Jones, 79, is in his 56th season as a Leeston Bowling Club member. Three years ago, he took on the role of greenkeeper.
“The other greenkeeper got sick, so I stepped in and helped the club out to keep it running,” he said.
On average, he spends 15 hours a week mowing, watering, weeding and spraying.
Leeston is one of 15 Canterbury clubs currently hosting matches for the national singles and pairs championship for the first time in 25 years - thanks to Jones’ hard work.
Representatives from Bowls New Zealand inspected the green before the club received confirmation of its involvement on December 7.
“I thought I couldn’t get it any better than what it is now ... they’ve given us four days (January 2-3 and 8-9),” Jones said.
“I was very happy about it. My aim was to try and get the green up to the standard for the nationals and I achieved that. The members are so excited, it just makes me so happy.”
“It is very handy, I just wander through and keep an eye on things,” he said.
Jones learned much of his craft from Riccarton Racecourse club greenkeeper Terry Rossiter, who was a huge support when he started.
“If we didn’t have him, I don't know what I’d have done. He has been a big help to me with setting my mowers up and advising me what to do with sprays,” he said.
Leeston’s high-quality surface has not gone unnoticed – Jones received several compliments when the club hosted the Canterbury men’s fours post-section play.
“One guy said to me when he was leaving, ‘we’ll try and get all the (Canterbury) stuff here, because I’d sooner play here than anyone else’.
“When guys leave saying that, that’s pretty good,” he said.
Jones’ lawn at home is also immaculate, but the stakes are higher at the bowling club.
“I had to sit certificates to get my spraying licence – you don’t put the wrong spray on, otherwise you end up with a dead green. You’d be popular then,” he joked.
Observing and understanding the green is the key to keeping it in top shape, Jones said.
“You know when to mow it and make sure it gets enough water. On hot days you give it a bit more water than other days and that sort of thing.
“You’ve got to walk over it every day, make sure there are no diseases. If weeds grow overnight, you hook them out, and just general maintenance, rolling and mowing and all that sort of stuff.”
Maintaining the green is a lot of work, but the results are worth it for the club stalwart.
“You work through the winter and come spring, the more attention you give (the green), the better it will be,” Jones said.
The Bowls NZ national singles and pairs championship runs until Friday, January 9.
