Dear Editor,
What is your impression of the game of bowls? Until recently mine was lots of older men dressed in white, quietly standing around looking serious at a bunch of round black objects on a patch of manicured grass.
Last week, on a cool and blustery day, I went to check out the international series held at the home of British bowls, the Royal Victoria club in Leamington Spa – home to 6 pristine lawns. England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Jersey were battling it out – men’s and women’s teams – competing as singles, pairs, threes and fours. Some bowling 2 woods, some 3 and some 4. There was very little white to be seen – but masses of brightly coloured red/yellow/blue and green shirts, with matching shorts/jackets/baseball and bucket hats. There were very few black bowls to be seen – but loads of red, orange, green, turquoise, blue, purple, some multi coloured, flecked or with designs – including blue and white for Scottish players – looking like piles of smarties nestled together on the grass.
Pictures: Melissa Briggs
Along with the (unexpected) background noise of pop music playing through speakers all round the clubhouse, there were excited shouts, worried groans, high fives, back slapping and hugs all over the place and participants jogging from end to end before threading their woods through tiny gaps to end up snuggled up next to the target jack. Huge skills were on show – and 98% of the players were in their twenties and thirties.
A total opposite of the general public’s impression of the game – including a friend who I took with me, who was questioned by his friends as to why one earth he wanted to go and see it. It was an eye opener and the games were genuinely exciting to watch.
The following day in our local park, there was a match guaranteed to be a bit tense – the Gender Challenge at Victory Park Bowling Club. In a coincidental combination of circumstances I was introduced to the game on the 12th May at their open day, and made to feel very welcome. The club, one of 3 in the Stroud area, has around 90 members, that includes only 25 women and I was included, even as a recent newbie, in the female team of 12 – sub divided into four teams of three. Most people were wearing the club’s green/yellow/white shirts with grey shorts or trousers, only 2 participants were dressed in whites.
Pictures: René Cason
The match opened with a “spider”. The jack was placed bang in the middle of the green and everyone stood around the edge with one foot in the “ditch” – which is where your woods end up if you bowl too hard, or get cannoned in.
On command, everyone bowled one of their woods towards the jack and immediately there was a huge amount of noise as all the bowls clacked and crashed together in the middle. The winner … a lady called Sue whose prize was a bottle of brandy.
Then the serious business began. 3 men v 3 women on four “rinks” in bright sunshine, playing 18 ends, using 3 woods per person which equals 18 bowls attacking the jack 18 times. This also equals 54 deep lunges, rolling a 1.5 kg/3.5 lb weight at least 23 metres, and about 3,000 steps – so more exercise than you think. There was quite a bit of banter to be heard around the lawn, but also an atmosphere of concentration, interspersed with a few discreet fist pumps, and quite a few groans.
After a couple of hours or so, the men emerged victorious and over drinks were presented with a decent sized cup. It will become an annual event and I’m sure that the tables will be turned at some stage in the future. There is no reason why women and men should not be equal in standard as It’s not about who is physically stronger; it’s about strategy, guile, cunning and accuracy. There is no huge strength requirement needed and different sized bowls are available for all possible hand sizes.
Sadly, Stroud Bowling Club, in Stratford Park, has lost a lot of members in the last few years. Cotswold Bowling Club near Sainsbury’s and the top indoor bowling facility in the area has also shrunk and is not faring as well as it should be. Victory Park is keeping their numbers steady, the youngest member is a teenager, the oldest in his 90’s, but they are always keen to welcome new bowlers, both new and experienced and have three coaches willing to help new bowlers get the hang of it.
Rural club memberships do tend to be older than city clubs, and they all need to attract new younger members. So why not go and check out your local club – you might find it a big surprise. Annual subs are a lot lower than golf – probably about 10%, and second hand bowls are available to buy if you don’t want to invest in new ones.
Cost per game is again a tenth of the price of a golf round and even a new set of bowls costs less than a single golf driver. Bowls England, the governing body, has recognised the challenges and is fully supporting the relaxing of the dress code and other restraints that might have dissuaded younger people from getting involved. If the goings on at Leamington are a vision of the future, the strategy appears to be working.
Melissa Briggs
