Section in the Spotlight – Outdoor Bowls
Tuesday 1 Mar, 2022
The Outdoor Bowls section is one of the older sections at Hornby Club, it is also a section with an interesting history due to its assistance in the Club’s development over the years.
Recently celebrating its 50th Jubilee, the Outdoor Bowls section started with two greens at the far end of the Club land. In their heyday the section had more than 250 members and enjoyed an affiliation of Bowls Canterbury and Bowls New Zealand. However, in the 2000s the Club Board and management decided that the green’s real estate would be better utilised as a retail precinct that would help to ensure the future viability of the Club for all. Though this was a bump in the road for the Outdoor Bowls section, the group were able to reinvent themselves in 2013 social Outdoor Bowls.
Now with just over 60 members, the Outdoor Bowls section has enjoyed ten years of monthly social bowls and gatherings.
Robin Leary, Chairperson of the section, says the section provides friendship and the offering of a fun time for those that want a social game of bowls without the strong competition.
“Many of our members have an affiliation with a local Outdoor Bowls Club like Bowls Hornby. This means they can play competitively with their local bowls Clubs, but also join us for a monthly social session followed by afternoon tea. We also enjoy two Coach trips a year to greens like Coalgate Bowling Club and some mystery destinations,” says Robin.
In Summer, most of the monthly games are held at Bowls Hornby, and in the winter months the section can be found at Racecourse Bowling which has a synthetic green. Most games are played between the months of September to July. Subs are just $10 a year and the home monthly games are $5 with everyone bringing a plate to share for afternoon tea, coach trips are subsidised.
The section would love new members to join says Robin.
“We offer friendship, a social space to enjoy a spot of bowls and we have a mix of abilities and age groups who play. If you are interested in joining you can contact me or check out our upcoming games in the Club newsletter or noticeboard. It’s a great game that keeps you active and we have some wonderful people in our section” says Robin.
