Brockenhurst Bowling Club
BROCKENHURST BOWLING CLUB
The club …
We are an extremely friendly bowling club set in the heart of Brockenhurst village in the beautiful New Forest. The club was founded back in 1936. It is owned by the members and managed by a committee reporting to the members at the annual AGM.
As has been the case since 1936 most of the day-to-day work is undertaken by the members themselves on a voluntary basis, including greenkeeping, catering, cleaning, gardening and building maintenance.
Our clubhouse has changing facilities and a comfortable lounge with bar.
We welcome new members of all abilities to join in the bowling fun and social aspects with opportunities to play in competitive games if so desired.
The Bowling family…
We belong to the National governing body Bowls England and the county governing body Bowls Hampshire. We are affiliated to the New Forest Bowling Association, The New Forest Women’s Bowling Association and the Southampton and District Bowling Association.
Bowling Opportunities…
Our greens are cut on the mornings of Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Apart from those mornings or during organized club and league matches, we can come and bowl at almost any time we like, which is a great bonus. There is currently a manual rink booking system in the clubhouse but we are investigating more 21st century possibilities! Sometimes you can just turn up and see if there’s someone already there who wants a roll-up …
Informal games are called roll-ups, where you can practice on your own or with others. Bowls Drives are a fun competition between club members and an opportunity to meet and socialise – and tea and biscuits are served halfway through. Drives are held on Monday afternoons at 2.30 and Friday mornings at 10.00 – but come early to get changed, help set up and have a chat before starting. The scoring on roll-ups and drives is different from other matches: instead of counting how many bowls nearest to the jack your team has, in these each team can win points. Nearest the jack scores 3, next nearest 2, and third 1, so a maximum of 6 is possible at each end.
Various club competitions are run throughout the season for singles, pairs and teams, with a grand Finals Weekend held in mid-August.
League matches…
And for bowlers wishing to play more competitive games we enter League teams into each of the three Associations. The gentlemen play Tuesday and Thursday evenings and the Ladies on Tuesday afternoons. Games can be either at home or away, for which we generally car-share. Minimal match fees are payable each game and our uniform club shirts are worn.
Friendly matches: throughout the summer season we arrange a number of matches where we play host to various touring Bowls clubs from all over the country. A chance to practice and to meet friendly bowlers from outside our area: and the tradition is that we buy a drink for our opposite number!
…and other opportunities…
During the winter off season there is a varied social programme at the clubhouse, including coffee mornings, quizzes and skittles evenings ( yes, we even have a “mobile” skittles alley!) sometimes with fish & chips from our local chippy and with a comfortable licensed bar at reasonable prices.
Getting started as new members…
All we ask is that you bring a pair of flat-soled shoes to protect the green when you bowl. We can provide you with bowls in a variety of sizes and coaching if required. When you join you’ll be given a New Member Folder with lots more information about the club, its history and Officers, the dress codes for drives and competitions, and the “etiquette” on the green. When you start playing in roll-ups and bowls drives you will need a plain white top and grey trousers, shorts or skirt. (some pre-loved gear is available.)
Membership …
There is no joining fee for new members and the annual subscription is always reasonable but reduced in your first year of playing bowls, and if you are unsure about joining you may play for free for one month to help you decide that we are indeed one of the friendliest bowling clubs around. For more information and encouragement contact the Membership Secretary on 07563 506 724 or email dybond@btinternet.com
We look forward to welcoming you as a member
Brockenhurst Bowling Club
Rear of Brookley Road car park, Brockenhurst, SO42 7RB