Takapuna Bowling Club

Our Club Opening Day is 5 September and signals the start of our new season.

Our Competition Pages are now all updated on our website www.takapunabowling.co.nz and are ready for you to enter the Championship and Trophy events for the season.

Check it all out on the links below:

Club Championship Events: https://www.takapunabowling.co.nz/championships/championship-events

Club Trophy Events: https://www.takapunabowling.co.nz/championships/club-trophy-events-1

Click on the YELLOW button at the bottom of the page to enter or email the Match Committee on [email protected] or enter at the club.

Good bowling and enjoy the new season everyone!

One of Bowls’ greatest qualities is its ability to cater for all ages, shapes and sizes and in meeting the varying aspirations of its participants, from those at the high performance, elite levels down to those in the recreational, roll-up category.

Someone who epitomised the latter group was Bev Bowie, who after battling ill health for the past couple of years passed away on Saturday and who, in the words of board chair Ian Mckenzie, was “a lovely person.”

Like so many, Bev came to bowls late in life, joining at the behest of her friend Sue Noble, in 2018, along with others who have gone on to be excellent club members, Irene Costello, John Whiteford, Margaret Ho**er, Fay Freeman, Pat Chapman and Alison McCrorie.

Most of Bev’s bowls was at roll=up levels and you will not find her name on any of the clubhouse honours boards, even those for trophy events.

But she derived considerable pleasure from playing, for the benefits gained from the gentle physical exercise and especially for the companionship of fellow bowlers. She involved herself in the club’s off-green activities, had a stint as the almoner and was a regular attender at Jenni Taylor’s Monday morning yoga sessions.

Despite her late start, Bev did have a bowls background, her father having been a bowler and greenkeeper at the Onehunga RSA club. She played a variety of other sports, netball, tennis, squash and golf and that perhaps helped her become a more than useful lead.

She and her late husband, John, a builder to whom she was married for 55 years and who died 12 years ago, also had a deep interest in travel, including stints working in Australia and England. And on a campervan trip to the United States they took special delight in visiting the Texas town of Bowie, named not for John but after the inventor of the knife.

After a commercial course at the old Seddon Memorial Technical Bev worked in secretarial roles. Bev was a mother of two, a grand-mother and a great grandmother.

Bev's funeral will be this Wednesday 2 September at 11am at the Milford Cruising Club, 24 Craig Road, Milford, Auckland.

To her family the Takapuna club offers its sincere condolences.

Proud to see our club member Brett O'Riley, President World Bowls, part of leading the way for our great sport!

Come and join us for House on Friday 28 August - lots of fun and all proceeds go to a great cause for the NZ Blind Bowlers. See you there at 6pm!

26-27 August 2026 | Clubs Workshop
Join bowlers, volunteers, club leaders and administrators for two days of online learning, discussion and inspiration. Running from 10am-4pm each day, the Clubs Workshop will share practical examples, fresh thinking and proven approaches that you can take straight back to your club. From participation and membership to facilities and volunteers, you'll leave with ideas you can put into action. ✅
Full schedule and register: https://www.bowlsnewzealand.co.nz/news/clubs-workshop

Lawn Bowls Fours Strategy: 5 Keys to Building a Winning Team Learn five key lawn bowls fours strategies to improve teamwork, communication, role clarity and tactical decision-making and help your team win more games.

Every player has a different answer.

Some came because a friend invited them.

Some were looking for a sport they could enjoy for life.

Some wanted to stay active after retirement.

And some simply wandered into a club one afternoon... and never really left.

Lawn bowls has a way of surprising people.

What looks like a simple game soon becomes a battle of patience, precision, strategy, and teamwork. Before long, club members become friends, club days become part of your routine, and the green starts to feel like a second home.

It's never just about delivering the perfect bowl.

It's about the people you meet, the stories you share, and the feeling that no matter your age or ability, there's always a place for you.

Question for the community:
What first drew you to lawn bowls—and what keeps bringing you back year after year?

Attending the 2026 Commonwealth Games is an unforgettable experience and a wonderful opportunity to witness bowls on one of the sport's biggest stages - especially in this new format.

For those of us from Takapuna Bowling Club, it was especially exciting to cheer on our own Selina Goddard as she partnered with Katelyn Inch in the Women's Pairs. Selina and Katelyn produced an outstanding campaign, playing with confidence, composure, and determination throughout the sectional rounds. They won all but one of their matches, consistently demonstrating why they are regarded among the world's elite.

Unfortunately, despite such an impressive performance, the results didn't quite fall their way, and they missed progressing to the semi-finals. While disappointing, they can be immensely proud of the standard of bowls they displayed and the way they represented New Zealand on the international stage.

It was also great to see Birkenhead Bowling Club's Milika Nathan competing alongside former Bowls North Harbour player Paris Baker representing Tonga. They too played some excellent bowls throughout the tournament and were highly competitive in every match. Like Selina and Katelyn, they missed out on a place in the semi-finals.