Bowls Clubs are Wonderful Places

BOWLS CLUBS ARE WONDERFUL PLACES!

Why is that some might say?

Well let's have a look at a local bowls club, whether it be an inside club or outside.

What else does a bowls club offer besides the opportunity to play a brilliant game?

Firstly the game itself.  It's relaxing, enjoyable, great value for money, challenging, strategic, healthy and raises ones spirits.

Playing Bowls is strangely satisfying, whether you're good at it, or not. That doesn't stop it from being frustrating and sometimes infuriating, especially when the wood (bowl) doesn't go where you want it to !

It's a game for learning and improving as you go. It may take some time before you feel confident to enter a League or Competition, or you may take to it very quickly and give some of the more experienced players a run for their money!

But apart from the actual game, it's a place to go and meet friends, old and new. You are always welcomed into any club and the members will soon get to know you, as you will them.

Over the last year, I have had many people say to me that it's not just playing bowls that brings them in, but the rewarding social side of it. They come for the people they meet.

It's somewhere to sit and have a coffee or tea, to maybe watch a game whilst chatting with others. 

Many people that stay at home can fall into a routine that can physically and mentally drain them, and by going to a bowls club, gives them a whole new social circle of friends and interests. 

Many clubs such have the benefit of a social club facility, where regular events such as Quiz nights, and whist take place. This again expands the social side of meeting others with similar interests. Many members have other hobbies and interests such as golf, photography, crafts, DIY, flower arranging, blogging, garden projects, spectator sports such as rugby and football, to name but a few! By meeting lots of people with many other interests, it opens up a wealth of things to to.

A lot of players play the game and go off to their busy lives, but quite a few take time out to enjoy a drink and talk with others, some they have known for years and others that are fresh to the sport. 

For those who don't have their own transport, there are always members who would be happy to help out with lifts, and many clubs are on the bus circuit making it easy to participate.

So whether you have bowled before, would like to try or simply have a look at what it offers, find out where your local club is, Indoor, Outdoor or both, and pay a visit, say hello, you will be most welcome.

When you have tried Indoor Bowls, you may then like to try the outdoor greens for the next summer. There are a great number of outdoor clubs that will be looking for new members next year, all areas have bowls clubs and are open to new members.

Take the family for a visit today and see who would like to try it. Bowls is for ALL ages!

This Blog is run by www.bowlsforsale.com 

A Brighter Future for Bowls.

A Brighter Future for Bowls.

Like them or hate them, coloured woods are here to stay. Plain, striped, mottled, flecked, multi-coloured and even some really jazzy designs, they are proving to be more popular as time goes on.

It certainly makes it easier to see and find your woods in amongst up to sixteen others at the end of the rink. Black seems to be holding out at the moment and I believe they will survive as the majority choice of today. Many of the long term players, once they have chosen their wood, stay with them for many many years, so black will remain as the majority for a few years yet but will slowly dwindle. 

Younger players definitely favour the colour choices. World Bowls with players on the TV all playing reds, greens with a touch of fleck sometimes. This goes to promote the use of colours to the watching audience, and all of the bowls manufacturers are happy to supply a wide variety of design.

Aero Bowls go the extra mile and will produce a wood to your design, this comes with a cost.

If a black or a coloured wood feels good for you, then that's what you bowl with. There is no right or wrong choice. Some players might express that they do not like your choice of coloured wood, that's fine, we are all different. But if you like them, bowl them, and if coloured woods help bring more players and encourage the younger set to play, it's a good thing.
Have you noticed a few of the more experienced senior players have been trying out the new selection? It's great and it is definitely brightening up the game. Just look at the picture above, looking smart.
As with anything new, there comes a price, and bowls woods such as Aero's and Tigers are not a cheap option, but they are becoming more popular partly due to the media coverage on the TV.

Whatever the future of Bowls, it is certain that variety and choice of bowls equipment will help keep the game alive for many many years to come. 

You can find a selection of used woods at www.bowlsforsale.com 

If you have facebook, search for Bowls Equipment for Sale and join the group, it is run by Joshua Phillips who is a very experienced and successful player.

What Price Bowls Woods?

What Price Bowls Woods?

What is a good price for a set of used woods?
Should you go for a new set?
What are they worth if you only have them a short time?

These are a few questions I have asked myself over the last two years.
When I started to play, I wanted a new set of woods, and off I went to buy some. I found a set of Drakes Pride Professional size 5, which were a nice brown colour. I had no advice or suggestions, so I bought them from the shop costing me £186.00.

They were very nice and I felt good about using them, for a while!
After a few months of outside and then indoors, I began having roll-ups with a few other members. We chatted, we compared, we tried each others woods as a comparison. Then one day, I had a roll up with a friend, he had a set of Thomas Taylor size 2.
My goodness, they were great! I felt the game had changed in two ends.

He said that he liked my woods better than his and we did a trade, plus thirty pounds as he had bought his for seventy. So after a few months, I had now traded my £186 set of new woods for a used set worth £70. (plus £30) Total value of £100. I enjoyed playing with those woods for about a year when a new member tried them, liked them and I sold them for £70.

Since then I have changed my woods several times, whilst buying and selling others. It has become clear to me that you don't have to have new woods when you start, buy cheap and over a time find out what are the most comfortable for you. Then you can purchase better ones as you get more knowledge and experience. You can then sell the old ones without losing too much money on the deal.

It will take time to learn what kind of wood you want. The weight, the size and the bias. See the chart to the left to get an idea of what kind of play you wish to follow, lean or wide hooking.
This chart is just one of many.

Quite a few members have spare sets in the garage or loft. Some members put them up for sale and ask either a good price or a high one.
It's very hard to sell something that loses value. But if they don't get passed on, they will stay there for a loooooonnng time. Bite the bullet!

The new www.Bowlsforsale.com Website has pages with a selection of used woods, and any spare sets, sell them here. Someone else can benefit from them and you can get some money back into your pockets.

With any used woods, there is a difference in condition, some maybe in Mint condition, some may be in poorish condition. The price will reflect in this. But when selling, settle on a reasonable price if you want to move them. Price too high and they may as well have stayed in the cupboard.
Under twenty pounds, you cannot go wrong, use and upgrade later.
Thirty to fifty pounds is where the majority of deals happen, fairly clean woods, play anywhere.
From fifty to a hundred pounds, they need to be very good condition and not too old. 
As a guide, they should still be within stamp date. Although unless you are in the match games, stamp is not important. 
Over a hundred pounds, they must be almost new. My way of thinking is that if they cost £240 new within the last year, they may only bee worth £150 ish when selling. You bargain in your own way. Message is, "Don't waste money spending high, when you might change them soon" 

Bowls Woods Trending Smaller.

Playing Bowls is one of the best activities you can be involved with.
It's relaxing but exciting, it is a social activity where you play with lots of old friends and new friends alike. It keeps you fit! Some may smile but after twenty one ends of bowls, your muscles know it.
You have your kit, you play reasonably well, you are in a league and you even play inter club friendlies. And those that enter into more competitive games, travelling the country and beyond.

Everyone chooses their woods in different ways. Black, coloured, design and make all go to making that decision of which wood to purchase. Then it comes to size, mmm what size is best for me everyone asks. And there is plenty of advice from all directions.

This is one method of testing what size wood is the best size.
Hold a wood in one hand, then with the other hand, touch your two thumbs together and your first finger which creates a circle around the wood. When you comfortably just touch fingers and thumbs, then that is your size of wood.

Another way of testing the size, is to hold up your wood in your bowling hand, hold it with a good grip all around the wood, then turn your hand upside down. If the wood drops, then the wood is too big for you. Repeat this exercise until the wood remains comfortably in your hand.

And then, you can just do what i do, which is to hold the wood in your bowling hand and weigh it up, turn it around, how does the wood feel to you? Does it feel too heavy, too big or does something not feel right to you?
Try as many woods as you can until one of them just feels good, weight seems ok, size is comfortable. Then off to the green or rink you go. Try them and give it some time to see how you bowl with them. You might change them for the last set you tried. Decide and go for it, enjoy.

I have only been playing for four years so i am quite new to the game, but i like it.
I buy and sell bowls for a hobby to keep me busy and give me an interest.
(see www.bowlsforsale.com)  Whilst doing this it seems to me that a lot of players are "downsizing" their woods.
Some of these players are getting older and their grip is not as strong, some players have tried a smaller wood and like the feel of them. Others are finding some other reason to change their woods and are choosing the smaller wood. This to me comes under a new "trend". It will be interesting how sizes change over the next few years.

There have been a few changes to the game of bowls over the last few years, including ladies mixed games, dress code, coloured woods and a few rules. The book of bowls says that you should bowl with the heaviest wood you can comfortably hold and bowl with. But will this new trend continue and change the future game of bowls?

Time will tell!