In preparing for season 2026-27, the Club Championships Committee has worked closely with the Board including

• adopting changes to the format of all Pairs Championship events
• making the President’s Handicap (100 Up) an Open Event
• revising entry fees and payment procedures, and
• implementing new entry procedures for this coming.

The Committee has also prepared a full Schedule of Events for the coming season along with all supporting documentation.

A Club Championship Guide containing essential information follows including:

• Format of Play for each event (some changed since last season)
• Schedule of Events 2026-2027
• Men’s and Ladies’ Minor Singles – Eligibility
• Open President’s Handicap (100 Up) guidelines
• Entry Procedures (revised: can use email and there are no Cash payments)
• Event Management
• Conditions of Play for each event
• Draw Sheets for use on the Noticeboard and Website (Draws and Results)
• Marker’s Guide for Singles events

FORMATS OF PLAY

Conditions of Play (CoP) for each event should be consulted for details Refer to each individual event on the website for complete CoP.

Open President’s Handicap Championships

• 4-bowl Singles with
• Handicap event (see below).
• 100 Up – Games are played to 100
• Scoring: shot bowl 4 points, second 3 points, third 2 points, fourth 1 point
• The handicap is played off first

Men’s & Ladies’ Singles Championships

• 4-bowl Singles with Marker
• 25 Up – first to 25 shots

Men’s & Ladies’ Minor Singles Championships

• 4-bowl Singles with Marker
• Restricted Entry (see below)
• 21 Up – first to 21 shots

Men’s and Ladies’ Pairs Championship

• 3-bowl Pairs
• 18 Ends

Mixed Pairs Championship

• 3-bowl Pairs
• 18 Ends

Open Triples

• 2-bowls per player
• 18 Ends

NOTE: Dead Ends apply to all events

CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE 2026-2027 

Men’s and Ladies’ Minor Singles Championships – Eligibility (MBC By Laws)

To be eligible for entry into this event, a bowler must:

*    Not (have played) more than a combined 8 games in 1st and 2nd pennant sides (both Weekend and Mid-week), and
*    Have never won a club championship.

Open President’s Handicap (100 Up) – Handicap Process (from Eltham BC)

The handicap of a player is determined by the highest team in which the player has played four (4) or more matches during the most recently completed pennant season.

The handicap of a player who did not play four (4) or more matches during that time will be determined by the Championship Committee.

If the two opposing players have the same negative handicap, they can each start on zero (0).

If the two opposing players have different negative handicaps, the player with the lower handicap starts on zero (0) and the player with the greater handicap starts on the difference between the two handicaps.

Final Result

The last end shall not be completed until all bowls have been played and the total ten (10) points allocated, after which the player with the higher total score equal to or exceeding one hundred (100) points shall be declared the winner.

In the event of a tie, an additional end or ends shall be played.

Points are allotted as follows:

• Shot bowl = 4 points
• Second shot = 3 points
• Third shot = 2 points
• Fourth shot = 1 point (Total of 10 points per end)

ENTRY PROCEDURES

Only FULL MEMBERS of the Montmorency Bowling Club may enter. FEES

The Board has made entry fees into events:

• $10.00 per bowler for the first event entered, and
• $5.00 per bowler for each subsequent event

PAYMENT by INVOICE (NO CASH)

Entrants will not pay cash to enter. After all entries close for the final event at the end of February 2027, the Committee will advise the Treasurer of the total entry fees owed by each participant. The Treasurer will then invoice each member for that amount owing.

For example, a member who entered 4 events ($10, plus 3 x $5) will be invoiced for $25 at that time.

ENTRY PROCESS

Entries to each event can therefore be made without the need for payment. Club (Full) Members can enter chosen Championship events by either:

A.         Direct email

Lodging a request to enter via email to: championships@montmorencybowlingclub.com.au

The email will stipulate:

1. The name of the event being entered
2. The name of the individual for Singles events, or
3. The names of the Pair or Triples combination entering
4. Agreement to play by or on specified dates.

 It must be received by the due date stipulated for the chosen event

B.         Lodge Entry Form

By completing and lodging an Event Entry Form in the Club Championship box in the Clubrooms by the due date for the event.

Exceptions to Scheduled Completion Dates

Exceptions to scheduled completion dates will only be made where Pennant finals commitments or other Championship events/Protected events cause a clash (MBC By-Laws – Ratified April 18th, 2018).

CONDITIONS OF PLAY FOR EACH CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT

These can be found under the tab for each event, such as Men’s Singles. Please consult these to ensure full understanding of the competition rules and requirements. Copies will be available in the Clubrooms.

DRAW SHEETS

A Draw Sheet for each Championship Event will be posted on the Club Noticeboard and found under its tab on the website, such as Men’s Singles. These Draws will indicate initial entries drawn to play each other, the dates by which each subsequent round is to be completed and progressive RESULTS as they occur.

EVENT MANAGEMENT

Green Allocation

 All Club Championship matches are to be played on the Jean Thompson Green unless unavailable (under repair, used for priority event). The Alec Treacher Green can be used in these circumstances.

Unless determined by organizers, the choice of rink can be arrived at by mutual consent between competing players, or in the absence of agreement by toss of a coin.

IMPORTANT: In all circumstances outlined below in relation to changing dates and times of play, players need to liaise with a member of the Championship Committee who will be in contact with the Greens Committee to ensure availability of rinks for play.

Date/Day of Play

Under the Schedule of Play, the day and date for conducting the Final for each event will be adhered to. In earlier rounds, wherever possible, the allocated day of play should be used. However, these matches can be completed at any time before the final date, at a time agreed upon by both players/teams. If not agreed upon, the match must be played on the scheduled date.

If playing on a date earlier than scheduled, please advise a Championship Committee member via text of the agreed date and time.

Where one player or team fails to attend on the scheduled or agreed date and time (30 minutes grace is provided) they will forfeit the match and the other player/team will progress to the next round.

Commencement Times

Matches are normally scheduled for a 9:30 am start (with an additional time of 1:00 pm for events where entry numbers require) following a 2-end roll-up. Other than for the Final, players may by mutual consent agree to commence at a different time without impacting on previously scheduled championship events.

Championship Scorecards

The Championship Committee will have prepared scorecards for upcoming rounds of each event. These will be available for players to collect from the designated areas in the clubrooms.

Completed scorecards at the end of each match are to be signed by each player and placed in the Championships box in the clubrooms.

The results on the Draw on the noticeboard will be updated by the Committee and advice provided so that the Championship website results will be promptly updated.

Club Uniform

It is a requirement of the club that in all rounds of Club Championships Players and Markers are to wear Club Uniform.

Substitute or Replacement Players

Substitute or replacement players must inform the Championship Committee of their role prior to competing with the team.

A substitute player is one who takes the place of a team member due to illness or other significant event. The original player may return for subsequent rounds if the team is successful. A replacement player is one who takes the place of a team member who withdraws from the team for whatever reason.

A substitute or replacement may only play for one team in any (non-singles) championship event and cannot be a Skip in that team. They will not have entered the same event in the same year.

Coaches

Under the Laws of the Sport of Bowls Crystal Mark Fourth Edition Law 44 indicates that a coach can be available to advise a player or side under strictly defined guidelines.

Given that not all events will have an Umpire in attendance (to whom a coach would report prior to the game), common sense is required in advising opponents prior to the start of the event of the person who will be acting as coach.

Law 44 in part states:

• 44.2    only one person is present at the rink to give advice at any one time;
• 44.3    the person giving the advice does so when their team or side is in possession of the rink; and
• 44.4    the person giving the advice does so from outside the boundaries of the green.

MARKERS

For Singles matches a Marker is to be appointed by the Championship Committee or normally and most often by the competing players. Copies of a Marker’s Guide will be available in the Clubrooms (printable below) and available for all Markers. We value the contribution of each Member who performs this role.

Heat Policy (refer to Conditions of Play for details)

Montmorency BC follows the Inclement Weather provisions of the Metropolitan Pennant Conditions of Play, using Viewbank on the BOM App for detailed temperatures.

In brief, play must stop temperature reaches 36 degrees Celsius.

Similar guidelines apply to storms and lightning. Players are not to be on the green should lightning be present.

DUTIES OF A MARKER

CLUB SINGLES MATCHES

Primary Role

Your primary role is to facilitate the game by undertaking the following tasks:

• Conduct the toss of the coin to determine which player has the mat
• Centre the jack at the start of each end
• Mark ‘touchers’
• Place ‘dead bowls’ on the bank
• Position marker(s) on the bank indicating where the jack/shot bowl lay in the ditch
• Declare a Dead End when jack goes out of play
• Update the scorecard at the completion of each end (unless players are marking own cards)
• Update the scoreboard at the completion of every second end

The right equipment

Prior to the game ensure you have the following:

• Coin for toss
• Scorecard/s
• Pen/pencil
• Chalk/spray chalk
• A bowls measure
• Copy of and/or knowledge of the conditions of play applying to the event

Where to stand

Do not block a bowler’s vision of a rink marker.

When the jack is being delivered, the best places to stand are:

• on the bank above the centre line, or
• 2-3 feet to the side of the ‘T’.

During play, the ideal position to stand is:

• 6-8 feet behind and 2-3 feet to the side of the jack
• Stand so that your shadow does not affect the head.

What to say

Answer questions about the state of the head only in response to a player’s question. For example, if a player asks, ‘Am I holding shot?’ your answer should be ‘Yes’ or ‘No’.

If they ask, ‘What is the position?’ or ‘How many shots am I holding?’ then you can advise how many shots they are holding or are down.

Whenever possible use hand signals to indicate distances.

Only advise which player is holding shot (or the number of shots held) if a player’s bowl is obviously closer to the jack than the others.

If it isn’t obvious, be safe and smart by signalling ‘It’s a measure’.

What to do

In addition to the other tasks outlined, ensure that you protect the head on your rink by stopping a bowl/jack from an adjacent rink that is likely to disturb the head.

Let the players determine whether a bowl/jack is outside the rink boundaries.

Call an Umpire when necessary – if available.

Let bowls fall into the ditch and then remove them if they are not ‘touchers’.

Keeping score

At the completion of an end, only measure if the players ask you to do so. In all cases

• wait until the players mutually agree on the end score and then record it on the scorecard and each second end on the scoreboard.

To avoid problems, it is good practice to check with the players at the completion of each end to ensure they agree with the game score.

At the completion of each game, ask both players to sign the completed scorecards. Then it is the responsibility of the winning player of skip to:

• deposit completed cards in the Championship Box in the clubrooms.