News & Information 2025

Winter work on the Green

It might be cold, wet and windy but that doesn't stop our Greenkeeper and his team as they cut and spike the Green again. We are so fortunate to have such expertise and knowledge in our club, and the sheer dedication to get the many tasks done in all weathers.

It takes a lot of time, effort and generally hard work throughout the year to keep our lovely Green in tip top condition. Many other clubs have complemented on how good our Green is.

Well done guys and thank you.

Ladies Christmas Meal

A group of our Ladies took over the whole front room at https://www.donatellospizzeria.co.uk/

What a fantastic night as the wine flowed along with fabulous food and even better company.

Ampthill bowls club are so lucky to have such a lovely team of ladies. From very experienced County Players to very new beginners, the support, encouragement and friendship amongst the ladies team is a joy to see.

With over 20 ladies in our team we are always enthusiastic to welcome new players of any ability.

Come & join the fun! enquiries@ampthillbowlsclub.com

Bowls Bedfordshire County Awards Night 2025

It's quite an achievement to play at County level, and our ladies did Ampthill proud. Even better when recognition comes in an invite to attend a very nice sit down luncheon at The Weatherley Centre, Biggleswade, organised by Bowls Bedfordshire.

Our ladies, Jacky, Patsy, Sally and Nicola stepped up to receive the Ladies Senior Fours runners up award.

Nicolette and Patsy also collected the Ladies Pairs runners up award

As our ladies section continues to grow with new members, we are fortunate to have such great levels of skills and experience in Ampthill and a keen competitiveness to take us onwards to the challenges of 2026!

Well Bowled Ladies !

Annual Presentation Night 2025

Our Annual presentation night took place in October, with yet another fabulous meal cooked by our social team. It was a grand evening as Members turned out to catch up with each other as not all members partake in the indoor season. Our club continues to grow as many new members have joined and it was lovely to see them not only at the social events but winning a trophy or two already!

President Ian McEwan, along with Mens Captain Mike Wade and Ladies Captain Jacky Groves presented the various awards.

England Finals

Of special note was our Ladies County winners: Patsy Dobson & Nicolette Wade (County Pair finalists) and Jacky Groves, Patsy Dobson, Nicola Simmons & Sally Gibbins (Senior fours finalists) who all played brilliantly to reach the England Finals this year

Stepping down not stepping out

The highest accolade of Life Membership was awarded to Patsy Dobson who has this year decided to step down from bowling. Patsy has been with the club for over 20 years and has led the ladies section (and the club) through many changes. Patsy, a prominent figure not only in Ampthill, but throughout County will still remain very much a feature in Ampthill bowling life, as many members call on her for advice and friendship. I am sure Patsy will partake in the odd game with us as the excitement of playing Bowls never leaves. Well done Patsy

Open Championship

Mike Wade

Open Championship Runner up

Jacky Groves

Cooper Cup

Louis Andrews

Cooper Cup Runner up

Gary Blackbourn

Handicap Winner

Terry Lunch

Ladies Singles

Nicolette Wade

Mixed Pairs

Jacky Groves & (Michael Rogers)

Ladies Pairs

Nicolette & Lynn

Mens Pairs

Brendan Harkin & Mike Wade

Mens 2 Wood

Mark Stebbings

Ladies 2 Wood

Patsy Dobson

Don Ross

Gary Baney

Social Cup

Gary Blackbourn

Vera Babb Triples

Mike Schiel, Gary Blackbourn, (Sally Gibbins),

Fred & Vera Farr

Mike Schiel

Nin & Dom Shield

Brendan Harkin & Tony Lee

County Finalists

Jacky, Patsy & Nicolette

(Sally, Nicola)

Life Membership

Patsy Dobson

2025 Finals day - and the winners are...

List of Trophy and Cups 2025.pdf

Green closed for end of 2025 season

What another fabulous season we had in 2025.

Lots of games, including getting to Leamington

Lots of new players alongside established ones

Lots of new Youth

Lots of social events

Lots of food and drink

Lots of memories and

Lots of fun.

Our green has held up very well for us this year, thanks to Goff and the Greenkeeping team. Work still continues even though the season has ended as repair and maintenance gets underway. We are fortunate to have such a dedicated team.

A few pics from the green

Mike - Club Champion

Youth Champion - Jessica

Jean Osborn presenting patsy

with her trophy

Gary - Don Ross Cup

Mark - Mens 2 Wood Cup

Louis - Cooper Cup

Patsy - Jean Osborn Plate

Terry - Crawley Cup

Michael & Jacky - Mixed Pairs

Brenden & Mike - Drawn Pairs

Nicolette - Ladies singles

Jessica - Youth Cup

Hmm we need a measure

Happy to oblige

More pics will be added on our presentation day

Happy to oblige

More wine with your cheese!

Once again a fabulous array of tastings from our resident wine expert Nick Warner-Smith, complimented by an impressive range of cheeses, bread and nibbles provided by our Social Committee.

A most enjoyable evening. Nick showcased each wine with a background of its origin and grape before handing out the bottles so we could help ourselves to rather large tastings. The wine flowed as we tasted 2 white, 1 Rose and 3 Red.

NB All the spitting jugs were empty !!

Thursday Social Cup

Brendon won against John score 15:9

Gary won against Dom 15:10

And the Rain never stopped play !

Our Ladies at England Bowls Finals!

A massive achievement to reach the England Finals held at Leamington this week.

Well done to Patsy and Nicolette. Having won their first round against ladies from Norfolk, they unfortunately missed out in the second round against ladies from Kent.

They certainly raise the profile of our Ampthill Club, and its fantastic that we have such excellent experienced players who pass on their knowledge and skills to nurture further talent in our teams.

Great work ladies !

Family fun at 'Barefoot' Bowls night

Fantastic turn out last Friday for this all age fun evening. It was great to see lots of children with their parents all partaking in this fabulous friendly game. Followed as always by our Bowls club food - this evening was a delicious BBQ. NB All players wore shoes !

Presidents Day Fun 2025

The big Orange Spider was brought out for our fun games. Members turned up in a colourful selection of shirts on this fabulous sunny day.

Players bowl at the same time towards the spider in the centre of the green. Whoever bowls nearest is the winner. This game always exhibits fierce competition as it is only one shot so everyone is taking serious aim.

The debate about which wood is nearest is as strong as any County match. However as so often in bowls its all on the day and we are delighted that new bowlers Ken and Janet won !

Well bowled

Friendly match against Ampthill Masonic Lodge

What a head !

Fabulous evening followed by lively barbeque and good fun

Ampthill hosts the Regional Ladies Singles Finals

A great turn out as we hosted a thrilling ladies singles between Potton Club Dawn Scourfield and Roade Club Kate Gilliat.

A close match all the way and excellent bowls by both players. After 32 ends, it was 21-19 to Roade. We'll done Kate who now plays the final at Lemington

Winners of Club Competition - Nin & Dom Trophy goes to Brendan and Tony

Also great to see our chaps displaying their many other talents

County Finals update !

Runners up in the County over 55's. Narrowly missing out to Bedford by 4 points. Final score 21:17. Third year in a row as runners up - watch out next year !!!

Our County Open Pairs were just pipped at the post by 2 points!

Well bowled ladies - Patsy, Jacky, Sally & Nicola.

Well done to Patsy & Nicolette

Torrential rain doesn't deter our members

Happy to sit in the dry with bacon butties, refreshments and good chat until it passes over. All part of the game with our Great British July Weather !

What A Night!

The Ampthill Bowls Inter-Sports Competition on Friday was an absolute blast – a high-energy evening of fierce fun, friendly rivalry, and fantastic community spirit! Twelve teams rolled into action, representing everything from Ampthill Rugby and Maulden Walking Football to Walking Netball, Walking Tennis, U3A Table Tennis, and Football. We even had an "Oddball Mash-Up" team – a glorious mix of enthusiastic extras aged 16 to 85 – proving that bowls really is a game for everyone!

Split into two groups, teams battled it out in round-robin matches (well...almost – time waits for no bowler).The top two teams from each group powered through to the semi-finals: Semi 1: Ampthill Rugby vs Ampthill Rugby Semi 2: U3A Table Tennis vs the unstoppable Oddballs!

And then… the grand final showdown: Ampthill Rugby vs The Oddball Mash-Up!
After a nail-biting finish, the Rugby team clinched victory by just ONE POINT!

Huge respect to every player – especially our Oddballs, who brought the drama and nearly stole the crown! We rounded off the evening with a sizzling BBQ, refreshing drinks from the bar, and plenty of laughs under the summer sky. A very BIG THANK YOU to all the teams that participated, it was great to see you all again this year, and all the supporters that came along to support you all. A very BIG THANK YOU to those Ampthill Bowls Club Members that came along to help and made the event happen, you know who you are!

Ampthill spirit at its best – same time next year? You bet!

Winners Ampthill Rugby

Ampthill Bowls Club welcomes Ampthill Town Council & Ampthill Business Connect for annual friendly match

Fabulous turn out for this annual fun event, followed by sociable drinks and food in the clubhouse.

Anyone for Pimm's & Scones !

Members enjoyed delicious home made scones and a few glasses of Pimms as the soaring heatwave continued to rise throughout the country.

We love our sponsors - Ampthill Fish Bar!

Esa, the owner of our local fish bar delivered a much needed refuel of Sausage & chips for the men's post match refreshments against Houghton Regis today . All washed down with cold beer on a hot day in our clubhouse, with great banter amongst the teams after a fabulous afternoon bowling, is really what makes bowls such a sociable and enjoyable game.

Delicious - thanks Esa and the staff at Ampthill Fish Bar.

If your company would like to sponsor our club and invest in our local community then please

Email: enquiries@ampthillbowlsclub.com

Ampthill Youth Groups Play Bowls

Bowls is often seen as a sport for the older generation - however as the World championships show, top players are not so. With Indoor world champions receiving prize money up to £50k, there is a great opportunity for the youth to take up the sport and hone their skills.

The recent Youth Bowls Competition was a fantastic display of teamwork, sportsmanship, and skill, bringing together 37 enthusiastic young players from various community groups. Participants included Scouts, Guides, Queensmen FC, Ampthill Cricket, and the Air Cadets, all eager to test their abilities in a spirited contest. The event was marked by a great atmosphere—everyone played with great enthusiasm. Parents and competitors cheered each other on, making it a truly enjoyable experience for all involved. After a series of exciting matchups, the final showdown saw the Scouts and Ampthill Cricket Club battling for the championship. . In the end, Ampthill Cricket Team emerged victorious, securing the title in a thrilling conclusion to an unforgettable event.

Overall, the Youth Bowls Competition proved to be a resounding success. The enthusiasm shown by all participants promise a bright future for youth bowls in the community.

Club Competition 2025 Winners - Vera Babb Trophy

Winners - Gary, Sally, Mike S

Presentation by President Ian

Pondering the head in the finals with opponents Mike W & Tony

Competition in full swing

Fabulous afternoon

Big Bowls Event 25 May 2025

Fabulous turn out on a beautiful day. Many people bringing families along to have a go at Bowls. Several new members signed up.

Our neighbours the Kings Arms Garden achieve prestigious award

Ampthill Bowls Club work closely with the Gardens, making our clubhouse available for refreshments for their many visitors during their Garden open days. Ian and Martyn were delighted to be invited to represent our club at their award presentation by the Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire.

The Volunteers from the Friends of Kings Arms Garden, were recognised for their work in maintaining and preserving the garden for the whole community of Ampthill, with The Kings Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS). This is the highest award for volunteer groups in the UK, equivalent to an MBE. It recognizes the exceptional work of groups that make a significant impact in their local communities. WELL DONE !

Credit to Flowers planted by our club members that surround our green. Individual members have adopted a planter to nurture - AWESOME!

Ampthill hosts Buckinghamshire Tourists Friendly Match

(various clubs from Buckinghamshire) who spent the past week touring Bedfordshire County playing a number of friendly games with various Bedfordshire clubs. All 6 rinks were played and in glorious weather, with many spectators just enjoying watching the games in beautiful surroundings with a refreshing cold beer or two.

Our own Pauline on bar duty for 50 players

Post match chatter with Buckinghamshire tourists

Ampthill Ladies Team vs Potton in the County 'Top Club' Competition - enjoying post match tea and cakes

Mens East Beds League Match:

Our A team V Maulden

Our B team v Fairfield

The Season gets off to a busy start as all ages enjoy the game at our taster session.

Its full steam ahead for our members as over12 matches have been played already, as well as many in club roll ups, social cup matches and taster session.

We have had some glorious weather and the green is good. It is fabulous to welcome so many new faces who joined our club this season, and with further Taster sessions and Big Bowls Event it is anticipated more people will give Bowls a go. Whether you are 3 yrs, 33 or 83, you can play bowls.

Come join in our Big Bowls Events for a great family day out !

Watch out for our new 2025 initiative - Ampthill Bowls Youth Academy - Details of this exciting new venture to follow ...

Learning to cast the Jack

Getting the stance correct

Take aim

Top tips from a professional

Well you bowled

Time for tea and cake & post match dissection

2025 Season is open

President Ian and Head Groundman Goff ring the bell for the start of the 2025 season.

What a Beauty - Ready to Roll...

Huge thank you to our expert Ground team who look after the Green all year round.

Well done guys its a huge amount of time and effort - much appreciated. ⭐

Fabulous Sign on day.

What could be better on a beautiful sunny afternoon, than a friendly game of bowls - followed typically in Ampthill Bowls Club by good company, food and drink. We certainly had that today with many members turning up to mark the start of the 2025 season. It was fantastic to see lots of new faces turn up to have a go or just find out more. We had 10 new member sign up to join our thriving club.

After signing on some of the guys were keen to see if they still had what it takes after the long winter break.

Looking good guys - practice, practice, practice

Never too young to be interested in bowls

At Ampthill Bowls Club we encourage all ages to get interested in the fabulous team sport of Bowls.

It is a very sociable game and people of all ages and abilities can take part. Its simple rules mean that it's an easy game for first timers to understand.

Bowls is a particularly good sport for children because it's a low-impact, enjoyable activity that enhances physical and mental skills. It promotes social interaction and provides a fun, less physically demanding way to get exercise compared to many other sports.

As children improve their skills, they gain confidence in their abilities, and start to learn to think strategically and adjust to different game situations enhancing their problem solving skills.

Watch out for our new 2025 initiative - Ampthill Bowls Youth Academy

Details of this exciting new venture to follow ...

Multiskilled members - getting ready for the season

Excitement - the watering system works !

The green getting a soaking in the sunshine - April season will soon be here.

Members start to tackle the many jobs required to maintain the club

Slabs weeded by Sally - under watchful supervision

Anyone for Tea !(& cakes)

Members of our Ladies team raised money for the club selling Tea and our famous cakes to visitors at the Kings Arms Garden Open day.

First cut of the season Jan 2025

Our Greenkeepers are at it again. Keeping our fabulous Green in tip top shape takes cont|inuous care and expertise even out of season. Well done guys. Roll on April !!!

Last cut - Dec 2024

Our Greenkeepers never miss a chance to get out and nurture the Green. They undertook a very late cut on 16th December 2024 in the rare winter sunshine..... Looking mighty fine !

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