After losing their green when the Williamsburg Inn decided to close down the greens last year, the Williamsburg Inn LBC itself decided not to give up. They have found two locations to play as they continue to look for a permanent home. Here is a report they sent to Bowls USA to share.
Roll ups will be held semi-weekly at the Williamsburg Inn tennis court, which has a Har-Tru surface similar to rubico, and tournaments will be played on a grass green in nearby Middlesex County. Last year, Colonial Williamsburg, who owned the Club’s green, turned over its golf operations to an outside firm, and the lawn bowling green, which was part of that contract, was converted into additional space for golf. Over the past year, the Club has tried various venues for social bowling and competition. The tennis court surface has been fairly successful (the net is removed, but the posts remain). One member, Sissy Hall, began to explore the possibility of using local croquet greens. She tried a few locations before contacting Macey White, who runs the Middlesex Croquet Club about forty miles from Williamsburg and who was interested in having bowlers use his green. He has laid out four greens which provides ample space for a regulation bowling green. The surface is level and surprisingly fast. Fourteen members attended the rainy season opener earlier this month and were very positive about the surface. The Club continues to pursue its long-term goal of the construction of a new green in the Williamsburg area. It has been working with the local Parks and Recreation Department and presented a proposal to the James City County Board of Supervisors, who agreed to review it in the next fiscal year. Dan Berg added the following interesting color about some of the people mentioned above. Lawn Bowls is great! Sissy Hall, who located the Middlesex County Croquet Club, is a longtime member who learned to bowl as a child from her parents at Buck Hill Falls. She still goes back there regularly and enjoys bowling there and at Skytop. Macey White, who runs the Middlesex Croquet Club, is a 21-century renaissance man. In addition to the 4 croquet greens he built in the last two years, he runs the county shooting club which is adjacent to the green. He plays croquet all over the country, owns additional property elsewhere, including a Christmas tree farm, and is the bail bondsman for Middlesex County. Last week was the first time we ever bowled to the sound of guns firing at a shooting range in the nearby field! Well done Williamsburg!! Persevere!!
1 Comment
6/26/2018 04:46:02 pm
I am a 1970 graduate of William & Mary and I brought class mates to bowl on your green during Home Coming several years ago! Was crushed that the Inn let you go and I am hoping that you find a new permanent green. How could they mess with such great history!! I am currently the Pres of the CLBC and we all wish you success!!
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