Bowls

“I believe this object is a very early version of a wooden bowl possibly used in ‘crown green bowls’. This bowl was passed on to me from my late English stepfather. It was dug up in Kent, Southern England about 50 years ago during renovations to an old horse stable. Where did it originate? Maybe Sir Francis Drake used this bowl while the Spanish Armada was sailing up the English Channel in 1588 or maybe it was used earlier than that date": Glenn Johnson, Elliot Heads Bowls Club.

Last month, the Queensland weather lashed across the State and flooded two of our clubs, Tansey Bowls Club and Maryborough Services Memorial Bowls Club. Tansey Bowls Club was hit the worst, with about a metre of water inside the clubhouse. Tansey’s President Rainer Marschall said they had to remove the wall linings so that the walls could dry out properly.

Peter Rookas. The first of the finals for this year’s Bowls Queensland Junior State Championships being conducted in Toowoomba were played on Tuesday 18/1/22 in superb summer weather at North Toowoomba bowls greens.

The second year of the Super Series, which was introduced by Parndana Bowling Club for players on Kangaroo Island, was met with great enthusiasm by the three Island clubs. The second year of the Super Series, which was introduced by Parndana Bowling Club for players on Kangaroo Island, was met with great enthusiasm by the three Island clubs.

Warilla Bowls and Recreation Club have officially opened the Lagoon Street Bar + Dining Piazza, transforming the area into a modern and vibrant outdoor space. Fitted with two alfresco dining outlets, a cocktail bar and a children’s playground, Lagoon Street promises to offer a brand new dining experience for members and guests alike.

A very successful Innisfail Invitation Fours saw teams and players travelling from Townsville, Ingham, Weipa, Yungaburra, Gordonvale, Cairns as well as Josh Kier, Jesse Turnbull and Tyler Pettigrew from Brisbane.

Kirstin Nicholson. After an SOS from the Leitchville Bowling Club to save their bowls club, the community came out in force to try their hands at barefoot bowling on Wednesday, November 17. President, Tony Cantwell, said they hoped to give a taste of bowling to people who had not tried it before and hopefully attract new members to the club.

Last weekend saw the completion of the ladies Club drawn Pairs Championship and oh what a game it was to watch. The traditional 2 x2 x 2 x2 format of this competition allows players to play in the lead and third position or the 2nd and skips position which many think is the purest of all formats of Pairs play.

The Blair Athol Clermont Bowls Club recently held its annual carnival with more than 70 players coming from Mackay, Emerald, Townsville and Brisbane. The winners on the day was Emerald second was Mackay. All players showed good sportsmanship in the five games played.

Bowls South Australia, Media Release, 8 November 2021

Dylan started bowling about 11 years ago when he was at his local club, Moulamein Bowls Club. He decided to have a go with his Grandfather’s bowls and next thing you know he was playing pennant.

Kendall Jennings. As part of a two-year pilot program, Murray Downs Golf and Country Club coach, Josh Thornton, has been appointed country manager for northwest Victoria. Thornton will oversee two regions, Murray Mallee and Wimmera, providing better support to regions, clubs and rural Victoria.

Geoff McLennan. This week the weatherperson looked after us superbly with a beautiful afternoon for petanque. There was a good turnout of players for the afternoon, we are now used to the extra regulations put on us by the pandemic like wearing masks, only one person per team can throw the coche and not being able to pick up boules not yours.

Pam Dillon. Students from Newcastle Waters and Elliott schools recently had a day each learning the fine art of lawn bowls. Students from Family as First Teachers (FaFT) to Year 9 were involved in a variety of activities using the lawn bowls kit.

J Grey. From the northern reaches of our state to the sprawling cities of the south-east, Queensland’s best high school bowlers gathered at Club Pine Rivers for the Secondary School Cup Final held on October, 13-14.

Bowls Queensland, Media Release, 26 September 2021

J Grey. It was always going to be a tough challenge to take the title from the Gold Coast-Tweed District, after 2019’s winners mother-son pair of Jackie McWhinney and Dale McWhinney-Shillington replaced fellow district winners Dee Anne Robertson and Sean Ingham at the top of the leader board. Robertson and Ingham held the top spot for 2017 and 2018. Dee Anne Robertson was back this year, this time pairing with Chris Le Lievre. The question on everyone’s lips was, “would Gold Coast-Tweed take it for the fourth year running?”

Lesley Bates. As with many events last year, the Women’s Northern Challenge scheduled for Ingham was cancelled. Fortunately, the 2021 event of three days was contested in mid-July by four teams from the Tropical Far North Queensland, Mackay and North Queensland Districts in what was previously called the 5D Shield.

J Grey. The fourth annual Bowls Queensland North versus South Challenge will be held at the Mossman Memorial Bowls Club on October 30 and 31, 2021.

On Sunday 27 June, Macknade Bowls Club honoured the Marbelli Family by naming its green the Marbelli Green. We had a full green of players and, prior to afternoon tea, local dignitaries and members of the Marbelli family arrived at the club; the purpose of their arrival being unknown to most people present.

Our group is intent on helping clubs keep their members, and arm bowlers are a fast growing division within lawn bowls. We have been formed to cater for these players, playing against other arm bowlers and keeping people with numerous physical problems or ageing in years on the green.

On 24 June, CQDLBA celebrated 70 years since the association was formed in 1951. The association has had many presidents over the years. The first president was Mrs L Thorne, who was a member of Athelstane Bowls Club in Rockhampton and remains the longest serving member to this day.