New Season begins For Castle Green Bowlers

Published on: 17 May, 2014
Updated on: 17 May, 2014

By Colin Summehayes

The bowling season has begun again, and once again rain stopped play, but fortunately only twice so far.

Our main problem on the Castle Green club’s green has been digging by foxes. Thanks to the efforts of new club captain Jill Bird and new club president Shirley West, who took the trouble to place nets on the green most evenings for a couple of weeks, followed by the efforts of the Guildford Borough Council through pest control, the problem seems to have died away. Lovely animals, foxes, but not when they are digging holes in a bowling green!

The men’s Tuesday Triples League got off to a good start with Castle Green beating Ewhurst by 35 to 29 in a home game on May 6. Rob Williams led the team on rink 4 with Rob Helliwell and Jim Horwood, with a loss by just two points, while Brian West led the team on rink 3, with Colin Summerhayes and Nick Hinde, with a win by eight points.

Their next game (away on May 13) was a tight one which CGBC lost by four points, with 26 points to Albury’s 30. The same two CGBC teams played, with Rob William’s team down by 3 points, and Brian West’s team down by one.

The first CGBC ladies friendly match of the season, on Tuesday, May 6, saw CGBC, at home, playing two triples teams against the ladies from West Byfleet. At the end of a very close match, CGBC lost overall by just two shots 32-34.

The club’s first mixed friendly game was away against Pippbrook, in Dorking, on May 3, which CGBC lost by 38 to 60. Pippbrook were in good form! CGBC’s three teams included Derek Redgwell’s group with Mary Redgwell and Dorothy Newman, Jill Bird’s group with Hazel Tappenden and Julie Hinde, and Colin Summerhayes’s group with Nick Hinde and Dennis Hirst-Marsden. Fortunately the weather held despite a few ominous looking clouds.

The following day, May 4, the club lost narrowly to a visiting team from Oatlands Park, by 55-57. The CGBC teams were led by Shirley West, with Nick Hinde, Ann Lewis and Tim Sampson; by Jill Bird, with Diana Summerhayes, Ann Bailey and Hilary Vogel, and by Colin Summerhayes with Brian West, Colin Downham and Dennis Hirst-Marsden.

On Wednesday, May 7, CGBC managed a narrow win over the Wonersh club in a home mixed friendly game, with a score of 63-62. They don’t come any narrower than that! And the following week, on May 14, CGBC lost by a similar margin to Holloway Hill, at home, the scores being 62-64. Another close run thing.

Individual competitions within the club began at the beginning of May and will continue through to finals day on August 24.

Newcomers are welcome to come and have a try-out, either on Mondays or Thursdays at 6 pm. Coaching is free, and membership for the first year is half price.