WO2001089640A2

WO2001089640A2 - Handicapping and grading in bowls

Info

Publication number: WO2001089640A2
Application number: PCT/ZA2001/000067
Authority: WO
Inventors: Johannes Arnoldus Van Zyl
Original assignee: Johannes Arnoldus Van Zyl
Priority date: 2000-05-26
Filing date: 2001-05-25
Publication date: 2001-11-29
Also published as: WO2001089640A3; AU2001268763A1

Abstract

A computerised method of grading and handicapping players and teams in the game of bowls, in a system that is consistent and published not only at club level of various clubs, but also at provincial, district, national and international levels. The invention provides a computer loaded with algorithms which allow the loading of data regarding the results of games played at various levels, calculating and updating gradings and handicaps, publishing these and other functions. The invention also provides magnetic strip cards and/or smart cards which can interact with the computer and also provide value to the user outside the game of bowls, like cash card, credit card etc. facilities. The algorithms are adapted to allow for various considerations to be factored into the calculations, such as the level of games played, from club social or tabs-in games, including the size of a club, to national and international levels, the scores and score differentials between winners and losers. The system allows or requires club officials and members to interact with it, allowing peer pressure, discretionary decisions and adjudications, green fee payments and other factors to be handled by the computer.

Description

HANDICAPPING AND GRADING IN BOWLS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to technology for use in handicapping and grading in the game of bowls. Bowls is an old game played on a smooth lawn, a "bowling green" with a wooden or polymeric/composite ball weighted or cambered on one side to give it a bias when it is rolled, in an attempt to make it stop near another stationary ball, the "jack".

BACKGROUND

Whereas handicapping is well established, for example, in the game of golf already for a long time manually and now electronically, in the game of bowls handicapping is limited to rudimentary handicapping systems applied within some clubs. The systems for bowls are thus rudimentary and fragmented and as a result non-standardised and non-comparable between clubs. In practice the use of these handicapping systems are limited to internal club handicapping competitions. The handicapping is not systematic and hence often controversial. In this way the true importance of handicapping and its benefits have been largely lost to bowls.

In the game of golf the player's handicap is established by his performance against the course, independently of the performance of other players who play with him. In the game of bowls there is no score independent of other players, only results of contests between players playing together, i.e. against each other. Also there are complexities in the way the playing of bowls is organised which are difficult to provide for, in particular the grading of players when playing in fours, for example, the value judgements at various levels in the organised game and other factors. Nevertheless, the attraction of handicapping, namely that, novices, children, handicapped persons and experienced players can compete equally in a tournament or other competition operates no less with the game of bowls as it does in other sports.

The Game of Bowls

Some understanding of the game of bowls is helpful in following the description of the invention. Bowls is usually played on an approximately forty meter square green, on the green several rinks can be set up alongside each other, each taking approximately five meters width and the length of the green. Strings of five or six games can therefore be played at the same time on a green. Games can be played in teams of singles, pairs, trips and fours. Singles, where there is one player on each side and fours, in which there are four players on each side, are usually more important formats of play. Trips is usually not played at a competitive level in world bowls. In the course of playing in a club the players are graded within the club for play in fours as lead, second, third and skip, the last-mentioned being usually the most experienced and gifted with good tactical ability. This designation of players is termed "grading". Players generally play in their grading positions but in social bowls they sometimes play out of position, and as they gain in experience and skill they move upwards in grading towards skip and conversely as they decline. Some, however, may develop a special skill as lead, second or third and so tend to stay playing in competitions in this position or are chosen as specialists in this position. Thus in competitions at any particular level, whereas the players are graded with respect to each other within each team, there is no comparable system between players in different teams or between teams as a whole. It follows that the grading in one club cannot be compared with the grading in another club and generally there is no consistent grading system nationally. The various teams will exhibit differing standards of play and some will be outclassed by others with no prospect of doing well, for example, typically in a tournament of thirty players only a small percentage, e.g. only five, will really be in the running to have a chance to win.

In addition to grading, the individual players can be handicapped, i.e. given a rating expressed a number, by which their individual performance is adjusted, to compensate weaker players, as compared with stronger players.

The problem that arises is thus the need for a system of initially establishing and then maintaining updated, a handicapping and grading system with a necessary underlying technology to enable it be accessible across a range of clubs, districts and nationally, preserving a consistent and comparative standard applicable to all players.

The various aspects of the invention as will be described below enable a system of handicapping and grading which is feasible and acceptable at all levels of the game, with progressive refinement also enabled.

THE INVENTION

{Data entry for initial set up}

The solution of the problem described which is offered by this invention, is a method of handicapping players who play in the game of bowls, enabled by suitable computer technology, comprising the steps of entering particulars into a computer including an identity of a player, a denomination, a grading and a handicap or level of competitiveness of a game, a result of that game, and a grading position in which the player played in the game. The initial entering of this data will constitute the first set up of the data in the computer which provides a technical result of storing the data, maintaining its updated values, providing access to it subject to required security, transmitting it to other localities subject to firewall protection as may be required and subsidiary facilties.

{Current handicap}

The invention further provides a computer loaded with data in memory including initial designations of grading and handicaps of registered players made by clubs, merit values of games to be played in a season or other period, and other data selected from factors or multipliers related to playing out of graded position and other considerations together with software establishing algorithms for calculation of a handicap and/or grading adjustments for each player following on the entered result of a game, storing that updated handicap and/or grading in memory and other optional steps. This will thus maintain the current handicap of the player.

{Calculate handicap data}

The method of the invention thus further comprises the steps following on the entering steps described above, carried out by use of the computer according to the loaded algorithm, for calculation of a handicap and/or grading adjustments for that player following on the entered results of successive games, storing that updated handicap and/or grading in memory and other optional steps.

{Handicap available}

Preferably the stored handicap is made accessible to any player including the player whose handicap it is and others. Peer pressure is an important component of the system using the invention, to realise a higher level of integrity of total results and other data entered in the computer. This feature of the invention facilitates that pressure. The computer according to the invention may be characterised by a provision for score-cards to be entered into the computer by club officials, with suitable access security. {Adjustment of handicap}

Preferably the software algorithms of the computer are adapted to allow, with suitable access security, entering of modifications and adjustments of handicap, grading and/or other data which may result from appeals, reviews or other adjudication processes which may be carried out according to the rules of the game and of this handicapping system, carried out at various levels of the game.

{Ranking list} Preferably the invention includes the further step of publishing ranking of players in or on suitable media, like club notice boards, e-mail sites, web site clip boards, notices, newsletters, circulars, telephone enquiry service, etc. The ranking can be used to assist in selection, for example, apart from the fact that it can plot and display a player's form over a period. The ranking forms an integral part of the handicap algorithm.

{Merit level of a game}

The merit level of games to be recorded in the computer which can be adopted could, for example, be a graded value from social games or tabs-in games, to internal club games, to inter-club games, to provincial games, to national games and to international games. Hence success in a higher graded game would more greatly benefit a handicap than in a lower graded game. The levels will be refined and adjusted according to the bowls associations and their competitions.

{Decay factor}

Preferably the computer algorithm is adapted to add a decay factor to each result for any given player. The algorithm calculates the result of the decayed value per game, for all games in any given period.

{Win or lose factor}

The result of a game played will give an indication of who has won and who has lost. The winner will receive more benefits than the loser. {Shot differential}

The difference between the score of the winner and the score of the loser will determine the shot differential. This indicates by what margin the winner has won, i.e. whether it was a close game or a convincing victory. The shot differential is also a factor that influence the number of points allocated to each player or team of players.

{Clubs assign graded positions}

The capacity provided by the invention to store initial handicap and/or grading assessments by clubs and certain other aspects facilitates an important element of the system to make it acceptable to club administrators and other vested interests in the game, to buy in to the system and commit to it. The clubs may retain their roles in the game and indeed it is necessary that they do so, using the system of the invention.

Preferably, whereas the handicapping of players may be provided by the computer algorithms without an option of input involving merit assessment of club or other administrators other than the initial one, the computer of the invention will have a feature of its algorithm which permits or requires input from officials of the game who may be defined as required, e.g. club administrators, captains, etc. for the grading of players. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the computer algorithm will require club committees to grade players, i.e. their positional abilities, using the handicapping status established by the computer as a yardstick.

The method of the invention thus further comprises the steps following on the entering steps described carried out by use of the computer according to the loaded algorithm of for calculation of a handicap and/or grading adjustments for that player following on the entered result of a game, storing that updated handicap and/or grading in memory and other optional steps. {Position weighting}

The positions in a team are also weighted according to the level of influence on the game that that player had. This is factored in by dividing the points scored for the result between the individual players in a team based on the weighting of the position played.

{Club size}

Club size is preferably another factor or multiplier to be loaded into the computer factor or multiplier to be loaded in the computer, according to the invention. The larger the club, the more a good result will improve a handicap and/or grading. The same applies for the province, region and country.

{Position on the ranking list}

The position on the ranking list will determine the magnitude of the handicap assigned. The ranking list is divided into sections and all the players in that section have the same magnitude of handicap. A decimal value added to the section value indicates the relative position as a percentage of the player in the section on the ranking list.

{The card}

Further according to the invention there is provided magnetic strip and/or smart bowls handicap cards, adapted and/or programmed to interact with the described computer. Preferably the cards also are adapted to perform functions additional to handicapping and/or grading, one is to record and update information about the payment of green fees by the player. Handicapping and/or grading can be influenced/suspended by information relating to defaulting on green fee payment, or the like.

{Accept cards at all times} Preferably the cards are readable and updatable at terminals at any location, for example, there are some 44 000 registered bowls players in about 700 clubs in the country where the cards are preferably readable. A national handicapping system is aimed at using the invention as well as controls on fees. Over a period of time the handicap for a player will be refined and continually updated.

Preferably the computer algorithm is adapted to regard a package of the last twenty entered results for any given player, to select the best ten results in that package and to compute the handicap/grading adjustment from them.

Thus the computer database will store a moving frame of twenty results for each player.

The computer of the invention may have software suites which allow club administration and management, bar inventory and similar functions attended to. This and other enhancements of the value to clubs can be provided.

{Extra card functionality}

The computer of the invention may also have other enhancements of value to the player in regard to his card. These may include credit card, debit card, cash card, shopping club card, flight ticket booking, insurance and other commercial facilities not directly connected with the game of bowls or the clubs or other components of bowls organisation.

{Non-payment of fees}

Handicapping and/or grading can be influenced /suspended by information relating to defaulting on green fee payments, or the like.

{Club management and add-ons} The computer of the invention may have software suites that allow club administration and management, bar inventory and similar functions attended to. This and other enhancements of the value to clubs can be provided. These value-adding services can conveniently be separate modules, or alternatively, they can be integrated into a single package.

A significant technical result of all the features thus far described relating to the invention, is the provision by the invention of a means of transmitting the information stored, updated and processed by the computer, to other computers or devices. This transmission can include local area networking (LAN), wide area networking (WAN), landline and radio transmission facilities, etc. In all cases the invention will provide protocols for establishing transmission, either on demand or automatic, for dial-up and other connections and hand-shake protocols, for access security and fire-wall facilities, etc., all adapted to the unique requirements of this invention. This technical aspect satisfies the requirement described above, of providing a handicapping and grading system which is applicable across-the-board, of clubs, regions and nationally, giving comparability to the handicapping and grading of players and teams in different clubs and regions.

The invention will be more fully described by way of non-limiting examples in what follows.

The player's national bowls handicap is factored into the computer, with his full names and identity number, as soon as the player registers at a club as a bowler. Each bowler is required to register at the green fee point by using his national handicap card. At this point all the necessary fees will be paid for the player to participate in a game, competition or tournament.

Green fees, subscriptions and any other costs can also be entered and monitored by the computer. Different ways of handling the money for the fees can be catered for like on account of the club, on account at the bank, cash, prepaid systems or any loyalty system.

The registered players are then assigned to the various tournaments or competitions, whether is a social tabs-in game or a round in a stage of a tournament. The draw for a tabs-in game is more impartial than when it is done by hand. The list of the games that is going to be played per competition is then printed and posted on the notice board or tabs board.

At the end of each game a scorecard or games list is produced which reflects: a) - the player's identification particulars, b) - the player's national bowls handicap, c) - the team's combined handicap as reflected by various factors, d) - a score reflecting a win, lose or peel (a peel is a draw), e) - a merit level of the game played, e.g., club social, outside social or tournament, club competition, inter-club (league) game, inter provincial game, national game.

Note that a peel is not taken into account due to the assumption that the handicap I based on the results of any game. If a peel is to be assigned the points given to each player or team would be half of the available points as determined by the merit level and other factors. Normally a peel is applied only on a head and not on a game.

The computer may print a card reflecting a), b) and d), the player/his peers, club official may enter c) after the game and this is entered into the computer.

Green fees, subscriptions and any other costs can also be entered and monitored by the computer. The result c) can be entered by an official, skip (a team leader) or the player at the registered terminal.

The preferred method of handicapping may include the following steps : - International, national, provincial and club authorities will determine the merit or value of bowls competitions at various levels of competitive play, as mentioned above. The points value for each level is then set and made uniform nationally. The result of each match is then processed by a multiplier according to these standards. The shot differential is firstly computed to determine the degree in which one player beat another player. The same factor is used to deduct points from the half of the loser and add points to the winner. In short it can be described that the loser gives points to the winner by the same factor as the shot differential.

Points value may also be allocated for the stage achieved in major games or tournaments, e.g. last 32, last 16, quarter finals, semi finals and finals, in addition to wins. Also factored in is the size of the club, number of the players in the province, etc. This is factored into the computer computations to fairly evaluate the worth of a result, in particular the proportional value relative to other clubs, provinces, districts, etc. The position in which the player played in fours, trips or pairs is also taken into consideration by the computer configured by the software according to the invention. Playing out of position can either be considered as a plus or a minus. Hardware terminals sited at the clubs and other venues for games are connected to a mainframe for a province and/or directly nationally.

If the points for the merit level wee 100 and the score was 14-21 for the game, the shot differential would be 7. The factor would be 7 over 21 or 0.3 repeated. The points affected by the shot differential factor are 33. The winner will get 133 points and the loser will get 66 points.

If the game consisted of teams rather than players the position weighting will play a role. The position weighting for fours can be skip 50, third 35, second 35 and lead 50. This means that the players on the winning team would get skip 67, third 47, second 47 and lead 67 points. This means that the players on the losing team would get skip 33, third 21 , second 21 and lead 33 points.

The decay factor will determine the period for which the score will be used in the handicap and the grading value. If the decay factor is eight periods and a period is set to be one month, the points for the score for the winning skip will be 34 points. All these points are summarised for a player to determine the total points for that period.

The total number of points for the period will determine the ruling handicap for the next period once the handicap list is released. The players are sorted on the number of total points and other indicators if the points are the same to get the ranking list.

The ranking list is then divided into sections based on the number of players as a percentage of the total number of players on the ranking list. Each section holds a percentage of the players on the list. An example is the first 5% players on the ranking list all have a section handicap of 14. The second section will consist of the next 10% of players and will have a section handicap of 13, and so forth.

In a section each player will be assigned a percentage value of his position in the section on the ranking list. Lets say the skip is number 10 from above in a list of 200 players in section 14, he will have a handicap of 14 plus 10 divided by 200 which is equal to 14.05. This will be his final handicap that will be distributed.

At club competition level the value of the match result/bowlers achievement is assessed against the number of registered bowlers in the club, i.e. the size of the club, relative to the number of registered bowlers in the province or district in which the club is situated.

At Provincial competition level the value of the match result/ bowlers achievement is assessed against the number of registered bowlers in the province or district i.e. the size of the province relative to the number of bowlers in a national context (see above).

Apart from various additional uses for the card, discount arrangements for users of the card can be arranged. These benefits can be used to justify initial cost of acquiring a card, or can be used to finance free issuing of cards.

An example of a table to set out the points or values afforded to various results of games played at various competitive levels is the following : -

1 ) Club social level : for playing for win or peel

2) Outside social and tournaments : for playing for peel for win 3) Inter club and provincial : for plavinq for peel for win

Quarter finals (last eight) : for playing for peel for win

Semi finals (last four) : for playing for peel for win

Finals (last two) : for plavinq for peel for win

4)lnter club league play : for playing for peel for win

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

6th

7th

8th

9th

10th

Registered Membership data will also be inputted to the computer.

Claims

1. A method of handicapping players who play in the game of bowls, enabled by suitable computer technology, characterised by the steps of entering particulars into a computer including an identity of a player, a denomination, a grading and a handicap or level of competitiveness of a game, a result of that game, and a grading position in which the player played in the game, activating a computer to implement algorithms applied to the data in the computer to provide a technical result of storing the data, maintaining its updated values, providing access to it subject to required security, transmitting it to other localities subject to firewall protection as may be required and subsidiary facilities.

2. A computer loaded with data in memory, characterised by initial designations of grading and handicaps of registered players made by clubs, merit values of games to be played in a season or other period, and other data selected from factors or multipliers related to playing out of graded position and other considerations together with software establishing algorithms for calculation of a handicap and/or grading adjustments for each player following on the entered result of a game, storing that updated handicap and/or grading in memory and other optional steps.

3. The method of the invention as claimed in claim 1 , characterised by the steps following on the entering steps, carried out by use of the computer according to the loaded algorithm, for calculation of a handicap and/or grading adjustments for that player following on the entered results of successive games, storing that updated handicap and/or grading in memory and other optional steps.

4. The method of the invention as claimed in either one of claims 1 or 3, characterised by the steps of the software algorithms of the computer allowing, with suitable access security, entering of modifications and adjustments of handicap, grading and/or other data which may result from appeals, reviews or other adjudication processes which may be carried out according to the rules of the game and of this handicapping system, carried out at various levels of the game.

5. The method of the invention as claimed in any one of claims 1 or 3 to 4, characterised by the steps of publishing ranking of players in or on suitable media, like club notice boards, e-mail sites, web site clip boards, notices, newsletters, circulars, telephone enquiry service

6. The method of the invention as claimed in any one of claims 1 or 3 to 5, characterised by the steps of the merit level of games being recorded in the computer which include a graded value from social games or tabs-in games, to internal club games, to inter-club games, to provincial games, to national games and to international games.

7. The method of the invention as claimed in any one of claims 1 or 3 to

6, characterised by the step of the computer algorithm adding a decay factor to each result for any given player including the decay factor being set for a given number of periods and the time duration of a period being set.

8. The method of the invention as claimed in any one of claims 1 or 3 to

7, characterised by the step of the result of a game played giving an indication of who has won and who has lost, providing that the winner will receive more benefits than the loser, the difference between the score of the winner and the score of the loser determining a shot differential which indicates by what margin the winner has won.

9. The method of the invention as claimed in any one of claims 1 or 3 to

8, characterised by the step of the handicapping of players provided by the computer algorithms including input involving merit assessment of club or other administrators other than the initial one, having a feature of the computer algorithm which permits or requires input from officials of the game, defined as required, including club administrators and captains, for the grading of players in regard to their positional abilities, using the handicapping status established by the computer as a yardstick.

10. The method of the invention as claimed in any one of claims 1 or 3 to

9, characterised by the step of adding club size as another factor or multiplier to be loaded into the computer factor or multiplier to be loaded in the computer, the larger the club, the more a good result will improve a handicap and/or grading and applying the same principle for a province, region and country.

11. The method of the invention as claimed in any one of claims 1 or 3 to

10, characterised by the step of algorithms loaded in the computer calculating the position on a ranking list which will determine the magnitude of the handicap assigned, the ranking list being divided into sections and all the players in that section have the same magnitude of handicap, a decimal value being added to the section value to indicate the relative position as a percentage of the player in the section on the ranking list and publishing the ranking list.

12. A computer as claimed in claim 2 characterised by being adapted to co-act with magnetic strip and/or smart-card bowls handicap cards, adapted and/or programmed to interact with the computer algorithms and for the cards also being adapted to perform functions additional to handicapping and/or grading, including to record and update information about the payment of green fees by the player, handicapping and/or grading being influenced/suspended by information relating to defaulting on green fee payment or the like.

13. A computer as claimed in claim 12 characterised by being adapted to co-act with magnetic strip and/or smart-card bowls handicap cards, adapted to have other enhancements of value to the player in regard to his card, including one or more selected from credit card, debit card, cash card, shopping club card, flight ticket booking, insurance and other commercial facilities not directly connected with the game of bowls or the clubs or other components of bowls organisation.

14. A method of handicapping players who play in the game of bowls, enabled by suitable computer technology, characterised by the steps as herein generally described.

15. A computer loaded with data in memory, characterised by the features herein generally described.