YC&AC hosted its first Lawn Bowls Interport for more than fifty years on October 12 when fifteen bowlers from Singapore’s Tanglin Club ascended upon our green for an afternoon of triples.
The tournament might be considered the first fruit of the connections made by our bowlers in recent years when participating in the International Triples at the Royal Bangkok Sports Club in Thailand.
For the curious or simply astonished, the last lawn bowls Interport hosted by YC&AC was held in 1971, against Shioya Country Club. The tournament had been an annual fixture on the two clubs’ calendars since 1927, the venue alternating between the Kobe and Yokohama greens. The last of these classic Interports was held at Shioya in 1972.
So it was with a sense of relief bordering on joy that we finally ended our long Interport drought. The Tanglin Club bowlers brought the Singapore sun with them, and we started the tournament as scheduled in idyllic bowling conditions.
Idyllic, that is, if you are used to the YC&AC lawn. As is sometimes observed, our green is not the world’s quickest. It is in fact at least umpteen seconds slower than the surfaces to which the Tanglin Club bowlers are accustomed. So while our opponents showed admirable technique, often they found their woods finishing some considerable distance shy of the requisite length.
Ruthlessly, we piled on the points.
Two or three hours, eighteen ends and a collective 1,080 woods later, the games finished like this.
Job done, it was up to the roof deck for the jolly.
After a hearty buffet and the solemn exchange of Club insignia, entertainment was provided by the bowlers themselves, this thanks to Terry’s familiarity with the portable karaoke set-up and the unbridled enthusiasm of both assembled squads.
The Tanglin Club bowlers here arguably more than matched the YC&AC choir, memorable highlights from the Singapore Singers including “You’ve Got a Friend” [“I’ll come running…”]) and the bob-tastic beer-glass-balancing routine, “Sons of the Sea.”
This was a thoroughly enjoyable day from start to finish and exactly what Interports are all about. Big thanks on the public record here to the Tanglin Club convener, Graham, and to all the Tanglin Club bowlers and supporters for reaching out and reminding us.
We’ve got a friend.
Lawn Bowls 