Golspie Bowling Club

Main Street
Golspie
Sutherland
KW10 6RA

Contact: Angus Mackenzie (Club Secretary)
Tel: 01408 621818

A Brief History of the Club
Founded in 1921, with ladies as members from the start, the Club opened its present pavilion on 15th July 2000 with all modern facilities for its 30 plus membership, for visiting competitors and holidaymakers who fancy a few hours' pleasant relaxation.

The original clubhouse was showing its age, requiring continual repair and too small to cope with big bowling matches.   Club members raised one-third of the capital required, matching grants came from Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise and Government-sponsored sports organisations.              

With such a small membership, it was remarkable that so much was achieved in such a short space of time, thanks to bowlers giving up their evenings and weekends to work for nothing.

Flower and rosebush tubs have been provided by the members to give the green colourful surrounds, and picnic tables are set out in the summer to encourage visitors to spectate while they dine, or even take part in a game or two, with bowls often loaned by members.     Fees are paid into an "honesty box" within the pavilion and it says much for our visitors that they always pay up - often with a larger donation!

A report in The Northern Times dated July 7th 1921 stated: "Bowling Club - There is no doubt that the bowling green just constructed will be a great asset in Golspie.    A more ideal, sheltered spot could not have been chosen.   It is within convenient  reach of all who care to go in for a game.   The want of a bowling green has been felt locally and by those who visit the community.    No finer health-giving pastime than the game of bowls could be participated in.  Especially to those whose work confines them indoors during the day, and an evening on the green supplies the physical bracing up required.            

"The green is now fit to stand a limited amount of play.    And already there is evidence that the game shall not lack for patrons.    A meeting is to be held in the Public Library, Golspie, on Friday evening g at 8 o'clock to which all interested in bowling are invited to be present.    Attendance at the meeting shall in no way `put any one under an obligation to become a member of the Bowling Club.   The idea of inviting those interested to be present is to give all an opportunity of tabling suggestions that will contribute to the success of the Club and its undertakings."

1929: According to surviving Minute Books, the annual subscription was set at £1 per year - now it is £30.    Visitors' fees 1/- or 5p a game, now £2. The greenkeeper was paid 25/- or £1.25 per week.
1931:  Bowls were purchased for the use of visitors, and much work was done on making improvements top the green and buying new equipment, for which winter fund-raising was a priority.
1932: Inverness and Northern Counties Bowling Association arranged to play all preliminary rounds at Golspie and Brora, with the finals at Inverness.
1936: The Club purchased more bowls for visitors and a campaign was undertaken to recruit youngsters.
1938: Decision was taken to change from a hand mower to a motor mower.
1939: The Highland Counties Bowling Association was formed, to include Caithness, which previously was unaffiliated.    Three competitions were to be played annually for cups presented by three Tain bowlers.   The season ended early due to the outbreak of World War II.
1940: The Club resolved to provide Servicemen with reduced fees for bowling.
1941: The Clubhouse was requisitioned by the Home Guard for as Quartermaster's Store.   The Club opened each year until 1945 after discussion on whether just to maintain the green and property and not open at all.
1951: The Clubhouse was repainted and refurbished.
1953: Sir David Robertson MP became joint Hon, President with the Duke of Sutherland.
1957: Mr Charles Janson, husband of  Elizabeth Millicent Sutherland, Lady Strathnaver, niece of the 5th Duke, was appointed Hon Vice-President.
1963: The Countess of Sutherland, who succeeded to the Earldom of Sutherland on the death of the 5th Duke, was appointed the Club's Hon President, and remains so.

The Old Clubhouse

And one from the old files