By Sean McMorris
Ever wonder what that game in Almansor Park is, where people roll melon-sized balls towards a smaller white ball on what appears to be a giant putting green? It’s called Bowls, and it is loads of fun! So how do you play? Well, the object of the game is to get your, or your teams’ bowls (not balls), closest to the little white ball, called a jack. However, the jack is never in the same place and the bowls do not roll straight, but turn inwards as they roll down the rink. Some liken the game of bowls to bocce ball, but a better comparison is the Winter Olympic sport of curling, where large stones are pushed across ice to a specific spot at the end of a rink. The concept is simple enough, but don’t be fooled, it takes a great deal of concentration and there’s a lot of strategy involved at the tournament level.
The sport of bowls is highly regarded in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and parts of Asia. It is growing in popularity in the U.S., and Southern California is home to the top lawn bowlers in the country. The Southwest Lawn Bowling Association and Bowls USA hold tournaments across Southern California nearly every weekend from February to November. Alhambra Bowls Club (ABC) members participate in many of these tournaments and ABC is the top ranked club in the San Gabriel Valley.
This Oct. 25th, 2015, Alhambra Bowls Club is hosting its first Southwest Invitational Tournament in honor of the club’s benefactor and valued member, Mrs. Lam Jong—and you’re invited to come watch! Mrs. Jong is a resident of Alhambra and advocate of healthy living. She has been a member of ABC since 2008 and actively participated in bowls for several years, but now just observes the game. The club recently celebrated Mrs. Jong’s 93rd birthday in September, and although she is no longer able to lawn bowl, Mrs. Jong still promotes the sport as a healthy and rewarding activity. For this reason, Mrs. Jong has donated generously to ABC over the years. As we are a small club, her donations have kept us afloat and allowed the club to improve its facility and renovate our green. The Lam Jong Tournament of Triples is a way for ABC to say thank you to Mrs. Jong while honoring her life as well as her contributions to our club and the game of bowls.
The tournament will begin at 9 a.m. and conclude around 5 p.m. Clubs from all over Southern California will participate with up to 42 lawn bowlers competing on the green at one time. The club gates will be open to visitors who want to watch. And, if you think Bowls is a game you would enjoy, then you can sign up for free lessons.
We hope to see you at the tournament so ABC can welcome you to the wonderful world of bowls!
Alhambra Bowls Club, At Almansor Park near the basketball courts, 800 S. Almansor St., Alhambra, CA 91801.
