Harpenden Bowling Club

Spenser Road, Harpenden, Herts, AL5 5NN, Tel: 01582 766155

About Harpenden Bowling Club

Harpenden Bowling Club was founded in 1908 by eight local businessmen and will this year celebrate the Centenary in style. Over the years membership has fluctuated but during the last few years has remained steady at around the 150 mark, one of the largest Club memberships in Hertfordshire. Our Club fixture list caters for bowlers of all standards, from friendly and sociable roll-ups to District, County, London & Southern Counties and National competitions. In recent years our Club has played a prominent role in these competitions as the standard of bowling has improved. There are several qualified Coaches at our Club to help newcomers learn to play bowls.

In 2001 the homely collection of wooden buildings which served as clubhouse, changing rooms and stores were replaced by a single fully furnished brick building. This was achieved with the help of a substantial lottery grant, mortgage and the generosity of members, the result has paid handsome dividends to our Club. With a green of outstanding quality the new facilities have made it possible for our Club to hold some important matches over the past four years and we have been hosts to County and Eastern Counties matches as well as John’s Trophy matches.

In the Autumn of 2003 and the Spring of 2004 the Club replaced the old wooden ditchboards which were showing signs of wear. This was a major undertaking and the work was completed entirely by Club members. We now have pre-cast concrete units lined with astro-turf. In addition the north and south sides of the green were paved and steps added to the south embankment for easy access.

Our Club has achieved unparalleled success in recent years. In both 2002 and 2003 our men won the St Albans & District Jones Cup. In 2002 our men reached a London & Southern Counties Final for the first time in the Club’s history, finishing Runners-up in the Triples. In 2004 our men won the Herts County Fours Championship for the first time in the Club’s history and were runners-up in the Eastern Counties Fours Championship. In 2005 they were runners-up in both the Herts County Fours and St Albans & District Fours.

As a result, in both 2004 & 2005 our Fours represented the Club at the EBA National Championships at Worthing, the last time our Club had been represented at Worthing was in 1987. In 2007 the Club was again represented at Worthing in the National Under 25 singles and for the first time for many years was represented at the Ladies National Championships at Leamington in the 2 wood singles.

Our Club also has amongst its members – the men’s 2003 St Albans & District Champion of Champions – the men’s 2004/2005/2006 St Albans & District Champions – the men’s 2004 County Unbadged Singles Runner-up - the U’30’s 2006 Champion - the Ladies 2002 St Albans & District Triples Champions - the Ladies 2003 County Unbadged Singles Champion and 2004 Runner-up - the Ladies 2005 St Albans & District Champion of Champions.

In 2005 & 2007 the Club won the ‘Harpenden in Bloom’ leisure facility award for its magnificent outdoor floral displays and in 2005 was able to attract its first sponsor, Harpenden Building Society.