Torquay Bowls Club tries out new synthetic green

THE Torquay Bowls Club has celebrated the completion of its synthetic green, and invited some of its oldest members to be the first to try it out.

The club received a $450,000 federal government grant to install a new surface to replace the top green, allowing it to operate year-round instead of having to close down for four months over the winter, and has been working on the project for about eight months.

Saturday’s soft launch of the synthetic green marked the end of the construction process, according to Torquay Bowls Club membership director Lindsay Harrington, and an opportunity to have a small gathering to celebrate, with a bigger event to be held after Christmas.

“I know there’s been lots of community interest,” he said.

“We’ve had a lot people coming together to work together on this, and we’re pretty happy with what we’ve got out of it.”

The club invited seven of its life members to make the first ceremonial bowl, and three attended – Geoff Grigg, Don Mariager and Kevin McCormack.

Bowlers from the club’s pennant team then played an intra-club practice match.