WHY PLAY BOWLS
WHY PLAY BOWLS!
Lawn Bowls is one of Victoria’s most accessible sports. Regardless of age, gender, experience, or physical ability, bowls is a sport that can be enjoyed and played by absolutely anyone. One of the best things about bowls is that you can learn how to play at your first attempt. While it’s undoubtedly a game of skill and tactics, bowls is refreshingly simple. Your local community bowls club is a great place to get active, so get your friends or family together and head to your nearest green and try one of the many activities bowls clubs have on offer.
EASY TO LEARN One of the best things about bowls is the fact you can learn how to play at your first attempt. While it’s undoubtedly a game of great skill and tactics, bowls is also refreshingly simple. Once you’ve picked up the main rules and been taught how to avoid bowling a ‘wrong bias’ (when the bowl curves in the opposite direction to your intended target), you’ll be on your way to becoming a local club legend! Well, you’ll be enjoying yourself anyway.
COMPETITIVE AND FUN Bowls can be treated as both a competitive sport or a fun social activity. It all depends on what you’re looking for. So, whether you prefer the high stakes of a serious contest or the friendly atmosphere of a social game, there’s always a bowling green for you. But let’s be honest, there’s nothing wrong with a little healthy competition!
VERY SOCIAL On or off the greens, bowls is extremely social. You can turn up for a laidback game of barefoot bowls with friends or family or enjoy a meal and a drink at the clubhouse. And if you don’t know anyone at the local bowls club? No problem, head down there anyway and you’ll make new friends in no time.
KEEPS YOU FIT AND HEALTHY Even though bowls is played within a relatively small space, the game provides more physical health and fitness benefits than you might realise. During a game of bowls, you frequently exert energy and exercise your muscles (particularly the lower body) by walking, stretching, delivering a bowl and carrying the weighted bowls – yet at the same time, these low-impact actions avoid the fatigue and injury associated with many other sports. Bowls is fantastic for mobility, flexibility, core strength and weight loss, not to mention that muscle
ENHANCES MENTAL WELLBEING
Bowls is a positive influence on mental health and wellbeing in so many ways, especially among older generations. Whether you join a bowling club as a member or play socially, bowls is a great way to get out of the house, soak up the sun and fresh air, be more active, meet likeminded people, reduce your stress levels, and possibly even alleviate feelings of loneliness and depression.
GENTLE ON THE BUDGET: As well as the heart, mind and limbs, bowls is nice and gentle on your budget too. It’s cheap for visitors to enjoy a casual game, and once you become a member of your favourite bowling club the prices to play, dine and drink usually gets even better.
IMPROVES COGNITIVE FUNCTION: The strategic thinking, motor skills, hand-eye coordination and balance required to play bowls can actually help improve cognitive function by gradually developing a person’s mental awareness and concentration. This type of mental, physical and social stimulation has been known to reduce the risk of cognitive decline as well as certain mental degenerative illnesses.
A GAME WHERE IT CAN OPEN UP YOUR SOCIAL LIFE: Last but by no means least, bowls is a sport absolutely anyone can fall in love with, regardless of their age, gender, experience, physical ability or any other factor. School kids, Uni students, professionals, seniors, people with a disability – it really doesn’t matter who you are, you’re always welcome at a bowls club!
Story courtesy of Bowls Victoria.