Above: Yvonne Carstensen from Paul Carstensen Builders presents overall winners, from left, Trevor Hewish, Paul Petersen, Michael Hopkins and Martin Murphy from the Noble Park Bowls Club with the $600 winners’ cheque. Picture courtesy Noble Park Bowls Club.By Glen Atwell
THE home green advantage worked wonders for Noble Park Bowls Club, as the local side scooped first prize at the club’s annual Royal Victorian Bowls Association (Rvba) Fours Tournament.
Trevor Hewish, Paul Petersen, Michael Hopkins and Martin Murphy were only too happy to accept the $600 winners’ cheque after beating the Waverley Golf Club team in the grand final on Saturday.
Teams from across the district had gathered to contest the $1200 in prize money and from the moment the first bowl was rolled, it was clear the competition was red hot.
Berwick, Cranbourne, Garfield, Clayton, Burden Park, Dandenong Club and Noble Park were all represented in the tournament that was only open to RVBA bowlers from Division Two to Division Eight.
The exclusion of top division bowlers from the annual competition had raised many eyebrows, but the tournament’s closely contested nature proved that decision was the big winner on the day.
Paul Carstensen Builders and Patterson Cheney Toyota in Dandenong sponsored the tournament.
Noble Park Bowls Club chairman Reg Vernon said it was great to have local businesses sponsoring the popular tournament.
“Without the sponsors, such a tournament can’t go ahead,” he said.
“The bowlers love the day, it’s well supported by the metropolitan and country clubs, the competition is good and everyone had a great time.”
It was the third fours tournament and Mr Vernon said he hoped it would continue to grow.
“This is the third year running the tournament and we are learning each year and are looking forward to doing it bigger and better next year,” he said.
The first game winners were from Dandenong Club, Burden Park won the second game and Noble Park won the third, each team collecting $80.
Noble Park Bowls Club’s next sponsored tournament is the Drawn Medley Day on 16 February, when $600 in prize money is up for grabs.
After the home side stole the show on Saturday, next month’s tournament could be the perfect chance for a visiting team to win the cashed-up kitty.
