The Annual Bowls Tour

Our 2024 visit to Newmarket was blessed with exceptionally good weather and the Heath Court Hotel and our regular club opponents made us extremely welcome. We played Isleham, Fordham , Chippenham, and Haddenham as usual but on Friday returned to Bottisham after a period of 14 years instead of Risbygate in Bury St Edmunds. We had a warm welcome and the facilities were
excellent. As with the other clubs we have been invited back next year. The exception of course will be Chippenham who are closing this year after lease problems. Their club chairman gave us a generous tribute reflecting our many visits over the years and was kind enough to waive the previously agreed charges for lunch and rink fees. Contact has already been made with a new club to replace Chippenham in 2025.
We had hoped that our numbers would be up from last year but after a number of late drop outs we had exactly the same numbers of bowlers as 2023. i.e. 23. Unfortunately this meant dropping to 5 rinks again on Monday and Tuesday. Nevertheless it was great to welcome seven bowlers on their first ever tour. These were: Steve and Sue Hill; Lee and Pat Taylor; Steve Webb; Mike Hodge; and Roger Dickson. Lets hope they will become tourists in the future.

Match results were:
Isleham: Lost 42-116
Fordham: Lost 96-100
Haddenham: Won 107-85
Chippenham: Won 98-83
Bottisham: Won 109-77
Bowler of the week was Phil Ibbs [ plus 40 shots – average + 13 ]

At the other end the highly desirable glass booby prize was won by Pat Taylor The  overall aggregate for the week was -9. Best guess was yours truly at -10. 
The quiz was won by the Pushers [ Pat Taylor; June Sheehan; Ken Lewis; Neil Thompson ].
The Tour raised £982 for Club funds. Almost identical to the amount for 2023.

For your diary the Tour dates for 2025 are expected to be 24th to 30th August.

Michael Noble

Tour Manager