L.B.C. News

News, Club Competitions, Open Competitions, Miscellaneous

 L.B.C. News

 Llandudno Bowling Club News

 

2007

 

Wormhout Visit

Llandudno Bowling Club was visited on Easter Saturday by a party from Wormhout, in the Flemish far north of France near the Belgian border. A game of bowls/boules was played between the two towns with Llandudno winning the crown green section (just!) and Wormhout victorious (just!) in their version of Boules de Flandre. This game is different from what we think of as boules - which actual name is Pequant - as the 'bowls' are like wooden wheels about ten inches in diameter and three wide, with a weight on one side. Two markers are placed about 22 yards apart and two teams of six then had to 'bowl' towards these markers from each end. It was pretty difficult at first, but the 'Crown Greeners' soon started to pick it up. The 'bowls' tend to roll in an arc and the Llandudno players soon realised why the Flemish had bowled their crown green woods too wide and off land a lot - they were just so used to bowling their 'woods' like that in their game. However, a few of their players gave the Llandudno players a bit of a scare in the crown green games but over the two events a diplomatic draw seemed just right. Inbetween, refreshments of (real) fresh coffee (we didn't dare give them instant!) and Welsh sweet delicacies were served.

John T Jones watches as his opponent plays the jack

Boules de Flandre

Wormhout (with two Llandudno players)

 

 

• Llandudno Bowling Club's Open singles competition, the Baxter Cup, will be held this year on Sunday 19th August. Guaranteed Prize Money of £200. Entries (limited to 32) with cheques or cash for £6 per player to Gordon Telford, 51 Maes Clyd, Llandudno LL30 1YA. Telephone 01492 879864 - Mobile 07766 707 127 - email: Gordon_Telford4@msn.com There are still ten places left for this competition as of 11th July.

 

• The Gordon Dunnett Memorial Cup (doubles) was contested on May 6th. Suprisingly, some strong pairings fell in the first round while Gordon Telford and Mike Beard were on top form. In the final they overcame Marc Morris & Brian Levis, with Gordon leading on round peg marks which the opposition had difficulty with. When Marc and Brian did find a way in, Mike would play in a wood that beat everybody's including his partners'. Marc & Brian rallied to win some good ends, but Gordon & Mike were always in control and won the game 21-12. Gordon's woods would bend so much on his round pegs that Brian suspected him of having 'loaded' them by having an extra weight put in them on thumb!

 

• The John Blackall Cup (doubles) was played on May 20th. Gordon Telford was on form yet again and he and his partner Margaret Snow (who has improved her game immeasurably in the past year) swept into the final quite comfortably. In the semi's, a strong pairing of Chris Armor & Marc Morris came unstuck against Moira Wright & Alan Davies, the latter with constant cannons that all went his way; he had done the same in their quarter final match against Brian Evans & Sandra Forrest, prompting some members to wonder whether he should take up billiards as a potential lucrative arrangement. He came out with a few in the final, but Gordon replied with some of his own and Margaret complemented the partnership perfectly for the pair to win 21-14.

 

• Alan Davies was on top form to win the Happy Hours Cup (singles) on July 1st.  Belying his 'cannon' reputation, he played some excellent woods on marks that he perfected throughout the afternoon.  Winning 21-4 in the first round, he then had wins of 21-14 and 21-15 to reach the final. His opponent in the last game, Evan Jones, played some very good bowls himself winning 21-6 in his semi-final match. The final started with both players sounding each other out, but Alan soon started to break away and left Evan with far too much to do to get back into the game, Alan coming through 21-12.

 

• Llandudno Bowling Club will host the home leg of the Endsleigh Senior County Championship semi-final between Wales and Warwick & Worcester on Sunday 5th August. The last time Wales were in the semi's was fifteen years ago, and they are hoping to reach the final for the first time since 1959.

 

• On July 15th, the Milner Trophy (doubles) competition saw Alan Davies & Chris Armor take the honours. Runners-up Pam Farrell & Marc Morris finished in this position in last year's edition and it was third time in a row unlucky for Marc! (What do you have to do?). Still, they had the satisfaction of defeating Frances Forrest & Graham Ball in the quarter-finals 21-10, who had beaten them in the final of the title last season (21-17). This year they lost the final 21-15.

 

• The Centenary Cup was held on Sunday July 29th, which is now a new annual 'friendly' competition. The format was similar to the one held on last years Centenary Day, but entries were reduced to twenty-five so as to avoid the organised chaos of the previous one. Five groups of five players were drawn with each groups' players meeting each other once in timed 20 minute games. The player with the highest average would win their respective group being joined by the three best runners up overall in the quarter finals. Margaret Ball emerged as winner from Group A with an average of +16, but Gordon Telford achieved the best average in all the groups winning Group E with +32 closely followed by Denise Sumner in the same group with +30, who qualified as the first-placed runner up. All these group games kept to the timetable perfectly, with an average of eleven or twelve ends per game, the highest being fifteen ends and the lowest nine. The knockout Quarter Finals and Semi Finals were 11 up and saw Brian Levis and Margaret Ball emerge to contest the Final, a normal 21 up game. Brian started well, going into a 9-3 lead by the tenth end but Margaret then pulled back, and a close game then followed with both players scoring equally, fifteen across at the twenty-fifth end. Brian then doubled his efforts and held Margaret off for a 21-17 win. A great day's bowling was had, with great organisation and a marvellous BBQ to boot.

 

• Wales lost their home leg of the Endsleigh County Championship semi-final against Warwick & Worcester by 9 chalks, on Sunday August 5th. There were more than a hundred people spectating at Llandudno Bowling Club, and a large atmosphere was felt with the away team getting plenty of vociferous support. The club took over £155 in canteen sales and many members came to watch, Wales' Paul Whalley receiving the Man of the Match award. In the away leg, Wales lost 154-243; Here, the final score was 220-229.

 

 

• Deganwy's Darren Williams won Llandudno Bowling Club's Baxter Cup open, beating Rhos Park's Steve Lawley 21-19 in a very tight final. In the semi's, Darren won 21-16 against Paul Gamsby (Kings Heath Park B.C., Birmingham) who had recently played for Warwick & Worcester in the County Championship semi-final against Wales.

 

• Moira Wright won the Ladies Rosebowl held at Llandudno Bowling Club, beating fellow Llandudno member Margaret Snow 21-16 in the final.

 

• The Club's Foursomes Shield (doubles) Competition was played on Sunday September 2nd. The quarter-finals saw some really competitive games with John Cowan & Margaret Snow battling for a 21-17 win over Peter Rigby & Moreen Harwood and Maurice Mills & Marc Morris overcoming a strong pairing of Chris Armor & John T Jones, 21-15. Brian Levis & Clive Brook had a tough time against Gareth Roberts & Frances Forrest before emerging victorious 21-16. The Semi-finals saw one of the best games in any of the competitions so far, while in the other the Foursomes soon became the Threesomes. John & Margaret lost 20-21 to Brian & Clive in a match that went one way then the next with some almost exhibition bowling from the pairs. The other semi was just an exhibition full stop. Maurice & Marc made a great start 7-0 up against Sheila Hollis & Alan Davies, when after going slightly down to 11-13 Mills announced he was leaving the green. At first it was thought that he wanted to dry off for a bit (the rain was quite heavy), but it soon transpired that he was expected home for his tea! With everybody looking around for t.v. cameras and Jeremy Beadle, after ten minutes or so it was realised that he was actually serious! No pleading or persuasion would make him change his mind and so there was no option but to give Sheila & Alan a walkover, which they were reluctant to accept. For this, the committee may take steps to ban him from future doubles competitions. So with one semi a classic and the other a wash-out like the weather, the final could only be hoped to rise to the occasion and nobody was disappointed. Sheila played good leads and Alan complemented by being able to place good woods in from the back; same with Brian & Clive and it was anybody's game until the latter finally broke away to win this very entertaining match 21-16. So, as one member put it, this competition was both 'bloody marvelous and bloody ridiculous'!  (Maurice has since explained that he felt unwell and apologised, but agrees that he could have communicated this at the time).

 

• Llandudno Bowling Club's Eryl Cup was played on Sunday September 30th, to find the club champion. Winners and runners-up from this year's internal competitions plus the average winners of the 'A' and 'B' teams in the various leagues qualify to take part. As expected, the four semi-finalists were strong blocks with Mike Beard defeating Peter Rigby in a match that first swung in Peter's favour and then completely in Mike's, he finally winning 21-18. Mel Hughes played excellent round peg marks to see off Chris Armor's challenge 21-13. In the final, Mel was unstoppable and Mike played some great woods for nothing, finally going down 21-8.

Mel Hughes looks at his two superbly played woods in one of the ends that saw him become the Club Champion 2007.

 

2008

 

• Llandudno 'B', subject to relegation this season in the C.L.D.L., will stay in Section 'B'. This is because of three new teams joining the league, including our own Llandudno 'C'. They along with two others join Section 'C' while the three top teams from that section play in Section 'B'. The top three from that section enter Section 'A', while the bottom placed teams from 'A' & 'B' go down. The points of Llanfairfechan 'A' who finished second from bottom in Section 'A' last year, and Llandudno 'B' who were in that position in 'B', were compared with the latter having 84 to 83 so Llanfairfechan 'A' were relegated to Section 'B'. We wish the new 'C' team every success in their new year. 

 

• 25/04: Llandudno 'C' achieved their first win in the C.L.D.L. Section 'C', with an 8-4 home win over Penmaenmawr 'B'.

 

• 27/04: Denise Sumner won the club's Cheltenham Cup singles competition, beating Mike Beard 21-18 in the final.

 

• 28/04: Llandudno 'B' won 247-225 in the first round of the C.L.D.L. Section 'B' Cup against N W Police at Rhos-on-Sea. They'll meet Mochdre 'A' in the quarter-finals.

 

• 11/05: The John Blackall Cup (doubles) was played and won by a strong pairing of Chris Armor & Richie Foster. In the quarter-finals they overcame Cliff Bean & Margaret Snow 21-9, while Brian Levis & Mike Beard outclassed Peter Rigby & Evan Jones 21-4. In the semi-finals, Brian & Mike fought a right battle with Marc Morris & Derek Edwards; they were 12-1 down at one point, then 17-8 in deficit, before staging a great comeback to win 21-19. Chris & Richie had an easier time of it winning 21-6 against Wendy Poynton & Alan Davies. Brian & Mike had exhausted themselves however, losing to Chris & Richie 12-21 in the final.

 

• 25/05: The Club's Happy Hours Cup was played and saw a winner who's first time it was in a singles final, which is the idea of the competition. Pam Farrell came through against Evan Jones in the semi-final 21-16, before taking the title with a 21-17 win against Brian Levis in the final.

 

• 26/05: Llandudno 'B' lost their C.L.D.L. Section 'B' Cup quarter-final to Mochdre 'A' 224-250 at Craig-y-Don. Played in typical British bank holiday weather - wind and pouring rain - the side struggled all the way through.