// MEET A BOWLER // JUDITH GRIFFITHS
This month’s bowler is Judith Griffiths, who plays bowls for Sutherland, lives at Illawong and has 2 daughters, 1 son and 4 grandchildren and is currently married to Richard who is also a bowler at Sutherland.
How long have you been bowling? I have been bowling for 8 years now. Please tell us how you came to be interested in bowling and what keeps you going on playing? I had retired from work and a friend asked if I would like to come to the club and try bowling at the” Bowls in Sneakers” day.. Memories of my mother and father bowling when I was a teenager, came flooding back and I remembered the fun they enjoyed every weekend, so I took my husband with me and we both enjoyed the experience so much we enrolled to take lessons. I was ‘hooked’ right from the start and after gaining experience I started playing four times per week plus the enjoyment I got every time I played and the friendly people I met, just made my week. I also noted that my game was improving because of the number of games I was playing. The day I most enjoy is Saturday afternoon, the men’s club allow the ladies to bowl on this day and a large number of ladies still work and cannot bowl at times during the week. I have now been looking after the Saturday ladies for the last four years and I have enjoyed giving encouragement to these bowlers especially the newer bowlers. What is your bowling club? I belong to Sutherland club along with my husband Richard and it takes about twenty minutes to drive there from home. Can you tell us a bit about your district ? Sutherland District covers a large area from Bundeena to Taren Point, with about 10 bowling clubs in this area. Page 24
What size and colour are your bowls? I bowl with Taylor XTL Size 2 bowls and they are brown jaffa in colour Tell us something of your history with bowls, is this the only club to which you have belonged and a brief summary of the high points at this club or others to which you have belonged. Sutherland has been my only club to date, and I have been fortunate to get to the final of a number of club championships and Pennants:•• 2008 runner-up in club Fours •• 2008 runner-up in the mixed Triples •• 2008 being a member of the District Grade 4 Pennants winning team from Sutherland and going to Tamworth for the State finals in 2008. •• 2009 winner of Under 5 years District Pairs •• 2009 runner-up in the club Princess consistency •• 2011 was my favourite win, when I asked 3 ladies from the Saturday bowls who had not been playing long, to play with me in the club Fours which we won. You should have seen the looks on their faces after the final was played. •• 2012 winner club Pairs •• 2013 – skipped the Grade 3 pennant winning team and then went to Fingal Bay to play in the 2013 State finals
Have you had any challenges in your bowling career? If you mean medical problems I lost my eye to a melanoma removed from my back nineteen years ago. I suffered with skin lupus four years ago and had a melanoma removed from my back plus other moles removed which may have become dangerous. The skin specialist said I could continue to play bowls as long as I covered up, in other words long pants, long sleeved shirts and of course a hat although I prefer a sun shade. The best thing that happened was the clothing rules being changed to allow Bowls Australia shirts to be worn when playing social bowls, these shirts have a 50+ sunscreen rating some of which I purchased. My club also had 2 club shirts made for me with a 50+ rating which I can wear in Pennants and club championships. Have you always been good at bowls? I think my success in bowls comes from playing up to 4 times a week in competitions at other clubs against other players, quite often being better bowlers than myself which I think improves my game. What is so special about playing bowls? The special thing is the number of nice people I meet at my own club and other clubs as well, someone always makes me laugh.
•• 2013 runner-up in the club Fours •• 2013 winner of club Triples
Bowls Matters January - February 2014