John Clayton
Imagine stepping out into a peaceful stretch of emerald lawn, sunlight dappling through the trees, where laughter carries on the breeze and friendly competition brings neighbours together. Crown green bowling isn’t just a sport – it’s an invitation to connect, unwind, and discover a timeless pastime at the very heart of the community.
Whether you’re seeking gentle exercise, a new hobby, or simply the joy of learning something fresh, Prestbury Bowling Club offers the perfect welcome for all ages and abilities.
Nestling in the centre of the village, just behind the Village Hall in lovely, maintained gardens, lies the Prestbury Bowling Club. Established 25 years ago with loans and guarantees from villagers, plus grants from Sports England and The National Lottery, the club is registered with the Cheshire County Bowling Association and exists to provide crown green bowling facilities to its members and their visitors.
Bowled over by community spirit
The Club is a valued community hub that serves more than just its members. It is a unique facility representing a beautiful garden space at the heart of the village. Our clubhouse and kitchen have recently been thoughtfully refurbished, offering a cosy and welcoming space where members and visitors can relax together after a game. Guests often comment on the friendly atmosphere and sense of community it provides.
Open days
We strongly encourage folk to come along and see what we have to offer and play a few ‘ends’ with a member on our open days which feature on a weekend early in the season.
Visitors welcome
The Club is open to visitors who can use the green for a small fee when hosted by a member. The Club also hires out the green to other local groups or societies in the community and provides members to help host bowls games and use of the green if needed.
Supporting people with disabilities in the community
The Club is committed to enabling the disabled members of our community to enjoy a game of bowls and has appropriate equipment for that purpose including wheelchairs designed specifically for use on the bowling green.
We have recently extended our role in the community to include regular hosting of residents from the David Lewis Centre. The Club also hosts a group of bowlers that suffer from multiple sclerosis (MS), making full use of the green-friendly modified wheelchairs. Furthermore, the Club has equipment specifically designed for crown green bowling for the partially sighted.
Let the good times bowl
The Club provides bowling at all levels, including Social Bowling, Competitive Bowling, League Bowling and an internal ladder competition. It’s a not-for-profit organisation, run by its members whereby day-to-day activities are directed by a management committee and oversight is provided by trustees.
Social Bowling
Bowlers can enjoy friendly non-competitive bowls throughout the season, which runs from mid-March to mid-October. Social bowling can be arranged for any time outside of the fixed slots used for league matches, and specifically ‘roll-ups’ are in place every week on Wednesday and Friday afternoons.
Competitive Bowling
A programme of full-day and half-day competitions is organised each season with refreshments provided. Practice matches are organised on Monday and Tuesday afternoons through the first half of the season to give bowlers match play experience in a non-league environment.
League Bowling
The Club puts out seven teams every week. Each team consists of eight players and at least one reserve player. The Club teams are entered in the leagues of both the Macclesfield and District plus the Alderley Edge and District Bowling Associations. The Club has installed retractable floodlights to enable certain league matches to be played in the evening.
Ladder competition
A ladder is a great way of getting to know other members. Players of all abilities are encouraged to join in.
More than meets the eye
With 140 members from Prestbury and the surrounding areas, the split of male and female members is very well balanced at around 50:50 with a broad age range.
A sad misconception is that bowling is for “old people”, but it really is suitable for younger generations too. They soon realise there’s more to it than they think, a sport which requires a good eye and some dexterity to succeed!
For anyone new to crown green bowling, the extensive benefits offered by the Club include:
The provision of equipment
The Club provides equipment free-of-charge to members and visitors which enables any initial investment in the cost of playing bowls to be held to an absolute minimum. Specifically, pairs of bowls of all weights are provided, plus jacks, mats and measures.
Coaching for all levels
Free coaching is available for all levels of bowlers to improve technique. This helps individuals gain confidence on the green and, if needed, to find effective ways to work around any physical constraints. Coaching is provided free-of-charge by experienced bowlers at the Club.
Boules as an alternative
Adjacent to the Bowling Green, the Club has a Boules pit which provides the opportunity for social games of boules. Boules sets are provided at the Club free of charge.
Piqued your interest?
Why not come along for a no-obligation taster session or begin with a guided tour of our facilities? All ages and abilities welcome.
For more information about our club, including membership fees, please see our website at www.prestburybc.co.uk or email us at prestburybc@gmail.com.
