TLH Men’s National Top Club Bowling Competition
Hi - Dru Close here - every time I venture onto, or near a bowling green this season I get wet, but it seems that the sun only shines on the righteous, because on the day of the TLH Leisure Resort sponsored Men’s National Top Club, the weather was superb.
Picture this, it’s Sunday 10th August at Beach House Park in Worthing and the 
semi finals of the Men’s National Top Club are underway with the last 4 clubs in the country battling to win this prestigious trophy. They are the finalists from an entry of 788 clubs. The sun is shining, there is a cool breeze blowing in from the sea, a church bell is ringing, the bowling promises to be brilliant and the company auspicious. It’s ideal, what could be better?
Backworth WelfareBC from Northumberland v the Essex boys from Romford BC
on one green with Aldershot Traction Athletic BC, Hampshire v Garston BC Hertfordshire next door.
You know, watching men play bowls is always an education, the enthusiasm of the players and the noise generated by the spectators is something to behold. There are some nail biting moments as the game progresses but the finalists are eventually decided. I’s going to be my Essex boys (‘cause I’m an Essex Girl) from Romford V Aldershot Traction Athletic from Hampshire, but before the finals start I am treated to the lunch of a lifetime.
As a representative from TLH Leisure Resort, the sponsors of this competition, I have been invited to have lunch with the England Executive. I join Cliff Waterman the England President, Tony Alcock the Chief Executive and other Officers of Bowls England, Geoff Day the IBA President and a gentleman who has inspired more people than you can shake a stick at, David Bryant. His bowling record is second to none and his after-lunch speech a joy to listen to. All lunches should be this pleasant.
2.00pm and the Final is underway. Romford lose the 2 wood singles but win the 4 wood singles. The Essex boys are down in the Pairs but its close in the Rinks and Triples. With 10 ends to go across the board things are starting to get tense. The Romford pair are staging a come back, taking some shots from Aldershot on consecutive ends, but its short lived and eventually they lose 20 11.
The Romford rink are well up with a 5 shot difference and it all going to hang on the triples. 17 ends and the triples are all square at 12 shots each. It’s the last end and it will be the deciding end of the match. The Romford lead nails the jack and and sits 2” short. The Hampshire lead makes a great reply but the jack looks secure. None of the other players shift the shot bowl or the jack as the head builds but it is a great end to watch. The Romford bowls stay on that jack as if glued to the spot. Remember it’s this end that will decide the game. Can you feel the tension?
The Aldershot skip, David Dunford, plays his first two bowls just narrowly missing the shot bowl but the bowl of the Championships is just about to be played. With the precision of a brain surgeon David plays his last bowl, the course is good, the pace is good and we hold our breath as the bowl approaches the head, the players are all yelling at the bowl (it won’t help the bowl but it does make you feel better) Yes you’ve guessed it, he draws round the shot bowl, gently lifts the jack and Romford go 2 down on the game.
Shouts of delight mix with groans of disappointment. The Romford 4’s who are winning don’t need to play their last bowls as Hampshire have won 3 disciplines to two which gives them the Trophy. Its mayhem on the green, much back slapping, jumping up and down, punching the air, and high 5’s.
Then the presentations, each competitor is presented with a National TLH Top Club lapel badge, newly struck by TLH Leisure Resort. There is also a beautiful cut glass trophy that each club takes home with them as a souvenir of the event and of course the National Trophy, which is big enough to hold several bottles of celebratory Champagne!
Its been a great day and I have rubbed shoulders with the rich and the famous. The weather held and there was a great crowd of spectators.
I now look forward to the National Women’s TLH Top Club which takes place on home ground in Torquay . That’s over the weekend of 13th and 14th September and promises to be a great tournament, real party atmosphere. I’ll be doing a bit of marking at that one, but that will be another story.
For anyone wanting to come along to watch some great competetitive bowling for the weekend, it’s not too late to book to stay for the weekend at T
Signing off
Dru Close
August 22nd, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Hello brother. I see that you’re famous now! This is your sister Verity - remember me. Veri for short. Excellent blogging if I may say so. Keep it up. Something I have trouble with these days. Well, I am older than you so its hardly surprising. Anyway, having a bowl at Newton Abbot tonight. Hope to see you soon. Lots of love Veri.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:50 pm
Been bowling this week - in the National Under 67 and Over 66 and a half National Any Fours sponsored by the National Truss.
Our lead was Rosie Glow. She is an enthusiastic player with an uncanny knack of playing important positional bowls. Her husband, Dai at two, did not start too well but he began to shine just as it got dark.
I played at three and never put a foot wrong whilst our skip Rhodda Clapp who always causes us endless amusement when she gets her ‘l’s and ‘m’s mixed up, played a superb tactical game.
She originally comes from China and is always determined to win. Yet we still thought it strange when she asked Rosie to call out the trainer after her Housemaids Knee gave her a few problems and we were even nore suprised when she herself took a time-out to celebrate the Chinese New Year.
But the ploy worked magnificently. Just as we started the last end, their lead turned 68 years old - based on the time of his birth - and we were able to claim the game on the grounds that the opposition had fielded an illegal player.
It was all good fun and now we’re off to the National final in Croydon. Who says us bowls-types lack a sense of humour?? Veri