FLAT or Crown? That is the question.

Whether it is nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of the undulations of the crown Or be outwitted by the tactics and precision of the flat!

Having been involved in bowling for the past forty years or so the dilemma still exists.

Living in an area where 'Crown is king' in fact as far as I am aware crown green bowling is limited to the area from the midlands to the Scottish border including parts or Wales and the Isle of Man - whereas flat green bowls or to be precise 'Lawn Bowls' is played the world over.

Indeed the annuls of history record that Sir Francis Drake was playing bowls (lawn) on Plymouth Hoe as the Spanish Armada approached our shores in 1565.

However the images of 'cloth cap and whippets' still exists around the crown green fraternity whether it be a game in the local park or a 'big money' final at the famous Waterloo green in Blackpool.

Many crown green bowlers find the etiquette, both of behaviour and dress, of the flat green code totally alien.

Perhaps members of the local golf clubs could associated themselves more to the flat code than crown where expectations are similarly observed.

This is especially true as the importance of the game increase beginning with 'greys and whites' for the mundane club roll-ups and league games to the 'whites and ties' for county and international games.

Having said that, I'm sure that the majority of crowngreeners readily admit that when a visiting team arrives wearing club or team colours 'they do look smart' and for the players wearing them a sense of 'belonging' to a team.

Over the past forty years since I delivered my first tentative wood at the Cuddington club in Worcester Park Surrey under the watchful eyes of my late auntie Edith and uncle Bernard back in 1974, I have had the thrill of playing at the world famous Beach House Park greens at Worthing in the national finals as well as representing the county both indoor and outdoor.

However the added responsibilities of children and family life made the time and travel involved in the flat green code too great and so in 1985 I became a member of my local crown green club, Ribblesdale Wanderers in Clitheroe and exchanged the four flat green woods for the two crown green two eights!

However my interest and enthusiasm for the flat never waned and in recent years, especially since retiring, flat has once again come to the surface.

At the present time I feel though that I can enjoy the best of both worlds by playing flat in winter at the Newton Hall Indoor club in Blackpool- travelling the round trip of 75 miles approximately four times a week in addition to representative and other competitive games and playing crown in summer by representing Ribblesdale Wanderers and Sabden in the local leagues five times a week and entering competitions at weekend.

Sadly the dearth of flat green clubs in the area - Bolton, Southport Stanley Park Blackpool and the Commonwealth club in Manchester being the only ones, make my summer decision easier -but for me, given the choice flat or crown? The answer is undoubtedly FLAT.

Eric Wallace