Rosslyn Bowling Club looking for post-Covid membership boost

Mike Goldsmith, Davy Scott, Alex Jenkinson and King Thomson took part in the first Rosslyn Bowling Club Grand Prix competition

Bowlers all over the country are getting back onto the green as competitions at last resume.

But like many clubs, Rosslyn are hoping to use the emergence from lockdown to introduce new people to the sport and the benefits it brings.

And as a social, outdoor sport accessible to so many, and with the Commonwealth Games around the corner, club president Jim Hiddleston reckons there's never been a better time to get involved.

Last summer Rosslyn BC signed up for Bowls Scotland’s Frontline Workers Campaign, offering half price membership.

They have since gained no fewer than 35 new members - and now plan to expand their links with the local community still further.

“The community of Roslin is growing significantly with 500 new houses being built near the club and we are maximising footfall with hires for Slimming World, Dance Babies and also regular Saturday coaching sessions," said Jim.

"A new petanque piste is being built in the next few months and we see great synergies in working together on ‘Boules and Bowls’ promotions.”

Plans are already underway to host a July Bowls Experience Weekend, in line with Covid guidance, to welcome people to the club to try bowls and get to know the facilities.

The club has also launched a new competition pairing new bowlers who have taken part in the weekly Saturday coaching with existing members.

The Grand Prix involved a series of three 40-minute games timed to music, starting with traditional four bowl pairs, moving to three bowls and then finishing with Extreme Bowls, a different high scoring system.

Sponsors Porteous Funeral Care and WellBeing Essentials are supporting the initiative and coaching coordinator John Tod and tournament organiser Mike Goldsmith.

In the first competition, section winners were Wrecking Bowls (Davy Scott and Mike Goldsmith and Bay City Bowlers (Diane Thomson and Jim Hiddleston) who will play the Section Final in a few weeks.

Three other Grand Prix are planned for July and August with the section winners playing in the Grand Final in September.