On February 20, Sabie Bowling Club turned 100 years old and this most significant anniversary was celebrated by both the bowls fraternity and the business community, with great style and aplomb, over the Valentine’s weekend of February 14 and 15.

Sabie Bowls Club is the third in Mpumalanga to reach this memorable milestone, after Barberton Bowling Club in 2004 and Lydenburg Bowling Club a few years later.

All three clubs can thank the discovery of gold for their existence, and Sabie Bowls Club struck gold themselves with the most stylish of weekends probably ever staged by the club.

The club was honoured by the presence of David Hamer, the president of Bowls South Africa, and his wife, and Owen James, a prominent member of the Bowls South Africa committee.

“We were privileged to have the CEO of York Timbers, Gerald Stoltz, and his wife, together with Bronwyn Morris, York’s legal brain. Buco was very visible, not only by the attendance of Frikkie Russouw and his wife, Shirley Ann, but also by the erection of two very much needed corporate gazebos, which helped keep our water stations cool,” said Chris Colverd, honorary treasurer of Sabie Bowling Club.

“We had Bowls Club Presidents with their spouses, a whole host of Lowveld’s best bowlers, and visitors from as far afield as Nylstroom Bowls Club. We were delighted that a number of past members, going back for more than 30 years, were still fit and well, and able to enjoy the very nostalgic weekend.”

On the Saturday proceeding started early with a welcoming address by Mpumalanga Bowls president, Madeleine de Klerk, who is also Sabie Bowls Club’s current president, followed by short speeches from Gerald Stoltz, David Hamer and Owen James.

Suzette Hartzer Marais gave us a brief history of Sabie, the surrounding areas and the development of the gold mining industry, and then it was time for a very appetising lunch, in excellent company.

In the afternoon 26 bowlers played 15 ends of social bowls, with a bottle of very special wine going to the lady and gentleman who had the most touchers.

To conclude the day, a delicious braaivleis was organised by master bowler and chef, Ben Enslin.
On Sunday, all arrived bright and early at 08:00 to be welcomed once again by De Klerk, before Hamer ceremoniously unveiled our beautiful centenary plaque.

Then on to the serious business of the Sabie Centenary Bowls Tournament.

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The green was opened by Hamer and former member, Elaine Martens, rolling the first bowls. Three games of 10 ends each, punctuated by a tea break, and another very tasty lunch.

“The bowling green was in an excellent condition, despite the 70mm of rain the previous night, and it was probably the first time in the 100 years of the clubs existence that we had eight rinks, with eight bowlers on each of them, which fitted easily onto our almost maximum size bowling green,” said Colverd.

The youngest player, Enrico Geel was just nine years old, followed by Merle’s granddaughter, Nina Joubert at 14, and the oldest were in their 80s. Elaine Martens, who delivered the first bowl on Sunday, claims to be almost as old as the Sabie Bowls Club.

When the scores were all added up at the end of day, the team from Bungalows ran out convincing winners.

“Congratulations to everyone who played and supported this unique occasion. Words cannot convey the incredible amount of work put in by Merle Joubert and her team in organising every single aspect of what turned out to be such a hugely successful and memorable event. Well done and thank you from all of us who thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the entire weekend, to all the organisers, and the many very generous sponsors who helped make it all happen, Bowling Clubs who sent gifts, and players who also made very considerable donations,” said Colverd.