Short Mat Bowls Club

Short mat bowls is so called because it is a game which can be played indoors in all weathers, and using the same ‘woods’ as used in the outdoor game. At the start of a session the mats are unrolled and at the end of the game are rolled up and stored away ready for the next time the members wish to play. The mats are foam rubber covered in green baize, and have various demarcation lines marked on them.

The object of the game is for teams to attempt to use a bowl to get nearest to a white ‘jack’ placed at the far end of the mat, and the winner is the team with the most points after a given number of ‘ends’. In order to deliver the wood, the bowler must keep one foot on a rubber mat, which is placed at the opposite end of the mat to the jack. In 1990, the Broadmayne Village Hall Committee was looking for activities that could take place in the hall during the day or evenings. To try out short mat bowls, there followed a visit by a county council van with two sets of mats and equipment for interested persons to try out; it was immediately obvious that here was a chance to start a new club and fill some space in the village hall schedule of events. Grants were available to help with the purchase of mats, bowls, scoreboards and other sundry equipment, but the club had to find funds themselves as the grant would only cover part of the costs involved. In March 1990 the Broadmayne Short Mat Bowls Club was formed with twenty five prospective members and the committee set out to raise funds to buy the mats. Lots of activities followed with jumble sales, car boot sales, raffles etc. The chairman approached the county and was allowed a grant, and the mats were then ordered. Meanwhile the bowlers were unloading the loan mats every week in order to keep the interest going. By June 1990, the club had its own mats, and the chairman manufactured a trolley so that the mats could be pushed under the stage in the hall when not in use. This system is still in use in 1999.

Now that the players had their own equipment and enthusiasm was at a high level, the members decided that they were ready to take part in the local league, so two teams were formed and called themselves the ‘Badgers’ and the ‘Bears’ and through 1991 the teams enjoyed considerable success. The teams continued to play in the league for two more years, and then it was decided at the 1993 AGM that it would be better to have only one team, this would be the ‘Bees’; this team is still playing in the league today, but with only limited success. The bowls club is still popular and has over 20 members. The members can compete for trophies that have been donated and there is always a big party night at Christmas when games are played which involve bowling for prizes. There is a regular session every Friday throughout the year and extra nights when matches take place. It is hoped that the club will continue for many years to come.

John D Colton – (Founder Chairman)