FALMOUTH Bowling Club along with most of the Southern Division Clubs have opened their summer season with the President's Day, writes Ron Medlyn.

Club president Harry Stephens welcomed everyone and wished them good fortune in the coming season and thanked all the club workers for all the effort put into the club and green during the winter and spring months.

A match was arranged for Men v Women, but the rain put paid to any more bowling after only three ends when everyone shed their "wets" and adjourned to the clubhouse for a "bowler's tea" followed by a general get together in the bar.

During the last week the club's teams have been preparing for their first matches on grass. The first team visited Mawnan for a roll up followed by a trip to play both Helston first and second teams on Friday evening. This was a very pleasant evening, competitive but friendly, and it was agreed this should be an annual fixture when the Helston club will be entertained at Falmouth later in the season.

The club's C team has been putting in a lot of practice with captain Bill Adams ringing the changes to give everyone a game. They entertained Mawnan on Wednesday evening and had a good result with a win by 21 shots.

On Thursday they entertained Truro B's, but this time were defeated by Truro by four shots.

On Sunday the club entertained St Stephens in a six rink mixed friendly.

Several of the St Stephens players play indoors at Carnmoggas indoor club, so they did not have any trouble finding the pace of the Falmouth green. Up to tea interval, the St Stephen club were proving a hard team to beat as only two shots separated the teams, but Falmouth must have had the best cups of tea as after the interval they ran away to a good win.

This week sees the ladies begin their league programme with Rippon and Date matches, both of these are between the clubs A and B teams, so no doubt there will be keen rivalry between the teams.

All of these ladies play bowls to a good standard and as many a club A team has found out in the past, their hardest game is against the B's. The men have found this out in all clubs and the following week the men's A play men's B to start their league programme.

So it's all go now at most clubs, with full fixture diaries and countless teas being made to greet many old good friends still enjoying the game of bowls.

Results - Falmouth 144 v St Stephen 92: Josie Ogden 24, Paul Hadfield 17; Ron Medlyn 31, Pat Lawrence 11; John Bobin 36, Gerald Hammett 12; Bill Adams 22, Phil Swiggs 13; Tom Reid 17, Roger Biddick 20; Jackie Medlyn 14, Mike Biddick 19. Falmouth won by 52 shots.

Helston I 50 v Falmouth I 61: R Dawes 12, R Medlyn 22; K Sobey 22, A Nancholas 12; P Heyden 16, A Richards 27.

Falmouth C 61 v Mawnan 34: B Littlewood 19, J Wright 16; H Stephens 20, L Webber 11; W Adams 22, P Dunstone 7.

Falmouth C 41 v Truro B 45: B Littlewood 8, D Edgecombe 22; H Stephens 12, M Kinley 15; W Adams 21, J Bullen 8.

Helston II 48 v 62 Falmouth II: C Carter 10, P Williams 25; K Banfield 16, P Bobin 20; Terry Carroll 22, J Oldcroft 17.