Open Day this coming Saturday

Andover Bowing Club is holding its annual Open Day this coming Saturday, 25 April, when we throw open our doors to the community and encourage everyone to come along and try their hand at bowling on a real green. No equipment needed – we'll supply the bowls: all you need is a pair of flat shoes, or trainers.

Our own friendly, proficient and qualified coaches will give advice and tips on delivering the perfect bowl; and Club members with a wide range of experience, from those who joined only last year to those who have several decades in the game, will also be there to help you get the most out of the morning.

The Open Day starts at 10am and ends at 1pm – whatever your age or ability, everyone is welcome between those hours and you can stay for as long as you like.

Following a wet winter, and a relatively mild spring, we again opened our green on time this year, on 11 April; and it is already handling very well. Our volunteers work extremely hard on the green over the winter when it is otherwise closed to get it in shape for the summer season and Avonmore, specialists in turfscape management, help with the more technical aspects of treating the grass to deliver a surface which is smooth and flat. This means that our green provides a true test of bowlers’ skill and judgment.

Steve Baker, Club President and greenkeeper, said ‘All that rain in January and February might have dampened some spirits, but did a great job with the grass, and the green is looking lush! A quite sunny April so far has also allowed the grass to respond well to the longer hours of sunlight.’

These are exciting times for the Club, with a new Clubhouse facility in the offing and the opportunity this will provide to give greater visibility to the Club and to appeal to wider sections of the community. This builds on top of another successful indoors bowling season last winter, when Andover teams finished second in all three of the cup competitions that we entered: in the case of the Moreton Cup, having never previously gone further than the semi-final; the John Ash Trophy team putting up a stout defence of their 2025 title; and the Hamblin Trophy team a nudge away from retaining the cup for a fourth successive year.

Steve concluded: ‘Our experienced members are always keen to help others enjoy the sport and to help them improve their bowling. And they’re also excellent bowlers,’ said Steve. ‘We’re a friendly and inclusive Club and those who come along on Saturday will find themselves among friends, whether they’ve bowled before or whether this is the first time.’

With the weather on Saturday looking dry and warm, and a bit more settled than it has been, why not come along and add to the atmosphere lent by a bowling green hard at work? If you're already a member, we could do with your help and support on the day, too, so please also come along.

See you Saturday morning down at Vigo Park!