Women's Open Singles: Draw is Live, See Who's In!

The road to the 2026 Women’s Open Singles starts now, with the full 96-player draw officially released!

Players from 12 New Zealand Centres and Australia, representing 49 clubs, will battle it out across 24 sections at the event on 19–20 September.

There’s plenty of experience in the field, with four former champions returning to chase another title, including defending champion Lisa White and 2024 winner Jessie Macaw. Two-time finalist Kimberley Hemingway will also be looking to go one step further after finishing runner-up in the past two years.

But it’s not all about the established names, with some exciting young talent in the mix, including 14-year-old Lilly Wesche, 16-year-old Christian-ly Filipo and current Auckland Centre Singles champion Hannah Dawson.

With a full field, plenty of contenders and 24 sections ready to roll, the stage is set for another big weekend of women’s singles bowls.The draw is live. Now the fun begins!

👉Read draw preview

New look Interclub 8s & 6s 

Taylor Bowls Interclub 8s and 6s are back this October, with a fresh approach to the 6s - designed to get even more people playing competitive bowls!

The big change for 2026? The Interclub 6s is now open to any membership type. Social members, casual bowlers, newer members and those yet to play Centre events can all pull on their club shirt, grab their bowls and have a go! Teams of six form two teams of triples, with just two games from 12.30pm. Making it a great intro to organised competition without the commitment of a full day.

Prefer the full Interclub experience? Then the 8s are for you - back this season with the Men’s, Women’s and Any Combination grades. Teams of eight compete in fours and pairs, with three games from 9.00am.

Whether you’re a seasoned competitor or someone who’s never represented your club before, this is your chance to play, represent your club and kickstart the new season with some club spirit.

Entries are open now, so get in touch with your club captain or selector and put your hand up. And if you’re organising a team for the 6s, think beyond the usual suspects!

👉Find out more

Fast bowls. Big points. Plenty of fun.

Rapid Roll is back for 2026, with entries now open for the Rapid Roll Pairs – a three-player team format with a twist.

Players rotate through the pair across three fast-paced rounds, with every bowl worth points and scores changing in real time. Add music, friendly banter and plenty of action, and Tuesday nights at the bowlo are about to get a whole lot more interesting.

Whether you’re chasing a competitive challenge or simply looking for a fun, social way to get on the green, Rapid Roll has something for everyone.

Find your three, lock in your team and get ready to roll!

👉 Entries are open now

Henderson Bowls turns 100! A Weekend of Celebration

--Simon Poppleton

Henderson Bowls is celebrating 100 years at the heart of the Henderson community, and Labour Weekend will be the perfect time to mark this incredible milestone.

The celebrations kick off on Saturday with the Ozich AC Fours, and entries are still open. Get your team together and be part of a special tournament celebrating a century of bowls at Henderson.

Then on Sunday, current and former members, friends and supporters are invited to join us for a Centenary Celebratory Lunch, featuring great food, plenty of memories and special speeches reflecting on Henderson Bowls’ 100-year journey.

For a century, Henderson Bowls has been much more than a bowling club. Its facilities have provided a hub for the local community, hosting sporting, cultural and social groups and bringing people together across generations.

Whether you’re a current member, former member, or simply want to be part of the celebrations, come along and help Henderson Bowls celebrate 100 years in style

Saturday: Ozich AC Fours: entries open
Sunday: Centenary Celebratory Lunch: bookings welcome

Get your team entered for Saturday and book your place at the Sunday lunch by emailing Simon on: info@hendersonbowls.co.nz

Kohi regains the Eastern Junior Classic Trophy

--Jim Jericevich

Blustery conditions couldn’t dampen the quality of bowls on Sunday as Kohimarama hosted the annual Kohi Eastern Junior Classic, with neighbouring clubs St Heliers, Glendowie, Remuera and Kohi battling for the trophy.

Each club fielded two four-player teams, with each team limited to a maximum aggregate playing experience of 14 years. The Classic-style format featured singles and triples in the opening round, followed by two pairs matches before concluding with fours.

Going into the final round, Glendowie Green, skipped by Karol Brooks, held a perfect record, winning its singles, triples and both pairs matches. Close behind was Kohi Blue, whose only loss had come in the singles.

The draw delivered a thrilling finale, with the two leading teams meeting head-to-head in the deciding fours match. 

Kohi Blue made a strong start, building an early lead and extending their advantage throughout the match. They finished strongly to secure the win and reclaim the Kohi Eastern Junior Classic title, their second victory in three years. Glendowie Green’s loss opened the door for Glendowie Blue, skipped by Crawford Blair, whose final-round win lifted them into second place, with their clubmates finishing third.

Congratulations to Richard Fox, Martin Burke, JD Patel and Toni Louie on a well-deserved victory, and to all players who competed in challenging conditions and great spirit.

Kohimarama looks forward to welcoming its eastern neighbours back next year for another day of friendly rivalry, camaraderie and competitive bowls.

Winter Tradie Night Series Wraps Up

-Warwick McCarthy

The Howick Bowling Club hosted the Carters East Tamaki Winter Tradie Night Series which has officially wrapped up under the Southern Cross Partners Pavilion!

What an incredible five weeks of fierce competition, community spirit, and top-tier bowls. Massive congratulations to The Drua Boys, who showed absolute class in an epic finale against the formidable Team Awkward to take out the title! 

The battles didn't stop there, Howick Pakuranga Panel and Paint clinched third place after a thrilling showdown against Body Engineering, who put up an amazing fight after holding the leaderboard's top spot right up until the final night. 

An event this good doesn't happen without an amazing team. A massive shoutout and grateful thanks to:

• Andrew Simpson & Carters East Tamaki: For their incredibly generous sponsorship throughout the series.
• Our Legend Club Crew: Organisers, Bar staff, Kitchen team, BBQ chef.

To everyone else who worked tirelessly to make every single Wednesday night run so smoothly.

Thank you to all the teams who stepped onto the greens and made this series so successful. We are already counting down the days and looking forward to a repeat of the Winter Tradie Night Series in 2027! 

Let's celebrate the Volunteers Who Go the Extra End!
Bowls clubs wouldn’t be the same without dedicated volunteers working behind the scenes. 

Do you know someone who is...
✅ A club hero who goes the extra end, no matter the task
✅ A good sort whose energy and commitment inspire others
✅ A local legend making a real impact on or off the green

👉Here's where you can nominate your Extra End Hero today!