A report by Michael Andersch, Chair, BSOP
I inspected the Geeveston synthetic green on Thursday 5 January 2023 to assess its compliance with the laws of the game and consider its suitability for pennant and competition play. Hilton Coad hosted my visit and discussed some with the works with me.
The green has been in operation for only 1-2 weeks and Geeveston and the Berry Bowling Systems contractors are frantically working on the surrounds to bring it to completion as the have a regular January tournament on Sunday 7 January and pennant play will commence on Thursday on 19 January for the Ladies and Saturday 21 January for Open Gender.
To the green itself; ditch depths and widths all meet the minimum and maximum requirements in the laws of the game. Depth varies only very slightly between 60 and 90mm around the green and is well above the minimum requirement of 50mm depth. The long pile on the synthetic material in the ditch creates an illusion of shallow ditches, but measurement to the playing surface height was determined to be well over the minimum when allowing for the weight of the jack settled in the carpet pile. Interestingly Tony from Berry Bowling Systems was “on the tools” at Geeveston and we discussed this aspect as another state (VIC) has had issues with allowance for the depth of the pile.
Banks exceed the minimum height requirement. Hilton discussed the measures taken to remove 10 inches (250mm) of fill prior to adding back an amount of material through the drainage and levelling exercise to bring bank height into compliance. Bank height is very consistent with most measurements in the 240-245 mm range. The extreme lows and high 225mm and 260mm but these are isolated spots reflecting movement of the surrounds over time. Some handyman crafted steps have been made to assist their older members entering and exiting the green which is lower than the original by about 2-4 inches (50 to 100mm)
Ditch widths are consistently 215-250mm wide, but the majority of measurements are in the 225-235mm range. Widths and likewise Bank Heights present uniformly to players on a rink. Variations can only be observed if one takes a position to view such in a single view across the full green or along the full length of a ditch hence all variation are relatively minor.
Rink width is 5.25m, and well above the minimum width law. At time of inspection only N/S peg holes were completed. The green is square and hence the widths and peg position measured for N/S will be replicated for E/W by the time Ladies Pennant is playing a home game. Boundary pegs on outside rinks are on one side 820mm form the bank and 880mm on the other. The size of the green allows 7 rinks in both directions and excess each side of the ditch rink will allow a draw on the outside close to the side ditch.
Inspection did not include the rolling of a bowl but I observed players practicing. There remains a certain amount of settling of the nap of the surface which will occur with both the regular rolling and warmer weather. Feedback from the other clubs too is that watering at the optimal time gives time for a pennant match before the dryer sand starts coming to the surface at the end of a game. Having resources to complete this watering at the optimal time can be a challenge for Clubs and their volunteers.
Geeveston’s new synthetic green like all recent installations will be quicker and truer at the start of the season than for the former grass green it replaced. Only now are we seeing grass greens in the South come to a pace above the newer synthetics.
On behalf of the Bowls South Officiating Panel, we recommend the new Geeveston synthetic green be declared “fit for play” for BTS events.
Michael Andersch
Chair, BSOP
13 January 2023