Oundle Bowling Club – Spring Newsletter
Dear Members
The beginning of the outdoor playing season is not far away, something we are all looking forward to. We would like to bring the membership up to date with various matters which we feel may be of interest.
The Green
The surrounds to the green which were previously supported by timber and which were beginning to collapse due to rot, have now all been replaced with concrete, this being a considerable long-term improvement to the club.
Half of the surround was replaced early in 2023 and included re-levelling much of rink 6, which meant that rink was not available to play on for most of last season. The remainder of the surround was replaced towards the end of last year and the grass which was lifted to allow for the work to be carried out was soon re-laid and is growing well. We anticipate all rinks will be available for play this season.
As you may be aware from previous emails, a team of volunteer members will be maintaining the green through the playing season with guidance and assistance from our professional green maintenance company, Turfcare. The intention is to try to improve the playing surface by means of very regular cutting combined with other planned maintenance as recommended by Turfcare.
This work combined with general maintenance of the environs of the green will be considerable and, as previously requested, if anyone feels they can help the team in any way please contact either David Walker, John Gouldson or Michael Daking.
Short Mat
For a trial period until the end of May one of the short mats will be available for play during session times Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday 2.00pm to 4.00pm. Further details have been emailed to members and there is a sign-up form in the clubhouse. If this trial proves successful it may be possible to extend the sessions beyond May.
Fixture List
We have a full schedule of friendly matches with other clubs arranged for the coming season. There will be no separate ladies matches this year.
We would like to encourage more of the less experienced players to put their names down to play in the games against other teams. All the games are played in a friendly and convivial manner so please consider putting your name down for a match, even if you are just starting to play the game. If you feel unsure what you have to do in a game just contact the team captain for the particular match you wish to play in and he will ensure you are given support by more experienced players.
In addition to the schedule of friendly matches, we will again be playing in the County League where we remain in Division One. This is a series of 6 matches played on various Sundays between June and August. If you have not played in the league before and would like to, please contact Paul Pearson.
Coaching
Congratulations to John Gouldson on obtaining his Bowls England Level 1 Coaching Certificate. He now joins the Oundle coaching team who will give free coaching to new and existing members through the season. Please contact David Walker or John Gouldson for further details.
Open Weekend
Our annual open weekend will be held on June 1st and 2nd. This year our Presidents Charity is raising funds for The Fire Fighters Charity, a most worthwhile cause. Donations for our cake stall and Tombola will be gratefully received.
Please put this weekend in your diary and come along if you can and help potential new members get started in our wonderful sport.
Club tour to Norwich 6th-9th September 2024
The President’s tour is something we look forward to towards the end of the season. John Gouldson will update you on the arrangements in early June. If you have not already booked your place and would like to come on this fun weekend, give him a call on: – 07943 407599
Information Day, Monday 22nd April, 2024
All members are invited to the club between 2-00pm and 4-00pm.
The membership secretary will be available to receive subscriptions and completed data collection forms. Information will be available for the season’s internal competitions.
This is an opportunity to find out how much is going on at the club during the summer, and to socialise with other members.
Social Events
As you know the Club relies on our social events to help finance the running of the club. This year the Social Committee intend to offer a variety of social events for members to enjoy, in addition to the regular and popular Tuesday Bingo Night. Some of the exact dates have yet to be agreed and will be notified to members however here is an outline of the programme:
Easter Quiz 6 April
Pre-season Bash (Sausage and Mash) 20th April
Bowls Games themed afternoon or evening End May/Beginning June
Italian themed evening July
Car treasure hunt August
Hit or Miss Bingo, (bingo with a difference!) September
Race Night (Horses, Pigs and More!) October
Cookery demonstration (Thermomix) November
Christmas Quiz December
Please help the club by attending as many of the events as you can, they should be fun and are a chance for members to get together to enjoy themselves
Preparations for Opening the green
Weather and green conditions permitting it is hoped to open the green for play on 22nd April. Some general preparation works need to be carried out around the green before it can open. If you can spare a little time on Saturday 20th April from 9am, it will be extremely helpful and get the job done quickly.
We hope to see you all at the club this season.
Happy bowling!
The Committee