On Wednesday 22 November, a contingent of townies headed across the Gulf to play Club Waiheke in the Townies vs Island event, aka the Battle of the Gulf.

Some 19 townies dressed in Bowls Auckland colours of blue and white (along with an invited Kohimarama team) were excited about the day. While the 2 bowl Triples format was a drawcard for sporting competition and friendly rivalry, the day wasn’t just about playing bowls. For the Bowls Auckland team, the day was an opportunity to be part of Club Waiheke’s awesome set-up and social environment.

Established in 1945, Club Waiheke has been part of its community for over 75 years. Nestled in Surdale with views beyond the bowling green blending out to the island’s beautiful landscape, the club is ideally situated for locals and visitors.

As the teams played on, the noteful tunes of tui were interspersed with Michael Jackson hits playing on the boom box and were magically in sync. The sounds, the warm weather and the friendly relaxed atmosphere were all part of the experience.

Bowls Auckland Life Member Gary Fleming remarked, “This is what it’s all about. Club Waiheke is part of the bowling community, but we don’t get to see them very often so it’s nice to be able to come together and spend time with them.”

Rawhiti Committee member Murray Lander added, “It was great to catch up with some old faces and meet some new ones in a great social setting. A very enjoyable day.”

Thank you, Club Waiheke for being a wonderful friendly host and thank you for taking such good care of everyone – we thoroughly enjoyed the day.

If anyone is visiting Waiheke over the summer, make sure to pop into the club and say hi – they’d love to see you.