A large crowd gathered at the Hāwea Bowling Club on Sunday (February 25) to celebrate the official opening of the club’s newly relaid playing surface.

The club can now get back to its regular get-togethers and hosting of tournaments and meets.

Club president Lawrence Hardy paid tribute to the hard work done by club members to relay the green.

“For a small club, there has been a huge amount of work involved in removing all of the old soil, getting the surface level, and then sowing a new green,” Lawrence said. 

Tournament winners Ethan Flynn and Emma Hutchinson, with Peter Ward (right), whose company Alpine Honey sponsored the event.

“We’re confident now that we have one of the best playing surfaces in Central Otago,” Lawrence said, “and it’s just great to be back playing on our own green again.”

It is the first time the green has been relaid since the club opened in 1990.

Last winter the old green was removed and the site was relevelled before a specialist company from Christchurch travelled to Hāwea to sow the new seed in spring.

Club members hoped the green would be ready to open by early this year and it was ready right on schedule.

The opening event was marked by the Ian Kane Memorial Tournament, an annual event honouring one of the club’s founding members. 

The first ceremonial bowls were delivered by members of the Kane family and the tournament attracted a full field of 16 teams.

The tournament was sponsored by Alpine Honey and, after a closely fought final, the popular

winners were Emma Hutchinson and Ethan Flynn of the home club.

The club’s green is located at the Lake Hāwea Community Centre at Peter Fraser Park.

PHOTOS: Supplied