Bowls Club Rules

 1. The Club shall be called Aphrodite Bowls Club (thereafter known as The Club) and all members will be required to comply with a) the Constitution and b)Rules of the Club and c) Club code of Etiquette.

 2.   In the event of the club dissolving, for any reason, current members will participate equally in any surplus assets to be distributed. Members will be jointly responsible for any deficit in the Club's funds, should that deficit have been incurred with proper authority and accounted for correctly in accordance with the Club Rules. Should any expenditure in excess of 50.00 (fifty) euros be made without authority the person(s) making that expenditure shall be responsible. (See Rule 25).

 3.    A Full Bowling Member is a person who has been accepted as a member of the Club, has paid the bowling group membership fee and annual green fees to Theodorou Management. Full Bowling Members will be entitled to participate in all Bowling and Social activities of the Club.

 An Associate Bowling Member is a person who has been accepted as a member  of the Club, has paid the bowling group membership fee and proportionate green fees to Theodorou Management. Associate members will be entitled to participate in all Bowling and Social activities of the Club.

 Only Full Bowling Members, and Associate Bowling Members who have paid the bowling group membership fee and green fees to Theodorou Management for a minimum period of six continuous months, will be entitled to enter Club and National competitions.

 A Social Member is a person who has been accepted as a member of the club having paid the Social Club Membership fee. Social Members will be entitled to participate in all Social activities of the Club.

 Full Bowling and Associate Members will be entitled to vote on all matters affecting the Club at an Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM).

 Social Members will be entitled to vote on all matters affecting Social activities of the Club at an AGM and EGM.

All Members are allowed to bring visitors to functions arranged by the Club. Individual visitors are allowed to attend a maximum of 3 (three) social functions per year. In the event of a function being overbooked members will be given priority. All Club Members and their visitors MUST sign the Visitors Book.

 4.    An Officer of the Club shall mean any occupant of the positions specified in the Constitution.

 5.   a) Full Bowling or Associate green fees are set by the Theodorou Management.

 b)  An annual club affiliation fee for all Members, will be determined by the elected committee and recommended for consideration at the AGM.

 c)  The committee will make the appropriate applications and arrange for payment of the appropriate fees for Full Bowling and Associate Bowling Members to Bowls Cyprus, to be members of Bowls Cyprus.

 6.      Cessation of membership shall be a) by written or verbal notice to the Secretary or b) non-payment of fees by the due date.

 7.    Dress Code. Club Colours shall be blue and white. The Club logo shall be on the Club shirts. Footwear; all players, Umpires and Markers must wear smooth soled, heel-less footwear on the green.

 Dress; the dress for match days will be as directed on the match Selection Notice. On Club days smart casual of any colour may be worn. Dress should not offend any Member and any violation may be raised with the Secretary or a Committee member.

 8.    Conduct of play. The game shall be played in a spirit of good sportsmanship and friendliness at all times and in accordance with the laws of the game as laid out  in the current  edition of  the Crystal Mark.

 Any Member/s of the club who decline to play with any other members of the Club, for any reason whatsoever, shall be required to express their opinions in a personal appearance before the committee. Should those opinions not be acceptable to the committee, the member/s shall be required to resign, or failing to do so, be excluded from the Club.

 9.   Smoking and all drinks with the exception of water will be restricted to the veranda and the inside of the club house. Members are not allowed to bring their own food onto the premises or into the clubhouse.

 10.  Members must, at all times, observe and abide by the Code of Etiquette and Rules of the Club.

 11.The Club's Committee has collective responsibility for furthering the aims of the Club, handling the administration, financial management in co-operation with the Treasurer, promoting harmony on and off the green, and maintaining proper behaviour through the exercise of the Disputes Procedure. The duties of the Officers of the committee will be published by the Secretary.The following Committee members will have the right to vote on all matters of club business, for the good and benefit and running of the club:  Club Captain, Club Secretary, Club Bowls Coordinator, Club Treasurer and Club Social Secretary. The Chairman will have the casting vote in all matters when required.

 12.  Members who comprise the Team selection panel, under the authority of the Club Captain, will be jointly responsible for selecting all teams and will have responsibility for choosing a' Captain of the Day' for each match arranged, who will welcome the visiting team and look after all courtesies for the match.

 Any member wishing to complain about team selection should express their viewpoint to the Club Captain, but should NOT voice their opinion to other club members.

 13.  Bowls Cyprus delegates should individually or jointly keep the membership informed of any points of  interest at each meeting wherever  necessary.

 14.  The club's summer and winter opening times will be defined by the Club Captain in consultation with the Facility Owner, taking into account the views of the Members with regard to temperatures at different times of the year.

 15.  Bowling Members will have precedence on the use of, and selection of rinks, on members' days. Should there be any spare capacity, pay and play bowlers will be allowed to use the spare rinks and/or be involved in members' roll-ups.

 Rink selection is not permitted prior to the day of play, except for National Competitions.

 Pay and play bowlers should have access to 1(one) rink wherever possible, without disruption to Club matches.

 16.  The Committee Chairman, with one other nominated Committee Member, will act as an intermediary, and will take all matters raised by the Committee or Membership relating to the facility, to the Facility Owner for a decision, and will report back to the membership with an answer.

 Individual members must NOT take matters into their own hands without first consulting the appropriate Committee Member. If they do, it will become a disciplinary matter.

 17.  Dates of all proposed fixtures and social events (for club members) to be held at the Club should be agreed first with the Club Captain and Social Secretary to ensure that there are no conflicting dates and are acceptable to the Facility Owner.

 18.  The Committee shall be free to co-opt any member as an additional or replacement volunteer for any of the working sub-groups, as necessary.

 19. CLUB FINANCIAL MATTERS

ACCOUNTS. The elected Treasurer should present a brief summary of the Club accounts at each Committee meeting stating the current income/expenditure/financial health of the Club. The summary should be posted with the Minutes for the attention of all Members.

 FINANCIAL PROPRIETY. All Club Members taking responsibility for any events involving collection of monies from other Members, should present to the Treasurer a brief  summary of accounts, after the event, or monthly if on-going, stating money taken in/money paid out or surplus and/or deficit to Club funds. The Club's Treasurer will be responsible for ensuring that RULE 2 is enforced.

 AUDIT. Annual accounts should be audited by at least 2 (two) other Members of the Club on every change of Treasurer, and at least once a year, before the AGM, when a balance sheet should be available for all Members at the meeting.

 SIGNATURES. Access to the Club's funds, whether by cheque book or withdrawal from the account should have a minimum of 2 (two) signatures, one being the Club Secretary, one the Club Treasurer and another the Club President.

20.DISPUTE PROCEDURE

 a)    Informal procedure- On taking note of, or being informed of, a breach of the Club Rules or inappropriate behaviour by any Member(s) within a match, the Skip (on the rink) should be the person to resolve the matter. Failing a resolution the Chairperson will meet with the person(s) involved and, through discussion will endeavour to resolve the matter. However, failing this the Chairperson will submit a written report of the discussion to the Club Committee who will decide whether the matter needs to be taken further. A formal record of this decision is to be kept and lodged with the Secretary. In the absence of the Chairperson the Club Captain will follow the above procedure.

 b) Formal procedure - If the Club Committee decides to pursue the dispute, 3 (three) Club Members are to be seconded onto a working group to deal with the dispute. The duties of this working group will be to investigate the matter further and seek to reach a satisfactory conclusion. The investigation may involve additional discussions with the person(s) involved and/or members who may have something constructive to contribute. In the event of a decision not being reached the Club President will be invited to arbitrate. Detailed records will be kept and lodged with the Secretary as a permanent record.

 c)    Options.

1. No further action

2.   Minor infringements, agreed by the Committee, (of Rules etc) will result in a fine of 5 euros.

3.   Suspension from all Club competitions for a period to be stipulated by the Committee.

4.    Suspension from the Club and its activities for a period to be stipulated by the Committee.

5.   Expulsion from the Club with immediate effect.

With the exception of (5) the decision must be communicated in writing to the member(s) concerned, and, if accepted, the matter must be considered closed. In the event that the member(s) do not accept the decision or if the decision is expulsion, the Committee must call an EGM as soon as possible in the context of notice requirements so that Members may decide. At the EGM the records of the Committee will be presented as justification for the penalty decided upon.

Revised November 2017

CONSTITUTION

 1.         THE CLUB shall mean the Aphrodite Bowls Club (From hereon known as the Club)

2.         FACILITY OWNER shall mean John Theodorou Estates Ltd  (From hereon known  as JTE)

3.         The aims of the Club shall be to promote, foster and encourage the game of bowls in a  convivial and friendly environment and to provide the members  with playing facilities and social activities  in conjunction with the Facility Owner.

4.         The affairs of the club will be managed by an elected chairman and committee at regular monthly meetings. The constitution of the committee will be in accordance with the club rules at any one time. A quorum will be 50% of elected committee members.

5.         Members will be entitled to attend committee meetings and every third meeting they will be entitled to take part in an agenda item known as ‘open forum’. Members who wish to put forward a properly seconded proposal will be expected to attend the appropriate committee meeting and present their proposal.

6.         In pursuing the aims of the Club, its members and officials will abide by the Rules of the Club in force at that time.  The Rules may be altered as required and when necessary by a properly seconded proposal, discussion and vote at a  committee meeting.

7.  An Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on the second Saturday in November each year at which the quorum shall comprise one third of the paid up full members of the club.   The club secretary will give 4 weeks notice of the meeting on the club notice board and website. Valid Motions for discussion at the AGM must be received up to 2 weeks before the date of the AGM. No proposals from the floor will be accepted at the AGM and there will be no AOB. A valid motion shall mean any written proposition made by a member, seconded by a member and submitted to the secretary in time for inclusion in the AGM.

The business conducted at the AGM will be :-

(a)         to receive the report of the secretary.

(b)         to receive the report of the treasurer .

(c)         To vote for and elect the club President, club vice captain, committee vice chairman, club secretary, club treasurer, social secretary, welfare officer. Retiring incumbents are entitled to have their names put forward for the same or other offices. The positions of management representative and Bowls Cyprus representatives will be filled by delegation at committee or sub committee level.

(d)         To nominate / appoint an auditor for the ensuing year.

(e)         To confirm rates of subscriptions payable to the club and to Bowls Cyprus as appropriate for the ensuing year.

(f)          to consider resolutions of which due notice has been given.

Voting on matters placed before an AGM will normally be conducted by a show of hands, but can be superseded by a ballot if requested by 10 members or 25% of the membership in attendance.  The current Chairperson shall have the discretion to call a ballot on any issue.

Proxy Voting is permitted by requesting a proxy voting form from the secretary, which must be completed and signed by the member, witnessed by another member and returned to the secretary at the latest 48 hours before the meeting. Proxy Voting is allowed only for those members who, by reason of health or genuine absence from the island, are unable to attend the AGM. 

Any motion that results in a tied vote will be deemed to have been lost.  For a motion to be heard at an AGM, either the proposer or seconder must be in attendance.

Should an amendment to the original proposal be made at the meeting and passed by the members present at the meeting the original proposal vote will become null and void.

8.         Members may call for an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) providing the conditions set out within the club rules are complied with. The club secretary will call an EGM, giving 14 clear days notice on the club notice board and on the website, at the request of either a simple majority of elected committee members or upon receipt of a request in writing signed by a minimum of two full and fully paid up members of the club stating the purpose for which the EGM is being called. . No other business shall be conducted at such a meeting except that of which notice has been given.

A quorum for an EGM will be one third of fully paid up members..

Conditions referring to Voting and Proxy voting will be in accordance to those at an AGM.

For a motion to be heard at an EGM,  the proposer or seconder must be in attendance .

9.         The Club shall be funded by the affiliation fees of the members and any profits arising from various social activities held in pursuit of the aims of the Club. The club treasurer will keep accounts of all receipts and payments and present monthly accounts at monthly committee meetings. The treasurer will present audited annual accounts at the AGM.

10.       Minutes of all meetings will be recorded by the club secretary and presented for confirmation and signing at monthly committee meetings. Minutes of AGM will be presented at the following AGM.

11.       The club and all its bowling members will be a fully paid up members of Bowls Cyprus.

12.       The club rules will contain references to misconduct, discipline and disciplinary proceedings in accordance with the rules of Aphrodite Bowls Club, Bowls Cyprus, European Bowls Union and World Bowls.

13.       No committee member shall be liable for any loss, damage or misfortune which may happen to or be incurred by the club in the execution of the duties of his/her office or in relation thereto.

2nd May 2011

Etiquette in the game of Bowls

Bowls is one of the few sports where true sportsmanship still prevails. This is a position that should be guarded jealously, and by following the few simple principles listed below you can help to maintain the sportsmanship and courtesy that has characterised the game of bowls for so many years.

PRIOR TO THE GAME STARTING

1.      Check that you know the correct dress for the occasion, and wear it.

2.      Make sure that you know the starting time of the game and be there in sufficient time to change your footwear and be on the green ready to start at the appointed time.

3.      In a team game, be there in time to welcome your guests.

ON THE GREEN AND DURING THE GAME

1.      Enter and leave the green from within your own rink ends.

2.      Do not drop your bowls on the green.

3.      Shake hands and greet your opponents, and the "marker  (in singles)", before and after the game.

4.      Do not sit on the banking.

5.      Do not drop litter in the ditches - use the bins provided.

6.      Stand still when your opponent is about to play.

7 .     Do not infringe the laws of rink possession, i.e. do not have unnecessary conversations with other players or spectators, make no unnecessary movement at the head or mat ends, stand well behind the head and mat when your opposition is playing or is about to play.

8.      Wait until the result of the end has been decided before collecting the bowls. When collecting the bowls, move the bowls to the middle of the rink and use the bowls collector to move them behind the 2 meter mark and to one side of the rink.

9.      If you are responsible for keeping the score, compare your scorecard with that of your opponent at the end of each end. If  scoreboards are in use make sure they agree with your scorecard and that of your opponent.

10.    Unless you have been delegated to decide the shots at the completion of the end, do not interfere in any way with this process.

11.    If an Umpire has been called, stay well clear of the head until a decision has been made.

12.    If you have lost the game remember to congratulate your opponent.

13.    Never be heard to adversely argue, comment or criticise the green or your opponent or one of your team members.

14.    Acknowledge a "fluke" and commend an opponent's good bowl.

15.    Do not leave the green without the consent of your skip, or opponent in singles play.

16.    Be proud of your Club, never let it down, and never do anything, by word, deed or action, that may reflect against it.

17.    Do not run on the green.

18.    Do not walk down the rink until the last bowl has stopped or the player has followed the wood down the green.

19.    Do not stand at the side of the person bowling. Always stand about one metre behind.

20.    When playing on outer rinks always walk on your rink closest to the ditch. Otherwise walk down the middle of the rink so as not to disturb games on adjacent rinks. Walk in single file or maximum 2 abreast.

21.    Always be waiting with bowl in hand ready to step onto the mat when opposition steps off.

22.    Do not shout or move about when other games are in progress, have respect for other people, including your own game.

23.    Conversations between skip and rest of the team should take place at the head or mat. Discussions halfway down the rink are not acceptable.

24.    If you have to walk along the paved areas at the end of the rinks, please consider players on other rinks that you are passing by, look to see if there is anyone on the mat ready to bowl at the far end, as they may be distracted by your moving across their rink.

25.    On a dead end, if there are bowls to be returned to the other end please carry them back, do not bowl or throw them as they could encroach upon another rink which may affect their game.

26.    Do not talk or wave an opposing bowl through the head. No amount of waving or cursing will change the course of the bowl.

27.   After bowling, and on moving to the other end of the rink, the front end players should keep clear of the head allowing the skips to play their woods without having to wait


28.    Remember that the skips have been at the head watching all bowls coming up, therefore the third should not try to give him/her any advice about which way to come before they have bowled their first bowl. If the head changes before their second you may give information and advice to the skip.


29.    If the sun is shining, make sure that your shadow does not fall across the jack or fall in front of the person on the mat.

30.    Try not to stand in front of the rink number plates or rink boundary dividers / markers

31.    After bowling and moving to the other end of the rink, the front end players should keep clear of the head allowing the skips to play their woods without having to wait. Do not hang around in the head examining the state of play.

32.    Be aware of bowlers and bowling on adjacent rinks particularly when they are bowling from the opposite end. A little consideration will avoid unnecessary collisions of bowls.

33.    Pay attention to your game at all times. Nothing can be more frustrating to your partners than to feel that you are not !

Nov 2018.

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