Social bowls a hit
Social and faster forms of lawn bowls are proving a popular way to bring people to the sport.
Te Awamutu Bowling club has long held Businesshouse Bowls on Wednesday nights over summer — a social gathering with some friendly competition thrown in.
Organiser John Apeldoorn says a full field of 32 teams have registered ahead of the opening night next Wednesday.
The competition runs for five weeks before Christmas and five in the New Year — filling both greens each Wednesday evening.
John says he would welcome a couple more teams to be on standby in case any of the teams pull out — contact him on 871 4848.
Another new initiative is Social Bowls3Five — a quick form of the game based on the popular fast format seen on Sky TV.
The evenings will be held on Fridays — November 2, December 14, February 1 and March 1 — and costs $15 per team of three for a night.
Teams must be mixed, but don’t have to be registered players or belong to a club.
Teams meet at 5.45pm for play between 6-8pm, followed a BBQ sausages.
Each team will play two games per evening, a triples game with two bowls each consisting of two sets of three ends.
Teams can call a power play once per game and double their end score should they win.
If each team wins a set, the game is decided by one tie-break end.
Players just need to wear flat soled shoes — no heals or serrated soles on the greens.
To give Bowls3Five a go in Te Awamutu get you skip’s name onto the board at Te Awamutu Bowling Club by 3pm the day before or register with Judy Cato — 871-5388.