Oxnard—Cloudy weather didn’t deter the Oxnard Lawn Bowlers on Sunday, Dec 22, as the group gathered and enjoyed their trademark fun, laced with a bit of friendly competition right outside the Wilson Senior Center.
LAWN Bowling involves rolling a biased ball toward a “White Jack” on the field of play, called the green, with the closest team to the Jack declared the winner.
“Lawn bowling originated in ancient Egypt, where people played with stone balls and sticks around 3200 BC.”
The green is 120 feet long and divided into rinks, bordered by a small ditch to catch bowls that leave the green and a bank with marks indicating each rink’s center sidelines. Most matches last about 90 minutes.
The opposing team tries to knock the biased ball away and steal the victory.
Steve Goodmanson said the grass is dormant during the winter, affecting how the biased ball travels.
“That makes it a little faster,” he said. “Normally, the greens are pretty good here.”
He said membership is growing, and new bowlers are attracted to the club’s sign.
“It’s not a money game,” he said. “It’s a social sport we play for fun.”
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