more Tongue in cheek against 'Health and Safety' gone mad!!

Has reminded me that in the men's evening leagues the tea at 10 ends has to be served in the club house as health and safety has ruled that it is dangerous to carry our deep trays out to the greens. This does mean tea takes 20mins so now we are finishing the game in the dark!

If the sticks are dangerous so is everything else we do!

Take your point about the chalk, we cut our grass at least 3 times a week, think the chalk idea doing it so often would be a night mare, think I'll take up rugby it looks safer:wink:

[Batman Jazz]

Rumours are circulating that sticks used to set the minimum distance of the jack from the ditch are to be banned on Health & Safety grounds.
Has anyone reliable evidence of this or is it just an old-bowlers tale?

I think it's just an old April Fool joke that is perpetuated by the gullible or the mischievous.

Mind you, I've heard that ditches are to be banned due to health and safety concerns. :rolleyes:

[kiwi bowler]

At my club we always mark the green up before a competition and it doesn't take long to do.

Also touch wood nobody's fallen over setting up the green.

The only times I have seen bowlers fall over is by tripping on bowls or when it's wet.

So maybe we could get Health and Safety to ban rain?:grin::grin:

[edinburghump]

Rumours are circulating that sticks used to set the minimum distance of the jack from the ditch are to be banned on Health & Safety grounds.
Has anyone reliable evidence of this or is it just an old-bowlers tale?

Nothing on the horizon as far as I know and it will be another 3 years before any major rule changes (after the next Commonwealth Games).

It is possible that your own club or association might be making the change of its own accord though.

Having said that the sticks are virtually surplus to requirements with the introduction of the 2m marks on the side bankings.

[Frankie]

Agree with you, sounds like a local issue rather than a National concern.

Can understand that folk could tripmon the sticks but then there are loads of things to trip on!

Not all clubs have the 2 meter mark these days.

[edinburghump]

Agree with you, sounds like a local issue rather than a National concern.

Can understand that folk could tripmon the sticks but then there are loads of things to trip on!

Not all clubs have the 2 meter mark these days.

They should have them as they are a requirement under the laws (note "should" is to be read as compulsory under the laws)-
5.12 White or brightly coloured pegs or discs should be fixed vertically against the face of the side banks or on top of the side banks in the direction of play to mark distances of 2 metres and 25 metres from the end ditches (see diagram B.4.1 in appendix B.4). Wherever possible, these should be the only pegs or discs visible on the side banks.

[Surfer]

Wouldn't be a bad idea to do away with these sticks a lot of chaps pace out the distance and don't bother to use then anyway,

Problem a lot of clubs have it the width of the walk way behind the rinks get a few stick bottles of water cloths etc and you have a safety hazard,

Did see one bowler go flying when he tripped over something left on the end of a rink.

[Wooden wheels]

Talking of Health & Safety, my club we have to start at the end furthest from the club house, as there is not enough room for all the rubbish bowlers have with them between it and the Green.
At the moment I am waiting for health & Safety to realise that bowls are very heavy and make us wear safety shoes.

[198 kHz]

At the moment I am waiting for health & Safety to realise that bowls are very heavy and make us wear safety shoes.

Many a true word and all that - don't give them ideas! :wink:

[Frankie]

They should have them as they are a requirement under the laws (note "should" is to be read as compulsory under the laws)-
5.12 White or brightly coloured pegs or discs should be fixed vertically against the face of the side banks or on top of the side banks in the direction of play to mark distances of 2 metres and 25 metres from the end ditches (see diagram B.4.1 in appendix B.4). Wherever possible, these should be the only pegs or discs visible on the side banks.

Thanks for that Edinburghump,

Can't wait to tell our green keeper as he's adamant they are not needed!!

As health and safety point, the worlds gone mad!!;)

[edinburghump]

Thanks for that Edinburghump,

Can't wait to tell our green keeper as he's adamant they are not needed!!

As health and safety point, the worlds gone mad!!;)

No problems. A lot of people don't realise it is actually compulsory.

Agree with the Health and Safety gone mad bit - it used to be that individuals had a responsibility for their own health and Safety but it appears that has gone by the wayside.

[Sam1]

We do have one Skip who is a safety hazard on his own no matter what he is playing in friendly or indoors he will launch his bowls up the green at a ridiculous speed it doesn't matter that he never manages to hit anything I say this with clenched teen he did hit one elderly lady on the shin which was very painful lucky she had only had a glancing blow the Captain of the day has had words on the subject but he is either too thick or complete stupid to take any notice, you can see his team getting well away for the head and stand on the concrete behind.

[Wooden wheels]

Sam whenever I fire, I warn the people at the head if they are standing close to it. Which is I think is the right to do it, as its not always clear someone is going to fire.

[foxyone2]

We do have one Skip who is a safety hazard on his own no matter what he is playing in friendly or indoors he will launch his bowls up the green at a ridiculous speed it doesn't matter that he never manages to hit anything I say this with clenched teen he did hit one elderly lady on the shin which was very painful lucky she had only had a glancing blow the Captain of the day has had words on the subject but he is either too thick or complete stupid to take any notice, you can see his team getting well away for the head and stand on the concrete behind.
From what Sam has written she could be concerned for people on adjacent rinks!.

[Devon Bowler]

We do have one Skip who is a safety hazard on his own no matter what he is playing in friendly or indoors he will launch his bowls up the green at a ridiculous speed it doesn't matter that he never manages to hit anything I say this with clenched teen he did hit one elderly lady on the shin which was very painful lucky she had only had a glancing blow the Captain of the day has had words on the subject but he is either too thick or complete stupid to take any notice, you can see his team getting well away for the head and stand on the concrete behind.

Have seen a few Idiots in my time but Bowlers who fire bowls at speed up the green regardless of who or what they hit should be given a strong warning and if they ignore this then banned for a few games,
There are times when a Skip needs to put up a heavy bowl but this should only be done when its a league game or competition,
Friendlies are a different matter no Skip can be that desperate to win.