Frequently asked Questions:
Is bowls "for old People?"
No, the top players in the country are 20 - 30! The game can be played from a young at up to late 80's (and often beyond!). Whilst many of our members are retired, we have a number of members who are younger. Our club is thriving and includes members of all ages.
Can ladies play against men on an equal basis?
Yes, bowls is one of the few sports which is gender and age neutral and women can play on an equal basis against men, as can older players play against younger players.
The sport does not favour strength or power making it ideal for mixed games. All of our friendlies and league matches are mixed making this a highly sociable sport to take part in.
What is the cost of Playing Bowls?
Bowls is a relatively cheap sport to take up. Initially, we have plenty of bowls for you to try out before you need to consider buying your own set. Costs for Bowls vary but a decent 'starter' set of second hand bowls can usually be bought for around £50. In addition, you will need some flat soled bowls shoes. Again, in the early days, we are happy for your to wear flat soled Trainers until you are sure you would like to progress with your new hobby.
Current Subscription Rates can be found on our Join Paddock Wood Bowls Club page.
How many Members do you currently have?
Whilst we are always on the lookout for new Members, our current Membership is around 110, This includes Full, Social and Life Members.
How do your Seasons work?
Our main Summer Season runs from mid-April to mid-September. Our Club Finals Weekend always takes place over the first weekend of September. During the summer, we play Friendly and League matches alongside a range of Club Competitions of varying format.
In October, we switch to our winter season. We now play Friendly matches against other Clubs who play on artificial surfaces throughout the winter and these sit alongside our Winter Leagues and Handicapped Competitions. These culminate in our Winter Finals weekend which usually takes place in early April.
How does the surface play compared to a Grass Green or an Indoor Rink?
Our artificial carpet sits somewhere between grass and indoor. It is faster than grass and you generally need more 'green' on each end, although not as much as you tend to need when bowling indoors. A player does not need special bowls to play on our Green as, as with grass rinks, after two or three ends, bowlers get used to the surface and adapt their delivery accordingly.
Are there times when you cannot use your artificial Green?
Yes! The Green cannot be used when any part of it is covered with frost, ice or snow or when the under-lay is still frozen. (The Green 'sounds' different when a bowl is sent). This is because the structure of the carpet is irreversibly damaged by treading on the pile.
Although Members do not like playing in the rain, the porous surface drains well and it is generally not necessary to leave the Green during heavy downpours, (unless of course there is thunder and lightening in the area).
Apart from these rare occurrences where, on average, we lose around 10 days each year, the Green is playable on the remaining 365 days of each year.
Do you have a question about bowls? Let us know via our contact pages and we will answer your question on this page.