Umhlanga Bowls Club celebrates 50th anniversary
Bowls club turning 50, to host an open day to promote the sport of lawn bowls.
IN 2004 the Umhlanga Bowls Club was languishing in the fifth league; the year after they managed promotion into the fourth league. And the upward trend continued, with the club soon reaching premier division status through the hard work, tenacity and spirit among its members. A year into securing their top-flight position, the club had added reason to celebrate as it turns 50.
The club will also be holding an open day on Monday, 10 August from 8.30am until 5pm.
Northglen News recently caught up with three members, Bill Wilkinson (president), Ian Moir and Patrick Shanks, who have been with the club for eight, 11 and 21 years respectively. The club, which was founded in 1965, was created for uMhlanga residents and has 89 members, 15 of which are over 80 years old.
“It’s a fantastic achievement for the club and we’re hoping this year to grow our membership and raise funds for the club. In recent years we have seen a decline in numbers, but as the next half century approaches, I’d like to see more members and more young people join in the fun. An afternoon of playing lawn bowls is an exercise in having one’s assumptions dismantled. It’s not a sport just for the elderly. It’s a more challenging sport than most people think,” he said.
Fellow club member, Ian Moir, concurred with Wilkinson.
“I used to play soccer and hockey and I always said I would never play bowls. I was very competitive and I didn’t think bowls lent itself to competitiveness. But the first time I played, I was hooked and realised how wrong I was. It’s an incredibly skilful sport,” he said.
Patrick Shanks, who is one of the longest-serving members of the club, said the club has always had great camaraderie and spirit.
“We’ve always had a good reputation as being a very social club. We’ve had a number of visitors who come down for holidays come play with us, which is always wonderful. At this year’s open day I hope to see the local community come out and support us and to have more people sign up to join the club, but most importantly to enjoy themselves,” Shanks said.
The club will host an open day on Monday, 10 August, from 8.30am till 5pm. To enter a team is R400 and there will be refreshments, raffles and cash prizes on the day. For more information contact Ian Moir on 082 569 8114.
