Behind the Fender Podcast by Short Mat Players Tour

The new SMPT season is upon us and we catch-up on all our events to date, a special announcement and also a special guest! We cover the 2025/26 season to date including Bowls Trader World Cup, UK Open and Irish Open with a look ahead to the Tom Holte Norwegian Open.

We catchup on all the SMPT events, Norwegian Open 2024, World Fours Masters 2024, World Pairs Masters 2024 and English Masters 2025. We Speak to Champions from the events and finish off with a quickfire Q&A.

On this episode we cover our recent events so far this season the Bowls Trader World Cup, UK Open 2024 and Irish Open 2024. Including a discussion with back to back UK Open Champion Alastair McCrea. We have our usual panel discussing all things Short Mat Bowls including team talks, wrong biases and a look ahead to our biggest Norwegian Open tournament to date.

Ahead of the new season we take a look back at the World Masters in Belfast back in April. Update you on our announcements over the summer and discuss the upcoming Bowls Trader World Cup and UK Open. With a bit of banter thrown in between.

We discuss the British Open in York and the English Masters from February. A look ahead to the final singles ranking event of the season the World Masters. We reflect on the recent World Championships in Belfast on St Patrick's weekend and lots more. Plus a special guest joins us.

We discuss the Nordic Caravan Norwegian Open, Bowls is Bowls World Pairs and Fours Masters and a look ahead to the British Open in York. Along with our hottest and coldest venues and some banter thrown in for good measure.

On our second episode we look back at the Bowls is bowls World Fours and Pairs, British Open, English Masters and ahead to our final singles ranking event of the season the World Masters in April. An interview from our recent singles event winner Mark Beattie and a review of the recent World Bowls Council Championships in Aberdeen. With tales and laughs in between of course.

This is the first Behind the Fender Podcast by Short Mat Players Tour where we review the 2022-23 season so far, with interviews from our event winners from the UK Open, Irish Open and Norwegian Open.