09 Oct A PAUL ENGLISH PROFILE – BOB BOOTH

This is the first of a series of profiles written by Competition Secretary, Paul English.

ANYONE reading this article with a good memory may well think “we’ve been here before” and it’s true, because Thongsbridge bowler Bob Booth was featured in May 2023 when he celebrated his first win as a Veterans bowler.

What’s special about that you may ask – well Bob is visually impaired and needs guidance from his partner when bowling. “I need to have the jack so that I know which line it has taken and then it’s a case of being told if I have put enough weight in or too much weight,” explains Booth.

“On the green I generally try and find a point to aim at when I’m leading – if I’m following somebody it’s a matter of roughly trying to find out where it’s gone and to find a point to go left or right of it. The trouble is my eyesight is getting worse and I keep getting  blank spots  – it’s weird but my sight just goes blank.

HVBA President Richard Armitage is Booth’s regular partner though he has also been paired with Graham Helm and Bob Bates during the 2024 season that saw him notch up four wins from his nine outings. That’s taken his tally to eight wins including his first success on foreign soil – a 21-15 success at Primrose Hill in May.

Booth’s bowling story is one of real interest.

“I started bowling flat green for the visually impaired. The only flat green in West Yorkshire was Brighouse which was built specially for the visually impaired,” he said. “I heard about it through a talking newspaper and went down and I enjoyed it, that would be 10 years ago. However, after Covid, the club folded for several different reasons.

“I heard about Richard Armitage starting up short mat bowling at the Civic in Holmfirth two years ago. I told him my situation and went down to give it a try and took to it ok. “Everybody was very welcoming and asked me if I wanted to have a go at Crown Green bowling – I’d heard of people going from Crown Green to Flat but not the other way around.”

So just how bad is Booth’s eyesight?

“I have had this eye problem all my life and it’s gradually got worse as the years have gone on. You adapt with it, you find ways around doing things. If you enjoy something you do adapt and find different ways to do it. I only have peripheral vision and no central vision. It’s like the opposite to tunnel vision.

“I think if somebody is starting with macular degeneration in later life then they don’t need to think that they can’t continue bowling. If I can do it, then other people can I’m sure.”

Beside bowling with VIBE (Visually Impaired Bowling England) Booth has bowled with DBE which is Disability Bowls England with whom he bowled for the North of England against the South, South East and Midlands.

“There are some amazing people there, there was one bloke with no arms who did everything with his feet. He’d put a wood onto a saucer on his foot with his other foot and just flick it out – he was bowling for England and was damn good. It was amazing seeing people bowl out of wheelchairs – I had some marvellous times.”