Hopefully year 2023 would be a good year for the club, after doing well in year 2022.
The bowling season was late in opening this year due to hard winter and some damage had been done to the green during the winter months. So, some members felt that the green wasn't ready for the opening day on the 8th April. But the decision was taken to delay the opening of the till the 22nd of April. Although there was a friendly arranged for the15th of April which the club decided to go ahead with. Our green keeper felt that the green would have been playable all we needed to do would be close off rink 2.
With Perth Bowling Club being host to the Bowls Scotland Finals, Perthshire Bowling Association Finals, Top Ten Final, as well as holding a Andrew Hamilton Trophy game. So, 2023 is going to be a busy and big year for the club along with everything else that goes on, so it's important that our green keeper gets the green to a high standard of play for all players concerned.
Well today ( 29th of May ) saw the start on the Bowls Scotland competition with all clubs taken part and hopefully achieving their gold to get to play at the national Championships at Ayr.
The club put up a good show in this year's Bowls Scotland competition, with the club's Gents Fours, Senior Fours, & Gents Triples, unfortunately all missing out at the quarter final stage, Gent's Pairs & Mixed Pairs missing out at the Semi-Finals stage, Junior Singles Ross Haldane made it to the final but unfortunately finished runners up overall. Over 55's Singles Gordon Barclay made it to the final and finished out winner of the Over 55's final. Booking his place at Ayr.
Well done to all of the members that took part in representing Perth Bowling Club in the Bowls Scotland Competition and it shows that we are maintaining a high level of bowling within the club, and hopefully Gordon can go on and represent Perthshire and the club at Ayr. Plus, all of the other clubs throughout Perthshire that have also qualified for Ayr.
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Moving on to Ayr, unfortunately G. Barclay didn't do too well at Ayr, but overall, it was a good experience and a pleasure to represent Perthshire at Ayr. plus, congratulations go out to all of the Perthshire clubs that qualified and did well at Ayr.
Perth Bowling Club finished runners up in the PDL league this year and it was an honour to be promoted back to Division 1.
Ross Haldane went on to win the PDL junior singles. (Well done, Ross.)
Perth Bowling Club also retained the Campbell Trophy this year, but unfortunately missed out on retaining the Annandale Trophy, this was won by Kinnoull Bowling Club.
Overall, this year has been a good year for Perth Bowling Club, and a big thanks goes out to all the members for playing their internal competitions with very little interruption.
Lastly a big thanks goes out to our greenkeeper who has had a lot to contend with and the amount of work he has put into the green to make sure that all the events went smoothly throughout the year.
Gordon Barclay.