If you are interested in joining the bowls club or have a general membership enquiry, Click here to email the membership secretary.
Before becoming a member, players need to be assessed by one of the coaching staff to ensure they can bowl correctly (which is not the same as needing to be an expert) and that they understand how to play according to the rules and requirements of a team game. Utilising the free coaching sessions will ensure you know what is expected.
The Membership secretary is Ann Wilson and she or one of the treasurers are nearly always at the greens on a Saturday morning from 09:45. Ask for Ann, Maurice or Joyce.
Once you have paid your membership fee there are no additional green fees to pay for casual play. You cannot use the greens apart from the free coaching unless you have paid your membership fee.
The membership fee for season 2023 is just £45 - a bargain!! Payment is payable to Morpeth Bowls Club by cheque payable to Morpeth Bowling Club, or cash or by bank transfer.
To make a payment by bank transfer use the following details:
Select 'Business Account' if asked, then use:
Sort Code: 40-33-20
HSBC Account number: 21438808
Morpeth Bowling Club is the name on the receiving account.
Importantly, add your name as a reference to the transfer.
You will receive a membership book with details and contact numbers for club officers along with details of competition dates.
FREE COACHING
If you are a complete beginner and not sure if bowls is for you, then come and try it out!
An hour or two of free coaching will be supplied most Saturdays throughout the season to enable you to make a start in proper games if you decide to join. You may have up to 4 coaching sessions.
Bowls will be lent for the coaching session if you don't have any. Wear whatever is comfortable but bring flat-soled shoes to play in. If the weather is warm bring a hat and a drink as the greens are a sun-trap. To become a member you must be assessed beforehand to ensure you can play without damaging the greens or without hindering other players. The coaching lessons will prepare you for this informal assessment.
Coaching starts on May 6th at 10:00. No coaching on May 13th. No membership is required for these sessions. Places are limited so please register your interest by clicking here.
Coaching can be arranged in small groups for existing members who want to try and improve their game generally, or try and improve a particular aspect of their play such as giving instructions as a skip or weighing up the best shot to attempt given the state of play and the position of the other bowls. Simply click the link above to register your interest.
Practicing or playing casually with friends (known as 'a roll up')
No need to book. Just turn up and play with someone or practice on your own. With two greens available, most of the time, there is usually plenty of playing capacity. If you want to find someone to play with, then you could try our members only facebook page which is where you can say when you would like to play and see if someone else is looking to play. You can ask questions of other members to clarify things about how the club runs or what the various bowls rules are and so on. It's for casual conversations about bowls.
Visit: https://www.facebook.com/groups/629555371387677 to get to the Morpeth Bowling Club Facebook group page where members of the club can join.
Formal league matches and other club competitions take priority over casual play. Some competitions have an entry fee.
Check noticeboards in the locker rooms, this web site or your members' handbook for details of when these matches take place.
Opening times
Monday – Sunday: 9am – 9pm
from April 15th until the beginning of September
When the café is shut access to the greens may require use of a combination code provided to members. Similarly, when the café is shut you can use the code to open the gate behind the hedge leading to the public toilets. If these toilets are closed, there is a key in the shed for opening the disabled toilets.
Maintaining Security
The area is locked in the evening when the Pavilion café is closed. Members are provided with an access code for the greens but there is NO ACCESS to the locker rooms unless it is to play in a scheduled league match. If you use a storage locker make sure your bowls and shoes don't get locked in if you plan to play after café opening hours. The café is closed all day Mondays and Tuesdays, however, the locker rooms will be opened during the day.
Members are also provided with an access code for the equipment store.
It is really important that the store is locked when you leave the greens if there is no-one else playing, regardless of what time of day it is, as there is public access to the area. If you are not sure if someone else is around then just lock the shed.
Similarly, the gate needs to be locked when leaving in the evening. Please take responsibility for maintaining site security.
Joining
DRESS CODE
When playing a casual game then the only rule is that you change into flat-soled shoes which should not have been used to walk to the ground. This is to avoid damage to the green.
If representing the club in a match then a club shirt should be worn along with grey below the waist. Shorts, if used in formal matches, should be of a type approved by Bowls England.
To purchase a shirt please contact the club secretary, via the link on the home page, or speak to Bob Leeson at the club. The first club shirt bought is subsidised.
PLAYING ETIQUETTE
To help players to be aware of some of the do's and don'ts around a game of bowls there are a few basic things to know. Things like understanding the various roles players have in a team.
In a triples match (three players per team) each side's players have the following roles:
The first player:
places the mat, rolls the jack and plays their bowls in turn. At the end of that end, if their side has won (or the end is determined as a draw) then this first player should concentrate on getting the mat and the jack ready to roll again to start the next end while the other players get the bowls out of the way. This avoids delays.
If the other team has won the end then the first player of the losing team should be mainly responsible for getting the bowls in and using the pusher (if in use) to round up the bowls.
Normally, this first player has no involvement in saying which bowls are scoring and which are not. Keep out of the way, keep quiet and let the number two players decide scores. It may be that at the beginning of the match your team informs the other team that the number one will do the measuring throughout - let's say they are more able to get down (and, more importantly, back up again!) to measure than the number two player.
The second player:
is responsible for guiding the third player (the skip) as to where to aim, if required, and to answer the skip's queries about the state of play. They can step in to the head to give advice before their skip bowls but should then step back and to the side along with the other players. After all bowls are played, this player is responsible for agreeing with the other team's number two player the number of scoring shots and measuring any bowls which may, or may not be, counting . Number one players keep out of the way and should not be offering suggestions as to who has scored.
The third player:
is known as the skip and they direct the first two players as to the best shots to play. When it's their turn to play they may ask for assistance as to the state of play and this would be given by the second player. The skip usually keeps the scorecard.
Once a player has stepped up to the mat then the other team's players should be back from the head and out of the line of sight. Sometimes you may be asked to move if you happen to be in front of a bowler's target line or if you are standing behind the jack with white shoes which make it harder to see the white jack.
Do not be the person who steps in amongst the head after your player has bowled to weigh-up close shots and thus prevent the next team from playing when they are ready. You should examine the state of play when your teammate is next to play. Feel free to ask them to wait while you assess what advice to give, but give the other team clear access when it is their turn to play.
Click HERE for some points on etiquette
Click HERE for more etiquette info