St John’s Club to host historic bowls tournament

St John’s Club president Royce Tunbridge on the green. Photo / Paul Brooks

The 50th Clubs New Zealand Men’s Outdoor Bowls National Championships will be hosted by St John’s Club, Whanganui, from this Monday, February 13 to Friday, February 17.

“We’ve got 320 visiting bowlers and we’ve got 96 teams,” says St John’s Club president and chairman of the organising committee, Royce Tunbridge. “And we’ve got 56 [St John] club members playing, and that’s probably the most we’ve ever had.”

In that mix are four teams from the South Island.

The tournament was started by Castlecliff’s Len Moase in the 1970s, so it’s fitting that the club of which he was a life member should host this historic tournament, the 50th.

“This will be the sixth time St John’s hosted it,” says Royce.

There are three tiers of competition with the Moase Cup (first prize), the Jim Dempsey Trophy and the Kelly Plate.

Teams play three games on Monday and Tuesday and twice on Wednesday and those qualifying go on to post-section play.

The tournament was last played in Whanganui in 2019 to coincide with the St John’s Club’s 125th anniversary.

Play will take place over seven Whanganui greens, says Royce.

“Section play is here [St John’s Club greens] on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday; Aramoho is also Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, as are Gonville / Castlecliff, Whanganui East, Durie Hill, Laird Park, and Whanganui.

“On the Thursday the top 32 qualifiers go to Gonville / Castlecliff and we’ll get down to the semifinals, then come back here [St John] and play the finals on Friday.”

Royce played his first clubs tournament in Tauranga in 2001 and has been involved ever since, including a stint on the Appeals Committee.

He says the tournament in Whanganui will be good for local motels and accommodation providers as well as the club.