Play local: Lawn bowls
In New Zealand, 43,000 registered members and 126,000 casual participants across more than 450 clubs enjoy a game of lawn bowls – and you could be one of them.
O riginating in ancient Egypt, and played in England since the 13th century, bowls has been a popular sport in New Zealand since 1861 when Auckland Bowling Club formed and opened the country’s first green. As the sport became more widely played, bowling clubs were formed in most provincial towns, and greens were opened in Dunedin, Christchurch, and Wellington. The first women’s club, Kelburn Ladies’ Bowling Club, was set up in 1906.
Annual matches began between Dunedin and Christchurch clubs in 1879 and the Dominion of New Zealand Bowling Association was formed in 1913, consisting of 17 regions, 198 clubs, and almost 11,000 members. Later, in 1930, the New Zealand Women’s Bowling Association was formed to manage the women’s game. In 1996, the two associations merged to create Bowls New Zealand, which runs the Annual National Championships.
While many players pick up the sport later in life, lawn bowls appeals to all ages, with a variety of young Kiwis competing in annual national and international competitions.
Selina Goddard, 31, of Takapuna Bowling Club, reached world number one in November 2025 and is a three-time Commonwealth Games medallist.
A range of associations have been formed in New Zealand to accommodate people with disabilities, including the New Zealand Blind Lawn Bowling Association.
The New Zealand Deaf Sports Association supports players to compete internationally at World Championships such as the World Deaf Lawn Bowls Championship.
Your local club is waiting for you. Social or serious, Canterbury’s clubs welcome all players, as well as corporate or personal bowls functions with club hire. Join this cornerstone of community, find your local with Bowls New Zealand’s easy-to-use 3-step geographical guide.
1. Go to bowlsnewzealand.co.nz/play-bowls/
2. Enter your postcode and location (adjust the radius if you like) and click ‘search’
3. Options will appear. Click on the club that takes your fancy.
