What we do and when do we do it
The club plays three times a week most weeks of the year and through out the summer. We can put out three mats as needed, it is a bit cosy but there is the room!
Mondays 2pm until 4pm roll up
Wednesdays 10am until 12 noon roll up (10.30 start in School Holidays)
Friday (summer time) 7pm until 9pm roll up
Friday (winter time) 6pm until 8.30pm Friday League. New start time
During the year, on a Sunday we arrange an in-house Fours or Triples Competitions and run singles competitions on a Monday before the roll up session. Also we invite Victoria Park Short Mat Bowls Club over from the Isle of Wight.
The Friday League
The Friday League is played during the winter months from October until start of April, just before Easter. Depending on players available it is either games of Triples or Fours made up of six teams.
The Shield was kindly given by Dave and Jean Renyard.
The last three years we have played a Triples Competition
You can see the results of competitions on the Hall of Fame Page.
Mondays Singles
On Mondays, in the new year there is a Ladies and a Men's Knockout Competition. Played over 15 ends with 4 woods. This starts 1 hour before the normal Roll Up at 14.00.
Now being run for its third year since moving to the QEII Pavilion (with 2 year break in between). You can see the results of the competitions on the Hall of Fame Page.
Sunday Competitions
In the past we have ran all day events playing either Fours or Triples Competitions, One in the November and one in March. Hopefully we will be doing the same this year. Again you can see the past results of the competitions on the Hall of Fame Page.
The Gordon Beere Trophy
This Competition has run since about 1998. One of our members (who played both Outdoor Bowls as well as Short Mat Bowls into his 90's) went on holiday to the Isle of Wight, staying in a hotel that had a short mat bowls mat in the back of the hotel. He manged to get involved in a game with others against a local team called Victoria Park Short Mat Bowls Club, Newport. It was arranged for that team to come over and play at the old Esso Sports and Social Club and that is where is was born, we either go over to the IOW or they come to play here on the mainland. Nearly International?
County Competitions and Test Valley League
For the last couple of years we have been affiliated to Hampshire County Short Mat Bowls Association. This has allowed us to play against other players & clubs in County Qualifying Competitions and in County Friendly Matches, allowing us to improve our game skills.
Out first year in the Test Valley League playing against clubs in the New Forest Area up towards Salisbury. This again has improved match skills playing at different venues on different mats.
So much so, we ended third in this league. Not bad for our inaugural season!