LOTTERY FUNDED MOWER PURCHASE HELPS BOWLS CLUB RAISE STANDARDS
Crown Green Bowls is thriving in the Midlands, with the green at Chadsmoor Progressive Working Men’s Club enjoying care and direction from some of the sport’s leading lights.
A green was first laid at the club, which is located in Cannock Chase, Staffordshire, in 1926. Members mostly came from the local mining community. “They were all local men,” says Mel, “You could see a line of push bikes outside the club – they didn’t have to far to come.”
In 1975 the green was extended to full size by taking on a garden to the side of it, allowing the club to stage major events, including county games. “This was a massive task,” explains Mel, “because the garden was 18 inches lower than the green, it had to be built up with 450 tonnes of soil. My father Les and another keen member, Percy Martin, did most of the work. They also had floodlights fitted, so as you can see, the club was living up to its ‘progressive’ name.”
When Mel joined the club 40 years ago it had two teams and 15 members. This year there are 10 teams and 50 members, including three veteran teams and a beginners’ side.
“We have both male and female players and there are two eight year-olds in the beginners’ team,” says Mel. “It is a professional, high level club but still has a friendly family atmosphere. In some families there are three generations playing.”
Mel is very much part of this success. He has won 139 titles across the country, 28 of which have been with doubles partner Lynn Pritchatt, project manager at the club. Mel is the most capped player in Staffordshire at 108 times, has played in every major tournament and has represented England.
Two major tournaments are played at the club. The Les Evans Memorial Classic offers a purse of £1400, put up by Mel and Lynn ‘to give something back to the sport’. First run in 1981, the one-day invitational event is run on Easter Monday, with a field of 32 major event winners. Legendary crown green bowls player Brian Duncan of Preston has won it seven times.
Benefiting from new sponsorship, the Passenger Lift Services Ladies Tournament boasts a £600 prize fund and this year the winner from 32 of the leading lady players in the sport will also receive the Lynn Pritchatt Trophy.
Lynn’s role in the club is a pivotal one. Her record as a bowls player is second to none – victorious in the Ladies Waterloo five times and the current record holder, she has won more than 80 national titles. A member of Chadsmoor Progressive Working Men’s Club since 2000, last year she was asked to become its project manager.
“The club is the centre and focal point of the community, so the committee wanted to improve the facility to enrich the community and widen participation in bowls. We also want to get more local people involved and to raise the awareness of the game,” Lynn explains. “I work at the local further education college so I have a knowledge of the lottery funding available for sports facilities. We applied on behalf of the club and received a grant of £9640.”
The funding was needed to provide equipment including sets of bowls, jacks, mats and measures. Head groundsman Dennis Dunn also had his eye on an irrigation system and a top notch lawn mower!
“We strive to be the best so we need to buy and use the best equipment,” says Lynn.
Dennis Dunn, a voluntary, part-time member of staff has been involved with the club for ‘many, many years’ he reports. He was particularly keen to secure the funding for a new mower.
“The green is 45cm high in the middle and 921sqm in area, but with limited access and storage, I can’t get large pieces of kit onto the ground,” he explains. “In addition, I realised we had some thatch and dry patch problems last year, David Bates an agronomist for Earth Tech suggested that a good mower would make a huge improvement.”
In conversation with other groundsmen the Dennis brand was recommended, so Dennis Dunn began to research mowers from all the leading mower manufacturers, including his namesake!
“A number of manufacturers came to the club and demonstrated their mowers, so I knew exactly what I was looking for. The FT510 ticked all the boxes!” he says.
“It was the most compact which is perfect for my storage problems, good value for money and also economical with petrol, which is a bonus.”
The club also bought a 9 blade cassette and a Tungsten Tipped Verticutter Cassette, with the option to purchase other cassettes as they go along – 11 different cassettes are available. Dennis comments: “It is much more cost effective than buying separate machines for all my jobs. It would cost us a fortune to purchase a machine for spiking, rolling, verticutting etc, but this mower does it all.”
Delivered in March 2008, the 20 inch (51cm) cut FT510 has performed beyond expectations. “I can adjust the height of the cut very easily and the cassettes are quick to change. I can make the mower do exactly what I want, it is excellent!” says Dennis. “I love the fact that I can control the pace of the mower. Once started, you can adjust the revs, which alters the blade speed, but it is also possible to adjust the walk speed independently to the blade speed. The speed of walking can be set to suit turning etc without slowing the blades. Manoeuvring is also aided by the three rollers at the back.” He also praises the verticutting reel, explaining: As well as cutting lateral growths with its long lasting tungsten tips it also helps to stand the grass up. It has already reduced thatch and given a faster playing surface. The adjustable comb fitted behind the front roller also helps stand up the grasses prior to cutting with the cylinder cassette.
A green was first laid at the club, which is located in Cannock Chase, Staffordshire, in 1926. Members mostly came from the local mining community. “They were all local men,” says Mel, “You could see a line of push bikes outside the club – they didn’t have to far to come.”
In 1975 the green was extended to full size by taking on a garden to the side of it, allowing the club to stage major events, including county games. “This was a massive task,” explains Mel, “because the garden was 18 inches lower than the green, it had to be built up with 450 tonnes of soil. My father Les and another keen member, Percy Martin, did most of the work. They also had floodlights fitted, so as you can see, the club was living up to its ‘progressive’ name.”
When Mel joined the club 40 years ago it had two teams and 15 members. This year there are 10 teams and 50 members, including three veteran teams and a beginners’ side.
“We have both male and female players and there are two eight year-olds in the beginners’ team,” says Mel. “It is a professional, high level club but still has a friendly family atmosphere. In some families there are three generations playing.”
Mel is very much part of this success. He has won 139 titles across the country, 28 of which have been with doubles partner Lynn Pritchatt, project manager at the club. Mel is the most capped player in Staffordshire at 108 times, has played in every major tournament and has represented England.
Two major tournaments are played at the club. The Les Evans Memorial Classic offers a purse of £1400, put up by Mel and Lynn ‘to give something back to the sport’. First run in 1981, the one-day invitational event is run on Easter Monday, with a field of 32 major event winners. Legendary crown green bowls player Brian Duncan of Preston has won it seven times.
Benefiting from new sponsorship, the Passenger Lift Services Ladies Tournament boasts a £600 prize fund and this year the winner from 32 of the leading lady players in the sport will also receive the Lynn Pritchatt Trophy.
Lynn’s role in the club is a pivotal one. Her record as a bowls player is second to none – victorious in the Ladies Waterloo five times and the current record holder, she has won more than 80 national titles. A member of Chadsmoor Progressive Working Men’s Club since 2000, last year she was asked to become its project manager.
“The club is the centre and focal point of the community, so the committee wanted to improve the facility to enrich the community and widen participation in bowls. We also want to get more local people involved and to raise the awareness of the game,” Lynn explains. “I work at the local further education college so I have a knowledge of the lottery funding available for sports facilities. We applied on behalf of the club and received a grant of £9640.”
The funding was needed to provide equipment including sets of bowls, jacks, mats and measures. Head groundsman Dennis Dunn also had his eye on an irrigation system and a top notch lawn mower!
“We strive to be the best so we need to buy and use the best equipment,” says Lynn.
Dennis Dunn, a voluntary, part-time member of staff has been involved with the club for ‘many, many years’ he reports. He was particularly keen to secure the funding for a new mower.
“The green is 45cm high in the middle and 921sqm in area, but with limited access and storage, I can’t get large pieces of kit onto the ground,” he explains. “In addition, I realised we had some thatch and dry patch problems last year, David Bates an agronomist for Earth Tech suggested that a good mower would make a huge improvement.”
In conversation with other groundsmen the Dennis brand was recommended, so Dennis Dunn began to research mowers from all the leading mower manufacturers, including his namesake!
“A number of manufacturers came to the club and demonstrated their mowers, so I knew exactly what I was looking for. The FT510 ticked all the boxes!” he says.
“It was the most compact which is perfect for my storage problems, good value for money and also economical with petrol, which is a bonus.”
The club also bought a 9 blade cassette and a Tungsten Tipped Verticutter Cassette, with the option to purchase other cassettes as they go along – 11 different cassettes are available. Dennis comments: “It is much more cost effective than buying separate machines for all my jobs. It would cost us a fortune to purchase a machine for spiking, rolling, verticutting etc, but this mower does it all.”
Delivered in March 2008, the 20 inch (51cm) cut FT510 has performed beyond expectations. “I can adjust the height of the cut very easily and the cassettes are quick to change. I can make the mower do exactly what I want, it is excellent!” says Dennis. “I love the fact that I can control the pace of the mower. Once started, you can adjust the revs, which alters the blade speed, but it is also possible to adjust the walk speed independently to the blade speed. The speed of walking can be set to suit turning etc without slowing the blades. Manoeuvring is also aided by the three rollers at the back.” He also praises the verticutting reel, explaining: As well as cutting lateral growths with its long lasting tungsten tips it also helps to stand the grass up. It has already reduced thatch and given a faster playing surface. The adjustable comb fitted behind the front roller also helps stand up the grasses prior to cutting with the cylinder cassette.