Roll ups:

As a member. providing there are available rinks you can roll up (practice) whenever you want. It’s better to book a rink but you can turn up on the off chance.

Rinks can be reserved using the booking register on the steward’s desk and rink fees are collected by the duty steward.

Social bowls:

A great way to meet other members and to get involved is by coming along to some of the open sessions (Social Bowls) run each week and enjoy the game of bowls.

We encourage those who may just wish to give it a go to contact us so we can arrange to have a member help with an introductory bowls session.

These also give existing and new members a chance for coaching and improving their game and it’s an opportunity for the longer serving members to come along and join in and share their skills.

Session Times

Every Sunday morning arrive at 09:20 for a 09:30 start, you don’t need to book. Teams are randomly drawn at 09:20 so depending on how many people arrive you may play in a pair, triple or four. This session is open to all bowlers of all abilities, we bowl until midday with a break for drinks halfway through the morning. It’s not uncommon to get 30+ people attending this session.

Every Tuesday evening arrive at 18:50 for a 19:00 start, you don’t need to book. This Tuesday evening session is casual dress, open to all abilities, club members and non-members. It is a fun evening with coaches on hand.

Every Wednesday and Friday afternoon arrive at 13:50 for a 14:00 start, you don’t need to book. This Friday afternoon is casual dress. These are fun afternoons, again open to all abilities.

Internal league matches:

The club runs many morning, afternoon and evening internal leagues. You can join in as many of these as you want.

On the notice board adjacent to the front desk, you can put your name down as ‘someone interested in joining a team’ or contact the captain of any team who has stated ‘they’re looking for players’.

At the start of the season, you can form and enter your own team too.

Friendly matches:

The club organises home and away friendly matches against other clubs. These fixtures are displayed on the noticeboard and if you wish to play simply pop your name down on the list. If you’re picked for the game keep your eye on the same noticeboard and tick your name to confirm you’ve seen that you’ve been picked for the game. Notices for these games appear frequently so be sure to keep a regular eye on the noticeboard.

Internal competitions:

Every year the club organises a single’s, pair, triples, fours and drawn fours competitions. The club will let you know when entry forms are available. Usually November/December These are great fun to enter, and you’ll get to meet members who you don’t often meet. Trophies and medals are given out to the winners and you may get your name on the trophy and honours board too!

Competitive ‘individual’ competitions:

For those looking for serious competition, national competitions are entered via the English Indoor Bowling Association website, www.EIBA.co.uk. It’s up to you to locate and enter these.

Entry usually appears on the website early summer ready for the winter season. Entering these is a fantastic experience and although the earlier rounds are more local you may still find yourself being drawn against some world class bowlers.

Similarly, the Bedfordshire Indoor Bowling Association runs county wide competitions which you can enter via the Bedfordshire www.biba.bowlsnetwork.uk website.

Competitive ‘club’ competitions:

The club enters national competitions where we compete as a club against other clubs in a knockout format. Again, keep an eye on the noticeboard adjacent to the front desk for information.

Attire and etiquette

Flat bottom bowling shoes should be worn at all times, external footwear must not be worn on the green as dirt and grit will damage the green and your bowls.

The dress code for social bowls sessions is Smart Casual.

For internal league matches, internal competitions, and competitive individual competitions it’s greys below the waist and predominantly white above. For all other matches the noticeboard will inform you of the dress code.

In terms of etiquette:

• Keep still whilst standing around the head when someone is bowling.
• When your teams wood comes to a stop the head (the term given to the grouping of bowls around the jack) is no longer yours and you should step away from it. At this point the head belongs to your opponent. Once your opponents next wood comes to a stop the head becomes yours again.
• Be aware of rinks playing adjacent to you, if a player on the rink adjacent and opposite to you is on the mat, let them bowl first before you enter the mat, especially if your bowls will be on the same hand.
• When changing ends please walk down the middle of your rink and avoid wondering on to adjacent rinks.
• No mobile phones on the green