Become a Member
How to Join
Please use the email form below to enquire about membership and to register your interest. Our membership secretary will reply with details on your next steps to joining. In the first instance, we would like to meet you to see what your level of need might be. For example, a completely new bowler or someone with very limited bowling experience would be invited to join our new member’s coaching sessions as detailed below. On the other hand, someone with previous bowling experience would be invited to join after a short introductory meeting.
Our current annual subscription is £35.00, with a £10.00 joining fee.
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Coaching for Beginners
Coaching sessions are every Monday, starting at 9.00am. We plan to finish around 11.00am. The full course is of 6 weeks. Our usual rink fee of £3.00 applies for each session. We would normally expect a new bowler to complete at least 4 weeks before joining, depending on previous experience and would encourage everyone to compete the full 6 weeks.
Coaching for Improvers
Our advanced coaching course is aimed at bowlers with a few years of experience who are looking to step up a level.
If members wish to improve and play at a higher level then they are encouraged to attend the advanced coaching course that we offer.
The course is by application only, and you must be a member of Harrogate Indoor Bowling Club.
It consists of a 12-week course, every Wednesday, starting at 9.00 am with an expected finish around 11.00 am. The usual £3.00 rink fee applies.
We also encourage everyone to attend as many sessions as possible as missing a week can make the following week(s) more difficult.
Here is a weekly programme, plus the first week’s topic “Back to Basics” which includes some links to useful content on YouTube.
Fees
Our rink fees are currently £3.00 per 2-hour session and are also applicable to our coaching sessions.
Opening Times and Weekly Programme
Week 1 - Introduction
- The Jack & Mat – clarify rules
- Bowls Delivery
- Stance, shoulders & pendulum motion
- Line
- Aiming Points
- Activity 1.1: Finding the Line
Week 2 - Length
- Backswing, speed of delivery & follow through
- Activity 2.1: Different Lengths
- Activity 2.2: Adjusting Weight
Week 3 - The Draw Shot
- 90% of shots played
- Activity 3.1: The Coaches’ Challenge
Week 4 - Skills: Running Shots
- Firing or Drive shots used to move the jack into the ditch
- Activity 4.1: Firing Shots
- Running shots used to remove opponents’ bowls
- Activity 4.2: Running Shots
Week 5 - The Off-Centre Jack
- Line adjustment
- Activity 5.1: Off-Centre Jack
- Touchers and Front ditch rules
- Activity 5.2: Drawing to the ditch
Week 6 - Skills: Drawing Shots
- Using the Mat
- Blocking Shots
- Activity 6.1: Drawing around a short bowl
- Activity 6.2: Drawing inside a short bowl
- Activity 6.3: Drawing between short bowls
- Activity 6.4: Drawing to a hidden jack
Week 7 - Skills: Controlled Weight Shots
- Activity 7.1: The Cover Bowl
- Activity 7.2: The Trail Shot
Week 8 - Skills: Controlled Weight Shots
- Activity 8.1: The Promoting Shot
- Activity 8.2: The Plant Shot
Week 9 - Skills: Controlled Weight Shots
- Activity 9.1: The Wrest Shot (aka Chop and Lie)
- Activity 9.2: The Split Shot
Week 10 - Marking and Measuring
- The Markers Duties
- Carrying out a measure
- Measuring efficiently (3-wood & 4 wood measures)
- Ditch measures
- Activity 10.1: Attacking Play
Week 11 - Game Play
- Formats (Pairs, Triples, Rinks)
- Positional Play
- Etiquette & Possession of the Rink
- Activity 10.1: The Perfect Head
Week 12 - Sets Play Formats
- 100-Up or 4-3-2-1
- Jack Attack
- Ultimate Bowls Championship
- Bowls Bash