• Geoff Behrent writes:
I was recently told that the manager of a country club here on the West Rand decided he needed to expand the services his club could offer, but didn’t have the infrastructure. His solution was to close down the lawn bowls facility and take over the clubhouse and greens to set up a gym and exercise area. I understand he used various nasty means to do so but I cannot comment on that.
Anyway, the bowls club was closed and became instead a fitness centre. His parting shot was to fire a barb at the devastated members of the bowls club by crowing that “bowls was a dying game anyway”. This story struck a chord with me so I decided to look a little deeper into the whole “dying game” scenario.
I can state quite categorically that bowls is very much alive and well and thriving in South Africa and around the world. Let us take a deeper look into this.
First of all, staff members of the Randfontein Herald have recently tried their hand at the game and, by all accounts, have thoroughly enjoyed themselves. This, and its sister newspaper the Krugersdorp News, has been very kind in covering bowls and has in the process promoted the game in this part of the West Rand.
The paper’s editor has even stated in writing he would be trying his hand at the game again some time!
Next. When I joined Randfontein Town Bowling Club just over three years ago, its membership stood at under 40. Since then, despite a couple of unfortunate deaths, some resignations and transfers in the interim, the club’s membership has grown to nearly 50 members. I might not be a mathematical genius but my trusty calculator shows this is a 25% increase! Amongst our new members we have a player who is but 20 years old. “Dying game?” I don’t think so …
But I think the most telling statistic about bowls is the fact that there are over 50 000 registered members on the books of Bowls South Africa. I doubt if any other sporting body in this country can boast a registered membership even close to those in bowling circles. Australia, when I last checked, has some 250 000 registered bowlers, while the UK has at least that many also.
Roughly speaking, in our district (Sables Bowling Association) about 250 people take to the greens each and every week to play socially. That number increases somewhat during league season. Correct me if I am wrong but I doubt that as many local golfers are whacking white balls down the fairways each week, or there are as many local cricketers on the pitch or rugby players on the field during the same period of time.
“Dying game?” I don’t think so …
Finally. For years there have only been three manufacturers of bowls balls. Should this state of affairs have continued I would have thought that the game had at best stagnated or, at worst, started to fade away. However, in the last few years another maker of bowls balls has come on board. So, what does this tell me? Well, no one in his right mind would set up a manufacturing plant for anything, never mind bowls equipment, if he knew his product wouldn’t be bought in the future. Having this new supplier clearly shows that there is a stable, if not growing, market out there.
So, “dying game?” I don’t think so …
If you need any further information, or should you want to start or re-start playing bowls (our greens are open for play on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoon from 13:30), please contact Randfontein Town Bowling Club’s president, Vera Pretorius on 082 779 5177. The club also has a hall that can be hired at very reasonable rates; contact Vera for details.
