Bowls: Perfect setting as club hosts triples

Sunshine, a cooling sea breeze and magnificent greens with a view to match across the water.

Omokoroa Bowling Club was certainly the place to be on Saturday when the second Academy Optional Triples tournament was held.

The event is open to teams of triples with bowlers of 10 years or less experience in the sport. It was full to capacity with 32 teams competing across the 16 greens and there was even a rare waiting list.

Bowlers came from as far as Auckland's North Shore and included NZ Open singles champion Tony Fabling from Hamilton.

He did not have things all his own way, teamed up with his uncle and uncle's partner, but loved the facilities and greens at Omokoroa.

"For a start those greens are as good as I have played on all year. They are superb, running really well, quick and true, which is all you can ask," Fabling said.
03-03-2014 05:00:00
"You also couldn't get a better setting. It is a really nice spot."

This was Fabling's first time playing in the tournament and he loved the concept but hoped it could be expanded to two days in the future.

Tournament manager John Hunt said the event had gone extremely well.

"Few tournaments are filled these days, let alone have a waiting list - which we have had both years.

"When I started playing bowls we had what were called Leads and Two's, for guys who had played less than five years, and guys learned their trade of bowls. But they died out so it was guys like Bill [Murphy] at our club who came up with the idea and the rest of the club has supported these guys with less than 10 years bowls.

"Bowlers with less experience really enjoy matching their skills with their peer group rather than up against much more experienced bowlers at tournament level."