In contrast to many other bowling clubs, Fleet United has a bowls-playing capability for the whole 12
months of the year - it does not cease providing bowling facilities in the Winter months. The Club has two
‘Short Mat’ carpets which are laid down in the Clubhouse for the Winter months to provide all members of
the club with an extensive bowls playing capability for casual games, competitions, and league matches
over 7 days a week, despite the harshest weather conditions that may be happening outside.
The sport of Short Mat Bowls (SM) has similarities to other forms of bowls but is a much younger sport in
that the National governing body was only formed in the 1980’s. It is an entertaining game that can be
played very casually, but also at all levels up to full international matches. It can be a game of great
precision and technique involving superior levels of strategy and tactics using techniques different from, but
equivalent in difficulty to, those required in Lawn Green Bowling. It is played with full sized bowls on a
carpet about 14M long and must not be confused with ‘Carpet Bowls’ which is played on a much shorter
mat with reduced size bowls.
Despite being a game that can stretch even those players with the highest levels of skill, it is also one in
which most casual players can absorb the basic principles fairly quickly and become competent in a
relatively short time, especially if they have had some experience in other forms of bowls. Importantly, ‘SM’
is one of the few sports that is played on an absolutely equal basis by men and women – there is no such
category as ‘Ladies Singles’ for example, just ‘Singles’. It is played by all ages from the very young to the
very elderly; by people of all fitness levels, including wheelchair users and those with other disabilities.