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Lawn bowlers are concerned Recreation Centers of Sun City officials planned four planings of lawn bowl greens instead of five and are hoping the Board of Directors revisit the issue.

Sun City resident Gerry Cobb, a member of the lawn bowling committee, told board members during the May 18 members/directors exchange the decision to conduct only four planings was not adequate. He believes reducing to four will lead to further reductions and deterioration of the facilities.

"Five planings is what it takes," he said. "What do we need to do to have this decision reconsidered?"

Tim Gallen, RCSC spokesman, said the proposed schedule of four planings in a year was approved by the lawn bowl groups. However, Mr. Cobb said the lawn bowling committee recommended five planings.

Jim Wellman, RCSC assistant general manager, said one session to plane all five lawn bowl greens in the community is $3,200. The annual cost would be $12,800 under the existing schedule of four planings.

Gene Westemeier, RCSC board member, said during he exchange meeting that RCSC officials decided $3,200 for a fifth planing session was not in the organization’s budget.

"There used to be more than five planings," he said.

Mr. Cobb questions the accuracy of the cost.

"We believe it is more in the area of $800 per session," he said.

He admitted a set of planing blades costs $2,000, but said a set would last up to three years.

"That $2,000 cost is not for one planing, but for multiple sessions over a period of years," Mr. Cobb said.

RCSC has lawn bowl facilities at Bell, 16820 N. 99th Ave., Oakmont, 10725 W. Oakmont Drive, Mountain View, 9749 N. 107th Ave., and Fairway, 10600 W. Peoria Ave., recreation centers.

Mr. Westemeier said in place of the fifth planing session, RCSC officials would groom each facility. However, Mr. Cobb believes a grooming will not do the same job as a planing session.

"Planing is the only way to keep the greens level," he said.

When lawn bowling facilities were installed at RCSC recreation centers, 11 planings were conducted annually. But Mr. Cobb said lawn bowlers found that number to be excessive and suggested they be reduced to seven. That schedule was still considered excessive and the number of planing sessions per year was reduced to five. Mr. Cobb believes five is the optimum amount.

During planing, the soil on the lawn bowl green is tilled, much like in a garden being prepared for planting, but not fully turned as the majority of the grass is not disturbed. Some minimal replanting of grass is necessary but it grows quickly, according to Mr. Cobb.

Sun City lawn bowlers have worked hard to get the facilities in top competitive shape, according to Mr. Cobb.

"We are concerned that if the number of planings go down to four, they will keep going down," he said.

Mr. Cobb said there is a new person working on the lawn bowl greens maintenance and lawn bowlers want to set a standard.

Lawn bowling committee members are confident they can work things out with the board, according to Mr. Cobb.

"I asked them if they would look at this again and they nodded their agreement," he said. "But if they keep it at four I guess we’ll have to look at appeal options."