This story is part of the Comox Valley Record鈥檚 summer edition of Trio Magazine, published quarterly and available throughout the Comox Valley. The summer edition is available at the Record office (407D Fifth St.) and at businesses throughout the Comox Valley.
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The Courtenay Lawn Bowling Club wants to dispel stereotypes surrounding the sport.
Legend has it that explorer Sir Francis Drake - the first Englishman to circumnavigate the world - was playing lawn bowling on the shores of England when the Spanish Armada appeared in the distance.
Despite the impending assault from the Spanish war fleet, Drake calmly insisted on finishing his game.
Tracing its origins back to ancient Egypt, this 鈥榮port of kings鈥� is now accessible to the general public, says Courtenay Lawn Bowling Club spokesperson Sandy Tonnelier.
Making its first appearance in Cumberland, lawn bowling was brought to the Valley by the Dunsmuir family in the mid-19th century. Proud Scotsmen, they exported this tradition to the Island.
In 1926, Cumberland鈥檚 aristocracy invited Courtenay mayor Franck McPherson and his councillors to bowl.
Deeply charmed by his experience, McPherson brought the sport to Courtenay and had a bowling green built on his property. He invited members of the community to spectate and play.
By 1935, lawn bowling became so engrained in the city鈥檚 identity that the Courtenay Lawn Bowling Club made its appearance in Lewis Park.
Nearing its 89th birthday, the club can now be found in Bill Moore Park.
Tonnelier admits that times have changed. What was once considered a noble activity is now likened to an 鈥榦ld person鈥檚 sport鈥� solely practiced by retired and non-competitive seniors.
鈥淭he majority of the 60 club members are over 65 years old and some are even nearing their 90th birthdays,鈥� Tonnelier concedes.
She theorizes that this may be the reason why younger generations equates the sport with old age.
One factor that stands out is that lawn bowling is extremely inclusive, notes Tonnelier.
Being inherently gender-neutral, lawn bowling is one of the rare sports where men and women compete on an equal basis.
鈥淚t has very little to do with whether you鈥檙e a man or a woman,鈥� says Tonnelier.鈥淚t鈥檚 your skills that count. There is a bit of strength involved, but it鈥檚 really about skills and some of our best bowlers are women.鈥�
The inclusivity of this game extends beyond gender. The local club has produced numerous champions who represented Canada on the world stage including visually impaired Paralympic athlete Ed McMillan.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a very fun sport,鈥� says L鈥橝rche resident Mandy Smith. 鈥淚t鈥檚 worth it to be able to go out and bowl on the lawn. It can be pretty competitive, but you can also just go out and have fun.鈥�
The sport has no cumbersome or overcomplicated rules, and one can learn to bowl within half an hour.
Similar to curling but on lawn, grapefruit-sized bowls are played on long skinny stretches of pristine grass. To start, a player has to throw a small white ball called the 鈥榡ack鈥� to the back section of the green.
Following this initial move, teams will have to deliver their bowls alternately and try to target the jack.
When all bowls have been rolled, the point count begins. The team closest to the jack wins the 鈥榚nd.鈥�
A single game generally consists of 18 to 21 ends and last about two hours. The game can be played in singles, pairs, doubles, triples, or fours.
The Courtenay Lawn Bowling Club offers one of the least expensive memberships in the Valley, according to Tonnelier. For $150, bowlers can enjoy an outdoor season from April to October and move indoors on mats for the winter at the Filberg Center.
The few things needed to practice this sport are a set of casual sporting clothes and a pair of flat-soled shoes to not damage the lawn.
For the first few tries, the club can provide new bowlers with balls and valuable mentorship to get started.
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