Central Canada has a new Lawn Bowls club in the BraceBridge (Ontario) area, the Muskoka LBC. A new bowling Green broke ground in September 2016 at the . Muskoka Highlands Golf Links.
a nearby Golf Course.
With the green and club expected to open to the public on July 8th 2017, this club and its development can be viewed as a rebirth and even a push toward seeing Canadian Self-financed Lawn Bowls Clubs.
(UPDATE - April 2018 Muskokaregion.com announces another Grant of $25,000 for 2018.)
In the 1989 movie, “Field of Dreams” the expression of
Over the past few years of blogging about Lawn Bowls, I have been concern about the damage that happens to the sport of Lawn Bowls when the clubhouse and Greens belonging to the city or Municipal. And then to surprise of the lawn bowls executive and members a Municipal decision is announced to close the club. The photo ( left) is a tweet by a British Lawn bowls club about a UK club which lost their greens to a parking lot because the land was own by a commercial business.
These Lawn Bowls Club which are on loan from their elected officials of the town or city; must look toward constant worries of closure or becoming self-supporting. Had the planners of these club seen this problem when building the membership, maybe their direction would have been toward self-finance.
If our sport of Lawn Bowls is to survive we have to look at how other clubs around the world are build..An example of club sponsorship and auto finance is the australian club of Mentone LBC of Australia. Here in North America we don' t have many private clubs. WHY ?? (We certainly have had a lot of members who died and would have left land, money or material to building a private Lawn Bowls Club)
With more global contact between municipals throughout our country and even between countries, their evaluation of the cost of maintaining Lawn Bowls as an active sport is a " dollars / cost "evaluated against the number of participants. I have not said "Membership" because they are concern about all the muncipal residence using the facilities and we have to find way to give them access and want to visit the club.
Consider also, the number of months of active sports involvement; compared to other team sports which show a better total annual cost per participant. And all they ask of the muncipility is an open field and goal post.
Throughout Canada almost all sports are seasonal and sport facilities to be profitable must develop a year round administration. If we evaluated the actual sport season and membership against actual cost we can not blame the muncipality. Heck, I saw a blog about a British muncipality charging $5 to Joggers in the Local Park as a fund Raising for Maintenance of the Park.
"We were approached by the local golf course who offered the available land near their clubhouse" said Sally Mills the Muskoka LBC president. With a 10 year $1 annual rental agreement the search for funding for the construction of the bowling green was started.The Golf Link administration beside the land also offered the club advertise Lawn Bowls product (photo below left) as part of the Golf Clubs services, and the mention it development on their webpage blog; this year as the club prepares for their first season we see the public and new bowlers discovering the sport on the Golf Clubs putting green. (Photo right)
In many Canadian clubs now active , the club's Green keepers and Lawn bowls club administrators know that their bowling green has a short life span of between 15 and 20 years with proper maintenance. Therefore they are always planning for the next major rebirth of their greens and looking toward new ideas of keeping the club active and into the future.. Maybe some of them will seek out a similar partnership with their local golf Course as the club's future solution.
Certainly the rebuild of ditches is not as expensive as the initial development of the total greens. One should see that some of the idea of this new club, from locals and others; could help finance their own future development. We all know the difficulty of approaching the muncipility for repairs or changing the lighting. or ditches around the green..
As more clubs find that municipal decisions on the club future is a view of questionable expense; the Lawn Bowls club must look for new approaches to future finance and development. Eventually the executive may even consider method of moving their club toward a private ownership system or consider sharing the facilities with other sports in a private partnership Photo right of Middlesbrough Croquet Club in UK and a video by the Assoc for British Croquet players (with greens maintenance)
Even in the big city like Montreal where the club , Westmount LBC (mention above), is muncipial supported club: the Lawn bowl administrative staff is always busy with education of city staff and their own volunteers as to what makes a good Bowling Green.
Because the City hall and the Mayors window overlooking the club greens, it has lead to city employees thinking that they are cutting the city hall front lawn. The Lawn Bowling greens look great to the public but not all that great for a fast and level club bowling green. (The late Richard Myers did wonders with these green but also spend hourswith the city staff on their support and the club needs).
The greens and quality of the grass (bent grass) can be like a family garden in
that the soil can be depleted of its richness very quickly if not maintained with
scientific care. Clubs with volunteers cutting the greens and reading such Internet authors as John Quinn and his Bowls Central e-publication; can only do so much toward a good health green.
His articles instruct on how green care and even the lack of or too much watering can cause a high micro culture which show as
different patterns on the green but also slowly does damage to the life of the lawn bowling green. It is not just a simple
question of a great green grass appearance. A very good source of information for a new club as well as blog of A greenkeepers gift.
Unlike many Lawn Bowls Clubs the Muskoka LBC has their own webpage at Muskokabowls.ca which is under development waiting the club schedule activities. We however read "We are a new non-profit club situated at the Muskoka Highlands Golf Links in Bracebridge."
Using the Golf Course website (photo below left) to advertises lawn bowls and sell memberships, indicates a trend where lawn bowl clubs can have several item and courses for online purchase by members and the public..
Looking at the "Non-profit" club administrative structure has been one the major cause for failure of many lawn bowls clubs. When several well meaning lawn bowler accept to administrate facilities, finances and the sport schedules from year to year, we lack the commitment which is success. Would you turn your children care and education over to different good intention volunteers ? With a financial investment in club development of from $50,000 (greens only) to $150,000 (clubhouse and land) or more; can you the lawn bowls enthusiast depend upon the good will of good intentions volunteers. Get involved yourself.
Some Volunteer committees can and should be developed as part of the club executives to ease the burden on the Executive Committee and the Greens keepers. But to hire a Club administrator and Greens keeper means to find the finance to pay them and expect them to protect the interest of the club and the lawn bowling Greens as part of a career responsibility.
Two previous blogs on a Greens Committee was written earlier in the year and intended to suggest how a club can open opportunities for volunteers to become active while helping the Game Coordinatorr and to help the Greenskeeper.
Both, the club manager and the green keeper, have a large job and although at most clubs the greenkeeper usually is paid the club would go broke if no green development and maintenance commettee of volunteer was not created. As an example look at the early season weed (dandelion) cleanup. Although only a couple of days for the greens keeper; this work done by 4 or 5 volunteers can be finished it in a few hours (two days of Greenskeeper pay saved). Similarly preparation of the green each day, like boundary markers changes; which are rotated ever day; is a Green committee volunteer work load as well as creating a daily work schedule and even prepares members to volunteer and later accept further executive responsibilities.
Lawn Bowls clubs should find ways to find more and more participation of activities and eventually be able to work to becoming a private business like in Australia. There may always have to be a rental of land and facilities by the club as these are major investments, but like a Bowling alley who develops leagues of alley bowlers; so also maybe clubs can easily develop Lawn Bowls League which pay greens fees, coaching and umpire fees and even develop social activities with the club kitchen and bar.
Club revenue from a in-house bar and social activities is difficult with a "Non-Profit" volunteer structure, which now exists with most Canadian clubs. Unless the club is active in sport development with courses and clinics for members and visitor; the club is losing a major part of revenues Maybe the cost of "Learn to Bowl" courses can be applied to the annual membership fee. As a non-profit club moving toward total self-financing, and eventually becoming a profitable they
be more active in "Selling the Sport".
. Schools and youth organizations should see the sport as a fun and activity. like " Saturdays Bowls" should be a "Kids Day" where activities are more than rules and Youth League are developed. In the CBC News of yesterday (photo) Saskatoon Nutana Lawn Club "is attracting a lot of young adults with the Wednesday night recreational league" as they look toward the development of Bowling Leagues.
How many local business have social activities for their members and would love to spend the after work hours outdoors in a league of Lawn bowls. I could see the club eventually making a lawn bowling league much like the winter alley bowling leagues we see throughout the winter in most cities.
With Greens fees, League members are introduced to the sport and it is certain many will become club members and work toward their perfection and local and provincial competitions.
Maybe there is the direction of a club becoming a charity organization so older members could leave large sums to the club as donations or support in developing the club's social vision . As a non-profit charity there exist the opportunities of past members leaving in their will funds. Or certain fund raising activities which the club supports and promotes become a regular public awareness and yearly activity.
There are other sports which would be very happy to have a fast and smooth green. Take for example the game of Croquet which only requires small tubes to receive the hoops ( or markings on the green for their location. In the Open Day photo of the Muskoka Lawn Bowling club we see the public being introduced to lawn bowls on the golf course putting greens. The revers is also as the local lawn bowls club can organize Golf Putting clinic on a smooth green.
No club can live on good will of it members. Greens keeper, Bar /Social Administrator and even Club Manager and other employees must be paid to perform tasks which finance the club. Club members with special skills can be promoted by developing a "Support a Club Member". Insurance discounts on and other discounts for members give a club membership more meaning than the use of the greens during the club activities.
There are some readers who would welcome such suggestion in the promotion of the club and its future; while others would see their own lost of their free greens time. As a blogger I can express these views with the hope of helping my sport.
However, I sincerely believe, the attitude of the clubs must change and all Lawn bowlers must realize that a lawn Bowls membership a privilege to use the club facilities. For those who use it more than others, the green fee system keeps the overall membership fees down. If projects and activities are not created to improve the financial stability, then some of the profit must be directed towatd fees and taxes charged to the club by the muncipality. Become strong and self-supporting
With the green and club expected to open to the public on July 8th 2017, this club and its development can be viewed as a rebirth and even a push toward seeing Canadian Self-financed Lawn Bowls Clubs.
(UPDATE - April 2018 Muskokaregion.com announces another Grant of $25,000 for 2018.)
In the 1989 movie, “Field of Dreams” the expression of
"If you build it, they will come," seems to be the bases of the construction. After one obtains the land then comes the financing of the bowling green which is probably the biggest fund raising. Unlike a baseball or soccer field, a lawn bowling green requires a more detail sub-terrian structure of drainage and soil types.
Building a Lawn Bowls Club is not a small or cheap undertaking as noted in their November 2016 club Newsletter. . "We have been working on this project since at least 2010. Thanks to a $150,000 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation the construction got underway in August 2016." With the high cost of land and the large size of a bowling green with the surrounding clubhouse and storage sheds; there is still a lot required for this new executive. Maybe enough to discourage most builder of their “Field of Dreams”. However, I feel this new tread is important enough to blog.
As one golf course manager said about comparing the club's Putting Green and the expectation of a Lawn Bowls Green. "Where golfers expect putting difficulty between then and the cup, the lawn bowler expect a very level, long smooth rolling surface for their games" . This is often a major difference and misunderstanding in greens maintenance which is usually found with the lawn bowls greens cut lower than a Golf Green.
Public awareness of a new club is all about wise use of free advertising and Muskoka executive have been very busy with the Social Media. The Facebook page (left) is of a quality which most clubs of over 20 years still don't have. And other methods of fundraising and advertising is a sign of a great team (or individuals) with a vision.
The Muskuka Lawn Bowling Club is lucky that their financial success is shared with the Muskuka Highland Golf Links and they are able to share the common sport and social facilities like clubhouse, maintenance and kitchen and bar. A second big help to the club is the provincial Lawn Association of Ontario OLBA.ca which is the largest in Canada
with near
6721 members (2016) from over 16 districts.
With so many members they have experts in every area of administration and certainly offers wise development support to their new club. But of course not all provinces, especially us in the East, can find the expertise for a new clubs developed. I am sure BCB , as the overall Canadian Bowls coordinator, has also spend hours helping new clubs like Muskuka...
Because of the size and a East and West Division of the Ontario Provincial Association, the Canadian Nationals usually see two very well developed teams entered and in the medals. Clubs throughout Ontario have been an up and down as we watch great clubs that have gone and new clubs getting face lifts ; thus giving every year a new image to lawn bowls in Ontario. However, every year lawn bowlers from all across Canada travel to Ontarion for the biggest money lawn bowls competition called Wolba. (Western Ontario Lawn Bowls Association)
This years 3 day WOLBA event which will be July 16 - 18 at the Kitchener's Heritage LBC will see teams pay $400 to participate in Fours, Triples and Singles. A must see visit to Eastern and Western lawn bowlers. There has been years where participation has lead to first place prize money going as high as $1000for this Invitation Tournments. Must similar to the Australian Open it draws the best of bowlers across the country for one big event; however unlike the Australian, the size of the prizes never get that big.
Throughout Europe and the United Kingdom we find sport tours thought the various Lawn Bowls
clubs as a two week Lawn bowls vacation is organized by Travel Agency. There is no reason why people who are travelling across Ontario or central Canada or other provinces can not be invited to visit several lawn bowls clubs while in route. Such visit as the Wolba competition in Kitchener or the new Muskoka LBC would make the trip interesting and offer support to the club or activities.
Maybe we could see a Canadian Tour of Lawn Bowlers where travellers could have a two or three day stop over to share relaxing (or competitive) lawn bowls. Clubs which offer their greens or competition for such a tour could make the contact for hotels and the provincial or BCB could in early spring create a package of Beds and Bowls, where breakfast and dinner is at the different club. In March 2013 I found in the Canadian Archives documents about the 1906 British /Canadian Tour which was a two month visit of Canadian clubs by British, Scot and Irish players who came on a ocean voyage and train trip across Canada.
Such a Cross-Canada Lawn Bowls Tour could change the clubs being visited from year to year and players (especially seniors with time to travel) could find such an organized tour as part of the trip to the Canadian Nationals as a interesting and relax 7 to 10 day road trip. Today with the Smartphone and GPS the two or three hours wasted time in finding a lawn bowls club location or Hotel can be reduced to a partial hour..
Building a Lawn Bowls Club is not a small or cheap undertaking as noted in their November 2016 club Newsletter. . "We have been working on this project since at least 2010. Thanks to a $150,000 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation the construction got underway in August 2016." With the high cost of land and the large size of a bowling green with the surrounding clubhouse and storage sheds; there is still a lot required for this new executive. Maybe enough to discourage most builder of their “Field of Dreams”. However, I feel this new tread is important enough to blog.
 |
| Muskoka FBook page. |
As one golf course manager said about comparing the club's Putting Green and the expectation of a Lawn Bowls Green. "Where golfers expect putting difficulty between then and the cup, the lawn bowler expect a very level, long smooth rolling surface for their games" . This is often a major difference and misunderstanding in greens maintenance which is usually found with the lawn bowls greens cut lower than a Golf Green.
Public awareness of a new club is all about wise use of free advertising and Muskoka executive have been very busy with the Social Media. The Facebook page (left) is of a quality which most clubs of over 20 years still don't have. And other methods of fundraising and advertising is a sign of a great team (or individuals) with a vision.
The Muskuka Lawn Bowling Club is lucky that their financial success is shared with the Muskuka Highland Golf Links and they are able to share the common sport and social facilities like clubhouse, maintenance and kitchen and bar. A second big help to the club is the provincial Lawn Association of Ontario OLBA.ca which is the largest in Canada
 |
| Photo of Club Activity July 2019 (updated) |
With so many members they have experts in every area of administration and certainly offers wise development support to their new club. But of course not all provinces, especially us in the East, can find the expertise for a new clubs developed. I am sure BCB , as the overall Canadian Bowls coordinator, has also spend hours helping new clubs like Muskuka...
Because of the size and a East and West Division of the Ontario Provincial Association, the Canadian Nationals usually see two very well developed teams entered and in the medals. Clubs throughout Ontario have been an up and down as we watch great clubs that have gone and new clubs getting face lifts ; thus giving every year a new image to lawn bowls in Ontario. However, every year lawn bowlers from all across Canada travel to Ontarion for the biggest money lawn bowls competition called Wolba. (Western Ontario Lawn Bowls Association)
This years 3 day WOLBA event which will be July 16 - 18 at the Kitchener's Heritage LBC will see teams pay $400 to participate in Fours, Triples and Singles. A must see visit to Eastern and Western lawn bowlers. There has been years where participation has lead to first place prize money going as high as $1000for this Invitation Tournments. Must similar to the Australian Open it draws the best of bowlers across the country for one big event; however unlike the Australian, the size of the prizes never get that big.
Throughout Europe and the United Kingdom we find sport tours thought the various Lawn Bowls
clubs as a two week Lawn bowls vacation is organized by Travel Agency. There is no reason why people who are travelling across Ontario or central Canada or other provinces can not be invited to visit several lawn bowls clubs while in route. Such visit as the Wolba competition in Kitchener or the new Muskoka LBC would make the trip interesting and offer support to the club or activities.
Maybe we could see a Canadian Tour of Lawn Bowlers where travellers could have a two or three day stop over to share relaxing (or competitive) lawn bowls. Clubs which offer their greens or competition for such a tour could make the contact for hotels and the provincial or BCB could in early spring create a package of Beds and Bowls, where breakfast and dinner is at the different club. In March 2013 I found in the Canadian Archives documents about the 1906 British /Canadian Tour which was a two month visit of Canadian clubs by British, Scot and Irish players who came on a ocean voyage and train trip across Canada.
Such a Cross-Canada Lawn Bowls Tour could change the clubs being visited from year to year and players (especially seniors with time to travel) could find such an organized tour as part of the trip to the Canadian Nationals as a interesting and relax 7 to 10 day road trip. Today with the Smartphone and GPS the two or three hours wasted time in finding a lawn bowls club location or Hotel can be reduced to a partial hour..
Over the past few years of blogging about Lawn Bowls, I have been concern about the damage that happens to the sport of Lawn Bowls when the clubhouse and Greens belonging to the city or Municipal. And then to surprise of the lawn bowls executive and members a Municipal decision is announced to close the club. The photo ( left) is a tweet by a British Lawn bowls club about a UK club which lost their greens to a parking lot because the land was own by a commercial business.
These Lawn Bowls Club which are on loan from their elected officials of the town or city; must look toward constant worries of closure or becoming self-supporting. Had the planners of these club seen this problem when building the membership, maybe their direction would have been toward self-finance.
If our sport of Lawn Bowls is to survive we have to look at how other clubs around the world are build..An example of club sponsorship and auto finance is the australian club of Mentone LBC of Australia. Here in North America we don' t have many private clubs. WHY ?? (We certainly have had a lot of members who died and would have left land, money or material to building a private Lawn Bowls Club)
With more global contact between municipals throughout our country and even between countries, their evaluation of the cost of maintaining Lawn Bowls as an active sport is a " dollars / cost "evaluated against the number of participants. I have not said "Membership" because they are concern about all the muncipal residence using the facilities and we have to find way to give them access and want to visit the club.
Consider also, the number of months of active sports involvement; compared to other team sports which show a better total annual cost per participant. And all they ask of the muncipility is an open field and goal post.
Throughout Canada almost all sports are seasonal and sport facilities to be profitable must develop a year round administration. If we evaluated the actual sport season and membership against actual cost we can not blame the muncipality. Heck, I saw a blog about a British muncipality charging $5 to Joggers in the Local Park as a fund Raising for Maintenance of the Park.
"We were approached by the local golf course who offered the available land near their clubhouse" said Sally Mills the Muskoka LBC president. With a 10 year $1 annual rental agreement the search for funding for the construction of the bowling green was started.The Golf Link administration beside the land also offered the club advertise Lawn Bowls product (photo below left) as part of the Golf Clubs services, and the mention it development on their webpage blog; this year as the club prepares for their first season we see the public and new bowlers discovering the sport on the Golf Clubs putting green. (Photo right)
 |
| Muskoka Open house on Putting Green |
In many Canadian clubs now active , the club's Green keepers and Lawn bowls club administrators know that their bowling green has a short life span of between 15 and 20 years with proper maintenance. Therefore they are always planning for the next major rebirth of their greens and looking toward new ideas of keeping the club active and into the future.. Maybe some of them will seek out a similar partnership with their local golf Course as the club's future solution.
Certainly the rebuild of ditches is not as expensive as the initial development of the total greens. One should see that some of the idea of this new club, from locals and others; could help finance their own future development. We all know the difficulty of approaching the muncipility for repairs or changing the lighting. or ditches around the green..
As more clubs find that municipal decisions on the club future is a view of questionable expense; the Lawn Bowls club must look for new approaches to future finance and development. Eventually the executive may even consider method of moving their club toward a private ownership system or consider sharing the facilities with other sports in a private partnership Photo right of Middlesbrough Croquet Club in UK and a video by the Assoc for British Croquet players (with greens maintenance)
In Montreal, the Westmount Lawn Bowls which has been active since June 1903 has found that the greens can be used by the sport of Croquet. The Westmount Croquet Club announces the following in french "The
Westmount Croquet Club, which runs from May to October, invites all citizens of
Westmount to explore the croquet on Tuesday night at 7 pm on the lawn bowling
ground next to City Hall. Beginners can use the equipment of the club" (translated by Internet site)
Even in the big city like Montreal where the club , Westmount LBC (mention above), is muncipial supported club: the Lawn bowl administrative staff is always busy with education of city staff and their own volunteers as to what makes a good Bowling Green.
Because the City hall and the Mayors window overlooking the club greens, it has lead to city employees thinking that they are cutting the city hall front lawn. The Lawn Bowling greens look great to the public but not all that great for a fast and level club bowling green. (The late Richard Myers did wonders with these green but also spend hourswith the city staff on their support and the club needs).
 |
| Bowls Central |
Unlike many Lawn Bowls Clubs the Muskoka LBC has their own webpage at Muskokabowls.ca which is under development waiting the club schedule activities. We however read "We are a new non-profit club situated at the Muskoka Highlands Golf Links in Bracebridge."
Using the Golf Course website (photo below left) to advertises lawn bowls and sell memberships, indicates a trend where lawn bowl clubs can have several item and courses for online purchase by members and the public..
 |
| Golf Club Online Sales of Lawn Bowling |
Looking at the "Non-profit" club administrative structure has been one the major cause for failure of many lawn bowls clubs. When several well meaning lawn bowler accept to administrate facilities, finances and the sport schedules from year to year, we lack the commitment which is success. Would you turn your children care and education over to different good intention volunteers ? With a financial investment in club development of from $50,000 (greens only) to $150,000 (clubhouse and land) or more; can you the lawn bowls enthusiast depend upon the good will of good intentions volunteers. Get involved yourself.
Some Volunteer committees can and should be developed as part of the club executives to ease the burden on the Executive Committee and the Greens keepers. But to hire a Club administrator and Greens keeper means to find the finance to pay them and expect them to protect the interest of the club and the lawn bowling Greens as part of a career responsibility.
Two previous blogs on a Greens Committee was written earlier in the year and intended to suggest how a club can open opportunities for volunteers to become active while helping the Game Coordinatorr and to help the Greenskeeper.
Both, the club manager and the green keeper, have a large job and although at most clubs the greenkeeper usually is paid the club would go broke if no green development and maintenance commettee of volunteer was not created. As an example look at the early season weed (dandelion) cleanup. Although only a couple of days for the greens keeper; this work done by 4 or 5 volunteers can be finished it in a few hours (two days of Greenskeeper pay saved). Similarly preparation of the green each day, like boundary markers changes; which are rotated ever day; is a Green committee volunteer work load as well as creating a daily work schedule and even prepares members to volunteer and later accept further executive responsibilities.
Lawn Bowls clubs should find ways to find more and more participation of activities and eventually be able to work to becoming a private business like in Australia. There may always have to be a rental of land and facilities by the club as these are major investments, but like a Bowling alley who develops leagues of alley bowlers; so also maybe clubs can easily develop Lawn Bowls League which pay greens fees, coaching and umpire fees and even develop social activities with the club kitchen and bar.
Club revenue from a in-house bar and social activities is difficult with a "Non-Profit" volunteer structure, which now exists with most Canadian clubs. Unless the club is active in sport development with courses and clinics for members and visitor; the club is losing a major part of revenues Maybe the cost of "Learn to Bowl" courses can be applied to the annual membership fee. As a non-profit club moving toward total self-financing, and eventually becoming a profitable they
 |
| Open a Youth League |
. Schools and youth organizations should see the sport as a fun and activity. like " Saturdays Bowls" should be a "Kids Day" where activities are more than rules and Youth League are developed. In the CBC News of yesterday (photo) Saskatoon Nutana Lawn Club "is attracting a lot of young adults with the Wednesday night recreational league" as they look toward the development of Bowling Leagues.
How many local business have social activities for their members and would love to spend the after work hours outdoors in a league of Lawn bowls. I could see the club eventually making a lawn bowling league much like the winter alley bowling leagues we see throughout the winter in most cities.
With Greens fees, League members are introduced to the sport and it is certain many will become club members and work toward their perfection and local and provincial competitions.
Maybe there is the direction of a club becoming a charity organization so older members could leave large sums to the club as donations or support in developing the club's social vision . As a non-profit charity there exist the opportunities of past members leaving in their will funds. Or certain fund raising activities which the club supports and promotes become a regular public awareness and yearly activity.
Yes, in a lot of our Canadian clubs the membership are seniors who find lawn bowls a afternoon activity when others younger members are busy work the 9 to 5 grim. Clubs must learn to move away from the few days a week of club bowls and the occasional weekend competitions toward a full 7 day of activities from 9am to 10pm while still allowing proper green maintenance time.
There are other sports which would be very happy to have a fast and smooth green. Take for example the game of Croquet which only requires small tubes to receive the hoops ( or markings on the green for their location. In the Open Day photo of the Muskoka Lawn Bowling club we see the public being introduced to lawn bowls on the golf course putting greens. The revers is also as the local lawn bowls club can organize Golf Putting clinic on a smooth green.
There are some readers who would welcome such suggestion in the promotion of the club and its future; while others would see their own lost of their free greens time. As a blogger I can express these views with the hope of helping my sport.
However, I sincerely believe, the attitude of the clubs must change and all Lawn bowlers must realize that a lawn Bowls membership a privilege to use the club facilities. For those who use it more than others, the green fee system keeps the overall membership fees down. If projects and activities are not created to improve the financial stability, then some of the profit must be directed towatd fees and taxes charged to the club by the muncipality. Become strong and self-supporting
