Callington Bowling Club
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About Our Club
Following a continuous improvement programme over the past 10 years, the club now affords its members one of the truest bowling greens in the locality, and a modern clubhouse capable of holding 88 people in a restaurant setting, 90 in a theatre setting, and 180 standing. The changing rooms and washing facilities are described by visitors as luxurious. With car parks capable of holding 50 cars the club gives an assured welcome to all visitors.
Professional catering staff ensure that all meals are produced to the highest standards.
The club was honoured in 2021 by a visit from Bowls England to celebrate the club's 75th year of existence.
Newly discovered documents show that Callington Bowling Club, which is a Registered Charity no. 1106797, was founded in 1946 rather than 1948 as first thought, even as early as 1945 as documents from February 1946 show that the club already had a cash balance of £41 12/7d, and were prepared to rent the green from what would now be described as a Holding Company called The Bowling Club Company for £25 per annum.
Certainly a 4 rink green already existed in 1946 together with a tennis court (now upper car park) and putting green (now main car park).
Between 1946 and 1952 two more rinks were added, and the green was officially opened in 1952 by local politician Isaac Foot.
The green in 1948
By the end of the 80’s the hard tennis court had become a Car Park and the Putting Green had evolved via a grass tennis court, then market garden, to an overspill Car Park.
Between 1989 & early 1991 a large part of the clubhouse was rebuilt, electricity & gas central heating were installed. During this time Callington Short Mat Bowls Club was formed.
In 1992-3 the rest of the original Clubhouse & kitchen were rebuilt. In 1994/5 the redundant Telephone Exchange was purchased, from which a workshop, and by 1996 the current Changing Rooms, were made enabling upgrade of the original toilet areas.
During 2005/6 the grassed banks of the green were replaced by paving, all hedges by fencing, the overspill Car Park covered by tarmac, and lighting was installed around the green. Wheelchair access was established from the Car Park to the Clubhouse and on to the green via an automatic ramp. On completion of this Disabled Access Project, Prince Charles opened the green in June 2006 and bowled a few woods.
The green is well used throughout the season with men's and ladies' competitive league games, friendly games and club competitions.
Throughout the season we play friendly matches of rinks or triples, at home and away. These are normally weekend games, with the occasional weekday fixture. For many bowlers these games provide the first taste of competitive, but friendly, bowling.
For players requiring further competitive play, we enter two mens teams into the Cornwall Bowls League (East Division), and one team in the East Cornwall Bowls League. Matches are played midweek with a 6.00pm or 6.15pm start. Ladies play competitive league games on midweek afternoons and evenings. Players also enter National Championship competitions with the aim of representing Cornwall in the National Finals at Leamington in August/September each year.
Short Mat bowling is played in the winter months, with four teams playing in the Cornwall County Short Mat Bowls League, so the club is in use all year round. Social events are also held throughout the year.
The club is able to cater for bowlers of all abilities and can offer limited facilities for disabled bowlers. The lower car park, green surrounds and clubhouse (excluding changing rooms) are all level and wheelchair accessible. Specific disabled toilet facilities are available within the club house. As mentioned above, there is an automatic ramp enabling access to the bowling green, and the club owns one specially adapted wheelchair for playing bowls without damaging the playing surface.
Callington is also able to offer coaching to players at all levels of ability. The club has three coaches at levels two and three including a sports psychologist.