Wymondham Dell Bowls Club
Club Byelaw
& League Rules Review
March 2012
Introduction
The
Club Byelaws and League rules have been in place in one form or another over
many years with some becoming outdated and the Club Management Committee felt
that a review should be carried out and proposals made for these to be updated.
A
sub-committee was formed to undertake this task comprising the Officers listed
below. This document summarises the changes that are proposed and gives an
explanation behind the more significant changes. There are also other changes
that are either of a grammatical nature or merely a tidying up of the wording
and please refer to the published byelaws and rules for the precise details.
Any
changes will have to be agreed by the Management Committee but all members will
be able to comment upon these in the Open Forum that follows the Club AGM to be
held on 25 April 2012.
Reviewing sub-committee
·
John Ottaway – Hon. Men’s Secretary
·
Cliff Robinson – Hon. Men’s Assistant Secretary
·
Jean Webb – Hon. Ladies’ Secretary
·
Val Vardy – Hon Ladies’ Assistant Secretary
·
Philip Bunn – Hon. Club League Secretary
Club Byelaws
- Indoor
·
1(A) Dress
Code
The dress
code for male members during domestic
play has been changed to allow a white shirt with or without a Club necktie and
white shoes. In addition the ladies
dress code also allows for the wearing of white shoes and cropped trousers
Rationale
The wearing of ties is becoming more
& more outdated & whilst no-one wants to see a significant drop in
standards we have to move with the times.
With our drive to attract new members
should we force them upon joining to purchase a Club tie and then, as is the
general practice, a club shirt, should they just wish to participate in
domestic play?
When representing the Club in
In addition white, grey of brown bowls
shoes will be allowed. In practice it is not envisaged that many will chose to
wear white shoes. Some members on taking up the game purchase only white shoes
so why force them to have to invest in brown or grey shoes as well.
·
1 (E) Mobile
phones
Use of mobile
phones in the bowls hall is prohibited. This covers both spectators and players.
Rationale
The rule speaks for itself. Obviously
in an emergency no action would be taken but the rule does allow us to take
action for inappropriate use.
·
1(G) Rink
booking precedence
The precedence for the booking of rinks has been
incorporated into the byelaws
Rationale
This was previously shown in the
handbook but has not be previously been incorporated as a Club Byelaw
·
1(L) End of
session bell
The timing of
the bell to indicate the end of sessions has been changed as follows:-
11.55 to 11.50
16.25 to 16.20
18.25 to 18.20
Rationale
The change in times should give the
18.30 and 20.30 sessions more chance of completing 16 ends as the rink should
be available at the appointed start time. Five minutes has been taken off the
09.30 and 14.00 sessions as both these sessions include allowance for a
tea/coffee break and the reduction in the length of the session should be able
to be made up easily.
Club INDOOR League
Rules
These
have been set out to show rules that apply to all Leagues and then
to show any specific rules that relate to individual Leagues.
Rules for all leagues
·
1(a) Reserves
The rules relating to the use of Reserves has been
clarified.
·
1 (b), (c)
& (d) Game postponements
The rules
& procedures relating to postponement of games has been clarified &
tightened
Rationale
The rule relating to when a game may be
postponed and the responsibility for rearrangement have been clarified.
The previous rules relating to payment
in advance of rink fees and time limits for rearrangement have been removed as
these were not working. Should a postponed match not be rearranged and be unfulfilled
then this is covered by a new rule with provision for recovery of the rink fees
and a points adjustment.
Non recovery of rink fees is becoming
more or an issue and it should be remembered that non recovery affects all
members as income will decrease which may result in increases in rink fees/subscriptions
for all members to make up the deficit.
·
1(e) Failure
to turn up for matches
A new rule
has been included covering the situation when teams fail to turn up for
fixtures having not previously informed their opponents of a postponement. This
includes penalties that will be incurred
Rationale
We have listened to members concerns
over this is issue and have included a rule covering the penalties that will be
applied should this occur
·
1(g) &
(h) Length of games
The two hour
rule has been removed as the rules state the game will consist of 16 ends
subject to an end of session bell
Rationale
Some matches are started before the
“start time” of a session if the rink is free but go on to the end of session
bell so the period between the start & end of the game is more than two
hours. Games are of a maximum of 16 ends so the rule merely provides for this
subject to the end of session bell.
The rule also covers the situation
relating to games played in the 9.30 & 14.30 sessions where time between
start & end times is for more that 2 hours
·
1(i) Jack out
of rink
The rules
have been changed so that the end is replayed if the jack is played out of
rink. The 3 shot penalty on the last end has also been removed.
Rationale
Two issues have been addressed.
Other than on the last end, the end will
be replayed. If there is time before the end of session bell then there is no
reason why the end should not be replayed. If there is not enough time then
there is no difference from the current rule.
On the last end, the 3 shot penalty has
been removed. This might be more contentious but this rule goes against the
normal principles of the game of bowls and restricts players in their choice of
shot. The rule was probably introduced to stop players killing an end when only
1 or 2 shots ahead thereby winning a game almost by default. Whilst this may
still happen, the removal of this penalty will stop players being penalised for
a “proper” shot going wrong.
·
1(l) Non
fulfilment of fixtures
Provision for
a points adjustment and penalties should fixtures not be fulfilled has been
introduced
Rationale
As mentioned above non fulfilment of
fixtures results in a loss of income which then has a direct impact on all
members. It will be down to the Reviewing Committee to consider the
circumstances of all non fulfilled fixtures and to decide upon the penalties
that will be applied. As has been the case this season team leaders will be
reminded well before the end of the season of scheduled matches that have been
postponed but not rearranged.
·
1(n) Promotion
& Relegation
The situation
that arises as regards promotion and relegation in the event of a re-structure
of a League has been clarified.
Rationale
Should the number of teams applying to
join a league go up or down in the following season then it is highly likely that
the number of teams in each division with change, either increasing or
decreasing. If this happens then the Reviewing Committee will decide upon the
league structure and this might result in a team that had gained promotion or
been relegated remaining in the same division
Rules specific to particular Indoor
Leagues
·
(3) Veterans
Triples League
Registered members of other teams may be used as
reserves
Rationale
This will allow more flexibility and
make it easier to find reserves
·
(5) Sunday
Morning Triples
Registered members of other teams may be used as
reserves
Rationale
This will allow more flexibility and
make it easier to find reserves
·
(6) (b) Mixed
Afternoon Triples
Provision for matches to be scheduled for other days
has been included
Rationale
We are at capacity in this League at
present and playing some games on other days will allow the number of teams
playing in the League to be increased.
·
(7)(b)Sunday Evening
Open Pairs
Provision for
matches to be scheduled for times other than 18.00 has been included
Rationale
We are at capacity in this League at
present and playing some games at other times (e.g. 16.00) will allow the
number of teams playing in the League to be increased
·
(8)(d) Wednesday
Evening Men’s Pairs
Provision for matches to be scheduled for other days
has been included
Rationale
We are at capacity in this League at
present and playing some games on other days will allow the number of teams
playing in the League to be increased
·
(9)(d) Evening
Triples League Knock Out
All teams in
the Men’s and Ladies Evening
Triples Leagues will be entered automatically
Rationale
This confirms what has previously been
agreed by the Men’s and Ladies Committees
·
(10)(d)
Christmas Triples League
All
matches must be completed by 31st January
Rationale
This has been introduced to prevent the
league overrunning for too long into the New Year
Club Byelaws - Outdoor
The
current Outdoor byelaws are somewhat deficient so have revised and new byelaws
introduced and are summarised below.
·
1(A) Dress Code
The dress code has been clarified & changed.
Rationale
The changes mirror to some extent the
changes proposed for indoors including wearing of white shoes, the Club Jacket
& white water proofs
·
1(C)
Occupation of the Green
This has been incorporated into the byelaws
Rationale
This was previously just a convention
but has now been included as a byelaw
·
1(G) Mobile
Phones
Use of mobile
phones on the green or in the surrounding area has been prohibited.
Rationale
Obviously in an emergency no action
would be taken but the rule does allow us to take action for inappropriate use.
Mobile phones should not be used on the banks as well as the green – the bank
area is difficult to define so the area immediately around the green has been
defined as the “surrounding area”.
·
1(L)
Cancellation of rink bookings & 1(M) Payment & collection of rink fees
Rationale
These are new byelaws and
reflect what does or should happen
Club Outdoor
League Rules
The rules
relating to outdoor leagues (Monday Afternoon & Friday Evening Triples
League) have never been properly specified so these have been expanded and now
include:-
(e) arrangements relating to postponement of
matches due to inclement weather or other reason
(f) how the final league placings
are formulated
(g) how points are awarded (2 for
win & 1 for a draw)
(h) provision relating
to the non fulfilment of fixtures and the penalties that will apply
(j) provision for matches to be
completed by 31st August