Bowl dumping is still an issue and we are constantly reviewing/ monitoring. Even some of our members are doing it. Please remember that "the cleaner the roll, the better your performance as a bowler”.

We saw much activity this week with the Mens Country Carnival in full swing. Our thanks go out to all our members who helped with the preparation of our greens, marking and offcourse, the catering.

Some 6 or so members spent most of yesterday cleaning up the Committee carpark. The job will be finalised today and what a difference we will see! Many thanks to our Ladies, who had to put up with restricted parking. Your forbearance was appreciated.

Barry Ebert turned up and said " I think I will colour code the banks of B green”. I said, "with the ladies playing pennants?” He replied " I see, well then I will put the capping on the C green shelter” By the end of the day – JOB DONE!

The Greens Committee office in the shed is taking shape – there is now a "Jobs to be done” list on the notice board there. So anytime we have a moment to spare, please refer to it for guidance.

What is planned for today?

Well our carpets need vacuuming, the cleaning of our Carpark must be completed, the plumber will be at the Clubhouse, An Arborist will call to remove

the Palm in our Neighbour’s property, we hope. So once again – a pretty full day!

Some new developments:

We will be getting rid of the water tanks along B green.

Plans have been completed for the Carpark entry to A & B greens. A final decision will be made at Board meeting set for 16/2/2012.

Hi everyone,

 No I haven’t gone missing. I have just been busy of late.

 Having returned home from Bianco day, I decided to watch a bit of T/V after which I was struck by the urge to write this report.

 A lot has happened since 26/1/12.

 Let’s start with the last – BIANCO day. What a faithful supporter this Company has been. Special thanks to Keith Neill in particular. The day did not start well, as on arrival at the Club we found A & C greens under water whilst B green held no "pooling” at all. After a quick discussion with President Wayne and a break in the weather it was decided to still proceed with the event placing our faith in A and B green. And so B green was lined and A green was given "the treatment” of adding dishwashing liquid to the pooled surface water and then swishing that mix around with soft house brooms. It worked and soon it was "game – on”. Despite some heavy rain during the event and the need to suspend play for a short period our Skins comp. was a convincing success. This new surface of ours will do me! Yep, we now have a year round playing surface. Thank you, BBS.

 So, on that happy note, let me flash back to my last report.

 At last a pattern is emerging in relation to the maintenance of our greens. No, all is not cut and dried, but we are getting there.

 During last week we met with BBS as they sponsored the State Singles final at our Club. Some outcomes are:

 Rink 22 still remains a mystery. It’s less than ordinary behaviour has not resurfaced since and when we tried to demonstrate the problem the thing acted like "the tooth ache” which disappeared on day you see the dentist. Lloyd Lomax, who was involved in this curious failing could not find the "straightener”. Is it the wind? Is it the moisture level? We simply don’t know.

Yes, drives do rebound off the bank of C green and we are researching this adversity.

 We have ordered a much wider manual Carpet cleaner to remove surface debris.

 We are also aware that Dales and BBS are experimenting with introducing wider vacuum cleaners, a much needed development. We will stay abreast here for the most obvious of reasons.

 Further stretching of A & B greens have been shelved until after the current pennant season. This was done on BBS’s recommendations.

 The use of any blower is out – FULL STOP!!!!!

  And so we move to Club issues:

 Rob McKnight has come up with a plan to close off the Carpark entry to A & B greens. It incorporates a "smokers area” that might just fit the bill. It has double gates and the smokers area would be under cover. Your Board is looking at all of this, so please watch this space.

 A working bee is planned for next Thursday, the 9^th. What for? To clean up the Car park! A bit over-due,hey. Please help if you can.

 We are looking at the possibility of removing the Palm in the neighbour’s place, in the corner of C green.

 We have started with the idea of having a duty side for each green played. Early indications are very good. You can always depend on Colin Smith to come up with "practicality”.

 Soon Mario Molinaro will concrete the East entry to C green and he will also tidy-up some paving around the place. Thanks pal.

 Emphasis on the extensive use of the "Club’s Bible” is beginning to pay dividends. Please keep up the good work. Your Greens committee appreciates it. Marlene Davey is researching the purchase of another lectern in order to give the thing a more permanent home.

 The "smelly” North East corner of A green is again being looked at by our plumber. We think he can succeed this time.

 With the permission of Night owl managers I will soon be doing a bit on the control of bowls dumping and drinks/food around our greens. My intention? To educate these folk and NOT to lose their membership.

 The colour coding of B green banks is in Barry Ebert’s hands. He has made up his mind to do this during the coming week and when Barry makes up his mind, it is Set and forget! Thanks Mate.

 Graham Flavel is well advanced with the production of drink and food holders to be attached to the outside of the Clubhouse along A & C greens. What a contributor and he has done this sort of stuff for many years, Simply terrific.

 Grippo Cloths are now available from the bar. Just ask Gary or Rose.

 This report has taken a bit of time to write but the Club owes it to our members.

 THE RUBBER HAS HIT THE ROAD FOLKS, PLEASE GET READY FOR A RIDE INTO AN EXCITING FUTURE.

PBC – GREENS COMMITTEE UPDATE.

Yes, I know it isn’t Friday yet, when I usually hit the printing press. No, I am not anxious to talk about our wonderful new environment at the Club. I will simply be too busy tomorrow.

But first, let me reflect to last Friday’s report.

Last Saturday we were at full capacity (22 rinks) and then yesterday near capacity (21 rinks). It sure felt good to belong to such a busy and vibrant Club. However not all was perfect in that we discovered that rink 22 was doing a few strange things on the ditch side. Carrying the banner for this issue was Colleen Symonds. She said "Come here Steggie, I am not happy”. So, when this happens, I jump! After a fair bit of examination and rolling down heaps of bowls the problem was obvious. Solution? AND BOTH COLLEEN AND I AGREE. By moving the pegs to the colour green(one space to the West, 22 rink is O.K. whilst rink 15 is unaffected. See, it pays to bring these things up and mostly there is an immediate remedy. But, we, your greens committee, will raise this matter with our contractors at the appropriate time and place.

All the other jobs described in my last report were attended, many thanks to a great bunch of blokes.

So here we are. It is Thursday the 26^th. I have just come home. Bill Dunn and I vacuumed C green this morning. And Yes, we have moved all the pegs one hole to the West!!!

I had a look at our activities book, you know the one that we refer to as our "Bible”, and note that things are hotting up. Resultantly of course there are things to do.

Friday 27^th – There a 3 bunches of guys attending urgent activities.

Lining A and possibly C greens. Barry Ebert, Bernie Tobin, Col Smith, Flip Power and Bill Dunn.

Pull ups. Doug Phillips, Ralph D’onise and Myself.

Vacuum Duties. Brian Addison and Mark Sexton.

Thanks to you all for being so helpful. Besides, when you are part of a group it can also be enjoyable.

All the above is constructive, but we are all very aware of the "finishing” and cleaning that is still ahead of us.

Some are obvious and easy to fix, like: The pruning of bushes in the carpark. The sweeping of this area. Keeping the back entry clean. Pres Wayne nailed some carpet to the ground, but who will sweep it regularly? There is still muck painting to be done. Weeds to be sprayed/removed.

Some paving requires completion and there is also a bit of concreting to be done.Our shelters require finishing touches.

So there you have it. I will offcourse be contacting a few folk to get these jobs done, BUT MOST OF US KNOW THEIR OWN TIME FRAMES AND THEIR OWN SKILL-SETS. PLEASE CONTACT ME AND I CAN PROMPTLY SHOW YOU THE WAY TO A PLEASUREFUL GROUP ACTIVITY. What did I say then!?!? You know what I mean.

Yes, it’s true.

A,B & C Greens are synthetic AND might I say, looking MAGNIFICENT.

The day started a little differently though.

Maybe I should bring you back to last Tuesday in order to tell this story.

We had planned a working bee for that day. However it was very hot and so all activities planned in this regard were called off. But, we did hold our Greens Committee meeting. Please watch this space as things will start to happen.

Wednesday and Thursday were spent playing the game we love and for some of us also helping our Contractors complete work on B green, surrounds and the central footpath. Then came the job of helping them separate their tools and machinery from "ours” (some of what now remains is the Club’s and some belong to our members) and then "packing them off”. What a good partnership it has been – Our Club and Berry Bowling System. Our people working in conjunction with theirs. We are South Australians and by the looks of "The S.A. Bowler”, January issue, our contractor has also decided to seriously "Spud down” in our State.

So, back to the present.

As I said, things turned out a little different.

The shed, though still in confusion, with stuff all over the place, was cleaned a bit and stuff moved around. There is a future here! AND we will have oceans of room in the end. Our good member Greg Zbierski has agreed to have a serious look at things and with the assistance of Bill Dunn will, in due course, get things re-organised to suit our "New operation”.

We did though have limited time to get ready for tomorrow when 22 rinks are required for the pennant comp. That is, a full house! The prospect of this had Pres. Wayne smiling like a cat in cream. Not so, the rest of us! We had things to do whilst the Pres. had to concern himself with the A.E.R. competition, a State and Australian Event.

First, there was the need to vacuum B Green. At short notice, Finn Larsen and Ellis Loughhead came to the fore. Well done guys and thank you.

Then along came Bill Dunn and Bernie Tobin. They lined A and B greens in quick time. How great are these two. Words can’t describe what I feel.

Hey, we had synthetics on the Banks of B green, but where were the holes to put the markers and rink numbers in? Again, at short notice we found: Doug Phillips, our man of steel, now turned "Man of the Cloth” or something like it.

Flip Power said, yes

And then John Radloff, realising our position agreed to help. This after running Night Owls the night before.

These 3 got to work and the job was done! Thanks boys, your blood is worth bottling.

The shelter on B green hadn’t been completed and shade will be needed tomorrow!!!!!!!

Lloyd Lomax said "Yep, Steggie I can help” This guy is gold.

I asked Col Simpson, another reliable helper, he said O.K.

And so these two did what needed to be done in some quite warm conditions.

WHAM, we are ready for tomorrow. Many thanks to all of you.

Then came a sobering moment. The place was looking a picture. S.A. Bowls people expressed their approval of our new facilities. Competitors seemed impressed with our new surface. The ladies cooked a tasty meal and Rose was behind the Bar. How much better can it get.

WOOPS. Where are some of the numbers on No. 7 ends counter?????? "Get a manila folder, get the girls to do the Art-work” and maybe tomorrow you will notice one slight imperfection but only for the time being.

Good bowling tomorrow, everyone!

Steggie.

GRASS TO CARPET UP-DATE AT THE PAYNEHAM BOWLING CLUB.

 The last report from our Greens Committee was on the 2^nd of this Month and I was hoping there would be more good news by now. WELL, THERE IS!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Robin McKnight and his helpers have made more progress on the South Shelter of B green and the push is on to get it finished in the near future. Please contact Robin if you have some time to spare.

 Barry Ebert showed up the other day and decided that the big bin wasn’t completely full, so he started with the overdue job of pruning the bushes in the main carpark. This job needs to be on-going and anyone who has a bit of time to spare can call at the club and I can help getting things started at the drop of a hat.

 Our Contractors recommenced work on B green. The carpet arrived and already they have laid one strip. Also the East Bank dressing has been installed.

 Our man of steel, Dougy Phillips, has been beavering away at the wide gate on Payneham Road. To the unpractised eye progress is slow, but please ask President Wayne and myself and you will hear a story of persistence. In short, many problems have been overcome by this valuable member.

 We had pulled out all of our old plinths and stacked them out the back. Covered by old blinds, we had almost forgotten about them. Then President Wayne, Ian Larcombe and Peter Marshall got together and prepared this weighty load for transport to the dump. It was a big job, but it was done. Then, today I didn’t have much to do when John Cook came up to me and said” Steggie, I am in town today, but soon I will be back in the sticks, Is there anything I can do?”. I said "Yep, John. We need to take the old plinths to the dump. Could you help me load the trailer, which is hooked up to my car, and then come with me to the dump, because I am terrible at backing a trailer”. He said "Let’s do it”. Simple, but ask John, the job got fixed.

 YOU KNOW THAT THERE ARE NOW 57 MEMBERS WHO HAVE TAKEN PART IN THIS PROJECT? IT IS TRUE. Together, we can do anything. At least that is what I say!!!

 Tuesday morning will be a bit special as it is then that our Greens Committee meets to activate what a greens committee ought to do. You see, up to now there have been so many other things happening, we simply didn’t know the Tiger we have by the tail. Some things are becoming clearer but our committee none-the-less realises how much we don’t know about this "New operation” we will soon have. One thing we are sure of – IT WILL BE ENJOYABLE AND IT HAS UNITED OUR CLUB TO A LEVEL WE HAVE NOT SEEN FOR YEARS ON AND OFF THE CARPET.

 Next Tuesday we will be having another working-bee. There will be heaps to do. When you get there, please ask me or Pres. Wayne.

  Just a bit of "On carpet” trivia.

 Accompanied by a few old footy mates, I visited my old home town, Eudunda, for a game of bowls. It was one of their big days. Yep, at the end, only us lot were left, standing unbeaten. I know this should be in the "bowling section”, Mike. But I don’t often have the opportunity to self promote. So I said "here goes”.

  Steggie