Mark Beattie (Short Mat Player)

Mark Beattie (Short Mat Player)

Born in Strabane, County Tyrone, N Ireland in 1972, Mark started playing bowls at the age of 12. His father was a bowler and when Mark broke his toe and was laid up for a while he got bored, so his father took him to the bowls. Mark enjoyed watching and when his toe got better he started to play! Mark plays for Ireland/Foyle Zone and is a member of the IIBA (Irish Indoor Bowling Association)

Which model(s)/size of Taylor bowls do you enjoy playing with and why?

 

I use an Ace with the Xtreme grip in Sweden, Norway and Belgium where their mats are quite a bit faster and swing a lot more so a straighter bowl (less of a finish/hook) is needed. I am loving the xtreme grip which Taylor's recently brought out! It gives me extra confidence holding the bowl!

In England I use the International. The mats there tend to be the Verdemat brand and its mat on stadium mat which I find that the international bowls work well on that pace and finish.

For the slower Wygreen mats in Ireland I use either the Lignoid as you need a strong finish or the Taylor's Internationals. I got a red set of International bowls over 10 years ago when I got back into bowls and just took to them immediately winning several local tournaments that year. Internationals are my bowls of choice as I feel they have just the right amount of finish, not too much and not too little.

Are there any particular stories/incidents you would like to tell us about that relate to your bowling?

In 2015, one week before the World Masters I was scheduled to have a heart valve operation, as fate would have it I had a cold and they postponed the operation which allowed me to play in the tournament which I won!

In the bowling world who do you most admire?

Long Mat - Jim Baker- Met him once, when I was young, the year after he won the world championship and from then on I wanted to be world champion.

Short Mat - Tommy Johnston - All time great and short mat legend - One of the best drawer of a bowl that I have seen.

Mark's favourite things in life are:

Film - It's a Wonderful Life - I like to try and watch it every Christmas with my family.

Book - Harry Potter Series - I purchased them for my children and ended up reading the first book and really enjoyed it so I ended up reading them all.

Football Team - Liverpool

Song/Band - Queen

 

Mark's Bowling Achievement:-

2023 SMPT WORLD FOURS WINNER

2023 SMPT World Cup winner as part of Team Ireland

2022 Winner of the English Masters

2021 SMPT - RANKED WORLD SHORT MAT NO1 PLAYER

2019 SMPT World Cup - Fours Winner

2019 SMPT UK Open Champion

2018 British Isles Championship Winner (Ireland)

2018 Won the Stockholm Open Fours Tournament organised by Bowls Sweden

2017 British Isles Short Mat Triples Champion

2017 SMPT World Masters tournament - Runner up

2016 British Isles A Series Individual Rinks Winner

2016 Norwegian Open Singles Champion

2016 IIBA National Rinks Runner Up

2015 British Isles Championship Winner (Ireland)

2015 SMPT Order of Merit Winner

2015 World Masters Singles Champion

2014 British Isles Championship Winner (Ireland)

2014 European Masters Singles Champion

2014 UK Open Singles Runner Up

2014 Swedish Masters Singles Runner Up

2013 British Isles Championship Winner (Ireland)

2013 IIBA National Singles Runner Up

2013 SMPT Order of Merit Joint Winner

2012 British Isles Championship Winner (Ireland)

2012 UK Open Singles Champion

2011 British Isles A Series Championship Winner (Ireland)

2011 IIBA CoC Rinks Runner Up