A local, non-profit organization is looking to start a new sports sensation in Sarnia. The Sarnia Lawn Bowling Club has a century-long history steeped in local lore and aims to make their sport the new pastime for Sarnia residents.
Amanda McKay, the club’s president, recounted its extensive history: “It was officially established on August 17, 1906, with its first greens and clubhouse located on Durand Street, at the County jail. The greens were maintained by inmates on good behaviour. Governor MacArthur passed away in 1914, and Governor Dodd extended the use of the jail greens to the club. Governor Mott later kept the club there and became an avid bowler. The Mott family sponsors a tournament every year to this day.
In 1930, the club moved to the Oldham property, adjoining the Sarnia Golf and Curling Club on Front St. until 1960, when the club moved to Germain Park, where it remains today.”
Club
David Noel, a board member and lawn-bowling enthusiast, explained the sport: “It is a tremendous sport. I have been involved for only a couple of years because I thought it was just for, you know, fossils—you had to be over eighty and wearing funny white clothes, and it looked boring.”
“I found the club to be so engaging—nice people, friendly. In that sport, you are a novice for five years. And I thought, ‘Holy smokes!’ How could it take you five years at novice status?” He explained that lawn bowling is to Australia what hockey is to Canadians and that the popularity of the sport has grown in other parts of the world.
“They’ve got it [Australian lawn bowling] in high schools, in para-games, and in licensed clubs that have music—it’s a twelve-month thing. It’s indoors and outdoors, but mostly, it’s multigenerational,” he said.
Lawn bowling sounds straightforward, but according to Noel, there’s more to it than meets the eye:
“I’m 65, and you could be playing against a 20-something, 30-something, 40-something, or even an 80-something, and I better watch out because I’m more afraid of playing the 80-somethings than I am the 40-somethings because they’re probably not a novice—they’ve been playing for sixty years at that point.”
Club
The sport is highly accessible to all players. “The exciting thing is how inclusionary it is and how easy it is for people to play, even folks with disabilities, seniors, or various other impairments.”
Noel hopes to extend the club’s involvement to Sarnia’s youth, though anyone is welcome to try.
“I am excited that it’s a very low-cost game to play and to join the club. We offer free nights for three or four weeks starting in mid-May, where people can come out and try it for an hour or two.” Participants in their free Learn to Bowl offerings have three tries before they must become members. These events will take place on Monday nights, starting May 12.
Starting in June, the club will also introduce free Date Night events: “We’ve got lights on the greens. It’s a casual, non-drinking, non-smoking environment. It’s a very healthy environment with friendly people,” Noel remarked.
Noel also told me about his own experience getting into lawn bowling: “You know how crazy pickleball has gotten in the last few years? It blows me away. I wanted to get into a new sport. And it’s so busy to even play pickleball. And I know a bunch of people that are getting hurt [from playing]. The crowds and scheduling court time. Well, there’s none of that with lawn bowling. It’s a physical sport that’s 80% mental.”
According to Noel, all you need to play is a willingness to learn and flat shoes—no uniform required.
Noel also added, “We’ve got all the equipment, so just bring your smile, and we have the rest covered.”
The season runs from Monday, May 12, at 6 p.m. until the end of September. For more information and to register, visit their website.