IT has been a slow start to the Bowling Season in Crediton as due to the weather some of the events have been cancelled to protect the green for the coming months.

On Tuesday mornings and Thursday afternoons the lady members are getting together to have some friendly rivalry and plans are in place for the men to be doing similarly on Wednesday afternoons.

The Den Ford Triples took place on a cold and blustery Bank Holiday Monday in early May and due to social distancing was spread over a morning and afternoon session.

The format was that eight ends were played and then another eight ends against a different opposition. The combined score then decided the winners which on this occasion produced a tie.

Trevor Newbery filled in for an absentee in the morning and scored 15 points with Terry Chamberlain and Christine Marshall completing the Triple.

In the afternoon he was joined by Mary Abbott and Maggie Chaplin who also scored 15 points.

There was a "booby" prize for the event but I think it very unfair to name names suffice to say that the Triple included the Ladies Captain and her husband!

Many of the County competitions have started and there will be an update on some of the early rounds in a future copy.

HAVE-A-GO

Bowls England is looking to encourage lots of new members to join their local bowling clubs and there will be a special weekend of activities being held at Newcombes during the May Bank Holiday weekend.

On both the Saturday and Sunday there is a morning session from 10.30am to 12.30pm and an afternoon session from 2pm to 4pm.

Members will be on-hand to welcome you all to the Club and while enjoying a cuppa you can watch some playing a match and ask any questions.

There will also be an opportunity for you to go on to the green and try your hand as you try to avoid a cone or maybe aim for the highest score. We look forward to welcoming a lot of you along to one of the sessions.

As the evenings draw out you will see many members playing at the Club on a Friday evening.  This is an opportunity for everyone within the Club no matter how experienced to come together, have a friendly roll up, and from this week be able to enjoy the hospitality provided inside the Clubhouse by the bar.

These Friday evening sessions are the "Umbrella" sessions and are expertly organised by Richard Gunn.

On arrival at the club you don’t know who you’ll be playing with or against and whether you’ll be bowling with two, three or four woods so the excitement mounts before each draw which takes place at about 6.25pm.

There follows a match of 18 ends, if the light allows, and at the end of each session your score is recorded by Richard and displayed for all to see.

Come the end of the season everyone’s best seven scores are added together and the winner gets their hands on a superb umbrella, an often essential piece of kit when bowling.

For those of you who do join for the first time, these evenings are an ideal opportunity to develop your skills as so many members of the Club are keen to give useful advice.

So whether watching or looking to give-it-a-go, Crediton Bowling Club looks forward to seeing a lot of you during the season.

Mike Canning