Lawn Bowls in Jersey and Guernsey

Jersey might be a small island, measuring only nine miles by five miles, but it plays a big role in the world of lawn bowls. Both male and female teams from the island took part in the World Bowls Championships in Australia last year, and a Jersey player, Thomas Greechan, scooped the World Champion of Champions bowls title in Hong Kong two years ago.

Like the neighbouring Channel Island of Guernsey, Jersey has a number of flourishing clubs which are working to broaden the appeal of the sport and attract youngsters as well as older players. The oldest club in Jersey recently celebrated its centenary, but the sport is looking to the future rather than the past, with clubs improving their facilities.

Players in the Channel Islands, along with those from across the UK and abroad, can order a whole range of bowls equipment, accessories and clothes from Bowls World, which sells top quality items from the world’s leading manufacturers.

Lawn Bowls – click here for more details about our range of products.

Bowls in Jersey and Guernsey, Past and Present

Jersey’s oldest bowls club, the Jersey Bowling Club, was founded in 1912 and celebrated its centenary last year by staging an international tournament. Based in a picturesque setting above St Helier’s waterfront, the club has grown and expanded over the years and now has modern facilities to attract younger members. Altogether there are now five major outdoor bowls clubs in Jersey with around 1,000 players on their books.

The newest bowls club in Jersey is Les Creux Bowls Club, which was constructed in 1998 and hosted the British Isles Bowls Championships the following year. It has also hosted a number of other major bowls events. Last year the club made a major change by replacing its two greens with artificial surfaces, a £150,000 investment which means the club will now be able to extend its playing season. The move could show the way forward to other clubs.

Meanwhile, Guernsey’s oldest bowls club, the Guernsey Bowling Club, was formed in 1927, by a group of lawyers. The island now has three clubs with around 350 members.

Teams from both islands regularly take part in the British Isles Bowls Clubs Championships, battling it out against teams from other parts of the UK and Ireland. Last year Jersey also took part in the 2012 World Championships at Adelaide in Australia, with a 10-strong squad including both men and women. Famous names in the squad were Thomas Greechan, who has won the World Champion of Champions bowls title, and Karina Bisson, who carried the flag for Jersey in 2010 at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India.

Other Types of Bowls

As well as lawn bowls, indoor bowls is also a popular sport in Jersey and Guernsey. Every year the two islands fight it out in an inter-insular contest, and in 2012 Guernsey came out as winner, going on to represent the Channel Islands at the British Indoor Bowls Championships. Jersey Indoor Bowling Association is a club with members ranging from under-fives right up to over-90s, and it also holds sessions for disabled players. Guernsey Indoor Bowling Association has six rinks and has hosted international events. Both clubs organise various leagues and knockout events for their members.

Petanque, a form of boules where players throw metal balls close to a jack, is thought of as traditionally French – but it is also increasingly popular in Jersey. It is one of the island’s fastest-growing sports, with more than 500 people now playing regularly. A league held at lunchtime in Jersey has proved a hit with young businessmen and women. Guernsey has also seen a rise in the popularity of the sport and holds an annual open event.

Bowls Equipment and Accessories

When you are looking for top quality bowls equipment, such as Taylor lawn bowls, Henselite Tiger Pro Bowls and Drakes Pride Advantage Bowls, you will find them all at Bowls World. Our range also includes the lower-priced Almark bowls. However, we don’t just sell the flat green and crown green bowls themselves, but also stock a host of other items which bowls players will need, including a full range of indoor bowls equipment. Our range of bowls accessories includes Emsmorn bowling bags and other cases and carriers, as well as everything from grip wax and towels to measuring aids.

Bowls Clothing and Shoes

Lawn bowls has a variety of dress codes depending on the club and the contest. However formal or informal the club may be, players take a pride in looking their best. If you need bowls clothing and bowls shoes, you will find that Bowls World has a great range to choose from. We stock men’s bowls trousers and shirts, ladies’ blouses, skirts and trousers and outdoor bowls clothing to help you cope with the elements. Our ranges include top names such as Henselite and Taylor, and we also offer wide ranges of bowls shoes for both ladies and men.

Buying Online from Bowls World

We are specialist retailers who have been in business for more than 20 years and supply a wide range of bowls equipment, accessories and clothing. Delivery times vary but we usually dispatch items on the day you order and overseas orders are sent by air, with shipping costs added during the ordering process. For more information, call us on 01473 217787.

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