This group was started in October last year and was intended to be run only during the winter months.  However, enthusiasm was high and two-thirds of the group, with an average of 11 people at each meeting, have been bowling throughout the summer (we have yet to decide whether we will play through the school summer holidays – with enthusiasm high I expect we shall and maybe invest in earplugs as the children can be almost as noisy as us!).  We play in a light-hearted and competitive way but it is always fun.  The cost of two hours bowling is £4.25 and includes shoe hire and a cup of tea or coffee and a biscuit – this tea break gives us time to chat and is a good way to make friends with other U3A members.  The group now has 24 members and can take more as Madison Heights has the lane capacity to accommodate us.  If you fancy trying your hand at bowling and would like to join us on alternate Thursday afternoons please contact the group leader.

27th June

Once more we had 11 bowlers, 3 lanes of 3 and one of 2, and we welcomed another new member to the group, John H.   Like all of us, John hadn’t bowled for a long time but soon remembered how it was done and managed to come third in the series scoring 341 (Phil was second with 354 behind Diane with 370).

As Tim and Tony were neck and neck last week it seemed a good idea to place them together on the lane for 2 so they could battle for supremacy.  Tim started well and went downhill and Tony started badly and improved, but neither bowled their best until the fourth game (which doesn’t count under our rules, only the first three do) when Tim bowled his best ever score of 142 and Tony scored just 6 points behind his personal best – hard-luck guys!

A fortnight ago Don vowed to improve, and he did, increasing his scores by a third.  Gwen, managing to use once more her ‘favourite ball’, got her highest score of 96 and her highest series of 258.

11^th July

What a day – John P bowled a Turkey (3 strikes in a row) and got his highest score of 147 and his highest series of 355. Phil equalled his highest series, Gwen, for the third consecutive time, achieved another highest score of 109 and highest series of 287.  Chris bowled her highest series of 295, Tim his highest of 136 and June back from injury bowled what could possibly be her highest scores, 124 and a series of 305.  The eight other bowlers did well too with Diane the highest scorer on 182.

Diane Caulkett