Bowls: Bay champ wished he had switched years ago

TALENTED TRIO: Ray Scott (front), Glenn Olssen (left) and Steve Asquith did their Kia Toa club proud when they reached the semifinals of the Hawke's Bay junior singles. PHOTO/WARREN BUCKLAND

Hawke's Bay lawn bowler Ray Scott is surprised more tenpin bowlers haven't made the same switch as he has.

"I'm in my third year of lawn bowls after 25 years of tenpin. I was at my peak when I gave up tenpin but I should have done it years ago. There are more skills in lawn bowls where as in tenpin you become a bit of a robot because of all the repetition," Scott explained.

"I'm the only one who has come to bowls from tenpin. Everybody else comes from golf."

When Scott, 63, took up bowls he set himself a couple of goals. He wanted to be his Kia Toa club's junior singles champion after three years and the Hawke's Bay junior champion after five.

A fitter by trade, Scott, who has another two years left in the junior ranks, captured the club title after two years and the Hawke's Bay title after three. He was one of three players from his Kia Toa club who reached the semifinals of the Hawke's Bay Junior Singles Championship which ended at Bowls Taradale recently. Glenn Olssen and Steve Asquith were the others.

"This was a tremendous feat for our club. We were the only three who entered from our club and we all reached the semifinals in a 30-strong field which is a tribute to the strong bunch of juniors at our club ... we all push each other along," Scott explained.

"At the same time we're highlighting our success because we need more juniors to come in behind us at the club when we progress on to the senior ranks."

Scott, who won all seven of his games in the tournament, beat Olssen 24-13 in his final after eliminating Waipukurau's Len Lynskey with a 22-17 victory in the semifinals. Olssen beat Asquith 21-16 in his semifinal.

"The business end of the tournament was played in really strong winds. I had new bowls which I had only used three times before the tournament. Adjusting to the wind was something I didn't have to worry about in tenpin. But I had to switch bowls for different shots ... in lawn bowls you use the same bowls all the time," Scott said.

Earlier this summer Scott played in the Hawke's Bay junior men's team which finished second to Manawatu at the annual hexagonal tournament which the Hawke's Bay junior women won. Other centres in this tournament are Whanganui, Taranaki, Kapiti and Wellington.

"I like the team environment involved with playing in those fixtures," Scott said.

Coached by long-time Hawke's Bay rep Tony Terry, Scott, was first mentored by Byron Brook when he took up the code at Bowls Hastings. Unlike several bowlers who left the Kia Toa club and went to Bowls Hastings (Bowls Heretaunga as it was then) in search of tougher competition Scott went in the other direction.

"I just liked the Saturday club day atmosphere at Kia Toa. I never forgot the advice from Byron though ... it was bowl with both hands all the time."

This week Scott is playing for a National Service Club four at the National Chartered Clubs tournament in Mount Maunganui.