ALTHOUGH recent wet weather has curtailed bowling the upside is that the green at Sir Francis Drake Bowling Club has never looked or played better.
This is in no small measure due to the good husbandry it is receiving from green keeper Eric Stevens and his assistant John Smith.
The club has played seven matches during the last two weeks, winning all but one. The only reverse was against old rivals Plymouth Sir Francis Drake in a five rink men's match, when Tavistock could only manage one winning rink, skipped by Mike Allen, ably assisted by John Smith, Arthur Worth and Brian Preece.
The following day the club travelled to Camelford for the first meeting between the two clubs. They could not escape the rain and the game was delayed for an hour. When play started it had to be restricted to 16 ends.
Despite the green being wet and slippery Tavistock won the match due to good results from skips Yvonne Meneer, Roy Northam and Norman Paramor. Unfortunately, it was not a happy return for Pat Sykes, a founder member of the Camelford club, as his rink lost.
In the Farley Trophy, which comprises four and two wood singles, pairs, triples and a rink, Tavistock beat Yealmpton in four of the five disciplines. The foundation for this was fine wins by Eric Stevens and Rob Bowhay in the singles competitions.
The ladies played a friendly away to City Bus winning the match comfortably on all three rinks.
The skips and their players were Marion Allen, June Watson and Dorice Hicks, Betty Browse, Marlene Paramor and Anne Doidge, Gill Saunders, Hazel Lovell and Shirley Blackburn.
Three further mixed matches were played during the week resulting in wins away to Chagford and at home to Liskeard and Buckfastleigh.
Last week eight or nine men members of the club joined Devon president Roger Bawden, on his county tour to Durham. Despite the weather being no better than in the west an enjoyable time was had.
The club are still anxious to attract new members. Each Monday a club night is held when members can have a roll up and new members can receive coaching instruction from Mike Allen who is a qualified instructor.
Anyone interested will be warmly welcomed — woods can be provided, just wear flat soled shoes.