Three St Albans-based bowls clubs to hold open days in May

Batchwood Hall will open their doors on bank Holiday Monday, May 26, between 2pm and 5pm.

That is two days after Townsend hold their next event, Saturday, May 24, from 10am.

St Albans meanwhile have two across the weekend, Saturday and Sunday, May 24 and 25.

The purpose of all these days is to encourage new and lapsed bowlers to give the sport a try.

All members of the public are welcome to attend and there will be guidance and coaching available at all three.

In fact, all equipment and refreshments will be provided with the only requirements being flat-soled shoes like trainers need to be worn.

For more information on Batchwood, email secretarybatchwoodbc@gmail.com or call 07957 572715.

For Townsend, phone Peter Thomson on 01727 864453 or Google Townsend Bowls Club.

St Albans are happy for people to turn up but for groups of four or more, call Richard Hall on 07429 407365 to book a suitable slot.

A warm welcome will be guaranteed at all three clubs.

St Albans held their first open day of the season at their Clarence Park home on Saturday with 23 people in attendance, a good majority of which signed up for follow-up coaching sessions.

On the green though, it wasn't so successful as they suffered a heavy loss away to Welwyn & District, going down on all three rinks and 70-27 overall.

The best performing rink for St Albans was Paul Miles, Eileen Englebright, Irene Humphrey and Andy Kay.

Townsend welcomed Berkhamsted to their Waverley Road home in St Albans for a three-triple friendly.

The visitors won on two of the three rinks and by nine points overall.

Townsend's winning rink saw a 12-shot success for Peter Waller, Ian Forster and Andy Scarborough.

The first round of the District Triples saw the Townsend triple of Bob Lawrie, Peter Armstrong and Peter Thomson drawn away to Potters Bar.

But the result was never in doubt as the they racked up 24 unanswered shots, forcing their hosts to concede after only nine ends.

Batchwood had players in national and county competitions.

The club's ladies' champion, Jackie Bell, played in the preliminary round of the National Champion of Champions knock-out competition and beat Rita Last of Garston 21-4 at home.

Dave Richardson and Yvonne McCauliffe won 15-5 in the National Mixed Pairs away at Herts BC.

Chris Kelly, John Bell and John Turkentine were beaten 15-11 away to Harpenden in the County Triples but Turkentine did beat Nigel Whittle of Townsend 21-4 in the National Unbadged Singles.

Batchwood also continued their winning streak away at Potten End on Saturday and at their Batchwood Drive home against Tring one day later.

The top rink at Potten End was Eddy Thackeray, John Bell and Sue Swain while Liz Walls, Joyce Hopkinson and Mark Trembling took that honour on Sunday.