The joys and challenges

One of the highlights of starting our season is introducing newcomers to the joy and challenges of playing lawn bowls. The past few weeks have seen attendees of our April open taster sessions immerse themselves in free coaching sessions. From mastering the perfect grip to understanding stance and mat positioning, they’ve delved into the intricacies of this deceptively simple looking sport. Once they become club members, we look forward to bowling with them at our Friday evening social roll-ups and seeing their participation in friendly matches.

We also recently hosted the Tetbury Brownies for a ‘give it a try’ session. Their first uncertainty of what to do soon disappeared, and it’s safe to say that everyone had a blast. The coaches were impressed by the Brownies’ attentive listening skills and unwavering concentration. Shot by shot, they improved throughout the evening. We’ve extended an invitation to each of them to join our junior sessions, held every Sunday morning from 10:00 to 11:30 am.

Our male bowlers have hit the ground running, competing in divisions 1 and 4 of the South Cotswold Bowls League as well as the Sunday Gloucestershire league. If you’re curious about the results, visit our website at www.tetburybowlsclub.co.uk/mens-leagues.

While the ladies’ leagues kick off in mid-June, our female bowlers haven’t been resting on their laurels. Early May marks the start of all county competitions, where our bowlers give their all against local opponents. So don’t be surprised if you catch us on the green on weekday evenings with home friendly games occasionally on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday afternoons.

Our annual green inspection yielded excellent results, earning us certification to host county and national fixtures. Kudos to Vic and Vincent for their hard work during the winter months—the green looks pristine and plays beautifully. The county fixtures committee has taken notice. We’ve already hosted the Gloucestershire women’s Middle England League match against Oxfordshire, which Glos won resoundingly. Mark your calendars for the men’s match against Oxfordshire at the end of August—it promises to be a great event! Check out www.tetburybowlsclub.co.uk/diary to find out when we’re playing at home.

Susanne Knaus

Tetbury Bowls Club