NEW MEMBERS WELCOME Contact Mrs. Jo Barker - 01834 842533 Come and watch us play on match nights Visit a practice session and try it out - click here Annual Membership Fee Adult (16 years plus) = £15 Junior (Under 16 years) = £7.50 Adult Red Card Fee = £2 Junior Red Card Fee = 50p Session Fees Members = £1.50 (Juniors 75p) Visitors   = £2.00 (Juniors £1)

Penally Short Mat Bowls Club Founded 1989 Home Venue Penally Village Hall Membership 2009: 27 Members Club Colours Blue jumpers & White Poloshirts with Grey trousers or skirts Compete The Main League & The Presidents League Pembrokeshire S.M.B.A. Club Officers President:   Mr. Jack Cole Chairman:  Mr. C Law Treasurer:   Mr. A Greaves Captain:     Mr. C Law Secretary:   Mrs. Jo Barker

Season Result Captain 1991/1992 1991/1992 2002/2003 2003/2004 2003/2004 2004/2005 2005/2006 Pembrokeshire League Winners Pembrokeshire League Winners Pembrokeshire League Winners Pembrokeshire League Winners Welsh League Winners Pembrokeshire League Winners Pembrokeshire League Winners Les Gordon Gordon Gordon Gordon Gordon Bill

History of Short Mat Bowls (taken from the WSMBA rule book) The origins of the game are lost in the mists of time but it is thought that the game was first played by two South Africans living in South Wales, who, fed up with the wet climate and not able to play bowls outdoors, simulated the game indoors. They later moved to Northern Ireland and introduced the game there. This is similar to another version of the origin in which the game is reputed to have started In the 1920s in Northern Ireland when an outdoor team had their bowls match rained off and took refuge In their local church hall. To pass the time they started bowling on the bare floor until someone suggested it would be easier to bowl on a carpet. The first record of a club is that Ballymacarret Presbyterian Church which has a photograph dated 1929 showing the Minister bowling on a 3ft wide mat through a hoop. Other references to that past period mention playing with no fenders or touchers and even a flat multi-sided wooden jack which is still in existence. The Welsh Short Mat Bowls Association was formed in 1987 to introduce and develop the game throughout Wales. County Associations were formed before this, the earliest being CLwyd, followed by Gwynedd and then Montgomery. All clubs and Counties who play Short Mat Bowls in Wales are eligible to affiliate to the Association and to take part in its activities. The Governing Body of the Association comprises elected members from the Counties or Regions and has subsidiary committees specifically covering Umpiring and Coaching. Short Mat Bowls is now played country and world wide and competitive events are regularly held at these levels. The Association is responsible for organising and selecting the Welsh team to play in International matches as well as arranging the national competitions.

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