On a balmy Monday evening in Newport Beach, under the stars and floodlights, I found myself on a beautifully manicured field, talking about sports and our community. As a person who normally leans towards artistic and literary pursuits, this was very much out of the ordinary. My curiosity of the enigmatic field on San Joaquin Hills Road had finally gotten the best of me. I’d driven by many times in the last couple of years; always wondering what was going on there – who are all of those people in white hats?
The Newport Harbor Lawn Bowling Club, so named after its original location on the Balboa Peninsula before moving to its present site in 1972, has been a local institution since 1938. Truly a community treasure, the original club was conceived and constructed by Newport Beach residents with a passion for the obscure game met only by that of its current members, some of whom I had the pleasure of meeting this past week during their Bowling Under The Lights practice.
It was my luck to pop in on a Monday night, when things around the NHLBC are a little more relaxed, and the club is open to all for their weekly session. I met Charlie Herbert, Clay Nolde, Chris Wyrick and Barby Flaxman, who were there to socialize and get in a few quick bowls. Charlie took me on a tour of the facilities and introduced me to the sport of lawn bowling. Although the intricacies of lawn bowling are interesting and strategic, I knew as I was being shown the grounds that the most unique thing about this place was the club itself.
The NHLBC is a not-for-profit, member-supported business – but the $175 yearly fee grants you access not only to the local chapter in Newport, but to 9,000 other clubs around the world. Yes, nine thousand clubs for less than the price of a single game of golf at Pelican Hill.
Membership to the NHLBC literally comes with a key to the park. Once joined, you can visit the grounds for practice, games or tournaments any time, 24/7. Along with the bowling greens, members have access to the clubhouse, which has a variety of amenities such as a BBQ, large kitchen stocked by members, locker rooms, big screen TV with cable, wifi, air hockey, shuffleboard courts and plenty of couches and tables. The club asks that members donate a single dollar for each game played to pay for the groundskeeper.
There are currently around 220 active members at the NHLBC, but with open houses, free lessons and community outreach, they hope to raise those numbers by exposing a younger crowd to the fun and social aspects of this competitive and growing sport. Lawn bowling is very popular among seniors due to its low-impact nature, while still engaging players in walking, bending, stretching and honing their hand-eye coordination skills in an outdoor setting. The sport attracts many who play golf or tennis but are looking for a team or group activity. The club’s Thursday night Pot-Luck dinners and Saturday morning Social Bowls add to the communal aspect of the game, inviting members to come by even when they’re not playing a game.
With the US Open of Lawn Bowling starting on September 8th, the club expects to gain many new members and fans of the game. Opening ceremonies for the tournament will be held at the NHLBC on the 7th, and games will be played at the Newport Beach, Mission Viejo, Irvine, Laguna Beach, Laguna Woods, Long Beach and Corona del Mar fields through the 14th. Visit usopenlawnbowls.com for a full schedule of games and events.
For more information on The Newport Harbor Lawn Bowling Club, its history, weekly events and lawn bowling practices, visit newportharborlbc.com, or stop by on a Monday evening at 6:30 p.m. for a free lesson and introduction to the game. White hats not required.
