Bowling Beyond Boundaries: How Canopies Are Transforming Australia's Lawn Bowling Scene

There are more than 2,000 lawn bowls clubs in Australia, and according to Bowls Australia, 693,563 people played at these clubs in 2019. This was the year when the organisation conducted its last National Bowls Census. 67% of the clubs in Australia participated in the census. Bowls Australia then scaled up the results to reflect 100% coverage.

Despite the high participation figures included in the 2019 National Bowls Census, the number of lawn bowls clubs in Australia is decreasing. The clubs that are surviving and thriving are those that stand out from others.

How Bowling Clubs Are Standing Out From the Crowd

The number of lawn bowling clubs in Australia has been decreasing since the 1980s. For example, the number of clubs in Sydney decreased from 210 in 1980 to 128 in 2022. However, some clubs are thriving.

These clubs are doing so by providing facilities that stand out in the bowling community. They offer improved sport and recreation opportunities, including entertainment, live music, and dining.

As lawn bowling clubs evolve, they are becoming more vital as social hubs. Many have even relaxed some of their rules to become more appealing to social players. This relaxed and unpretentious vibe is seen as the way forward for many in the bowling community. It helps bowling clubs cement their appeal as a place where friendships can be made in addition to bowling competitions happening.

Diversifying and adopting a more relaxed approach are not the only ways that bowling clubs are raising their profile. They are also making improvements to their physical environment, including the addition of a canopy or lawn bowl roof to provide shade for participants and other patrons.

Adding to the Attraction of Lawn Bowling With Cover

Adding bowling green cover and synthetic greens are two changes that forward-thinking club owners are embracing. Bowling green canopies or roofs create an upgraded space and bring other benefits.

The first of these benefits is the ability to provide social bowling facilities and host competitions in poor weather conditions. Having this ability means the local community can enjoy bowling facilities throughout the year. This does not just benefit the community; it also provides more revenue for clubs and can increase profits. Clubs can use these profits to enhance promotion and club maintenance activities.

A further benefit of bowling green shade is that it enhances the comfort of patrons. Having access to shade makes them more likely to play throughout the year and increases their loyalty to the club.

The Moree Services Club Example

Enviroclass is proud to be associated with creating a roofing structure to cover bowling facilities at the Moree Services Club. Our work was part of an extensive project that included creating a new “blue” surface for bowling and installing an LED lighting system.

We collaborated with the contractors responsible for this work to ensure our design solutions and planning for creating a statement structure resulted in state-of-the-art bowls facilities at The Moree Services Club.

As Moree Services Club Executive Assistant Wesley Macpherson recently mentioned, the curved roofing structure, which is up to eight metres above the playing surface, provides a barrier between the hot tin roof and the players.

The new surface is also cooler and combines with the new cover to create a 10-15 degrees cooler environment, which is a major positive on hot days. This means that people are able to enjoy playing at the club more regularly throughout the year.

We completed the design, engineering, fabrication, and on-site installation of the roofing structure at Moree Services Club. The structure covers a total of 3,362m2 across two rinks and has greatly enhanced the club's visual aesthetic and playing facilities.

We are happy to help you bring cover to the bowling facilities at your club. If you are interested in utilising our services to bring a stand-out experience to your premises, contact us to begin the conversation about your requirements.