New Bowlers and Equipment

[E T]

Don't always read the front page of 'Worldbowler' silly me, did so this morning and noticed an excellent article about Bowls for mew players.

I think what attracted me to it is that in our club we see many new bowlers buy their woods before putting one up the 'Green'. I know this is obvious but helps when it is in print, you know what old bowlers are like when giving a small bit of advice 'They just don't shut up'!!!!

Article Below & on front page

E T8-)

Should you Buy your Own Bowls?

November 23, 2008 by lawn bowls (http://www.worldbowler.com/author/lawn-bowls/)

http://www.worldbowler.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/setbowls.jpg Image from http://img2.timeinc.net/instyle

When people take up a new hobby, one of the first things they consider is how much it is going to cost them, initially and in the future. The same is true for lawn bowling and while you won’t need much more than flat-bottomed shoes to start, the time will come when you will consider buying your own bowls and there are a few things to consider first.
When you first begin the sport, use the club’s bowls so that you will be able to try out different sizes and weights. This will allow you to determine which you feel the most comfortable with so that if the time ever does come for you to purchase your own, you will know what you like the best. Using the club’s bowls will also allow you to decide if you like the hobby enough to continue doing so on a regular basis. If this ends up being the case, and especially if you join a league, you will want to purchase your own bowls.
You can buy a new set of bowls for approximately £120 - £180, depending on the manufacturer, the color, and any specific emblem you would like placed on them. This may seem like an investment but consider that one set, which contains 4 bowls, will last you over a decade and it well seems worth it. However, because they are so durable and long-lasting, purchasing a used set is also a perfectly reasonable thing to do, especially for your first set. A used set of bowls will cost you approximately £20 - £50. In the end, how much you play and how much you love the game will really determine whether or not you should purchase your own set of bowls!

[John]

Hi E, T.

Great point E T, surprising how many clubs have equipment for new bowlers often disarranged in several cupboards specifically to attract new Bowlers!!

As numbers dwindle in some clubs greater use will have to be made of this gear.

Well spotted E T

John:p

[mary]

Wish I had read an article like this when I first started Bowling, ended up buying a totally useless set of Bowls form another bowler in the club
She must have been so glad to sell them, what I should have done was borrow some until I knew what size I needed
Never rush into buying bowls when you first start take your time and borrow an many types and makes of woods as you can
Lot of money to lay out if you are not sure

[Crabie]

I'm on my fifth set of Woods keep thinking I will Bowl better with some of the new Woods that have been brought out
Beginning to realize its me still not getting any better going to stop wasting money and practice more:roll:
Should have borrowed a few sets from the club and tried them before buying

[keith]

Hi Bowler's

Just been on an indoor Bowling Tour, the Tour was great the Social & Entertainment all 1st class.

But Bowling, or should I say the 'Bowls', why is it when you are playing against a good bowler their woods seem to perform far better than your own.
Skipping in one of the friendlies my fellow skip played with a size 4 Drakes Pride Heavy in Red, cold he make the Bowls 'Talk'.
I was that impressed, so last week just took delivery of my shinny new set of Drake Pride Size 4 in RED heavy.
Having played with the woods for 2 weeks have come to the conclusion that I am no better with the new woods than I was with my own!!!!

I think the point is, it ain't the woods It's ME.
Hopefully will cheer up soon.:roll:

[Lardy]

Ive tried changing my wood a number of times other Bowlers play so much better with these latest woods
But when I try a set my game is worse than ever
Have given up trying to find the perfect wood have decided I am going to enjoy my games and stop wasting money LARDY:rolleyes:

[wrong bias]

well im thinking of getting a new set for the start of the outdoor season taylor ace size three heavy,blue speckle,plain no grip, if i cant use these they are heading for the river again,also need new clothes as i tossed out my bowls clothes when moving house,silly eh,things you do when your stressed:rolleyes:

[Sam]

Hi Wrong Bias, good to see your thinking of Bowling again I keep thinking I will give up but come the beginning of the Season I cant wait to get outside onto the green
Bit of a minefield buying woods but you have had a bit of experience wasted a few pounds myself buying wood I couldn't get on with and when you try to resell them you have got to take a big drop in price
I would miss belonging to a Club always someone around to have a chat with, let us know when you decide what wood to get, you've got a good few months yet until you need to decide:rolleyes:

[wrong bias]

evening sam:)i just told you what i was getting,, taylors,,im a mug i know but if i dont get them i will probably give bowling up:(was at the club on friday night and had a humdinger of a hangover on saturday morning,good night though:)agree with you about the club,its good to get amongst friends

[Sam]

Good to see you getting out and about again, but not the hangover still the best night are the ones that are not planned

Did have a old set of Taylors when I first started to bowl, am not sure what the new Taylors bowl like are they straight or with a swing, could

look it up on goggle thats what I usually do when I want to find something out

Great to see you enjoying yourself :D:D

[wrong bias]

give the taylor website a google sam,taylor are quite good,they are bringing out a white bowl in march,,,not for me though,as i said taylor ace for me a mid biased bowl no grip and im also coming down a size so should see my delivery problem cured

[Sam]

:roll:Will have a look later when I get a bit of time, think your doing the right thing Coming down a size makes all the difference to delivery used to try and bowl with a wood that was too large for me couldn't hold it in the wet, my games much better now :roll: I think

[Surfer]

Hi Wrong Bias

Had a look at the Taylor Ace nice looking bowl looks good for both outdoor and on a green

Sound like a lot of Players have this one and the price at £134. is about right but still expensive, have you had a roll up with a set yet to see

how they run, Let us know how you are getting on, easy this time of year to feel like giving the game up, Surfer:cool:

[wrong bias]

Hi Wrong Bias

Had a look at the Taylor Ace nice looking bowl looks good for both outdoor and on a green

Sound like a lot of Players have this one and the price at £134. is about right but still expensive, have you had a roll up with a set yet to see

how they run, Let us know how you are getting on, easy this time of year to feel like giving the game up, Surfer:cool:its a very popular bowl up here.the taylor factory is only about twenty miles from my house,
probly order a set in two weeks time, got to wait six weeks if mr gourlay has,nt got them in stock,still undecided whether to get the speckled blue or stick to black,as long as there is no grip on them thats the main thing
this to be honest is the time of year i feel like playing,its later in the season i lose interest,its all so intense there are members who spend more time at the club than in their own home,not me ,maybe thats why i lose interest, not enough bowling.maybe i need a change of club:(

[Sam]

Hi Wrong Bias

You might be able to get a good buy if the factory is that close, worth asking around, its great that you are looking forward to next season I struggle when the weather is this bad, but as soon as spring starts I feel like a racehorse cant wait to get outdoors
My friend has been hassling me to lend her my wood so she can try them out in doors, really difficult lent her some a few years back and had to keep on and on trying to get them back, don't want to repeat the experience:(

[E T]

Hi Wrong Bias,

Four years ago talking to a Bowler friend on the indoor circuit and he convinced me to move Club, I did, and have never looked back, it gave me a new lease of enthusiasm, something happened because I won most things in front of me.

I think the key things were my mate paved the way so I was fixed with a good rink for the league and he had me in teams for the County & Nationals.

On reflection if I never had that support maybe it might not have worked out so well and just as important there was about the same traveling.
I think what I am trying to say moving Club is not an easy option and there is too much of it these days mainly around selection.

Best of luck with the choice of woods,

E.T.:roll:

[peter]

Works for some people, know a lot of Bolwers who are on their third of forth Club
Met an old Chap who came back to his original Club he said to me after a while I realized it wasn't the Clubs that were the problem it was me
Never heard a truer word


:D:roll:

[Crabie]

Selection Selection seen it so many times if players dont get picked for the top team or games they leave Bit like kids they move clubs what

they dont realize is their problems move with them

They will run out of Clubs in the End:roll:

[Frankie]

Hi Bowlers,

Always makes me smile, we have a Bowler in out team he has had about 5 Clubs in the last 10 years.

We all call him Tiger (Tiger Woods),

He has had more Clubs than Tiger!!!!!!!

Keep on moving,

Frankie8-)

[Crabie]

sHi Bowlers,

Always makes me smile, we have a Bowler in out team he has had about 5 Clubs in the last 10 years.

We all call him Tiger (Tiger Woods),

He has had more Clubs than Tiger!!!!!!!

Keep on moving,

Frankie8-)


Hi Frankie Like that one very funny, got a few chaps who keep changing woods, sure they think they are going to bowl better by getting the latest make.
Lot are still in the D team not the woods that are no good

Crabbie:rolleyes:

[wrong bias]

well got a message from the shop to come and collect my new bowls,so drove up today and got them,cant wait to try them out

[Angel]

Hi Wrong Bias bet your excited nothing better than getting some new woods,
It might take a time to get used to them a lot of people give up after one bad game, lets hope you get on with them
Let me know how it goes wont be long before we are outdoors again Angel:D:roll:

[wrong bias]

Hi Wrong Bias bet your excited nothing better than getting some new woods,
It might take a time to get used to them a lot of people give up after one bad game, lets hope you get on with them
Let me know how it goes wont be long before we are outdoors again Angel:D:roll:will do,once the season starts:)

[wrong bias]

taylor ace,my new bowls

[John]

Hi Wrong Bias,

Like the woods, hope you are pleased once they are on the green.

Last year had 3 sets in the end realized it was me now back to classic2, play indoor & out with same woods, just find end rinks a bit more of a challenge on full lengths.

Best of luck with them,

John:o

[wrong bias]

Hi Wrong Bias,

Like the woods, hope you are pleased once they are on the green.

Last year had 3 sets in the end realized it was me now back to classic2, play indoor & out with same woods, just find end rinks a bit more of a challenge on full lengths.

Best of luck with them,

John:o
thanks john,i,ll need it

[Sam]

taylor ace,my new bowls

Hi Wrong Bias like the look of your New Woods, they look dark blue hard to tell, got a couple of months before the greens open are you going to have a sneaky try indoors or wait, its so different on carpet than playing on grass
Good Luck with them expect to hear great things from you in the Summer Season Sam:D:D

[wrong bias]

Hi Wrong Bias like the look of your New Woods, they look dark blue hard to tell, got a couple of months before the greens open are you going to have a sneaky try indoors or wait, its so different on carpet than playing on grass
Good Luck with them expect to hear great things from you in the Summer Season Sam:D:Dgoing to use my tiger 2,this saturday ,but would like to try my new ones as well,so im undecided which ones to take:confused:

[Surfer]

Morning Mate, see the temptation to take two sets to parctise with, thought you were going to sell the Tigers Twos, Have heard such bad reports from people who have tried playing with Tigers, might be a good idea to try your new ones, I have hung onto wood because I am stubborn and keep thinking I will get the hang of these soon got three sets in the garage end up lending then out, going to try and sell them now Surfer:cool:

[wrong bias]

Morning Mate, see the temptation to take two sets to parctise with, thought you were going to sell the Tigers Twos, Have heard such bad reports from people who have tried playing with Tigers, might be a good idea to try your new ones, I have hung onto wood because I am stubborn and keep thinking I will get the hang of these soon got three sets in the garage end up lending then out, going to try and sell them now Surfer:cool:hi surfer,these tigers are good indoor.thats the problem,not playing indoor at all,this saturday is just a club fun day,so maybe will just take my new ones and see how it goes

[Angel]

hi surfer,these tigers are good indoor.thats the problem,not playing indoor at all,this Saturday is just a club fun day,so maybe will just take my new ones and see how it goes

Hi Wrong Bias good luck with the woods, have been sorting out my bags for next year, made the mistake of leaving my best Bowls bag in the garage, and its gone all moldy cant seem to get it out must have got damp, will have to invest in a new one,, Never learn:confused: Angel

[Blondie]

Hi Angel did exactly the same thing one year, have got three bags not sure what I want all of them for, small one for two woods one with

wheels another small one, got the same amount of gear, think the longer you bowl the more you accumulate, left complete set of wets in the

bag one winter never seen such a mess they had gone all marked tried everything to get it out, ended up buying another expensive set keep saying Ive learned my lesson ??????

Thats till next Winter:rolleyes::roll:

[kiwi bowler]

Hi wrong bias, the new bowls look good. Hope you bowl well with them for the coming season. Lots of bowlers here in NZ using them

[wrong bias]

Hi wrong bias, the new bowls look good. Hope you bowl well with them for the coming season. Lots of bowlers here in NZ using themcheers mate.will try them tomorrow:)

[wrong bias]

well pleased with new bowls,was in winning rink at our indoor competition:)

[Surfer]

Brilliant Wrong Bias bet you cant wait to try them on grass, going to be heavy It takes me ages keep forgetting to swing the arm, trying to get fit her indoors keeps nagging me Surfer:cool:

[Angel]

well pleased with new bowls,was in winning rink at our indoor competition:)

Hi Wrong Bias just wanted to say its great that you are keen to start Bowling next year, I am going through a patch of not wanting to Bowl in the Summer think the weather has something to do with it, get a bit fed up this time of the year, just want some Sun A very depressed Angel:(:(

[wrong bias]

Hi Wrong Bias just wanted to say its great that you are keen to start Bowling next year, I am going through a patch of not wanting to Bowl in the Summer think the weather has something to do with it, get a bit fed up this time of the year, just want some Sun A very depressed Angel:(:(my pc is getting fixed ,dont know when i.ll be back on.keep your chin up angel,i,m told we are in for a hot summer:)

[John]

Hi Wrong Bias,

Hope you are not off line for to long while the equipment is being fixed.

John

[Angel]

Hi thanks for that Wrong Bias its the weather getting me down its so cold, but as you say it wont be long before Summer, then I shall be so busy I wont have time for anything, Good luck with your Bowling and Computer
Angel:(:D http://www.julianhainesbowls.co.uk/forum/images/avatars/7963.gif

[Surfer]

Hi Angel well its official the sun is out and our weather is getting better, noticed you have been feeling a bit down, its been a long winter think its officially the coldest for a number of years
Everyone will start to feel better with some sun, I'm sure like me you cant wait to get outdoors am busy today sorting out the Bowling gear always something I cant find,
Surfer:cool:

[THE UMPIRE]

Have bowled outdoors twice in the last 2 weeks. Outdoor in sunshine, praise be for astroturf.:D

[Blondie]

Know its great, sunshine at last, did get a roll up I was pulling my hair out could not get the weight, and I know I have to take twice the green as on grass but my head wouldn't do it
Came home really dejected felt like throwing my Bowling gear in the dustbin
Am dreading opening day only hope my game has improved couldn't get a wood within three feet of the jack :(