Author: Mike Barron
Our Trip To Algarve by Barrie
OUR TRIP TO THE ALGARVE
On Thursday 3rd October we started our bowling tour to the Algarve at 4-30am (middle of the night) outside the club. We arrived at the hotel ‘Holiday Inn Algarve’, in Armacao de Pera at around 12 noon. Our first task to understand the ‘resort manager’ Sue, from Blackpool, not a ‘shrinking violet’!
The hotel was great standing on the beach edge facing the Atlantic, what views and not a cloud in the sky! Good food and the bar had a happy hour 25% off between 6 and 8 pm!!!!!!!!!
We had 4 games to play during the week, the rinks were selected by different Captains of the day for each game.
The first game on Friday 4th was Vs. Floresta BC, rinks selected by Clive & Gill. This was played on carpet, 7 rinks 2 wood triples, we won on 3 rinks but lost overall by 10 shots, not bad in 26 degrees with no shade! The top rink was Jean T/Pat A (shared lead), Clive B & Barrie T.
Our next game was on Saturday 15th Vs. Valverde BC, this club was up in the hills, with a breeze, a good job as the temperature was heading towards 30 degrees, again with little shade! The rinks were selected by Gordon & Linda. This was played on grass, 7 rinks 2 wood triples, we only, however, won on one rink loosing overall by 49 shots, we thought the green to be heavy and couldn’t find the lines! The top rink was Kath S/Mary V (shared lead), Lesley F & Uta K, an all ladies victory!
The next two days we had ‘rest & recuperation’, although some of us, on Monday, went on a Land Rover Safari in the mountains. Driving ‘off road’ through the orange and lemon groves, seeing how to harvest cork, then stopping off for a 2 hour 5 course Algarvian lunch, with wine flowing like water. Then followed by a visit, and a tasting session, of fiery ‘Medronho’ a local drink made of berries, at the distillery. A nice day out ‘HIC’.
Tuesday we had our next bowling adventure but this was played in the afternoon, (V. HOT!) at the Pedras da Rainha BC, against another English touring team, Horsell BC, Surrey. This green was in the middle of a holiday complex, where our opposition stayed. The rinks were selected by Terry & Ken, this was 7 full rinks, played on ‘GRASS’ reputedly, a very funny surface almost like an Axminster carpet, when you walked on it you left footprints! To make up our numbers we ‘borrowed’ some Pedras da Rainha bowlers. We won on four rinks but lost overall by 4 shots (getting better) the top rink was Mick W, Lesley F, Barrie T & guest Lorna.
Our last game of the tour was at Alvor BC, again in the middle of a holiday complex and an afternoon game!
The green was grass as we know it and played like home. The rinks were selected by Jean & Julie, 7, 2 wood triples. Our opposition was a little different this time as we had four Portuguese Nationals playing against us, the bowls club owner amongst them.
We did, however, win on 5 rinks and WON overall by 27 shots. During the game two maximums of 6 points were scored, Gordon’s rink on the 12th end and on their last end giving them top rink was Kath S/Mary V (shared lead), Roger S & Clive B.
After dinner on this last bowling day we had farewell drinks with the resort manager. Both she and Gill gave out prizes for many weird and wonderful reasons, I think everyone won something.
Well organised Gill and Clive.
During the trip Gill handed out many fines for varying misdemeanours, like, not listening to ‘how to turn your lights on’, not knowing where your room was and the normal wrong bias etc. From this Ken’s charity pot gained quite a few Euros!
On each game day Gill also ran a coach fiddle, guessing the overall scores or differences etc. these were mainly won by Linda W!
On Thursday 12 of us left for home, the remainder of our group staying on for an extra week to enjoy the sun, at 8-30am, heading for Faro Airport then via Gatwick and coach to Swanage, arriving at 7pm nearly 11 hours traveling, we estimated this as an average speed of just over 120 mph.
Good week had by all !!!!!!!!
RIP Beach Gardens Tired Old Green
This week work got underway on Beach Gardens to tear up, level and replace the green.
Pictures supplied by Gordon who has been overseeing the project.
Finals Weekend
On the final weekend of the bowls season eleven finals were played in glorious weather at Beach Gardens.
No less than 21 different players competed for the various trophies.
The headline winners were Gordon Wallis and Uta Keats who won the men’s and ladies singles finals, congratulations to them and to all the other winners and commiserations to the runners up.
Here is the ‘Roll Of Honour’ for all the competitions.
SWANAGE KNOCKOUT WINNERS & R/U 2019 | ||||||||
MEN’S SINGLES CHAMPION
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GORDON WALLIS
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R/U |
MIKE BARRON
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LADIES SINGLES CHAMPION
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UTA KEATS
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R/U |
JUDY SMOOKER
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MEN’S SINGLES HANDICAP
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MIKE BARRON
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R/U |
TIM LUSCOMBE
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LADIES SINGLES HANDICAP
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LINDA WALLIS
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R/U | LIL BELL | |||||||
MEN’S TWO WOOD
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MIKE KEATS
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R/U |
BRIAN BEESTON
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LADIES TWO WOODS
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NADINE EVANS
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R/U |
UTA KEATS
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FIRST TIME SINGLES MEN
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ROGER SENIOR
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R/U |
JOHN FRENCH
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VETERAN’S TROPHY
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BRIAN BEESTON
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R/U |
GRAHAM SMOOKER
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MEN’S PAIRS
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PAUL KNAPMAN & ROGER SENIOR
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R/U |
BARRIE TATMAN & BRIAN BEESTON
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LADIES’ PAIRS
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LESLIE FLETCHER & JUDY SMOOKER
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R/U |
JULIE LOMAS-SMITH & KATH SENIOR
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MIXED CHOSEN PAIRS
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MIKE KEATS & UTA KEATS
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R/U |
LINDA WALLIS & GORDON WALLIS
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AUSTRALIAN PAIRS
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TONY PERKINS & MIKE BARRON
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R/U |
LIL BELL & TONY BELL
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CONSOLATION FOURS
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JULIE LOMAS-SMITH, PETER DAVIES,ROGER SENIOR &
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GRAHAM SMOOKER
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R/U |
ENID BALL, TONY BELL, LINDA WALLIS & PAUL KNAPMAN
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MEN,S CLUB NIGHT
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DICK WOODFORD
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R/U |
ROGER SENIOR
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LADIES, CLUB NIGHT
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CONNIE PALMER
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R/U |
LESLIE FLETCHER
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TRIPLES LEAGUE
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MIKE BARRON, GILL BRYCESON, LEW FLETCHER,
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BIRGITA DICKIE, TINA WRIGHT, TONY FINCH
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R/U |
to be confirmed
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Men’s B&D Promotion Push
Following Saturday’s much needed 12-2 win against 2nd placed Wimborne A moved us back into 2nd position.
We are now 3 points ahead of Argyll A and 5 ahead of Wimborne A.
Our last two games are both away. Next week we travel to runaway leaders Ferndown (we beat them at Beach Gardens) and then in the final game we go all the way to lowly Downton (South of Salisbury). Two wins would probably be enough depending on what Argyll and Wimborne do but I also think 4 points at Ferndown and a big win at Downton should secure promotion to Section 3.
Onwards and Upwards, good luck everyone.
Two Wood Competition
On Saturday 3rd of August many Swanage bowlers competed in the men’s and women’s Two Woods day.
In the men’s competition the experienced Mike Keats beat three good opponents to take his place in the final where he took on Brian Beeston. The final was a very close game with Brian’s final wood of the day falling a centimetre short of winning the game. So the cup went to Mike Keats who bowled consistently well through a long day and many many ends. Congratulations Mike.
In the Ladies competition the inexperienced Nadine Evans won through to the final where she played multiple champion Uta Keats. Nadine was bowling very well and took the scalp of Uta for a well deserved trophy, congratulations Nadine.
A much needed lunch was provided by Linda so many thanks to Linda and to Barrie who organised the competition.
B&D Men’s Team
20 July 2019 |
Fordingbridge A |
Home 10:30am |
Whites |
Rink 1 |
Derek Hudson |
Tim Luscombe |
David Farley |
Graham Smooker |
Rink 2 |
Roy Scott |
Peter Davies |
Paul Knapman |
Gordon Wallis |
Rink 3 |
Brian Beeston |
Tony Bell |
Roger Senior |
Clive Bryceson |
Rink 4 |
Mike Keats |
John French |
Mark Cropton |
David Hogsflesh |
Reserves |
none |
Bowls Dorset Men’s Team
15 July 2019 |
Branksome |
Away 6pm |
Greys |
Rink 1 |
Tony Bell |
Roger Senior |
Graham Smooker |
Brian Beeston |
Rink 2 |
Derek Hudson |
Tim Luscombe |
John Brudenell |
Gordon Wallis |
Rink 3 |
Mike Keats |
Barrie Tatman |
Clive Bryceson |
David Hogsflesh |
Reserves |
none |
Drivers |
BB takes Tbe,Dhu,Dho |
CB takes GS.JB, |
GW takes TL,MK,BT |
B & D Triples Team
13 July 2019 |
Ferndown B |
Away 2pm |
Whites |
Rink 1 |
Maddie Love |
Dave Wright |
Judy Smooker |
Rink 2 |
Nadine Evans |
Linda Wallis |
Norman Love |
Reserves |
Carole Knapman |
Drivers |
NL takes ML,JS |
DW takes NE, LW |
Our Sponsors for 2019
Swanage Bowls Club now has no less than eleven sponsors.
Your support of Swanage Bowls Club is very much appreciated.
Many thanks to Kath for confirming existing sponsors and adding a few new ones.
I’m sure others were probably involved in securing sponsorships so thanks to everyone involved.
Our sponsors can be found on our sponsors page
https://www.swanagebowlingclub.org.uk/sponsors/
Name | Contact Details |
Nixons Home Hardware 01929 426377Tilikum Wealth Management 07739 698469 |
26 Station Road, Swanage, Dorset BH19 1AF http://nixonshomehardware.co.uk |
Village Inn, Ulwell 01929 427644 |
Ulwell Road, Swanage, Dorset http://www.villageinn-swanage.co.uk/ |
James Smith Funeral Directors 01929 422445The Swanage Bookshop 01929 424088 |
60a Kings Rd, Swanage
https://www.funeraldirector.co.uk/about/our-branches/james-smith-swanage/
35 Station Rd, Swanage https://www.facebook.com/The-Swanage-Bookshop-492084750934544/ |
Berkeley Leisure Group01929 422080 A F Joy Menswear 01929 552903 |
Cauldron Barb Rd, Swanage
https://www.berkeleyparks.co.uk/35 North Street, Wareham |
Miles & Son 01929 423333 |
Railway House, Rempstone Road, Swanage, Dorset BH19 1DW https://www.milesandson.co.uk/ |
Haymans Bakery01929 422594
MKL Accountants 01929 425552 Regency Dental Practice 01929 422515 |
Institute Rd, Swanagehttps://www.facebook.com/swanagebakery/
Herston Cross House, 230 High Street, Swanage https://mkla.co.uk/index.php/contactus 71 Kings Rd West |