The thrill of winning his fifth centre title has been tempered for Masterton Bowling Club member Laurie Field.
He managed the feat in mid-February when part of the winning team in the final of his centre's closed championship men's fours but Bowls Wairarapa has still to present him with the gold
star which recognises such an achievement.
And that despite a number of conversations between Field and centre officials - either by telephone or letter - to ascertain why the delay.
"I've been playing bowls for seven years and getting that gold star has always been the major target for me," Field said yesterday.
"It was a huge highlight at the time and it's disappointing to have nothing to show for it."
The tone of a letter from Bowls Wairarapa to Field early last month only added to his frustrations.
There it was mentioned that as "with everything else at present", the cost of purchasing the gold stars/bars had risen dramatically to a price that the centre now needed to look at other options.
The letter did acknowledge the attaining of a gold star was a highlight of any bowler's achievements, and one that would be acknowledged by the centre in due course.
"However, you must appreciate that in these tough financial times we must endeavour to spend the centre's finances with great care," the letter said.
Field admits to being confused by the contents of that communication.
"I'm not sure whether they were telling me that gold stars were now being replaced by something else or that the centre was broke ... or a bit of both," he said.
Field is hopeful, however, that more light will be thrown on the situation after a Bowls Wairarapa meeting this coming weekend.
Meanwhile, the Eketahuna Bowling Club held their annual meeting last week and it was decided their opening day for the 2009-10 season would be September 8.
It will be preceded by the mid-year dinner at the Commercial Hotel on August 9. Officers elected: Patron, Max Cooper; president, John Harman; vice-president, Avis Cooper; secretary, Peter Waring; treasurer, Walker Bowyer.
