News from Spring Park Shirley Bowling Green - SPAN Magazine

Another season of bowling finished at the end of September with good news that the Croydon and District League had been won again; two years in a row. Whether this is due to plenty of practice, improved coaching, the quality of new players or just luck, is a topic of much discussion. However, 18 different club members represented the club in the league, which is a sign of strength in depth.

The Lawn, the essential part of the facility, is owned by our poor local Council. Since the end of the summer, some improvement of the Green is noticeable. Having scarified and spiked the surface, about a dozen Club members were put to work spreading over two hundred 25kg bags of Top Dressing (a mixture of sand and soil). Seed has also been sown, in time to catch a good growing period in October.

Also in October, a well-attended Annual General Meeting elected 11 men and women to a Management Committee, as a result of a few necessary changes to the SPSBC Club Constitution.

Bowls England have recently proposed a relaxation of the dress code. There was a lively discussion about the use of, the need for, the objective and the implementation of changes. There are significant pros and cons. It was decided to maintain the need for club shirts and greys or whites for some occasions and especially for representative competitions.

Previous dress rules will be relaxed next season. It was also resolved to open the Green more on Summer Evenings and Weekends with no particular dress requirements other than Flat Shoes; some boots and high heels will still be banned to protect the Green!