Bowls: Grass is greener for slow learners in Kiwi team

Dave Edwards.

Bowls New Zealand is placing its Commonwealth Games medal hopes in a bespoke green at the Pakuranga Bowls Club and provincial croquet lawns.

Both surfaces are being used by New Zealand's 10-member squad in the build-up to the Glasgow tournament in July and August.

Some of High Performance Sport New Zealand's $580,000 bowls funding, targeted for 2013 and 2014, has been apportioned to the project as New Zealand attempts to avenge Val Smith's solitary silver medal in the women's singles at Delhi.

Pakuranga's traditional green was peeled off, more sand was laid and grass, rather than the usual close-knit weed, was sown to mimic the expected slower conditions.

A similar concept was adopted in 2002 at the East Tamaki club to ape Manchester conditions; New Zealand went on to secure a gold and three bronze medals.

Team members outside Auckland have also been advised to contact their local croquet club, whose lawns offer a gauge as to the speed and technique required, even if they're not completely flat.

National coach Dave Edwards says it's a case of adapting their game: "In New Zealand, on our quicker greens, we tend to gently draw 'to' the jack. Up there, you draw 'at' it. The jack in the UK always tends to be on the move as a result. Ideally, you've got to be level with the jack or four to five feet behind it.

"Even when you're holding shot, you're never afraid to be arriving behind the head [of the end]. Short bowls are a no-no in New Zealand but they're a nightmare in the UK.

"On New Zealand's fast greens, you might touch the jack and it can spring six feet. Up there, if you make contact at the same speed, it might only move six inches."

New Zealand greens average around 17 seconds from delivery to arrival at the jack; Glasgow greens are expected to take about 11 seconds. More energy is required to propel the bowl further so bowlers will likely deliver with more of a body action rather than just using their arm.

Nine of the 10-member team - 19-year-old Selina Goddard being the exception - represented New Zealand eight months ago at a Glasgow tournament which featured Australia, Canada, South Africa, Malaysia, England and Scotland.

The team also heads to Cardiff in July to prepare with test series against Wales and Ireland on Glasgow-style greens.