For years, like many bowling clubs, Pennant Hills Bowling Club – owned by Seven Hills RSL – was struggling. Its membership had dwindled by half due to an ageing member base and rising maintenance costs. While the club saw a surge in casual barefoot bowl players, this rarely translated into committed members.
In response, the club introduced Jack Attack, a lively, fast-paced competition designed to welcome both beginners and seasoned bowlers. Held over four weeks twice a year, Jack Attack runs on Wednesday evenings, deliberately scheduled to cater to people with busy schedules. This shorter, more accessible format has not only revived interest but also given typically casual players a structured competition that goes beyond barefoot bowls.
Since the launch of the program in 2022, the club has gained 20 new members, and a weekly twilight bowl session has become a regular fixture.
“People that love bowls, who want to come and have a midweek bowl, it’s a wonderful way to greet new bowlers who are interested in maybe taking it a step further than barefoot bowl,” said Ian Moyes, a member of the bows committee and key figure behind introducing the program to club.
Beyond Jack Attack, the club has turned its focus towards younger generations by partnering with local schools to introduce school-aged children to the sport through its youth program.
“We’ve had only three school-aged kids become full-time members so far, but there’s an unbelievable vitality on the greens that wasn’t there before,” Moyes said.
Moyes is optimistic about the program’s long-term impact.
“You may not get them to take up bowls right away, but they’ll be more inclined to come back later. Sometime in the future, a number of these kids will come through and become regular members because they got their start while they were in school.”
This article first appeared in Club Management Summer 24/25. Read more here.