There are numerous metrics to measure the growth of a sport. Increase in monthly participation or club membership are more typical scales. On either of these counts Crown Green Bowling seems bound to be Meersbrook’s fastest growing sport. But is the quadrupling of Meersbrook Park’s membership this spring an indicator that we are ahead of a wave?
Our southern cousin, Lawn or Flat Green Bowling, is claiming something of a resurgence:
With the obvious health benefits, especially to people with limited mobility, all forms of outdoor bowling are bound to be beneficial to wellbeing. Crown Green, which is prevalent in the northern English counties, can make a case for having the edge over lawn green bowling in the benefits it provides. Lawn Green is played with 4 bowls for each player, and tends to play uniform ends, up and down on the same stretch of green.
Only having 2 bowls per player (in Crown Green) means more walking, as well as the bigger mental challenge and tactics of playing over ever changing marks on our undulating greens.
Volunteers at Meersbrook Park are keen to contribute to a wider resurgence of the sport, which was hugely popular in municipal parks in the middle of the last century when over 100 people might play at Meersbrook Park in a single day.