National Lawn Bowling Championships coming to Sun City Center

By LOIS KINDLE

Divisional champions from around the country will compete in the Bowls USA 2018 National Championships in Sun City Center Nov. 25 through Dec. 1. The event is being hosted by the Sun City Center Lawn Bowling Club.

The Sun City Center Lawn Bowling Club will host the 2018 National Championships on its greens Nov. 25 through Dec. 1.  

“This is lawn bowling’s largest, most important tournament in the United States,” said Jerry Healy, southeast division president and co-chair of the local event. “We had it here four years ago and were extremely surprised and pleased that it came back so quickly. We attribute (its speedy return) to the quality of our greens and the terrific volunteers who make the event go so smoothly.” 

Area residents are invited to come watch the top players from eight regional divisions from across the country compete in this Bowls USA championship. All won play-downs in their respective divisions to qualify for the national tournament.

Three men and three women from each division will compete. Sandy Wall, a member of the World Parkway Lawn Bowling Club in Clearwater and Sun City Center Lawn Bowling Club, is on the Southeast Division team. A lawn bowler since 2011, she is competing for the fourth time in the nationals.  

Wall is also a national umpire for the sport and was a member of Team USA in the recent 2018 North American Challenge in Laguna Woods, Calif. She will compete in the Sun City Center tournament in women’s singles.

“Each division can only send six people to the nationals,” Wall said. “So it’s a real honor to be representing the Southeast Division in such an important event.”

A referee measures the distance between a competitor’s bowl and the small stationary ball called a jack during a past tournament on the lawn bowling greens in Sun City Center.

Opening ceremonies for the tournament, including the Parade of Champions, will be at 4 p.m. Nov. 26, and bowling begins the next day. Play will take place daily from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. and 1 to 4 p.m., with daily results posted online at www.suncitycenterlbc.com. Admission is free.

Trustco Bank is the tournament’s title sponsor. Others include Beef ’O’ Brady’s, A & J Mobility, the Golf Cart Shop of Sun City, Brown’s Trophies and The Stevens Realty Group of Keller Williams. 

Healy, 71, who took up lawn bowling eight years ago, encourages others to join him.

“I’m so glad I found this sport,” he said. “I tried horseshoes, bicycling and pickleball, but this is my game. It’s great physical exercise. During the course of a match, you walk about a mile. You’re constantly bending and stretching your legs. It’s very low impact.

“I also enjoy the competition and fellowship of the game,” he said.

Healy added that strength and muscles are not advantageous in this sport.

“It’s finesse and consistency, skill and strategy,” he said. “That’s why women are so good at it.” 

Sandy Wall, a member of the World Parkway Lawn Bowling Club in Clearwater and Sun City Center Lawn Bowling Club, is on the team representing the Southeast Division. A lawn bowler since 2011, she is competing for the fourth time in the nationals.

Lawn bowling is played outdoors on a close-cut green. Each player rolls a ball, known as a bowl, toward a smaller stationary ball called a jack. Since the bowls aren’t exactly round, they curve to one side as they slow down. The object of the game is to get closest to the jack.   

The Sun City Lawn Bowling Club offers a one-week training course of free lessons once a month to residents of Kings Point and Sun City Center. All you need is a pair of flat-soled shoes. The club provides everything else you need to get started. For information or to sign up, call 615-848-3549. 

Members of the 204-member club play as follows:

• General social bowling for men and women, 9:15 a.m. Monday through Saturday;

• Pebble Beach Men’s Club bowling, 1 p.m.  Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays;

• Suncoasters Women’s Club bowling, 1 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays;

• and lighted, evening bowling and cookout/potluck for men and women, about 5:30 p.m. Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, depending on the time of year.  

The club hosts a number of high-profile tournaments throughout the year, other tournaments for players of all skill levels and lots of social events.

Membership is $62.50 the first year and $125 per year, thereafter. The fees cover half the cost of annual greens maintenance; the other half is covered by the Sun City Center Community Association.

Jerry Healy, Southeast Division president, is co-chairing the upcoming 2018 National Championships with Eric Porr, president of the Sun City Center Lawn Bowling Club.

For more information on the game of lawn bowling or the Sun City Center Lawn Bowling Club, visit www.suncitycenterlbc.com.