Gingin our outstanding Country Club

by Aaron Delaporte on June 28, 2022

Bowls WA Awards Night – Country Club of the Year

Bowls WA Country Club of the Year Awards take into account on green performance of the club and its members, participation in state and country events as well as off green performance in administration, governance and community engagement.

Presented and announced by Bowls WA Country Director Ross Warburton the winner of the Jim Murray Trophy for the 2021/2022 season as the best country club was Gingin Bowling Club.

A summary of all Bowls WA Award winners can be found via this link

Accepting the Award on behalf of the club was Stephen Beckwith on behalf of the Club President John Fewster who unfortunately couldn’t attend. Most notable for the club was the installation of two synthetic greens replacing their worn out original greens. The club showing the value of maintaining a sinking fund which meant they were 100% funded by the members.

MC Clive Adams and Stephen Beckwith

The club has also been active in recruiting new members and in particular a number from Irish background had strongly contributed to the club and are very keen players. The increase of 46 members to 59 represents a 28% increase which is amongst the best percentage of any club in WA.

This jump was on the back of a very innovative community event known as the Gingin Shire Community Challenge. The idea was born from the brain of Murray Butler the Captain at Gingin who invited all the sporting clubs in the shire to come to Gingin Bowling Club which not only fielded two greens it also provided a great social occasion for individuals but gave them a chance to win prizemoney for their own sporting club. This prizemoney was contributed by both the Shire and the club and proved a real incentive for people to come along and participate in a sport they may otherwise have never tried. According to Steve “Probably the best thing was the result was that the Gingin Cricket Club won it. One of the new bowlers this year, that won the Novice Singles was one of those players and it has continued to flow on from that. It was just a terrific story really.”

On the green Kathy Gobbart was certainly a star winning the Women’s Country Week Singles and Champion of Club Champion Singles. “Kathy is our fine wine; she just keeps getting better.” Stephen remarked. Adding that the club whilst small in numbers has always had top players in both the Men’s and Women’s competitions. Gingin Black also claimed the Moore Districts Men’s Pennant flag his season.

Certainly, a terrific effort by the Gingin Bowling Club as the outstanding Country Club of the Year, so once again congratulations to the committee and members and well done on a fantastic season.