This weeks members draw was not won so will jackpot to $150 this Friday.

Our new chef has started. I had a meal on Thursday evening and it was terrific.

All reports from Friday night were that the meals were great. There may have been some minor service issues but I can assure everyone that this was just the new team coming to terms with an unfamiliar kitchen and premises.

If you have not tried our meals please do so. You will not be disappointed. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday nights 5.30pm - 7.30pm.

There has been a change to the starting date of our winter bowls season to Friday 13th April.

This is due to Easter and the under 18's state championships being held at Payneham.

Our winter bowls calendar will be Pairs on Mondays and Fridays and Triples on Wednesdays and Saturdays. All days will start at 12.30pm.

We will accept single entries as well as team entries.

A little closer to the starting date we will put the entry sheets on our notice board. I will let everyone know when.

We are planning a triples competition for Easter Saturday 7th April commencing at 12.30pm.

There will be two games with a $6 per person entry fee and good prizes.

Please add your team or single entry to the list on our notice board.

It will be casual dress and open to both men and ladies.

Our cleaner is leaving us at the end of February. If anyone is interested in doing this job or knows of anyone could you please contact Marlene Davey 82634573

There is a pennant review going on at the moment.

There is a questioner on the white board in the foyer at the club.

Please take the time to read it and have your say. We need all responses by the end of February so our club representative can vote the way our members wish. Remember that if you do not take this opportunity to have your say then do not complain if changes occur that you do not like.

The ladies gala day which this year is called the Daph Cooper Day is on the 9th March.

The ladies gala days are always great days, well run and extremely well attended.

Our club championship finals will be played on Friday the 23rd of March from 4pm onwards.

There will be some terrific games so come along and have a look and support your favourite player.

Our end of season presentation night will be on April the 14th. More nearer the time.

Well Mario Molinaro affectionately known as Super Mario was lucky on Friday night.

His number was drawn in the members draw and as he was at the club as he always is on a Friday evening he won the $200 jackpot.

The jackpot reverts back to $100 for this weeks Friday night draw.

It was a very busy week last week with the country carnival and all our usual events as well.

Many thanks to all the volunteers who assisted with these days.

The final round of the Henselite cup was played at Payneham last night.

It was great to see everyone who came out to support us.

We were not able to win our game which we needed to do to qualify for the finals.

The singles and triples were soundly beaten.

The pairs of Aussie Cunningham and Ben McDonnell just went down to a very strong West Lakes pair and our fours consisting of Tom Ellis, Rod Squire, Ken Sherry and Paul Uranjek had a good win.

 Our annual Bianco day was held yesterday and although the numbers were down slightly due to a number of other tournaments being held on the same day a great time was had by all who attended. Thanks go to everyone who made the day the success that it was. Major winners for the day were Les Langdon, Dan Kairl, Roger Kairl and Stu Macrae who picked up $400. Well done!!!

 The country carnival starts today. Payneham will be hosting Fours today, Singles tomorrow and Pairs on Wednesday.

Come along and have a look. I am sure that you will see some terrific bowling.

 Payneham hosts the Henselite Cup this Sunday the 12th February. This is the last minor round before the finals. Payneham's team needs a win to have a chance of qualifying and are playing the team that is top of our section. Please come along and give your support. The games start at 6pm. There is a sausage sizzle, good music and hopefully good bowls.

 Joke of the week ----

 A small zoo in Glasgow acquired a very rare species of gorilla. Within a few weeks the gorilla, a female, became very difficult to handle.

Upon examination, the veterinarian determined the problem. The gorilla was in season. To make matters worse, there was no male gorilla available.

Thinking about their problem, the Zoo Keeper thought of Bobby McKay, a local lad and part-time worker responsible for cleaning the animal cages.

Bobby had little sense but apparently possessed ample ability to satisfy a female of any species. The Zoo Keeper thought they might have a solution. Bobby was approached with a proposition.

Would he be willing to mate with the gorilla for $500? Bobby showed some interest, but said he would have to think the matter over carefully.

The following day, he announced that he would accept their offer, but only under four conditions.

1)      "First”, Bobby said,”Ah’m no gonnae kiss her on the lips.” The Keeper quickly agreed to this condition.

2)      "Second”, he said, "Ye cannae never tell naebody aboot this.” The Keeper again readily agreed to this condition.

3)      "Third”, Bobby said, "I want all the weans raised as Celtic fans.” Once again it was agreed.

4)      "And last of all”, Bobby stated, "You’ve got tae gee me another week tae come up with the $500.

It is terrific recognition to be selected to host this prestigious event and this, along with the finals of the AER mixed pairs last week, will I am sure only be the start of bigger and better things for our club.

The final of the Mens singles was between Scott Thulborn from the Adelaide Bowling Club and Mark Haines from West Lakes Bowling Club.

The winner was Scott Thulborn 25 - 11

The final of the Womens singles was between Mary Selfridge from the Marion Bowling Club and Liz Gooda from the Ascot Park Bowling Club.

The winner was Mary Selfridge 25 - 23

The final of the bowlers with disabilities was between Liam Buckley from the Angaston Bowling Club and Barry Charity from the Rosewater Bowling Club.

The winner was Liam Buckley 25-9

Last week the members draw was not won so it will jackpot to $150 this Friday.

Commencing on Monday 6th February is the country carnival for bowlers.

Payneham will host singles, fours and pairs over the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of that week.

Please note that we will be still running our social pairs on that Monday as the country carnival for that day will only require one green so please put your name on the list if you are intending to play.

Remember that our Bianco skins day is next Sunday 5th February. I believe that there are still some places available but you will need to be quick as the closing date is almost upon us.

Well how lucky is Gabe Nardecchia.

His members number came up last Friday night and he was at the club so he took home the $300 jackpot.

This week the jackpot goes back to $100. Still worth winning so be at the club on Friday night at 6pm and you never know your luck.

The Board would like to invite all volunteers and their partners to a thank you dinner on Wednesday February 8th at 7pm for a 7.30pm start.

The club will provide the meal for you and your partner.

This is an opportunity for the board to show our appreciation for all the tremendous work that you do so please come along. It does not matter how much of your time you have contributed only that you have. Add your name to the list on our notice board if you are attending and also indicate if your partner is accompanying you.

Remember our Monday morning social pairs commencing at 9.30am. Add your team or single entry to the list on our notice board. We have 22 teams this week so this event is proving very popular.

At Payneham next Sunday the 29th January and again on Monday 30th commencing at 9.30am we have the finals of the state singles for both men and women.

The quality of the players in this event is of the highest standard so please come along and have a look. You will not be disappointed.

We still have a few vacancies for our Bianco mens skins day on the 5th of February. Please add your team to the list. Single entries are accepted as well.

John Radloff and Keith Neil are still looking for a few more teams for the night owl competitions on Tuesday or Thursday nights. Now that we have all three greens up and running it would be great to fill them all. Please contact John on 82614040 or the club on 83371251 if you know of anyone that may be interested.

As mentioned last week we still have a few of the discounted green pennant trousers for sale at a cost of $30. We are also taking orders for club practice shirts $40 or $50 if you would like your name or nick name on the back. Contact David Law on 82665117.

Last weeks members draw was not won so this week the jackpot will be $300. Be at the club this Friday 6pm, have a drink and a meal and you never know your luck.

Our meals start again this week and as usual will be on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday nights.

We are still looking for more teams to play night owls on Tuesday and Thursday nights.

If you would like to be involved or know anyone who would like to put in a team or a single entry please contact John Radloff on 82614040.

 Well done to Laini Murray. Laini played in her first senior state side a week or so ago and although the ladies lost the series overall Laini was number two in the rink skipped by Kelli Wray and this rink went through the series undefeated. By all reports Laini bowled very well.

 Congratulations to Aussie Cunningham, Rod Squire and Joan Prosser who all won through the first sectional round of this years state singles.

 This Friday we are hosting the finals of the AER mixed pairs. The games will commence at 9.30am and will go on for most of the day probably not finishing until early evening. If you are wanting to see some quality bowling please come and have a look.

 Future events we have coming up at Payneham are the State singles finals commencing at 9.30am on Sunday the 29th of January and again at the same time the following day. If you have never watched one of these events it is certainly worth the while with the quality of players and bowls played being of the highest standard.

We also have the Henselite cup final round game being played at Payneham on Sunday the 12th of February commencing at 6pm. Payneham have a team involved in this competition and are right in the mix for a finals berth so your support may be just what is needed to get them over the line. There will be music, a BBQ and the bar will be open so it is a fun night and certainly worth a look.

Our Bianco skins day is on Sunday February the 5th so please add your name to the list on our notice board if you are intending to play. This is always a good fun event and has some great prize money.

 Remember that we are running social bowls on Monday and Friday mornings commencing at 9.30am.

These are great fun with good prize money so please add your name to the list on our notice board if you would like to play. Single entries are accepted.

 10/1/12

Last weeks members draw was not won so this week it will jackpot to $250. A great reason to be at the club this Friday night at 6pm.

 With no pennant games on last weekend a number of players got together and played in the numerous tournaments that were on.

On Saturday it was the Lockleys Grand Classic. The team comprising of two Payneham players in Gary Miles and Robbie Molinaro along with two ex Payneham players in Luke Pietersma and Justin Morris finished runners up and pocketed $250 each. The all Payneham team of Jim Harrison, David Law, Sam Marano and Harry Faulkner finished third and pocketed $150 each. A great effort especially with the quality of teams playing as well as the fact that there were 54 teams involved.

On Sunday playing at Para Hills the team of Greg Zbierski, Ben McDonnell, Gary Miles and Aussie Cunningham won the day. I am not sure of the prize money for this event but rest assured they all did pretty well.

On Sunday playing in a mixed pairs event at Prospect Broadview the team of Colin and Marie Roberts won the day and the team of Rose Miles and Mario Molinaro finished runners up.

Well done to everyone.

 The following is a message from John Radloff regarding the Night Owls.

 We are urgently seeking support from all members to promote our night owls bowls program. History has shown that word of mouth has been the most successful avenue with promoting our night owls. We had 2 greens full on Tuesday & Thursday prior to Christmas and are now looking to fill all three greens in the new post Christmas period.

We have had good support from several of our members but are now seeking assistance from all members to identify and encourage new players to come and try. Talk to your friends, family, neighbours, work/social colleagues etc about a fun game of bowls and the opportunity to meet new friends.

Our new season commences on 17 & 19 January. Teams of 4 or single entries are accepted.

Night owls is a key source of revenue for our club so please keep your eyes and ears open to any potential opportunities.

For further info please contact John Radloff or Keith Neill.

Well the members draw was not won last week meaning that this weeks draw will jackpot to $350.

 This would certainly help at this time of the year so come along this Friday evening, have a meal and you never know your luck. The draw is at 6pm. and remember you need to be at the club when the draw takes place to have a chance to win the money.

 Congratulations to Laini Murray. Laini has been selected in the ladies State Team that takes on Victoria at the Wallaroo Bowling Club on January the 2nd - 5th 2012. Good luck Laini in what will be Laini's first senior State selection. Laini has represented South Australia in the under 18's previously.

A further congratulations to Laini who along with her partner Marie Roberts have made it to the final 16 of the Ladies State Pairs. This will be played this Sunday the 18th December at the Holdfast Bay Bowling Club commencing at 0930.

Congratulations to Aussie Cunningham who along with his partner Adam Mullins have made it to the final 16 of the men's State Pairs also to be played this Sunday at Holdfast commencing at 0930. Good luck to you all on Sunday.

 Congratulations also goes to Peter Marshall, Gabe Nardecchia and Gary Miles who yesterday won through their section and then a knockout game to qualify for the Australian Open to be played at Darebin Bowling Club Victoria on the 19th - 25th of February 2012. Well done guys.

From Monday the 9th of January starting at 0930 we will commence running a pairs competition at Payneham bowling club. This will be held every Monday during the Pennant season and will consist of two games of 2-4-2 pairs. There will be good prize money so put your name on the list on our notice board if you would like to enter a team. Single entries will be taken as well.

From Friday 13th January 0930 we will start to run a triples competition at Payneham bowling club. Again add your team to the list if you intend on playing. Single entries will also be accepted. Again as with the pairs this will run during the pennant season.

Good luck to everyone for the upcoming week of Pennant bowls.

PBC GREENS UPDATE.

 "AND THE BEAT GOES ON, AND THE BEAT GOES ON”

 It is almost Christmas and still our big project keeps moving to a conclusion.

 Last Monday the Western fence along B green was completed. It turned out to be a big challenge with heaps of complications. Yet the job got done. Thank you Graham Flavel , Lloyd Lomax, Bill Reid, Trevor Gum, Doug Phillips, and I believe President Wayne figured in there as well.

Whilst the fence was being done, another team was attending the first "permanent lining” of C green. The greens committee thought we had it right, but we were mistaken. The job took all day and current opinion is that there must be a better way. Thank you Barry Ebert, Bill Dunn, Colin Smith, Col Roberts, Trevor Symonds,Luigi Ciroco and again our President Wayne was involved.

The next day, Tuesday, saw Lloyd Lomax putting the final touches to the fence. Thanks Lloyd for your determination. That same day we moved the pegs on both A & C greens, enabling some "spread in wear”, very much overdue.

Wednesday came and at the end of the day the tree in the North West corner of B green looked a lot different. It got a huge trim. Thank you Allan Walker for arranging this seemingly unlikely problem. The job was done under the watchful eyes of myself and Pres. Wayne, who at times had to put on the old wicket keeping gloves to catch a few branches headed towards our freshly laid underfelt. At the South end of B green Doug Phillips was welding the base plates to the up-rights. Well done Dougy. This guy never stops and we could not have completed the fence job previously mentioned without his expertise. Fabulous.

Thursday came and went and apart from a few Club games being played not much happened. However there was some good play on C green. Please check out the Tournaments sheet.

It is Friday morning and I am about to leave home to pick up a "Paver Whacker”. Joe Bianco and his mate Mario Molinaro are "paver holding” the path east of A green. Thanks boys.

 So, it has been a productive week. BBS, our contractors have laid and fixed the underfelt on B green and will be back early next year put the carpet down. Oh and whilst I think of it Ellis Loughhead drifted in the other day and casually said " Chris, can I help for an hour or two” So he quite happily swished a paint brush over our new windsox and the new front gate. Thanks mate!

 Looking ahead. There will be a working bee on Tuesday the 27^th to continue work on the B green shelter. So far Rob McKnight and myself are attending and we invite others who wish to "work off” Christmas dinner.

                          Then on Wednesday the 28^th Barry Ebert, Col Smith and I are going to prepare the North and South Banks of B green.

 AND THE BEAT GOES ON AND THE BEAT GOES ON.

 Merry Christmas Everyone. God bless.

 Steggie.

Payneham bowling club – alive

To be dormant or to be ALIVE. Such talk floats around our general community, when economic times are a little difficult as they are today.

 So, how does our Bowling Club rate by this measure?

 Let’s see!

 On Monday, the Pairs event was again well attended. Also, on that same day Graham Flavel and John Cook completed replacement of half the Western side fence  along B green. What an improvement.

 Come Tuesday, the ladies were out in force, running their 100 up eliminations. Also we had Brian Delany on the paint brush, undercoating steel works along the south side of B green. Barry Ebert and off-sider Chris Stegmeyer were busy continuing ground work started by President Wayne and another, whose name I wasn’t able to recall. Please identify yourself so that I may be able to thank you.

 Then today, Wednesday the 7^th. we held a well attended social function. Some commented that there were quite a few dead bugs on C green, no doubt due to Night-Owls held last night, which raises an important question. Who appoints the duty Side/sides for bowling functions other than Pennants?

This deserves some thought and then a decision. We in the Greens committee thought we had all aspects covered. Clearly not! So please give me some input. Other activities today – Mario Molinaro and Joe Bianco laid the pavers for the path on the East side of A Green whilst Graham Flavel, Bill Dunn, Bill Reid and myself carted pavers (cheaply obtained by Graham) from Wingfield to the club. Earlier we got quotes amounting to $2000- to get the job done by outsiders. Now the total job will cost us $425-. IT LOOKS FABULOUS. Please have a look and if considered appropriate compliment these volunteers. By the way, have you ever seen how John Radloff structures his night owls? Please have a look, he is imaginative and the final result – FANTASTIC.

 The Asia Pacific Bowls are currently being held in Adelaide and guess what? Despite our busy program we have members doing voluntary work there too. Included in their numbers are President Wayne Prosser and his wife Joan.

 So we look at tomorrow: Mario, Joe and a bunch of helpers will finish the path along A green. Hopefully the painting will continue under the guidance of Bevan Richardson. Bernie Tobin and John Beard will do the vacuuming of C green. Later in the day Keith Neill( Our knowledgable Treasurer) will run his most enjoyable brand of Night-owls.

 Then there will be Friday: Bernie Tobin and Norb Kratz will vacuum A green. If anyone is planning to come for a practice roll, please give them a breather and in the process learn how to operate these fabulous cleaners. AND all the time amongst the "goings on” there is a bloke called Doug Phillips, our expert in all things metal. He is currently working on the Club’s gates along Payneham road. No fuss, no bother and I’ll bet the end product will be great.

 Of course, Ham and Turkey day will be held on Monday, with  the Ladies pitching in to make the day successful.

 Finally. B green is at a meaningful stage. The next step will be to mix cement with the granulated substance we now see. This is done by rotary hoeing, causing a fair bit of dust. We have already discussed the proximity of  A green, but our contractors are not concerned as they "manage such circumstances daily/regularly. In any event, we are in for more busy times but I can see light at the end of the tunnel and I don’t reckon it is the train!

 Stegs

Last Friday Gloria Connelly's members number was drawn.

Unfortunately Gloria was not at the club so the jackpot will be $250 this Friday.

Alan Hurst and Phil Power won the major raffle prizes.

GREENS UPDATE 25/11/11.

  We have always said our project is subject to weather conditions. This still applies. Our contractors are here and so is the rain! None-the-less, the drainage trenches are dug and before long the Agri-pipes and soaker hoses will go in so B green is finally under way.

 A group of our members removed all of the old pavers off the eastern side of "A” green and we are preparing to re-pave this walkway, hopefully starting early next week. This is good news as the area was potentially "ankle-break country”.

 It was decided to also replace the West fence along "B” green.

 Monday will see another effort to once again remove dirt and other stuff off the carpark.

 Daph Cooper

Daphne (Daph) Cooper will celebrate her 90th birthday on December 5th.  Daph has been a member of the Payneham Bowling Club since 1975 and now skippers for the Metro 2 North East Team on a Thursday.  She has been in many divisions over the years and is always happy to play where she is selected.  She was also a member of the Indoor Bowling Team which won their grade this season.
 
We will be celebrating with Daph at a lunch to be held at the Windsor Hotel on Wednesday 7th December at noon.  (There will also be coffee, tea and cake available on Tuesday 6th December at the Club Rooms.)
 
We wish Daph a very happy birthday.

It was great to see good numbers for last Friday nights cheque presentation by Grace Portolisi.

Mick Maple's number came up in the members draw but as he was not present this will jackpot to $200 this Friday.

Please note that previously if the jackpot was won then the amount for the next week would return to $50 but this has now been changed to $100.

The major raffle winners were Tania Mitchell (social member) and Harry Faulkner.

After the upcoming week of pennant bowls we will have a two week break because of the pan pacific games. During this break we will be running several social games of bowls. Please refer to the lists on our notice board for days and types of events and add your name if you are intending to play.

Well done to Gary Miles and Luke Piertsma and Laini Murray and Marie Roberts. They made it through the first rounds of their respective state pairs.

Roger Kairl after playing in the Hensalite cup last Sunday night jetted of to Brisbane to play in the Qantas National Tournament at the Hamilton Bowling Club.

This is his report of the event.

I joined the Qantas bowling club about three months ago being a Qantas employee. I jetted off to Brisbane to play in the national tournament on the 15th and 16th of November. Arriving on the Monday I had a chance to have a practice in the afternoon and to meet the other competitors. They were from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane and myself from Adelaide.

Tuesday saw the start of the singles event. We played four games of nine ends with the best two bowlers then competing in the final. Myself and a bowler from Melbourne both made it into the final after going through the sectional play undefeated. I got off to a good start in the final and lead 8 - 4 on the 6th end but going into the last end my lead had been cut to only one. With two bowls to go I was one down on the head but managed to put down a good draw bowl just moving the jack slightly to go two up. My opponent was not able to retrieve the situation so I managed to win the final 10 - 7. I was awarded the silver plate and the title of 2011 Qantas national Singles Champion.

On Wednesday I partnered a bowler from Sydney to play in the pairs event. We won all our sectional games and made it through to the final against two other Sydney bowlers. Unfortunately unlike my singles event we got off to a bad start dropping a 5 on the first end. With the final being only over nine ends we struggled to close the gap eventually going down 11 - 6. This was a terrific experience and it was certainly an enjoyable few days. I am now looking forward to representing Qantas at the world airline bowls to be held in April 2012 in Auckland New Zealand.

Well done Roger, it certainly sounds like you had a great time and a great experience with more to come in Auckland.

This weeks Pennant round up

Premier one

Payneham 72 (4) v Grange 82 (12)

Ladder position 3rd.

At the break we were a few shots up and with four or five ends to go across the board we had maintained this narrow margin in what was a fluctuating game.

In the end it was probably their experience that got them over the line. Initially we were very disappointed after putting ourselves in a winning position but on reflection taking four points from the current premiers was probably a reasonable result.

Alan Hurst and his rink had a very tough assignment against the very experience state skip Ruediger. Wayne Prosser and his rink were close most of the day but the margin blew a little towards the end when chasing shots. The rink of Peter Marshall, Laini Murray, Gabe Nardecchia and Norb Kratz got out to a good lead early then were pegged back but fought it out to record a narrow win and the rink of Rob Molinaro, Harry Faulkner, Gary Miles and Aussie Cunningham had a very good win being well in front all day.

Next week we travel to Modbury in what will be another good test against the 2nd placed side.

Premier two North

Payneham 64 (3) v Semaphore 78 (13)

Ladder Position 6th.

A disappointing loss but 3 three points gained. A slow start saw all rinks down early and a struggle to get back. Robin McKnight, Ben, Brian ,and Marie were our only winners after a tight contest... some telling shots by Robin late in the game got them over the line. Sam Marano's rink struggled to earn a point after being a few shots down for most the game. Jodie Kraguljac led a big comeback by Col Smith's four only to go down on the last end. It was a day where many players would have hoped to have been a little better.

Metro one East

Payneham 71 (4) v Elizabeth 85 (12)

Ladder Position 3rd.

Division 1 East still hold onto third position despite a loss at Elizabeth on Saturday. With only two matches remaining in the first round we can still be in a good position at Christmas. Best performing rinks were Cliff Bovington, Lloyd Lomax, Rod Squire and Keith Neil 11 shots up, and Barry Sexton, Ralph D'Onise, Chris Stegmeyer and Jim Langanis 3 shot up.

Metro two East

Payneham 77 (4) v Toorak Burnside 78 (12)

Ladder Position 9th.

So very disappointing for us to fall at the last bowl. We are so close that we can smell a win.

Best rink - Marilyn Siggs, Liz John, Jill Thomas & Phil Power(THE SHEIK).

Metro two North

Payneham 83 (12) v Salisbury 65 (4)

Ladder Position 4th.

Tho' this game reversed from Home to Salisbury we got the Win! 2 rinks up and the other 2 only gave up 6 shots total.

TOP RINK - 14 SHOTS UP for Trev Symonds(SKIP), Doug Phillips(3), Finn Larson and Angelo Giordano.

Metro three East

Payneham 63 (8) v Hope Valley 51 (4)

Ladder Position 6th.

At Hope Valley on Saturday an overall win was achieved with close games. Best rink was Claudio Disante, Nic Giannone, David Hards and Joe Bianco having a good win of 26 to 11.

Metro three Central

Payneham 37 (2) v Holdfast Bay 56 (10)

Ladder Position 5th.

We travelled to Holdfast where we played on fairly quick greens with the usual fickle local winds. We had players missing from our ranks for various reasons. David Willcox stepped up as skipper of a reinvented rink and they all battled hard to contain the damage and only go down 9-17 in a tight match. Pete Harris and his troops all performed at a fairly mediocre level. They struggled and won only five ends all day, going down against a superior opposition, 6-29!! Robyn Darby, with her team of Lindsay Patterson, Pete Smith and Anne Bovington, provided our only bright spot with a solid win of 22-10 up, after being in full control all day. We are now fifth, but have beaten two teams above us. Hope springs eternal!

Metro Four East

Payneham 49 (0) v Walkerville 85 (12)

Ladder Position 12th.

Not much luck and we lost on all 3 rinks. Thanks to the Ladies who played for us, you were tops.

Best of luck to everyone for the upcoming week of pennant bowls.

Major Project - Synthetic Greens, Lighting and Surrounds

GREENS UPDATE 20/11/11

A week is a long time in Politics and lately, for me, in the financial world. But in the Payneham Bowling Club things keep moving along in a steady, if not always, predictable manner.

Only a few days ago we received indications that the final "push” to complete "B” green could start as early as next Tuesday (today). As always, weather permitting, and even this looks O.K. This indication could not have come at a better time as our volunteer projects were starting to "run dry”. Now there is a bit more urgency in dealing with these also. THE END IS IN SIGHT!!!!

Earlier in the week we saw the completion of fencing the West and East boundaries of "C” and "A” greens. What a fantastic result. The place looks neat and the colours blend in pleasingly. Many thanks to Graham Flavel, Lloyd Lomax with Dougy Phillips in support.

Work is also progressing with the gates along Payneham Road and wind-sox on "C” green : per favour Doug Phillips. Talking wind sox particularly, this will see these wind indicators on all our 3 greens and, to my mind, may allow us to discontinue ground corner flags which have been used in the past.

Barry Ebert will be attending repairs/adjustments to seating along Payneham Road wall. We apologise for the discomfort caused and the delay in completing this, but we let it "flag” for a bit whilst other matters were prioritised.

Last week we formed a new Greens committee, comprising myself (because I am the Greens bloke on the board), Billy Dunn (he needs no intro.) and Barry Ebert (a great supporter of the Club). I have also been on the phone today and have so far secured 19 other Club members whom will be involved with the "Carpet Crew”, details of which will be determined when we get a better "handle” on what and when this body of people is supposed to do. SHOULD THERE BE ANY OTHER MEMBER OUT THERE WHO WISHES TO BE INVOLVED, PLEASE CONTACT ME. I would hate to offend anyone by not inviting them.

In conclusion I must say that never before in my sporting activities have I been more happy and contented. Playing the game for Payneham is a pleasure and our big project (Grass to Carpet) must surely give us all much satisfaction. AND THEN, THINK OF THE FUTURE AHEAD.

Chris Stegmeyer

Greens Report 24/10/2011

 The grounds now look different. Out the front is the magnificent green of our Dales Proweave 1000 woven carpet, "A” green is desert-like (pure sand from end to end)and "B” is beginning to show a new crop of Tiftdwarf grass.

 Yes, the weather continues to get in the way a little, but this has allowed our membership to complete all those little jobs so necessary for a great finish.See, everything can have a silver lining if we look hard and long enough!

 Participation levels at our regular working bees have remained high. This number is now well into the 50s. Most Tuesdays now look like what Rundle Mall should look like.Perhaps there is a message here for our State Government. Turn the joint into one big Dales bowling green.

 Tuesday is no exception. Jobs to do are:

 Hole boring in the Banks.

Cementing.

Painting.

Fence building.

Soil preparations along south Bank of "A” green

Club house repairs and exterior cleaning.

AND Sweeping, Sweeping, Sweeping.

 So, what can we expect to see next week and beyond?

 Carpet stretching on "C” green will soon start, followed by the terra cotta coloured Bank dressings. Just picture this. A sea of green, bordered by rusty coloured banks,merino coloured fences,veranda and weather shelters. All this under our brilliantly bright new lights. Maybe this scene will materialise next week sometime.

 Bill Dunn and Colin Smith are already researching how best to mark rinks. Incidentally,boundary pegs will be orange and rink numbers are black with a white background..

 Before long"A” green will be done, weather permitting. Again, a mental picture seems appropriate. Looking South from the Clubhouse, Terra Cotta Banks, the huge expanse of green carpet, the South and central walkways done out in green synthetics and red scoria under merino coloured hard top weather shelters. A bowlers’ heaven, I’d suspect!

 "B” green will soon be again stress tested and when conditions are right, work will start in earnest here as well.

 One little,but to my mind, significant observation. I am continually impressed by ther esilience and patience of our membership. We have practiced and played 100%away from home. Our performance remains good and I haven’t heard a single complaint.

 10th October 2011

 So instead of a Clubhouse surrounded by bare dirt and puddles of water we now see two small deserts and a dry landscape to the side. You may well ask, " Is this progress?” The answer is a big "Yes”.

 Bank "dressings” are now being planned. New peg-holes will need to be drilled and of course new boundary pegs, rink numbers etc . bought.

 We are also in the position to now commence building of Western fence on C green.

 Soon the weather shelters on all greens will be given a "hard top” equipping us for all year round bowling. You will notice that the shelters on C green have been extended as the previous ones were a bit limited. All shelters will be painted merino, the same colour as our new front veranda.

 Our car parks are still a mess but improving and we must keep a close eye on this. However it is so hard to keep everything tidy now that we have a "split” in the project, caused by the previously explained hold up on B green.

 The Club has decided to sell surplus machinery and equipment via E-bay and work will soon begin on this. I am personally clueless on this sort of stuff, then out of the "ruck” steps Trevor Symonds who said "I’ll fix it”. This Club often surprises me.

 Thanks everyone and also thank you for the work you have promised to do into the future.

Our Contractors will commence laying our carpet in 10 days time.

This process should take about 10 - 20 days in total to complete and once laid can be played on immediately.

So all being well we should have two greens ready to play on in four weeks time.

Working Bee

Over the next two Tuesdays Chris Stegmeyer and all his willing helpers need a hand to complete all the jobs.

There are plenty of diverse tasks so if you are not able physically to do manual labour Chris will find you something to do.

Please turn up at your club about 0830 and work and assist as long as you are able. We expect these working bees will be only in the mornings but if you are only able to help in the afternoons then I am sure Chris will find something for you to do. So please help in any way you are able.

It will certainly be great to be back bowling at our own club.

From Grass to Synthetics.

 We are progressing as fast as the weather will allow and for the next week or so our expectations are on the improve.

 "B” green remains something of a problem. It’s water retention is posing some questions with which we need to deal in the near future. But with good weather conditions ahead maybe these will resolve.

 The other two greens will soon be at the same stage. Stabilization of each surface may soon be possible.

 We had a seriously productive working bee yesterday. Some 8/9 members turned up and we were able, with the assistance of Graham Curtis ,to form the footings of the extension to  the retaining wall on "C” green. All open trenches at the back of Clubhouse have also been filled in. Please avoid this area for another day or two. Robin McKnight is progressing well with his projects and we will soon see the formation of revised weather shelters along North and South Banks.

 Our carpets are reported to have landed. So, before long, we expect our Contractors to be able to proceed to the next stages of development.

 Once we get to finalize A & B greens we will start looking like a bowling club again.

 It is great to have President Wayne back from his well earned holiday. His presence is much appreciated.

 6th September 2011

 C green now has drain pipes, a soaker system and plinths and before long, if the weather behaves itself reasonably, should be at the same stage as A green. When the contractors feel the time is right to proceed further they will then start a process called stabilization where a cement-like powder is rotary-hoed into the granulated stuff which sits on A green at present. They will then water this mix to stabilize the surfaces of both A & C greens. From there on the final leveling process on the sub-base will then be attended. This of course takes time and is carried out with much precision, ensuring standards required by Bowls Aust. After this the underfelt is laid, followed by the carpet.

 We, the greens committee and all it’s supporters (there are now 43 of us) are often asked about the timing of all of this and we are simply not able to be precise as we are in the hands of our contractors and above all "mother nature” will not be dictated to. We can however assure all members that the job will be finished as soon as is practicable and Berry Bowling Systems are well aware of the urgency in all this.

 B green has a few moisture problems and until the soil here can take heavy equipment without noticeable "pumping” (water squeezing to the top) work here cannot be resumed. Let’s hope that the weather treats us kindly from now on.

 In the meantime we are attending to lots of smaller tasks, ranging from concreting, to weather shelters, to fencing, to supporting our contractors, to preparing our new banks, to cleaning up, etc, etc.

 Finally, we have regular contact with the board. All board members are doing their utmost to expedite towards providing our members with the playing surfaces promised (Dales 1000 pro-weave) and personally, I feel so inadequate having arrived at this time of the year and not being able to provide a ready-to-go bowling Club. After all what is a bowling club without the appropriate bowling greens. But then, on reflection, we haven’t missed a trick and really the only factor that has got seriously in the way, has been the weather.

 11th August 2011

Green Managers Update

The rebuild of front verandah is taking shape and early signs are encouraging.

 Work has started on the "c green” lights. Both footpaths into the Clubhouse from Payneham Road are much disturbed to say the least. As is usual, when a hole is dug in the ground, invariably there are a few surprises. In this case the footings for the new lights tend to clash a bit with existing water and drainage pipes. Our contractors and plumbers feel they can overcome these challenges though. We’ll see how it goes when hindsight becomes a benefit. However, it is now a challenge, but as Payneham trained bowlers our committee is getting on with the job and we will persist. Winning is very important.

 It would be very wise for all "Bingo” players to enter the clubhouse from the East end of "A” green only.

 For the next 7 working days there will also be periodic disruptions to Power and phone services at the Club. This cannot be avoided as overhead supply lines will be replaced via underground cables.

 The much discussed drain to Payneham Road is proving successful, much to our delight, Surface water is getting away quicker than anticipated and this is essential considering the amount of rain over the last few days.

 Work has stopped on A and B greens for the most obvious of reasons. Let’s hope for a dry spell. The sooner the better.

 Before long, formative work will start on new fence along the Western side of C Green.

 So far, we have received 7 high quality submissions in response to our request for membership input. Please everyone, pause, think and then let your fingers do the talking on your P/C keyboard. Your time has come!!

 Many members continue to contribute their time and effort when called upon and these calls will come more often as winter lets up. The Club is aiming for a high quality result at the end of this sizeable project, probably one of the biggest in its history. So please help when asked if at all possible.

8th August 2011

Approval has been received from Council for the new lighting on "C" green,work on the new verandah on the Payneham Road side has commenced today.

Drainage work on "A" green has been completed and the recent heavy rain gave it a good test and it worked like a charm. The current wet weather has slowed down work on "B" green and we need some fine weather before we can get back to work.

7 June 2011

Members 'working bees' have resulted in replacing the concrete bank on the South side of "A" green and widening the path between "A" and "B" greens.  The carpet to surface the new greens has been ordered with an estimate of 11 weeks to arrive (it has to come from England).  Hence excavation of the greens will commence to coincide with its arrival and we are assured this will be prior to the start of the season.

Lighting is still awaiting Council approval and we are assured it is not far away.

Replacement verandah facing "C" green has been given Council approval and is with Olympic Industries for manufacture aand construction.


17 May 2011

Activity on the transition to synthetic greens is progressing.  Bendigo Bank has approved the loan to the sum of $600,000.  Approval for the remaining $150,000 through the Board issuing debentures will be sought at the upcoming AGM on 29 May 2011.  Presently minor work is in progress on the surrounds in preparation for the major works once we have approval from Norwood, Payneham and St Peters Council.

Grant application for part payment of new lighting on "C" green has been lodged with the Office of Recreation and Sport.  Installation plans for this lighting were submitted to Council for approval on 3 May 2011.  Processsing of this application is expected to take 4-6 weeks. 

Plans for replacement of the verandah were lodged with Council on 6 May 2011 and once again the expected time frame for approval is 4-6 weeks.  Demolition of the old verandah will commence shortly.