Bowls is a great sport to take up after the lockdown
Bowls offers an opportunity for a healthy outdoor activity and sport for a player's entire life. There are competitive bowlers competing in the annual junior inter-provincials -from 11-years old, to people still playing competitive bowls into their 80s.
Bowls will offer an ideal and safe activity for young and old to tak part in after the lockdown ends. President of Boskruin-based Randburg Bowls Club, Laurie Stafford said the sport offers a perfect mixture of competitivness and social interaction.
“The competitive bowls, provincial competitions and national competitions are all complemented perfectly by a mixture of social bowls, and varying social activities,” he said. “This is one of the few sports where a complete novice can compete against a seasoned international bowler.”
Bowls offers an opportunity for a healthy outdoor activity and sport for a player’s entire life. There are competitive bowlers competing in the annual junior inter-provincials -from 11-years old, to people still playing competitive bowls into their 80s.
The economic fallout from the lockdown will be felt by many. In this regard, bowls is one of the least expensive sports or pastimes that a person can get involved in, with annual subs, playing fees and cost of equipment substantially lower than other sports.
Randburg vice president, Ray Turner explained,”For under R40, a bowler can get four hours of playing a competitive sport outside, get served tea and sandwiches, and enjoy camaraderie and meet new people. “Once we have beaten this virus and life returns to normal, there is a nice ambient social get-together on the patio where bowlers can enjoy an after-game drink together.”
He continued that bowls is inclusive, where anybody irrespective of physical condition, sporting prowess or age can play.It is not uncommon to see three generations of bowlers all playing bowls on the same green. It is one of the few sports where a father and son, or mother and daughter can compete in the same team, at the highest level.
Bowls is easy to play but incredibly difficult to master. A bowler can aspire to play bowls at a high level. South Africa has a proud record at international bowls and sporting competitions. The sport of bowls is a regular contributor to the medal tally at the commonwealth games and South Africa always does well at World Bowls tournaments.
Stafford added, “Randburg Bowls Club is a friendly, competitive, yet social bowls club that is extremely welcoming to new bowlers. Randburg offers free coaching to aspirant bowlers, and also plays the game competitively. Our men’s 1st side recently won their league and gained promotion to the Premier League, where they will compete against the best.”
Details: Randburg Bowls Club info@randburgbowls.org.za 082 308 8471
