_{The Annual Knighthood Competition}

Many of the customs of the “Old Green” may have disappeared with the years, but there is one which has been faithfully observed annually since it was inaugurated on the 1st August 1776. This is the Knighthood Competition, and it is unique in the bowling world.  It was Inspired by one Mr. Miller, who had threefold distinction of being 82 years of age, the Father, and Master of the Green.

All members of the Club who have not previously won the competition (Gentlemen Commoners), are eligible to take part, with all previous winners (Knights) acting as organisers and controllers of the game. The game is played over the whole of the green and it is not restricted by the rink line and boundaries.

Recent Winners

The ‘knights’ place the jack on a penny at any position on the green.  The distance between the mat and jack being at their discretion.  Each ‘Gentlemen Commoner’ bowls two woods.  After each wood has come to rest, the distance between jack and wood is measured and recorded and then the wood is removed. If the wood touches the jack and removes it from it’s starting position on the penny, the jack is placed back on the penny before measurement takes palace.  if the wood has come to rest such that the jack cannot be replaced but some of the penny is still visible, this is recorded as a toucher, but it if the penny cannot be seen at all, this is recorded as a lodger.

After allocation of points, the mat and jack are placed in new positions and the whole procedure is started again and continues in the same manner until one participant has amassed seven points.  A procedure which can take up to ten or more days.

The Participant to gain the first seven points is greeted and acknowledged by the knights of the Green, and subsequently installed as a ‘knight of the Green’ and will not be able to compete in the competition again.  He will join the band of organisers at the next annual event.

The 2010 Knighthood Competition will commence at 3pm on Wednesday August 25th.

The Mayor of Southampton, along with the Town Crier will officially open the competition,

Guests and visitors are made welcome

With the title of Knight of the Green being adopted, certain privileges evolved around the title. For instance, one ‘Knighted’ all Gentlemen Commoners are required to always address a knight as ‘sir’ and his partner as ‘Lady’. Later on, the rules of the club were changed to specify that if a knight found it necessary to resign from the club for personal location reasons, he could rejoin the club at a later date without paying a rejoining fee.  This rule is not now applicable.

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