Kirkhill Bowling Club currently has around 20 members but it is keen to get new members and an open invitation is extended to anyone to come along and give it a try. If you find you like it, the cost to join the club has not been finalised for this year but is likely to be £18 (£14 for senior citizens) for the winter season plus £1 per night to pay for the hire of the hall. Age is not a problem – we have had members from 15 to 80+. So come on and give it a go!!
Indoor Carpet Bowling – The Basics!
This type of bowling uses normal sized bowls (as used in outdoor bowling) but is done on a carpet rolled out in the hall. The jack (a small white ball) is rolled to one end of the carpet and the bowler rolls the bowls down from the other end. The object of the game is to get as many of your team’s bowls nearer to the jack than your opponent.
There is a 30 cm stick in the centre of the carpet which you have to bowl around. It is a foul if you hit the stick and your bowl is removed. Similarly if you roll your bowl too far and it goes off the end of the carpet, it is also removed and it does not count.
Once you have rolled all the bowls up the carpet, the number of a team’s bowls nearest the jack is counted and a score put up. The bowls are then removed and that is the finish of the end. You then roll the jack back down the carpet and then bowl back down the carpet.
A game normally consists of 10 ends, i.e. you go up and down the carpet 10 times.
A team can consist of 4 players (called a rink and each player has 2 bowls each) or 3 player (called triples and each player has 3 bowls each) or 2 players (called pairs and each player has 4 bowls each) or 1 players (called singles and each player has 4 bowls each) on each side. Thus you can have up to 8 people on a carpet and up to 18 bowls. The club has 2 carpets thus we can have up to 16 people playing at one time.
The only other rule is that flat soled footwear must be worn on the carpet, i.e. no footwear with any sort of pattern or ridges such as trainers etc. Also the footwear used must not have been worn outside (to help keep the carpets clean). For beginners, normal slippers, provided they have a flat sole, is quite acceptable. Alternatively they could bowl in stocking soles.
We have spare sets of bowls for beginners to use so the only equipment you need is a pair of flat soled shoes – slippers are ideal until you get your own bowling shoes! The bowling is done on a carpet which is rolled out each evening and put away at the end of the night. No previous bowling experience is necessary, we will introduce you to the game very gently!! The aim of the club is to promote enjoyable social bowling. We do take part in the Inverness Indoor Bowling league and have our own club competitions throughout the winter.
Regular Meeting Day/times
The club meets every Monday night from the first Monday in October until the first Monday in April. Club nights start at 7.00 pm and finish around 9.30 pm.
Location of bowling
The Monday bowling night is held in the Community Centre in Kirkhill.
Contact details
For further information on the club contact Norma Scrimgeour, President, Tel 01463 831700, Moira MacColl, Match Secretary, Tel 01463 831725 or Robbie Owen, Secretary, Tel 01463 831538.