U30 bowler makes strides on greens
In just a short time, the shy and friendly Troy has scooped up awards including the Port Natal novice singles, club singles, club nominated pairs, club drawn pairs, club nominated trips, club drawn trips, and club mixed trips.
WHO says bowling is an old man’s sport? Twenty-six-year-old Troy Garland is challenging this notion as he makes strides on the greens one trophy at a time. “Everybody has the assumption that it’s an old man’s game,” laughed Troy. “But as time goes on, there are a lot of youngsters being introduced to it and we seem to enjoy it.”
Two years ago on Heritage Day, the Wentworth Bowling Club held a fun day, inviting non-bowlers to try their hand at the game. And Troy was one such bowler who was brought in by his grandfather and club member, Joe McNamara, stringing along his entire family on the day.
It didn’t take long for the bowling members to notice the potential in Joe’s young red-headed grandson, Troy, and his cousin Bradley Claassens. The youngsters were persuaded to take full membership at the club and register with Bowls South Africa, enabling them to participate competitively at district and national level.
“Two years back I decided to give bowling a bash with my grandfather and it became every Friday we would be playing and then I ended up being able to become good enough to start competing in competitions which I started doing and he’s been there from day one.”
Seeing the potential he and Bradley were housing, having never played a competitive singles game before, the Wentworth Bowling club put their names forward to compete in the Port Natal novice singles championship, against 180 other bowlers, which started in January last year. Some bowlers had an advantage of being at the end of their three-year novice period and having far more experience in competitions than the two local young men. However, the results were astounding. Both Troy and Bradley progressed to the semi-final and Bradley continued through to the final, a game that he lost by one shot.
In just a short time, the shy and friendly Troy has scooped up awards including the Port Natal novice singles, club singles, club nominated pairs, club drawn pairs, club nominated trips, club drawn trips, and club mixed trips.
He described his bowling career as fortunate with all his success at competing and being selected for Port Natal under 30s. “Hopefully a lot of best moments are still to come,” he said. “For people interested in trying the sport, I advise them to dive in head first. It’s awesome, good fun and really a great game to be competitive or even just socialise with. There are always games on and someone at every club will be more than willing to help to teach you how to play,” Troy advised.
He can undoubtedly claim 2019 as his year. Returning to the Port Natal novice singles competition in January this year and bowling with his now recognisable cool, calm and collected attitude, Troy swept his opposition aside on his road to the final. He approached the final with unassuming confidence and, playing with deadly precision, claimed the title as Port Natal Novice Champion 2019.
Troy’s success at club level is noteworthy – entering six club competitions this year, he has won five of them, including the Wentworth Men’s singles title, making him the candidate to represent the club in the Port Natal Champion of Champion competition. Added to this is his double selection to the eight-man Port Natal under 30s squad, with whom he will travel to Gauteng to compete in the Bowls South Africa under 30 inter-district tournament in September; and the Port Natal Junior Master’s group making him eligible to vie for championship status on 31 August and 1 September.
“People who I look up to in the game would be the guys that have been there from when I started and encouraged me to play in competitions, people like Brian Smith, Dave Carol, Robin and Cheryl Waterman. The people I wish to be as good as are Wayne Ritmuller who is the SA champion, Wayne Robert, and Paul White they all have such high accolades which I wish to achieve one day,” he added.
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