Newmarket’s sports history stretches across many different disciplines, but none have a history as deep and rich as the Newmarket Lawn Bowling Club.
Its roots in the town date back to 1907, which makes it the oldest continuously running club in the town.
The trophy case at the current Lion’s Park facility features awards from some of the highest levels of lawn bowling competitions. Newmarket has even won and finished runners-up at the Canadian Championships.
The club was originally called Dr. Hunt’s Club, and only included guests who were invited to a private residence. Back then, wood bowls were used to play. By 1909, public lawn bowling could be found in the Newmarket Commons area, before it was relocated to the current site in 1914.
Even though the cost of membership has gone up from its original $5 a year, the club members still find a great amount of joy from a summer evening game of lawn bowling.
David Wiltse and his wife, Helen, have assumed the leadership role at the club for the last decade. Since taking the reins, Wiltse has always maintained a supportive and relaxed atmosphere at the club.
"If I were to look at the club right now, we’re not geared to trying to get professional-quality lawn bowlers, we’re here to have fun,” he said.
The club sets up their schedule to accommodate people’s busy lives and vacations. Members don’t have to come every week. If you show up to play, they will find a team for you.
But the club is more than willing to provide the proper resources to help someone pursue lawn bowling competitively.
“If someone wants to be a more serious bowler, they are welcome, and they would go to tournaments within the surrounding area which run throughout the week in the summer at different clubs,” Wiltse added.
The club offers two free nights of bowling for anyone who is interested in joining. Free instruction on how to play the sport is also offered for new learners. The club only asks that people wear flat soled shoes to protect the playing surface.
“We hope when they come for their two free lessons, I think they’ll see the fun that people are having,” said Wiltse. “We are flexible in that point of view and if you make a mistake, no one is going to yell at you.”
Lawn bowling involves a lot of walking back and forth across the field of play that is also known as the green. It’s a great option for people looking for gentle exercise since there is no running or heavy lifting involved.
The bowls used to play the sport are very different from the balls used in bocce. The sides of the bowls are trimmed and one side is weighted to help the ball travel in an arc. The bowls also differ in size depending on the player’s hand measurement.
The club generally recommends the sport for the ages of 15 and up. This is not to discriminate against younger players, but for safety reasons.
“For a younger person with a hand that’s not large enough to hold a bowl, it’s not safe for them and it’s not safe for the other people if they can’t really grasp that bowl properly,” said Wiltse. “They go back to swing and someone behind them or beside them is going to get hit or they’re going to let it go and off to the side it goes.”
A full membership for a Newmarket resident to bowl at the club on any of their four nights is $130. An associate membership for a resident is $85, but you can only play on one designated night each week. The fees for non-residents are slightly higher for both full time and associate members.
The club also doesn’t have a dress code. Members can wear whatever clothing is comfortable. They also aren’t too strict on enforcing the rules of the sport. However, if someone does want to learn the rules for competitions, the club will make sure they are prepared.
“It’s a friendly, fun environment, not too serious. But if someone out there really wants to become a serious bowler, we can help them,” said Wiltse.
With summer weather right around the corner, the Newmarket Lawn Bowling Club offers residents a great option for fun, exercise and camaraderie.
