Around the greens
Fixtures were once again affected by the great British summer with play in the Rutherglen and District home fixture abandoned due to the green resembling a boating lake after a torrential downpour. The away fixture was played and Burnside suffered a defeat.
In the Cambuslang and District Seniors Burnside teams secured victories in both the home and away fixtures.
Last week Burnside hosted the annual bowling match against Cathkin Braes Golf Club with the home bowlers coming out on top. Cathkin will now host the second leg of this on the golf course with Burnside members swapping their bowling shoes to the spiked variety and the club look forward to running Cathkin Braes close in this fixture.
In the Glasgow League Burnside had a share of the spoils with the home teams win being reversed by the travelling foursome.
In the Gemmill Trophy, Kirkhill BC were the victors over Burnside with an emphatic nine points to three scoreline.
The aggregate game was held once again on Monday night with a full house enjoying a dry evening. The shocks ended there though with a strong team skipped once again by Boots McDonald taking gold. The team was lead by Arthur McKell with Malky Walker and George Halliday making up the numbers.
Club President Neil Coats drew attention to our fixture board with names now required for the annual 2+1 and two bowl pairs fixtures
Halfway and District
Last Saturday saw the Tennents Triples take place at Halfway and District.
Twenty-six teams battled it out for the honours and eventual winners were the Whitefield triple of Tam Devenny, Andy Stewart and Mark O’Hagan.
They beat Charlie McIntyre, John Smith and David Armstrong in the final.
On Sunday the gents hosted Lesmahagow in the first round of the Lanarkshire Top 10. The game went right down to the wire, the Halfway singles lost to give Lesmahagow a good start but the other three games were all close.
The Halfway triples won their game to level it up. The pairs were 17-16 down at the last end and lying a pair only for the Scottish international Jim Meikle to play a cracking last bowl to get the shot and seal the win. The rinks drew their game meaning Lesmahagow prevailed and made it through to play Holytown in the next round.
The Lanarkshire League resumes this Friday night and both teams face important games.
The division three team are bottom of the league and need a win against top of the league Dalserf to help avoid relegation. The Division 10 team are going for promotion and they travel to Eddlewood who are also on 15 points with Halfway in joint second place.
The seniors played their second Gemmell Trophy match on Tuesday away to Kirkhill, result to follow next week.
Wednesday sees the District 26 Senior Triples being hosted at the club and on Thursday the ladies entertain Troon in the annual friendly game.
Both RDBA Triples league games against Templeton were washed out with the weather last Tuesday. This week’s opponents were Overtoun Park, next week’s are Rutherglen.
Over the next couple of monthsthe club will be fundraising for McMillan / Glasgow Beatson. The first event will take place on Friday ,August 21 in the form of a Ladies Night / Pyjama Party. Tickets are priced at £7 and are available from the bar. Food is included and entertainment will be provided by the fabulous Suzanne Wilson. All are welcome. Wednesday morning saw a Kirkhill Senior team picked and organised by Tom O’Brien and Peter Mullen play a round of the Gemmel trophy at home on the east green.
Six triples teams played in sunshine, on an excellent green, with Kirkhill coming out on top in a very close fought game.
Kirkhill had four winning rinks and one drawn game to Burnside’s one win and one draw but the scores were very close on four of the rinks which had positive results. Overall it was a very close game with a very strong performance from Burnside away from home.
The format of the day for the Gemmel trophy is excellent, players arrive at 10 am for play at 10.30am and enjoy tea, coffee and biscuits before welcoming speeches and skips drawing their rinks.
On Wednesday Peter Mullen gave the main welcoming speech focussing on his experiences of and in he cinema in Burnside in his earlier years. This account greatly amused the 36 players and assorted spectators assembled for the game.
On Friday night Campbell McCulloch and Alastair Robertson were winners of the latest round of the Harry Noble competition, played in heavy rain (the downpour starting as soon as the players had stepped on to the green).
Despite the weather, which cut play to eleven ends, the games were played in a competitive spirit with a fine performance from newest and youngest member Robbie Neilson being worthy of special note.
Weather postponements mean many ties were still being played played throughout the week in continuing mixed weather conditions. Some players have had three games per day because of a mixture of representative games and previous round success in ties.
Some dates for completion of seniors ties that do not impact on finals day have been extended to help ease the pressure on senior players.
The main competitive event of the past week was the Gents August Tournament on Saturday when around eighty players took part in a day long programme of play with the ever popular coffee, tea and hot rolls on arrival ,a full lunch and late afternoon savouries before the quarter final stage.
The main event organisers were Gordon McLellan and Jim Proctor who did a great advance job over the months sending invitations, organising sections and scoresheets as well as playing and helping on the day. Scorekeeper and all round helpers on the day were Christine McLeod and Jean Kerr.
A variety of clubs from close and far had representatives playing, including Portland Kilmarnock and Burnside for the second time this week. Following the explanation of the playing format and welcome, play started in bright sunshine just before 10am.
Kirkhill had several full rinks of home players entered with some individual members playing in rinks mainly comprising members of other clubs.
Bar staff and the duty directors with Sam Maxwell were busy throughout the day, adding to the convivial atmosphere when players were off the green.
Winners were a combined rink from Wellcroft/Cathcart bowling club and runners up came from St Leonards bowling club.
Kingswood Bowling Club
Last week started with all the members in high spirits and looking forward to the Bowls Scotland finals at Ayr Northfield.
Kingswood had qualified in five different disciplines, three ladies and two men. First up was the ladies pairs of Nikki Hutchinson and Rachel Magee last Thursday morning against Gilmerton who played the better match and ran out 20-12 winners.
Then at lunchtime on the same day the Gents Pairs of Graham Magee and David Greig faced Kintore.
This was a very close game and with Kintore two up in the match, Kingswood were lying four shots. The Kintore skip, who had previously struck and missed, now had only one bowl left and with more controlled weight lifted the jack and won the game.
Finally on Thursday the Kingswood ladies fours played Milton of Campsie which produced a nail biting finish. In the final end with the score even at 12 shots all the positions changed a few times, but with Kingswood lying game the opposing skip played her final bowl and with the help of a wick her bowl clattered into the head. However Kingswood still laid shot and won.
On Friday it was the turn of Helen McGregor in the singles against Woodilee.
Again this was a very close match and with Helen 20-18 up, and three shots and game against her, she played a reaching bowl to lift the jack, but she only edged the jack and lost the game.
Then it was the first game in the gents triples with Kingswood’s John Redman, Willie Rankin and Stephen Hearton up against previous winners Airdrie Central. After a disappointing start and 10- 4 down, the Kingswood trio picked up a one and a five to square the match. The last few ends were very tight and it was all square playing the last end.
Even a strike from the Airdrie skip with his final bowl failed to change the position and Kingswood won by a shot.
The ladies fours of Barbara Wills, Margaret McElveen, Marjory Kyle and Chris Holland were next up for their second game. This time they played Lillybank from Johnstone, but did not do themselves justice and lost 17-11.
Finally it was left to the gents triples who played their second game last Friday evening against Polmaise.
Again this was a very tight game which finished all square after 15 ends and required an extra end.
However the dream of success was over as Polmaise secured the winning shot.
Every one of those players who qualified should be very proud of their achievements. Well done everyone.
Finally last Monday the ladies played in the first round of the Rutherglen and District.
The fours had a bye, but the singles, pairs and triples played.
In the singles Irene Harvey lost to Croftfoot, the pairs of Chris Holland and Margaret McElveen beat Mount Florida and the triples of Barbara Wills, Helen McMurdo and Alison Roberston also won against Templeton. The ladies triples journey to Northfield in the National Championships ended with a 19-16 defeat against Coylton. The team consisting of Sheila Gallagher, Heather Blair and Barbara Morris did themselves and the club proud.
The men’s Top Ten had a comprehensive victory against Quarter on Sunday and now face Udston in a home tie on Thursday night.
In the Rutherglen and District Triples League, there was a win against Burnside with the away fixture being postponed due to inclement weather.
The Seniors Gents continued their campaign in the Cambuslang and District Seniors with two wins against Rutherglen.
On Friday, the Lanarkshire Leagues continue with our division eight team in an away fixture against Uddingston. There is no tie for the division 18 team as their planned opponents have withdrawn from the league.
This Saturday, the gents have their invitation triples and a packed green is expected for a 9.30am for 10.00am start. The following day, the ladies have their 1+1 tournament.
Finally, Jim McGuire and Michael Morris ran out winners in the Monday aggregate, 29 shots up.