Bit late to the green but been watching this years tourney on beeb 2, some cracking games played and watching the final now between Anderson and Marshall in an all Scottish tie, two greats of the game
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Bit late to the green but been watching this years tourney on beeb 2, some cracking games played and watching the final now between Anderson and Marshall in an all Scottish tie, two greats of the game
Anderson wins the championship 2 sets to 0
Hard to believe Marshall is/was world no 17 and had to get a wildcard invitation, used to be world no 1
Watched most of the games (albeit the final was in bed after recording and avoiding the score yesterday). I thought Anderson looked like a strong contender throughout - played solid bowls and deserved the win.
Some run from Marshall - back into the top 16 and won’t be needing a wild card next year.
Missed Paul Fosters games as I usually enjoy watching him, was the kind of final that could have went either way but I think Anderson took advantage of the percentage shots whilst drawing into the heads, although Marshall played a couple of absolute pearlers too and even coming in unseeded Marshall proved he is still a class playerQuote:
Originally Posted by WeeRussell
Thoroughly enjoyed the whole tournament, love the event at Potters and watch it every year. Having bowled for more than forty years I love the game.
I enjoyed playing, not so much indoors though as I could never adjust my game, played indoor at the Blackpool arena in nineteen canteen and think it took me about 10 ends before I got to within a foot of the jackQuote:
Originally Posted by Scouse Hibee
Haven't thrown a bowl since around 2013 but may join a club (Brunstane) perhaps when I retire
Similarly - I watch a lot of the indoor (even the Grand Prix that’s on quite regularly) and Potters does get me wondering if I should give the indoor a try. Haven’t done it since I was a teenager and always just have the winter ‘off’ coming back refreshed and ready to go when the outdoor kicks off 😁Quote:
Originally Posted by Bridge hibs
A good few years back when Corsie opened his new indoor arena at Milton Road beside Jewel and Esk college my old Father in Law was outdoor and indoor bowler and fancied taking up bowls there. He bowled at Milton Street at Abbeyhill, Corsie played there too I think.Quote:
Originally Posted by WeeRussell
The old yin moved to Collisdene so the new place was handy for him but when I phoned to enquire about hiring a rink all I got was a ****ing sales pitch along the lines of you cant just hire a rink, you have to be a member, memberships were for example bronze for £200 a year, silver which includes afternoon tea and scones for £350 a year and gold which includes 3 course meal for £500 a year but rink time may be limited due to demand
Basically a ****ing money making posh fest to keep out the riff raff. I said to her I only want to play a game of bowls, not buy ****ing shares in the place 😡
Not surprising to say the place was a white elephant and closed not long after before being demolished
Corsies joint
RICHARD Corsie, the former world champion bowler, is to sell the centre he built in Scotland to improve the sport to a housing developer.
The financially-troubled Brunstane arena and conference centre in Edinburgh which bears the Commonwealth Games gold medallist's name, is now expected to be knocked down next summer and replaced by flats.
The deal, which is believed to be worth more than £3m, has angered members of the Edinburgh Indoor Bowling Club, one of the oldest clubs in Scotland.
The club was part of the centre in Milton Road East and will be left without a home next year.
Mr Corsie shut the international-calibre facility in April after
suffering losses of up to £250,000 a year since it opened in 2001.
The sportsman spent millions of his own money on the centre, which was regarded as the UK's best for bowls. He claims that he decided to put it up for sale because not enough people were using it.
He is now said to have negotiated a deal with Sovereign House Developments
I loved the old Milton Street stadium, it was the first indoor carpet I played on. They were the strongest club in Scotland.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bridge hibs
Richard started playing there and his mother Joyce worked in the office.
A place I only saw the outside off Scoopy when we picked the old yin up, did you play at Corsies new place that I mentioned above ? I note prior to it closing Corsie blamed poor membership numbers but I could guess one of the reasons were they were too corporate and more interested in selling afternoon teas and 3 course meal packages, thats certainly the impression I had when I enquired about joining although I appreciate it was a business and he had to recoup his cash outlay and doubt he would have achieved that by just rink hire for an hour or two but I felt it tried to be too elitistQuote:
Originally Posted by scoopyboy
I played a few times but it didn't think it was as good as Milton Street.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bridge hibs
It was smart inside with a lovely resteruant but it was aimed at the wrong clientelle. Bowlers are typically ordinary people with not a lot of extra cash.
With that shutting and Portobello closing we did pick up a lot of members at East Lothian.
Yeah it certainly takes some adjustment, I think the first ever bowl I threw at Bainfield indoor was in danger of taking the wall down😀.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bridge hibs
Forgot about East Lothian and Portobello, I remember there were plans to close those Portobello rinks too but unsure if that went ahead. A guy I used to bowl with Keith Reid and his Dad Bob both formerly of Deantown BC always tried to get me to play at Dalkeith indoor but I never took them up on it, thats meant to be, or was a busy placeQuote:
Originally Posted by scoopyboy
My first bowls were pretty much ditchers, ultra red faced as people were watching 🤣Quote:
Originally Posted by Scouse Hibee
Portobello was converted to a soft play area, East Lothian got the carpet from them and relaid it at Meadowmill.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bridge hibs
Midlothian are our big rivals, I was a founder member there in 1979 and stayed until East Lothian was built in the late 80s.
I played bowls ( quite successfully ) for many years, but stopped several years ago as it was too time consuming with other things going on in my life. Getting to my point, I can’t get used to seeing indoor bowlers ( outdoor bowlers for that matter ) playing in shorts. Yes, I’m being purist and ultra-conservative but I used to quite enjoy the strict traditions of the game and find this trend a bit off. Not looking for an argument but thought I’d vent my feelings.:greengrin
Coming into the game as a former crown green bowler, I hated the strict dress code. Much prefer the relaxed clothing of club polo shirts and options of trousers/shorts etc.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim44
I used to see my Father in Law wearing crisp white shirt, club tie and blazer and must admit he looked smart as **** as did his team mates, he seemed proud to look smart too as he was always well turned outQuote:
Originally Posted by Jim44
I remember watching them all on the green wearing their white shirts, ties and at the time compulsory brown flat soled shoes. All changed now and when I was down at Eskmills a while back there were no or hardly any grey trousers, no blazers or ties and all replaced with trendy cotton or waterproof bomber jackets, bowling trainers and short sleeved Fred Perry style tops emblazoned with retrospective club colours
I kind of liked the “regimental” look but also good to see bowls move into the modern era with regards attire and no doubt bowlers will feel more relaxed and comfortable when on the green too, oh I didnt see any shorts 😀
https://www.change.org/p/preserve-in...zSRZvvOZbi4s5g
I saw Perth Indoor is at risk.
Edinburgh only has Bainfield left and the numbers there are dwindling. Many preferring West Lothian, Midlothian, East Lothian for a variety of reasons. Many others have packed in indoor all together.
Perth is the latest to be in trouble, I played at their original club which butted onto the old Muirton Park.Quote:
Originally Posted by Speedy
In recent times Alloa, Balbardie and Prestwick have closed. Others are on the brink.
It's mental to think Edinburgh has one indoor yet Dunfermline has two.
What do you think is wrong with bowls in Scotland Scoopy ? Why don't we sell our game, we have had world champions etc and no1 players at every level but the game is dying hereQuote:
Originally Posted by scoopyboy
I remember greens at meadows which are now ****ing croquet lawns, ****ing croquet !! Tramways getting turned into someones back garden
I think bowls is a unique and very skilful game and as an aside from the amateur side money seems to be a pittance for winning the likes of the Potters (unsure what the winner got) as opposed to what snooker or darts players earn
There used to be a good few municipal greens in Edinburgh.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bridge hibs
Covid actually saved a lot of bowling greens in Edinburgh. They got large grants, it was based on their opening hours/days. A few clubs used the grants to upgrade their facilities. Now the money has run out there are lots of clubs on their knees now. Problem is bowls isn't cool & the younger generation are not joining clubs. Also with the older members passing away memberships are dwindling.
Yeah I played Balgreen a couple of times and funnily enough I lived not far from Stenhouse BC but never played a game thereQuote:
Originally Posted by Itsnoteasy
You never missed much, the last few times I played at Stenhouse it was absolutely awful.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bridge hibs
There are several clubs with massive younger memberships, it appears the youngsters join the”elite” clubs.Quote:
Originally Posted by Itsnoteasy
Not sure bowls was ever cool. But there are exponentially more options for things to do these days. Kids can play so many different sports and activities. As do parents - and it is the parents in their 30s/40s that bring the kids into bowling.Quote:
Originally Posted by Itsnoteasy
Working patterns and cultures are different too. Not as many folk finishing their work in a trade and going to the bowling club for a few pints. Also makes the administration harder, where people's work and lives are more complex so they can't commit to running the club. That takes its toll on all members. Added regulation doesn't help either.
Football on tv is a killer as well. Unless you go down the route of a dodgy box, sky et al is too expensive so your punters go to one of the hundreds of other pubs in Edinburgh.
Bowling clubs seem to thrive more outside of the cities. The community aspect is a bit more alive, and there are fewer alternatives.