Club History

Cove Bowling Club was founded in 1910

The original green was just large enough for three rinks, laid amidst trees in one corner of a four acre meadow. A small tin hut was erected which served as a store for green keeping equipment and as a changing room on match days

Although the initial membership was only twenty men, the club won the Aldershot and District League the first year that the Association was formed in 1911

Originally the club was known as Cove and North Farnborough Bowling Club. It took the present name of Cove Bowling Club in early 1914

In 1953 it was decided to extend the green to six rinks. The work of clearing the ground, turfing the three extra rinks and levelling was completed by the members in that year

A pavilion was bought from a local farmer in 1955. The main building was a battery chicken house which was lined, equipped with a bar and a glass veranda. Part of a stable block was added to provide changing rooms and the toilet facilities were built on at the side. The kitchen was added later

It was not unknown in those early days for the games to be interrupted by a flock of geese which lived on the meadow and there are stories of a pony which apparently preferred the grass on the green to any other

In the 1960s a housing estate was built on the meadows and the green became surrounded by the houses. It still however retains an air of seclusion, being screened from the surroundings by trees and hedges

In the early 1970s a ladies section was set up for the wives and daughters of the club members. The ladies became very keen bowlers and were soon competing at county and national levels

With husbands and wives bowling, the club became a family affair with children encouraged by their parents to take up the sport. Every Christmas the club organised a party for the children and during the bowling season coach trips to visit clubs at the seaside were arranged, giving the youngsters a chance of a day by the sea

The membership is still growing with the influx of population into the area and the club is growing from strength to strength. In 1999 the ladies section was merged with the men so that the club is now fully integrated with male and female officers on the management committee

With the growing membership and the need to bring more youngsters into the club, the old wooden pavilion proved inadequate and past the point of economical repair. The committee therefore embarked on a building program to build a new custom built pavilion. The local authority provided technical support and promised financial help while the club members tried to raise funds and are made a successful application to the lottery for a grant

The sport of flat green bowling has taken place at Cove for nearly a century. With the new pavilion and the influx of new enthusiastic members, we hope that the game will continue to be played there well into the next century of Cove Bowling Club

Along with the new facilities the updated pavilion has provided, it is now also possible to take part in the recently formed short mat bowling. We now have a successful team with the aid that social members can also join in and play, hopefully enjoying the game that they also partake in the Summer outdoor bowls