April is a great time to be playing bowls
Did you miss the last issue of our Friday Flash...
IT'S HOW WE ROLL...
Lest we forget
Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand that broadly commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders "who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations" and "the contribution and suffering of all those who have served".
WHAT'S COMING UP...
Auckland Secondary
School Pairs
For secondary students who have entered this event or students interested in entering, who are keen to get some green time or perhaps would like a little bit of coaching leading up to this event - let us know.
Email us at...
info@aucklandbowls.co.nz
NEWS FROM THE GREEN...
Growth in members!
Over the 2020-21 bowling season Rocky Nook Bowls has grown its membership from 41 to 90, including 17 family memberships (up from five) and six Asian members (from 0).
Rocky Nook achieved this in three main ways:
1. People: Members are showing visitors a great time with friendly coaching encouraged visitors to return regularly.
2. A membership drive: Selling as many visitors as possible the benefits of becoming a limited playing member for just $45. Very few groups of Twilight Bowls or Pay-to-Play visitors left without the club asking for the sale and providing them with a flyer or a calendar.
3. Concentrating on social and limited players: Have a go, bring your mates - they get into the habit of playing.
Their next goal is converting some of the limited playing members into full-players. It is already working! The number of first-year players entering club tournaments and coming to coaching has been the biggest (and pleasant) surprise.
Club Secretary Steve King says, “Our support from Auckland Bowls in the form of Club Development funding has been invaluable. We literally could not have reached as many new players-now members without being able to promote the club online and being able to hold regular public opening hours”.
New Singles Champs
CONGRATULATIONS to our 2021 Auckland Champ of Champ Singles title holders played at Howick Bowling Club on Sunday 18 April.
While the scoreboard may show the final score, it doesn't reflect the well-fought battles that ensued during both final matches.
Men’s Singles: (left to right)
Runner up – Mae Taurua, Grey Lynn
Winner – Tony Grantham, Mt Albert
Women’s Singles: (left to right)
Runner up – Judy Raill, Glen Eden
Winner – Rima Strickland, Grey Lynn
Here's a shout-out...
This year is the first time in a very, very long time Maraetai Bowls were able to field a team in any discipline into an event. Their local champ Doug Suurmond travelled to the big city to compete in the Auckland Champ of Champ Singles. While Doug may not have progressed to the second round, his club literally cried with joy on hearing his first-round win.
Keep on competing Maraetai! As we've seen this year, smaller clubs are winning titles and trophies.
From boys to men
Date: 18 April
Little did four octogenarians think way back in 1951, when they entered King’s College as young 13-year-old boarders, they would 70 years later be playing bowls together in the annual College Day at Remuera Bowls.
It was a day of reminiscing about all those years ago when rugby and cricket were their focal interests. Today they actively play in weekly bowling tournaments.
College Day 2021 bought out close-fought rivalry from old pupils from schools all around NZ. It was won by a fours composite team representing Dilworth School in Auckland.
Warren Paine, Don Currey (skip), Frank Parkinson and David Caddie
Auckland Social Bowls Final
Date: 18 April
Royal Oak Bowls’ West Coasters team won last Sunday’s Auckland Social Bowls Final held at Bridge Park Bowling Club. The only undefeated team, they were deserving champions on a day when the quality of all the teams showed in the closeness of the results, with many games heading to tie-breakers. Hot Property from St Heliers came second and Stick and Bowls from Bridge Park were third.
Eight teams competed in the Final with social teams from Balmoral, Mt Eden, Pt Chevalier, Rocky Nook, and a second-team from Royal Oak also competing.
Played under Twilight Bowls3Five rules, the event showed the opportunities for growing the Social Bowls Final.
By harmonising the various localised rules of Twilight Bowls3Five and getting more clubs playing that format the chances of expanding the Final next year are great. Royal Oak Bowls, as winners, will be hosting next year’s event, hopefully under the roof on their new artificial green. It’s already promising to be a cracker of a Final so circle the date when Auckland Bowls publish their calendar.
West Coasters: (L to R) Lee Singer, Steve Fisher (skip), Nicole Singer
Club events
If you are having a staycation this Anzac weekend and you're looking for something fun to do, why not head down to your local bowls club for a roll-up.
Some of the clubs also have a more competitive vibe if that's what you're after. Click this link or on the button below to view club events.
PBA World Bowls tour
PBA NZ holds tournaments each winter in indoor stadiums to find NZ reps to play against the elite in the World Bowls tour in the UK. Click on the button below to find out what events you can compete in.
YOUR NEWS ...
Is there a lawn bowls story or newsworthy item you would like us to share with our Friday Flash readers - simply submit your article by 11am Thursday to roz@aucklandbowls.co.nz & we'll take care of the rest!
