One member of the Lake Hill Lawn Bowling Club in Greater Victoria would have taken up lawn bowling years ago if the serious-faced, somewhat inhospitable white-clad bowlers next to his cricket pitch hadn’t been so uncooperative in returning the cricketers’ stray balls. But that was then and this is now.
Lawn bowlers at Lake Hill Lawn Bowling Club are, by their own description, friendly, active and fun loving; and would doubtless get along well with any neighbouring cricketers, likely recruiting them as members of the bowling club in no time.
President Nick Fenger says, “New members typically live close to the club and want to find something close to home.” Numbers have grown from 83 to 118 members in the last two years and, along with other lawn bowling clubs, Lake Hill anticipates that number will increase greatly in the next five to 10 years.
Newcomers are invited to take six free lessons. “After about three [lessons], you know if you are able to do it physically,” says Club Coach Linda McClung. “Bending is required and upper body strength, but 95 per cent of the population can bowl, with curlers often making the best bowlers.” Linda took a course from Bowls British Columbia to become an accredited coach. Now, she and other club coaches offer once-a-week coaching sessions. Apart from structured lessons, coaching bowlers goes on all the time.
Back in the 1920s, Lake Hill Community Centre members decided they would like to have a lawn bowling club and, from that moment on, there have been armies of volunteers working towards creating a pleasant and vibrant club. The efforts of many are recounted on the club’s website and on the walls of the club house.
Member Haji Charania says there are 30 volunteer positions in the club along with committees that cover everything from maintenance to tea parties. He became a member four years ago. “I was looking for a place where I could get physical, social and recreational activities, so I came to one of the Open Houses and I think I enjoyed the people as much as the club; it had a good feel, with warm friendship and a whole year of activity,” says Haji.
In summer, bowling takes place outside on the professionally manicured lawns; and in winter there is carpet and short mat bowling. “Some people just bowl in the winter,” says Nick. “They might bowl with another club or go away and find that they want to bowl during the winter, so they come here.”
Being a friendly and less formal club, Nick says the focus is on a desire to bowl. Members can bowl seven days a week in summer; and the teams are created by random draws or pickups. “If you want to bowl, you don’t have to have a team, everyone gets a chance to bowl by way of an inclusive system,” says Linda. This means there is a great deal of flexibility about attendance and the mix of skill levels. “People don’t have to come on a specific day or as part of team.”
For those looking for some competitiveness, there are tournaments throughout the year both within the club and against other clubs in the area. For the more serious, there are playoffs for the best men and women bowlers, and the Champion of Champions being the best of each club within the South Island area of clubs, both individuals and teams. For those top occasions, the white attire will often be seen. Lake Hill Lawn Bowling Club hosts two tournaments a year and, in turn, their members are invited to participate in other clubs’ tournaments. “Competition is not prime,” says Nick, “participation is.”
For the rest of the time, it’s casual clothing of any colour, so long as participants have flat-soled shoes. The club has bowls (not balls) available for use by members and newcomers, but most bowlers prefer their own bowls, choosing those that fit their hand. At a weight of about 3lbs, the bowls come in different colours, and although each is round, there is a bias, so with a more weighted side the bowl rolls in a gentle curve. The goal is for players to roll (not throw) a bowl toward a smaller ball called a jack; the players who get closest to the jack earn points and the players with the most points win.
Treasurer Betty Storey has been a member for four years and she was introduced to the club by a work colleague. She’d been a curler and soon took to lawn bowling. Convincing her golfing husband, Ralph, took longer. “I kept encouraging him, and finally I got him a membership for his birthday; it is something we can do together,” she says. And now, voicing the comments of many of the members, he says he wishes he’d participated earlier. Having played a lot of sports, including baseball and soccer, Ralph confirms the coaching at the club is a great program.
Like many retirees, Past President Stew Edmonson thought he’d better find something to do and luckily talked to someone who told him to join a bowling club. “I chose this one,” he laughs, “and I made the right decision as there is always something to do here.”
For those who aren’t into bowling, the club offers a variety of social activities with fun theme nights, like Hawaiian, Mexican or Valentine’s Day. Eight or 10 dinners are planned each year, and sometimes there’s a band. Card and board games are ongoing. For special events, like Canada Day, the games go on with players dressed in red and white. Players stop in the middle of their games to have tea and cake, then continue in a leisurely way.
With summer waiting in the wings, Lake Hill Lawn Bowling Club is having an Open House on April 21 at 1:30 p.m. at 3930 LaSalle Street, Victoria. Anyone interested in trying their hand at bowling is invited to come along.
For more information, visit www.lakehilllawnbowlingclub.com or call 250-477-7635 or 250-479-8072
www.bowlsbc.ca
www.bowlscanada.com