I look after a cricket ground in Dublin, which also has a Bowling Green. The Bowls section are considering replacing the Natural Turf with Artifical. My question is a broad one.
Is bowling moving to Artificial as per Tennis and Hockey?
One argument is that with floodlighting it will extend play to a 12 month sport with evening usage throughout the year.
But does it downgrade your club?
As a bowler this would not be seen as a negative move but a positive one for the club, mainly for the reasons you have stated. Intial layout although big, would be very cheap in years to come due to the saving on maintenace, and groundsmans fees. Also time which is another major factor for bowls clubs with many older members and more and more clubs having to maintain there own pitches.
http://www.bowls-aust.com.au/index.php?id=30&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=1807&tx_ttnews[backPid]=1&cHash=94c7108ee4
check this poll out carried out by Bowls Australia.............seems that i would be in the minority
Hi Mark. Thanks for info on poll. Makes for interesting reading, but is it practical and affordable for small clubs to maintain a grass surface in the future with limitations on manpower/finance and no how? From what you say in your initial post artifical is becoming more acceptible.
Are there any clear preferences as regards type of artifical surface for bowls?
satchwell, you seem pretty keen to push on with the artificial. There are a few in our area and they are not particularly popular with the bowlers I have spoken to. Understand year round bowling but would older folk really come out on a damp November morning, when there are so many heated indoor greens? Also there must be some maintenance costs and don't forget the lights will need maintaining.
People have a habit of thinking artificial = maintenance free. It doesn't.
Artificials need maintaining, what sort of artificial surface would be used for bowls I've no idea. But at a minimum it is going to need brushing, weedkilling etc etc. I can't imagine that they would be sand filled - that would damage the bowls - but there would be some sort of infill which would need periodically topping up/maintaining.
You may make money through having a year round facility - but how many bowlers would come out in the cold damp rainy winter to use it. I doubt that the costs involved would give any payback over the next 5 to 10 years compared with the costs of maintaining a grass green.
Of course there's no bounce, bend your back and put some bloody effort in.
30 Sep 2009 by GaryA
One argument is that with floodlighting it will extend play to a 12 month sport with evening usage throughout the year.
That is the case with a few of the outdoor, crown greens within the Preston & District league anyway.
It is something I've been thinking about for a while as those greens that are used like this don't seem to be in as bad a nick as one may wish to see (to justify why we close our greens come the end of September, if lucky or more likely the middle or end of October to give renovations a chance to work).
Gary
Be Just and Fear Not
I left bowls for a while and just got back in. But must state nothing can replace grass as artificial will not have the draw required for the sport. Grass will stay.
hi all,
i maintained about 8 bowling greens for about 4 years and grass hockey pitches for 10 years, i also had a small period of maintaining some grass tennis courts.
I realised that providing a consistent green with good draw was impossible.
good bowlers who played indoor winter bowls felt that greens were slow and heavy in the early season and inconsistent for the best part of the season.
Grass hockey was of a poor quality, running with the ball passing and control were extremely difficult.
Plus it was not televised because the ball was dirty and cameras found it difficult to pick up.
now ? euro league , pro hockey
now hockey is played on arti.....different game, far superior.
Tennis on arti is not as good as grass but provides income for clubs all year round. drab .zzzzzzz
It will be a matter of time when bowls will go to arti, it will provide a far better game, for a longer season, more income.
Floodlights, TV , color clothing younger players.
Sadly the future for grass as a sporting surface for the small ball game is coming to a end, that will include cricket.
school cricket is played on arti
What i have also noticed is how USA college football is played on arti, they look fantastic striped lush etc.
The future for grass is not good, other than golf !!!
chris
Sorry Chris, can't agree at all.
3 Oct 2009 by GaryA
It will be a matter of time when bowls will go to arti, it will provide a far better game, for a longer season, more income.
Floodlights, TV , color clothing younger players.
Sadly the future for grass as a sporting surface for the small ball game is coming to a end, that will include cricket.
With respect - never mind small balls, my friend, you are talking big balls !
Be Just and Fear Not
Chris, School cricket is not played on artificial surfaces any more than it is played on artificials at club level.
Yes most will have artificials for practice but most of our fixtures are played on our grass pitches wherever possible.
hi,
i get asked many times by sports teachers at local authority schools and contractors who maintain the school grass areas, could i advice them on cricket pitch maintainance.
School budgets struggle to provide funding for school cricket pitch maintenance.
large grass ares are still being sold off for developement, even some grass bowling greens are in ideal development areas amongest houseing
i maintain 10 cricket clubs and are often used for school cricket, players are often members of the clubs.
independent schools are able to provide adequate cricket surfaces,
Arti is not a good cricket surface, but adequate for nets.
again with regards to bowls AMG is the prominent grass, prone to Fusi. with legislation it will difficult to maintain the greens, lots of bowls greens are maintained by members, spraying certificates etc, more hazzle.
i'm all for grass but over the years artificial has progressed faster than grass.....hockey, footie, rugby, runningtracks, cricket, tennis.
Hi ,
Here in Huddersfield we are just about to start construction of an indoor crown green ! we believe it will be the first in the country . It will be a full size green with a few dips and hollows to make some interesting marks . We have several greens that remain open all year round and the demand for bowls is quite unbelievable here in yorkshire , so this facility should be quite popular .
7 Oct 2009 by GaryA
Will look forward to coming over to see that and I'm sure it will make fopr a good article on here !!
Gary
Be Just and Fear Not
Many thanks for all your responses. Club EGM planned for two weeks time to consider proposal.
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