New season starts in April

The benefits of lawn bowls

With spring just a few weeks away, we are busily preparing for the new season that starts on the 16th of April with our opening gala. Our greenkeeping team together with specialists from Avonmore are working to ensure the green is in top condition. Members are painting, digging, paving, and planting to renovate the benches and seating area that surrounds the green. We’ll be spring cleaning the clubhouse, restocking the bar, circulating the list of fixtures and competitions, and finalising plans for our club events.

Every year, this fun first game is a wonderful opportunity to catch up with friends but also causes a bit of consternation. Those who played indoors are likely to play short, so need to put a bit more oomph in their delivery because bowling on a green requires a bit more effort than bowling on an indoor carpet. Players who haven’t touched their bowls since last September need to remember their delivery technique so that the bowl is sent across the green smoothly to avoid wobbling or bouncing bowls. The afternoon heralds not only the opening of the green but the beginning of a very busy bowling season, with a mix of social and competitive games.

Did you know that lawn bowls is a target sport, a strategic game, and a sport for all?

• It’s a target sport because the bowl that stops closest to the jack (the ‘target’) wins the point.

• It’s a strategic game because decisions need to be made about various elements of the sport, from who leads, to the type of shot, to where best to place a bowl and much more.

• And it’s a sport for all because anyone of any age and ability can play.

If you are (or are about to become) an ex-rugby player, ex-footballer, or ex-cricketer (or any other sport for that matter) but still want the health and mental benefits plus the fun and social side of playing a sport, why not try lawn bowls? The level of competitive play is up to you. Once you’ve finished your four free coaching sessions, you’ll be encouraged to play at our Friday night social roll ups, and our friendlies held midweek and weekends. And, if you want to test your ability a bit more, then you can enter our club competitions.

For those interested in giving lawn bowls a go, watch for our ad in next month’s Advertiser. We’ll be holding our annual taster sessions on Saturday the 29th of April (open to all) and Sunday the 30th of April (for juniors aged 9-18). Or visit https://www.tetburybowlsclub.co.uk/playbowls-juniordayevents for more information.

Susanne Knaus

Tetbury Bowls