Month: April 2024

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Now that the bowling season is well underway, anyone who has yet to do so should pay their 2024 subscriptions as soon as possible. Many thanks to those who have paid so far. Please see below for details and methods of payment.

Standard membership subscription – £30.00

Team players’ subscription – £50.00

Payment can be made online directly to the Club’s bank account :

Sort Code : 30 97 88    Account number : 01007849

If paying by bank transfer, please notify Mike Milne by text (07752352065) or email (michaelmilne66@outlook.com)

Alternatively, subscriptions can be sent to Mike Milne (Treasurer) at the following address :-

Mike Milne, 20 Coudray Road, Southport PR9 9NL

SOUTHPORT FEDERATION

Southport’s first Federation match of the season saw the team suffer a 20-12 loss in Division 5 of the National League against a strong Heywood team that had been relegated from the 4^th Division, Southport having been promoted from the 6^th Division.

The home leg was played at Tarleton Bowling Club and the team did well to come back from a disappointing start to win the aggregate by just two chalks. The match ended with 6 winners each and amongst the Southport six, there were wins for Kez Adams (21-14), Andy Draper (21-17) and Chris Porter (21-12).

The away team travelled to play at Hopwood Recs and came away with a creditable 4 winners. Of the Hesketh Arms’ representatives, there were wins for Mike Milne (21-9) and Fergal Wright (21-18).

Southport’s next National League fixture will be in June, when they will look to get back to winning ways against regular opponents Menai. Further details will be announced nearer the time.

OPEN DOUBLES – BERNARD O’MALLEY VICE-PRESIDENTS TROPHY

On Saturday, 27^th April, we will be staging our annual Open Doubles competition for the Bernard O’Malley Vice-Presidents Trophy. The event has attracted a good field and should prove to be an entertaining day of bowling. Play starts at 10.00 am and volunteers to help with marking and measuring would be greatly appreciated. On the day, we will be selling ready made sandwiches and crisps but would be grateful for any help with making tea and coffee in the morning and early afternoon. If anyone can assist with this, please speak to Chris Harding or Mike Milne.

LANCASHIRE MERIT QUALIFIER

The Club is pleased to have been asked to host a qualifying session for the Lancashire Merit. This will take place on Saturday 4^th May. Play will commence at 10.30 am and spectators will be very welcome.

GREEN BOOKINGS

Please note that the green will be unavailable for members’ use on the following dates due to bookings or private events :-

Saturday 27^th April – Open Doubles – spectators welcome and help required with marking and measuring. 10.00 am start.

Saturday 4^th May – Lancashire Merit Qualifier – spectators welcome. Practice from 10.00 am for a 10.30 am start.

Saturday 1^st June – LV League President’s Day – spectators welcome and help required with marking and measuring. 10.00 am start.

Saturday 6^th July – Churchtown Conservative Club – B.J.P.O’Malley President’s Trophy – random doubles competition, open to any of our members who are also members of the Conservative Club.

 Mike Milne

To The Hesketh Arms BC Committee and Members

I hope this update finds you well and you are getting into the swing of the bowls season. 

April has started off where March left off with lots of wet and windy weather, in fact as I write this is looks like we are in for some more blowy conditions early next week.is

My cutting regime for the green is now in full swing and I cut the green on Monday, Weds and Friday mornings.  If there is a competition on a weekend I will also cut the morning of the comp.  I received some positive feedback about the green after last Sundays first competition of the year, which is always nice however I never take it for granted and I am always looking at taking the green to the next level!

At present the green has a large amount of grass coverage, however not all the grass in the green is welcome……if you look closely when you are next bowling you will see some of the grass has little fluffy heads on them. This grass is called POA and is weed grass and one we don’t want too much of in the green.  POA blows in on the wind and takes hold very quickly and has the ability to self-seed itself and those fluffy seed heads impact the roll and smoothness of the green.

So how do we deal with it I hear you ask?

Over the next 7 days I will be attacking the POA by means of Verti-Cutting.  This method involves changing the cassette in the mower to one that enters the green vertically and instead of cutting the grass in a normal way it will pull out all the bad stuff and leaving the good grasses alone, the amount of ‘rubbish’ that will be removed is always a sight to behold especially when you also look at the green and it would seem I haven’t even done anything!! Weather permitting, I will be doing this Sunday 14^th at around 6pm If anyone would like to see it in action.

Following the verti-cutting I will then apply a liquiq feed to help with growth and to give the good grasses (fescue and bent) the nudge to fill in where POA has been removed.

I am conscious that the season has now started and trying to fit in these processes without it impacting a team or match is very hard, so if id does affect one of your games I am sorry!

The bare areas are still slow to get going and if no germination is noticed within the next 7 days I will re-evaluate and think about a soil transfer (remove some cores and replace with better soil) Thanks, Andy

NEWSLETTER – APRIL 2024
SPRING PAIRS

The first club competition of the season was held on Sunday and despite the windy and showery conditions, 26 members took part in the Spring Pairs. This is a random doubles, with pairings drawn on the day.

In the top half of the draw, Pauline Duncan and Jim Halsall progressed to the semi-finals with wins against Laurie Townson and Darren Vincent (21-16) and Peter Smith and Sue Wignall (21-18). Their opponents in the semi-final were the strongly fancied pair of Sue Davies and Steve McManus, who had reached the last four with two convincing wins. However, it was Pauline and Jim who got to the final with a comfortable 21-9 victory.

The bottom half the draw saw Noel Morgans paired with new member Kevin Wilcox and they reached the final with wins against Dave Bedford and Chrissie McManus (21-16) and in a closely fought semi-final, Mike Milne and Gareth Taylor (21-19).

The final seemed to be going the way of Noel and Kevin, as they led 13-9 and 15-11 but Pauline and Jim had a winning run of 6 ends to take the lead at 19-15 and although they were pegged back to 19-17, they were able to score the two singles required to win 21-19. Congratulations to Pauline on her first competition win at the Hesketh Arms. This was Jim’s fourth pairs win at the Hesketh, having previously won the Spring Pairs in 2020. Well done also to Noel and Kevin on reaching the final.

A plate competition was organised for pairs losing their first game and this was won by Chris Harding and Derek Wignall, with a win against Janice Hobson and Kevin Leddy in the final.

The presentations were made by our new Vice-President, Bill Bloor.

Many thanks to all those who supported this competition. We look forward to another good turnout when we stage the Rose Bowl singles handicap on Sunday 12^th May. To enter, please register at the green on the day by 11.45 am for a 12 noon start.

SOUTHPORT FEDERATION

Having gained promotion to Division 5 of the National League for 2024, Southport play their first fixture on Sunday 14^th April, when they take on Heywood.

The home leg is being played at Tarleton Bowling Club and the Hesketh Arms will be represented by Kez Adams, Andy Draper and Chris Porter. Travelling to play in the away leg at Hopwood Rec in Heywood will be Darren Edgerley, Mike Milne and Fergal Wright.

The match starts at 2.00pm and spectators will be very welcome.

SPRING PAIRS – SUNDAY 7^th APRIL

The first internal club competition of the season will take place on Sunday 7^th April, when we will be playing for the Spring Pairs. This will be a random doubles, with pairings drawn on the day and there will be a plate competition for pairs losing their first game.

To enter, please register at the green by 11.45 am, for a prompt 12 noon start.

CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS 2024

The fourth staging of the Hesketh Arms’ Champion of Champions will take place on Sunday 5^th May, starting at 12 noon. For this event, all the club competition and merit winners from the previous season are invited to take part.

The qualifiers for 2024 are as follows :-

Kez Adams – Spring Pairs ; Floodlit Trophy

Sue Andersen – Spring Pairs

Dave Bedford – Last Chance Cup

Bill Bloor – Falcons Merit ; Merlins Merit ; Hawks Merit

Andy Draper – Vice-Presidents Trophy ; Championship Cup

Darren Edgerley – President’s Cup ; Floodlit Trophy ; Coronation Cup ; Owls Merit ; Vultures Merit

Jim Halsall – Eagles Merit ; Kites Merit ; Ospreys Merit

Alan Hatton – Chairman’s Shield ; Sparrowhawks Merit

John Hughes – Hobbies Merit

Noreen Lewis – Ladies’ Championship ; Buzzards Merit

Steve McManus – Rose Bowl

Graham Meadow – Chairman’s Shield

Mike Milne – Blowick Cup

Brian Sutton – Last Chance Cup ; Kestrels Merit

Fergal Wright – Vice-Presidents Trophy

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY – CLUB COMPETITIONS 2024

Sunday 12th May – Rose Bowl – a singles handicap, with a plate event for players losing their first game.

Saturday 18th May – Vice-Presidents Pairs Trophy – this will be a non-random doubles, with no plate.

Saturday 15th June – Ladies’ Championship – ladies’ singles – early stages to be played in a group format.

Sunday 23rd June – Championship Cup – men’s singles, played of scratch with no plate.

Sunday 30th June – President’s Cup – singles handicap with plate.

Sunday 7th July – Chairman’s Shield – non-random doubles with no plate.

Sunday 28th July – Coronation Cup – singles handicap with plate.

To be confirmed – Floodlit Trophy and Last Chance Cup

BERNARD O’MALLEY VICE-PRESIDENT’S TROPHY – OPEN DOUBLES

Entries are now being taken for the Club’s Open Doubles competition. The Bernard O’Malley Vice-President’s Trophy will take place on Saturday 27^th April.

The fee is £10 per pair with starting times at 10.00 am, 10.45 am, 11.30 am and 12.15 pm.

The competition is again being sponsored by the Birkdale Insurance Group and total prize money will be £540.00, paid out as follows :-

Winners – £200.00 ; Runners-Up – £100.00

Semi-Finalists – £60.00 ; Quarter-Finalists – £30.00

To enter please contact Chris Harding (07761733024) or Mike Milne (07752352065 / michaelmilne66@outlook.com )

All games will be 21 up, with 3 on the card.