Bowls Championship (Potters)

[Bridge hibs]

Bit late to the green but been watching this years tourney on beeb 2, some cracking games played and watching the final now between Anderson and Marshall in an all Scottish tie, two greats of the game

[Bridge hibs]

Anderson wins the championship 2 sets to 0

Hard to believe Marshall is/was world no 17 and had to get a wildcard invitation, used to be world no 1

[WeeRussell]

Watched most of the games (albeit the final was in bed after recording and avoiding the score yesterday). I thought Anderson looked like a strong contender throughout - played solid bowls and deserved the win.

Some run from Marshall - back into the top 16 and won’t be needing a wild card next year.

[Bridge hibs]

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Watched most of the games (albeit the final was in bed after recording and avoiding the score yesterday). I thought Anderson looked like a strong contender throughout - played solid bowls and deserved the win.

Some run from Marshall - back into the top 16 and won’t be needing a wild card next year.

Missed Paul Fosters games as I usually enjoy watching him, was the kind of final that could have went either way but I think Anderson took advantage of the percentage shots whilst drawing into the heads, although Marshall played a couple of absolute pearlers too and even coming in unseeded Marshall proved he is still a class player

[Scouse Hibee]

Thoroughly enjoyed the whole tournament, love the event at Potters and watch it every year. Having bowled for more than forty years I love the game.

[Bridge hibs]

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Thoroughly enjoyed the whole tournament, love the event at Potters and watch it every year. Having bowled for more than forty years I love the game.

I enjoyed playing, not so much indoors though as I could never adjust my game, played indoor at the Blackpool arena in nineteen canteen and think it took me about 10 ends before I got to within a foot of the jack

Haven't thrown a bowl since around 2013 but may join a club (Brunstane) perhaps when I retire

[WeeRussell]

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I enjoyed playing, not so much indoors though as I could never adjust my game, played indoor at the Blackpool arena in nineteen canteen and think it took me about 10 ends before I got to within a foot of the jack

Haven't thrown a bowl since around 2013 but may join a club (Brunstane) perhaps when I retire

Similarly - I watch a lot of the indoor (even the Grand Prix that’s on quite regularly) and Potters does get me wondering if I should give the indoor a try. Haven’t done it since I was a teenager and always just have the winter ‘off’ coming back refreshed and ready to go when the outdoor kicks off 😁

[Scouse Hibee]

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I enjoyed playing, not so much indoors though as I could never adjust my game, played indoor at the Blackpool arena in nineteen canteen and think it took me about 10 ends before I got to within a foot of the jack

Haven't thrown a bowl since around 2013 but may join a club (Brunstane) perhaps when I retire

Yeah it certainly takes some adjustment, I think the first ever bowl I threw at Bainfield indoor was in danger of taking the wall down😀.

[Bridge hibs]

Corsies joint

RICHARD Corsie, the former world champion bowler, is to sell the centre he built in Scotland to improve the sport to a housing developer.

The financially-troubled Brunstane arena and conference centre in Edinburgh which bears the Commonwealth Games gold medallist's name, is now expected to be knocked down next summer and replaced by flats.

The deal, which is believed to be worth more than £3m, has angered members of the Edinburgh Indoor Bowling Club, one of the oldest clubs in Scotland.

The club was part of the centre in Milton Road East and will be left without a home next year.

Mr Corsie shut the international-calibre facility in April after

suffering losses of up to £250,000 a year since it opened in 2001.

The sportsman spent millions of his own money on the centre, which was regarded as the UK's best for bowls. He claims that he decided to put it up for sale because not enough people were using it.

He is now said to have negotiated a deal with Sovereign House Developments

[Speedy]

https://www.change.org/p/preserve-in...zSRZvvOZbi4s5g

I saw Perth Indoor is at risk.

Edinburgh only has Bainfield left and the numbers there are dwindling. Many preferring West Lothian, Midlothian, East Lothian for a variety of reasons. Many others have packed in indoor all together.

[scoopyboy]

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https://www.change.org/p/preserve-in...zSRZvvOZbi4s5g

I saw Perth Indoor is at risk.

Edinburgh only has Bainfield left and the numbers there are dwindling. Many preferring West Lothian, Midlothian, East Lothian for a variety of reasons. Many others have packed in indoor all together.

Perth is the latest to be in trouble, I played at their original club which butted onto the old Muirton Park.

In recent times Alloa, Balbardie and Prestwick have closed. Others are on the brink.

It's mental to think Edinburgh has one indoor yet Dunfermline has two.

[Bridge hibs]

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Perth is the latest to be in trouble, I played at their original club which butted onto the old Muirton Park.

In recent times Alloa, Balbardie and Prestwick have closed. Others are on the brink.

It's mental to think Edinburgh has one indoor yet Dunfermline has two.

What do you think is wrong with bowls in Scotland Scoopy ? Why don't we sell our game, we have had world champions etc and no1 players at every level but the game is dying here

I remember greens at meadows which are now ****ing croquet lawns, ****ing croquet !! Tramways getting turned into someones back garden

I think bowls is a unique and very skilful game and as an aside from the amateur side money seems to be a pittance for winning the likes of the Potters (unsure what the winner got) as opposed to what snooker or darts players earn

[Itsnoteasy]

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What do you think is wrong with bowls in Scotland Scoopy ? Why don't we sell our game, we have had world champions etc and no1 players at every level but the game is dying here

I remember greens at meadows which are now ****ing croquet lawns, ****ing croquet !! Tramways getting turned into someones back garden

I think bowls is a unique and very skilful game and as an aside from the amateur side money seems to be a pittance for winning the likes of the Potters (unsure what the winner got) as opposed to what snooker or darts players earn

There used to be a good few municipal greens in Edinburgh.
Covid actually saved a lot of bowling greens in Edinburgh. They got large grants, it was based on their opening hours/days. A few clubs used the grants to upgrade their facilities. Now the money has run out there are lots of clubs on their knees now. Problem is bowls isn't cool & the younger generation are not joining clubs. Also with the older members passing away memberships are dwindling.

[Bridge hibs]

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There used to be a good few municipal greens in Edinburgh.
Covid actually saved a lot of bowling greens in Edinburgh. They got large grants, it was based on their opening hours/days. A few clubs used the grants to upgrade their facilities. Now the money has run out there are lots of clubs on their knees now. Problem is bowls isn't cool & the younger generation are not joining clubs. Also with the older members passing away memberships are dwindling.

Yeah I played Balgreen a couple of times and funnily enough I lived not far from Stenhouse BC but never played a game there

[Scouse Hibee]

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There used to be a good few municipal greens in Edinburgh.
Covid actually saved a lot of bowling greens in Edinburgh. They got large grants, it was based on their opening hours/days. A few clubs used the grants to upgrade their facilities. Now the money has run out there are lots of clubs on their knees now. Problem is bowls isn't cool & the younger generation are not joining clubs. Also with the older members passing away memberships are dwindling.

There are several clubs with massive younger memberships, it appears the youngsters join the”elite” clubs.

[Speedy]

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There used to be a good few municipal greens in Edinburgh.
Covid actually saved a lot of bowling greens in Edinburgh. They got large grants, it was based on their opening hours/days. A few clubs used the grants to upgrade their facilities. Now the money has run out there are lots of clubs on their knees now. Problem is bowls isn't cool & the younger generation are not joining clubs. Also with the older members passing away memberships are dwindling.

Not sure bowls was ever cool. But there are exponentially more options for things to do these days. Kids can play so many different sports and activities. As do parents - and it is the parents in their 30s/40s that bring the kids into bowling.

Working patterns and cultures are different too. Not as many folk finishing their work in a trade and going to the bowling club for a few pints. Also makes the administration harder, where people's work and lives are more complex so they can't commit to running the club. That takes its toll on all members. Added regulation doesn't help either.

Football on tv is a killer as well. Unless you go down the route of a dodgy box, sky et al is too expensive so your punters go to one of the hundreds of other pubs in Edinburgh.

Bowling clubs seem to thrive more outside of the cities. The community aspect is a bit more alive, and there are fewer alternatives.