Lymington Bowls Club offers an introduction to the game of bowling!

Article written by Lymington Bowls Club, March 2015

Ever considered bowling?  Now's the time to give it a try!

Lymington Bowls Club members are looking forward to the new season and playing again outside on our excellent Green and welcoming visiting players from throughout the New Forest, Bournemouth and from as far away as Sidmouth this season.

We have almost a hundred playing members and there is plenty of room for more. Our season commences on 13 April and continues until the end of September and so it will soon be time to contact us if you are interested in a new leisure activity this summer.

The club has been playing bowls in the corner of the town sports ground for more than ninety years and can be found by turning from Avenue Road into Oberland Court (next to fire station), the club gates are straight ahead, car parking on the right.

Prospective members new to bowling are not required to join the club immediately, they will be given time to make their minds up and decide if bowls is a game they wish to play.

Bowling equipment is available to loan free of charge, free coaching is available if you wish, or you can teach yourself once we are satisfied that the Green will not be damaged because of a poor delivery.

What about the game of bowls itself?

• A bowling green is divided into rinks, usually a green has six rinks. Up to eight players can play on each rink - four each side or triples - three each side, pairs - two each side or singles - one each side.
• A match is made up of a set number of ends depending on the format which also decides how many bowls each player delivers on each end, either two, three or four bowls each bowl delivered to a Jack placed at the other end of the rink.
• The winner of a match is the team that has scored the most shots after the designated number of ends have been played. The number of shots scored each end is decided by the number of bowls a team has nearer to the Jack than any bowls from the other side.

That is enough of the technical information, the game is easy to understand once a newcomer has played a few times and in any case they will start off by practising by themselves or with others and not playing in matches.

An advantage bowls has over some other sports is that the Green is available for play regularly; usually 10-30am until dusk. Secondly members can play league bowls something we welcome or alternatively they can just play the game socially and as often or as little as they wish.

The game can be played by teenagers up until an advanced age and by both sexes. It has to be said that bowls mainly attracts people who have played other sports that are now beyond them but who still want to exercise to keep reasonably fit in a friendly environment.

Leagues provides the competitive edge if required and members can enter club, league, county or national competitions without restriction alternatively they can play to suit themselves.

Lymington Bowls Club has excellent facilities with changing rooms, a bar, kitchen and club room on which an extension has just been built.
Why not give bowls a go, there is nothing to lose and nothing to pay until you decide if you wish to play the game.

Ring Bill Merrett 01590 676650 to make an initial contact or visit the club on our Open Days as follows
Saturday 18 April – 11am – 1pm & 2pm -4pm
Sunday 3 May – 11am -1pm & 2pm -4pm