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They look so genteel in their pristine whites, standing, bending and bowling crisply against the meticulously manicured greens. But don’t be fooled: there’s a lot more going on at your local lawn bowling club than you might think. Athleticism. Focus. Drinking.
And, yes, it is a sport, one that has been played since the 13th century and is still played every four years at the Commonwealth Games. "It combines the strategy of chess and the stamina of the long distance runner," says Jim Aitken, president of Bowls B.C. Adds John Speers, head coach at the North Vancouver Lawn Bowling Club, "There’s a fair amount of skill involved. You walk seven kilometres in a game and you’re bending and stretching. And the bowl’s got weight, so you’re lifting weights. After the game you’re ready for a beer." Or even better, a Pimm’s.
Maybe that explains why so many young folk are hitting the greens. "There are more 30- to 40-year-olds doing it these days," says Heather Mackie, of the Calgary Lawn Bowling Club. "Young guys are coming down and doing it as part of a stag party. It’s great." Here’s a primer on the biggest thing to hit the turf since Secretariat.
Pimm’s Cups
The perfect drink for white flannel pants. In the summer.
The quintessential English cocktail: the Pimm’s Cup. It’s as refreshing as a cool breeze from the Orkneys, has both fruits and vegetables, and can easily be octupled in a pitcher for the troops. Alas, like all things Brit, it’s mired in hard and fast rules and traditions, which means that-like Shamrock Shakes and hockey playoffs-it’s here for only a short time. Come September, it’s best put away with the lawnbowling whites.
2 oz Pimm’s No. 1
4 oz sparkling lemonade (or, if you must, Sprite)
Garnish with a slice of cucumber (some bon vivants damn the torpedoes and go for a spear), slice of lemon and a slice of orange. Serve in a tall Collins glass with lots of ice while humming "Rule Britannia."
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What it is Bowls, as it’s properly called, is related to boules (France), bocce (Italy) and pétanque (France again). Players roll (not throw) a bowl (not a ball) toward a smaller ball called a jack; the players who get closest to the jack earn points and the player with the most points wins. What makes it challenging is that the jack moves with each round and the bowl is "biased," or weighted on one side, so it rolls in a gentle curve. "It’s simple to pick up the sport," says Mackie, "but it’s challenging to learn the intricacies of it."
Who can play Anyone. Seriously, the oldest bowler at the club in Vancouver’s Stanley Park Club was 101. And Mackie finds that little kids love it as well, "once they get over the fact that it’s something they’ve never heard of and it’s for old people." Still, it’s a competitive sport, with tournaments at the local, provincial, national and international level. Champion bowlers tend, like Mackie-who won a silver medal at the Canadian Mixed Pairs Championships last year-to be in their 30s. Most bowlers are in it just for fun, which is why their clubhouses are as much about social events (think darts and pub nights) as about bowls.
Starting Wherever you are in Western Canada, chances are there’s a lawn bowling club nearby. British Columbia alone has almost 50 clubs. There are nearly 40 more spread across Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Most clubs have open houses where you can drop in and learn to bowl. Or you can call ahead and make an appointment to check out the club. Failing that, you can always lean over the fence and ask the folks in white what they’re up to; chances are, they’ll invite you in.
Gear OK, admit it-the whites (the gleefully anachronistic outfit of the sport) are Federer Wimbledon cool. And while they’re usually worn just for competition, we favour breaking them out on a random Thursday too. Aside from that, all you need are flat shoes and a set of bowls, which can cost $500 new but far less second-hand. Most bowls are made of compressed plastic, but the coolest ones are vintage "woods" made of lignum vitae, a now-endangered tropical wood said to be the hardest and densest on the planet.
Damage Surprisingly little. In addition to your gear, annual club dues range from $60 to $250-compare that to your local country club. Tournaments can cost as little as $3 to enter. And then, of course, there’s that Pimm’s after the big match.
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