BELCONNEN BOWLING CLUB

CONDITIONS OF PLAY FOR MEN’S CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS

REVISED JULY 2005

Pursuant to Rules 16(a) and 16(b) of the Club's Constitution

 1.         CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS

 1.1       Men’s Club Championships shall be held each year and shall consist of a Major Fours Championship, a Major Triples Championship, a Major Pairs Championship, a Major Singles Championship, a Minor Pairs Championship, and a Minor Singles Championship.

 1.2       A Handicap Pairs and a Handicap Singles event may also be held.

 1.3       In each of 1.1, 1.2 above an event will only played if a minimum number of eight (8) entries be received.

 2.         FORMAT

 2.1       All Championships will be held on the 'knock-out' principle unless determined otherwise by the Championship Director.

 2.2       All matches will be conducted in accordance with the Laws of the Game of Bowls in Australia.  It is the responsibility of all players to be conversant with laws and conditions of play.

 2.3       The conditions of play shall be the same as for the respective championship events conducted by the Bowls ACT, unless varied by the Championship Director.

 3.         ELIGIBILITY

 3.1       A player is eligible to play in the Championships if he is a financial member (including life and Junior members) of the Club at the closing date for entries, providing he has not previously played for another club in any association or championship event in the same season.

 3.2       Minor Singles – a member is eligible to enter the Minor Singles Championships providing he has NOT won any Minor Singles, Major Singles, or Major Pairs at club or higher level.  A win in a Handicap Singles does not exclude a player from participating in this event.

3.3       Minor Pairs - a member is eligible to enter the Minor Pairs Championship providing he has NOT won any Minor Pairs, Major Singles or Major Pairs at club or higher level.  A win in a Mixed Championship or Handicap Pairs does not exclude a player from participating in this event.

 3.4       In the case of any query or dispute arising regarding the eligibility of a player or team in the Championships, the matter shall be referred to the Championship Director for a ruling.

 4.         CLOSING DATES FOR ENTRIES

 4.1       A calendar of proposed playing dates for Men’s Club Championship and Mixed Championship events shall, be exhibited on or about August each year.  Nominations will be called at least 4 weeks prior to first game and will close on a date no later than 1 week before the commencement of the 1st game.

 5.         ENTRY FEE

 5.1       The BBC Committee shall determine the entry fee for the respective championship events in any particular season.

 6.         THE DRAW

 6.1       The Men’s Championship Director shall make the draw in the presence of at least one BBC financial member.  Copies of the draw for each of the Men’s Club Championship and Mixed Championship event shall be posted for the information of members before the start of the event.

 7.         PLAYING SCHEDULE

 7.1       Men’s Club Championships shall be played out as expeditiously as possible subject to Bowls Australia (BA) and Bowls ACT fixtures, Club tournaments and promotions, and availability of green space.

 7.2       Championship matches may be scheduled for mornings and afternoons on Saturdays and Sundays and other days as agreed by the players and the Men’s Championship Director.

 7.3       Championship matches will normally be played over fixed periods utilising Saturday mornings and Sunday afternoons ensuring that only one game is called for each day.  The exception to this rule applies to Single events where two games each day will be called.

 7.4       The schedule of matches shall be displayed on the Club's notice board no later than 6.00pm on Tuesday prior to the weekend matches.  It is the responsibility of players and markers to ascertain the matches they are scheduled to play or mark.

 7.5       Teams have the flexibility to arrange their own games by mutual agreement provided that the game is finalised by the date schedule by the Championship Director.

 8.         PLAY OR FORFEIT

 8.1       The play or forfeit rule shall apply for all scheduled Men’s Club Championship and Mixed Championship matches except when a competitor is engaged in BBC, BA or Bowls ACT matches or official duties.  BA Laws 40(i) (b) and 39B (iv) shall also apply.

 8.2       Players who are aware in advance that they will have to forfeit any Championship match, shall notify the Men’s Championship Director as soon as possible.

 8.3       A player or a team failing to attend for a scheduled game without reasonable cause, will be forfeited by the Championship Director. 

9.         DEFERMENT OF A GAME

9.1       Notwithstanding the 'Play or Forfeit' rule, the Men’s Championship Director may, in exceptional circumstances, defer the playing of any Championship game.

9.2       Members seeking deferment of matches due to unavailability caused by exceptional circumstances shall notify the Men’s Championship Director preferably in writing at the earliest possible opportunity, and before the Sunday preceding any weekend on which championships can be scheduled, in the Championship Director’s pigeon hole. Failure to do so will result in a forfeit.

9.3       The decision of the Men’s Championship Director in this matter shall be final.

10.       CALLING OF CARDS

10.1     As far as practicable, cards will be called not later than 15 minutes prior to the time set down for the start of play.

 11.       PERIOD OF GRACE

11.1     In all Championship games, fifteen (15 minutes) of grace is to be allowed beyond the specified starting time for the game after which the game will be awarded to the opponent(s) by the Umpire, without the right of appeal.  In exceptional circumstances the Men’s Championship Director may decide otherwise.

12.       PRACTICE

12.1          An intended player or team playing in the Men’s Club Championships or Mixed Championship event due to meet a player or team, who has previously played on the same day, may practice provided there is sufficient time available without delaying the competition, and a rink is available other than one upon which the player or team has been drawn to play in a subsequent round.  If two players or teams are entitled to practice, they may practice together.

12.2     No player in a competition game shall play on the same rink on the day of competition or game before play commences, under penalty of disqualification.  It is the responsibility of the players to ascertain on what rink they have been called to play on.     

13.              TRIAL ENDS

13.1          Before the start of play in any game, or on the resumption of any unfinished game on another day, not more than one trial end each way may be played by each player, using no more than the number of bowls each player is permitted to use in the game.

14.       GAME INTERUPTIONS

14.1     If a game is stopped for any valid reason, preventing the completion of an end, the incomplete end will be continued if play is resumed on the same day.  If play in an end has been completed the result shall be determined upon return to the green, in accordance with BA Law 53A (ii) and (iii).

14.2     When a game is stopped for any valid reason, preventing the completion of the game on any particular day, the game shall be continued on a date to be determined by the Men’s Championship Director, with scores as they were when the game stopped, in accordance with BA Law 53A (i), (iv) and (v).

15.       CONSTITUTED TEAMS

15.1     Law 39 of the Game of Bowls in Australia shall apply to constitute players and teams for all Belconnen Bowling Club Men’s and Mixed Championship events in conjunction with15.2.

15.2     A team may be reconstituted if a player is unavailable to play.  (Note that only one player in a team may be replaced under this provision).

16.       SUBSTITUTES

16.1     BA Laws 40 and 41 shall apply.  A substitute for a player shall not be allowed while competing in a tournament or social play elsewhere, other than specified under Rule 8.1 above.  If a substitute is not permitted on these grounds, BA Law 39B (iv) shall apply where the controlling body shall allow an eligible member to fill the vacant position as a constituted player of the team 

17.       MARKERS

 17.1     It is a condition of entry in the Men’s Singles Championships, that a loser shall be required to be a marker in a subsequent match in the same Championship event.  The Men’s Championship Director shall list the markers' names in the schedule of games displayed on the notice board.

 17.2     If a losing player fails to mark when scheduled, or arrange for another member to take his place, he may be subject to such penalty as determined by the Men’s Bowling Sub-committee.

18.       HANDICAP EVENTS

18.1     The selectors for the men’s pennant teams shall determine the handicap of all players for these events.  The handicaps are to applied as follows:

·                    SINGLES – Players shall start on their respective handicaps.  The winner is the first to reach 25 shots; and

·                    TEAMS – The handicap of all members of a team is totalled and the team with higher aggregate handicap begins with a start, equal to the difference in the two handicaps.  Matches are to be played over 21 ends.

18.2     Where a substitute is used in a team, the team's handicap will be recalculated using the substitute's handicap.

19.       SECTIONAL PLAY

19.1     Rules for play arrangements shall be in accordance with BA Law 15.

19.2     The winner of a section shall be determined in accordance with BA Law 50.

20.       SETS PLAY

20.1     Rules for set play shall be in accordance with BA Law 51.

21.       PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

21.1     No championship games shall be scheduled for play on public holiday weekends and during the Christmas/New Year break.

21.2     Notwithstanding the above, championship games may be played during such periods with agreement of both opponents and the Men’s Championship Director.  Should a singles game be played during this period, it is the responsibility of the players to arrange for a marker.

22.       CHAMPIONSHIP DIRECTOR

22.1     By August each year, the Men’s Bowling Sub-committee shall appoint a Championship Director who shall be responsible to the Men’s Bowls Secretary for organising and managing the Championship program.  The Men’s Championship Director shall liaise with the Men’s Bowls Secretary, to ensure that the Championships are expeditiously scheduled.

22.2     Appeals against decisions by the Men’s Championship Director, shall be made in writing, addressed to the Men’s Bowls Secretary, who shall as soon as practicable, arrange for  a committee meeting to determine the appeal.

23.       UMPIRES

23.1     The Chairman of the umpires shall arrange for a National Umpire to be in attendance during the play of all Men’s Club Championship and Mixed Championship games.  If an umpire has not been appointed, the players shall appoint an umpire.

24.       CHAMPIONSHIP MEDALS/TROPHIES

24.1     The winners and runners-up of the respective Men’s Club Championship and Mixed Championship events may be awarded medals and/or trophies to the value of an amount determined annually by the BBC Committee.

25.       GREEN FEES

25.1          The usual green fees are to be paid for all games of each championship event.  Exception to this clause shall be the finals of any championship event, or where players are required to play two rounds of singles in any one session of play.

26.       MIXED CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS

26.1     Mixed Championship events may also be held in conjunction with Women’s Bowls Sub-committee.

26.2     Mixed Championship events will be played in accordance with above conditions of play for the Men’s Club Championships, unless specified otherwise.

26.3     In Mixed Championship pairs (one lady/one man) players can play in either position.  A substitute player in the Mixed Pairs can play in either position.  In Mixed Championship fours (two ladies/two men) players can play in any position except when a man skips a lady plays third and when a lady skips a man plays third.

Ross Toole
Bowls Secretary