Bowls Canterbury is the regional governing body for lawn bowls across the Canterbury region — not a single club you join, but the organisation (a “Centre”) that supports and coordinates the area’s bowling clubs, runs competitions and youth programmes, and delivers coaching from complete beginners through to high-performance players.
If you want to take up lawn bowls in Christchurch or wider Canterbury, find a club near you, or improve your game, Bowls Canterbury is the place to start. This page explains what it does and how to get involved.
What Is Bowls Canterbury?
Bowls Canterbury (officially Bowls Canterbury Inc) is the Canterbury Centre affiliated to the national body, Bowls New Zealand. It works with around 54 clubs across the region (its contact page references up to 56), and describes its mission as to “lead, inspire and deliver” the sport — increasing participation and supporting strong performances at every level.
Rather than operating a single green, the Centre coordinates member clubs from Christchurch out to provincial Canterbury and Hanmer Springs, organises regional and interclub competition, runs an extensive coaching and youth-development programme, and supports clubs with administration and events.
The Centre is based at Fendalton Park in Christchurch, alongside several of the region’s most notable clubs.
Coaching & Development: Improving Your Game
Coaching is one of Bowls Canterbury’s clear strengths, with a structured pathway covering everyone from first-timers to elite youth:
Coach-development courses. Bowls Canterbury actively works to grow the number of qualified coaches in the region, running Foundation, Development and Update courses open to anyone — whether you’re starting from scratch or extending existing coaching skills.
Canterbury Open U5 pre-season coaching. This programme is designed specifically for players with five years’ experience and under, bringing players of similar ability together before the season starts. Experienced coaches provide personalised instruction and feedback to help players refine technique, understand game strategy, and build a solid foundation of skills heading into the new season.
Youth coaching and CYBA. Bowls Canterbury has put real focus on youth, with programmes specialised for intermediate and secondary-school age groups. The standout is CYBA — a youth high-performance programme created and driven by Tayla Bruce and supported by the Centre, run monthly during the season at Burnside Bowling Club for players aged roughly 9–21. Sessions are free, bowls are available to borrow, and all ability levels are welcome, from first-timers to those developing high-performance skills.
Secondary Schools competition. An interschool competition held on Wednesday afternoons in terms 1 and 4, giving beginner bowlers a fun introduction and competitive students a true game format — with coaching and support throughout.
For coaching and development enquiries, Bowls Canterbury’s development contact is Erica Ayres ([email protected]).
Competitions & Events
Bowls Canterbury runs a full calendar of Centre competitions and interclub play through the season, alongside its youth events — including the Secondary Schools interschool competition, South Island secondary-school tournaments, and the lawn bowls competition at the Selwyn District’s multi-sport Koru Games (held at Lincoln Bowling Club).
Member clubs host much of this play, and representative pathways exist for those competing at higher levels, so joining a club is the way into the competitive scene.
Finding a Club
Bowls Canterbury’s “Find a Club” directory is the gateway to its member clubs across the region. Several are featured on our Christchurch page — including Burnside Bowling Club (the South Island’s largest, with world-class greens and home to the CYBA youth programme) and Canterbury Bowling Club (strong beginner coaching and loan bowls).
Other notable clubs include Fendalton (two top natural greens that hosted the World Bowls championships in 2016), St Martins (a two-time national Club of the Year), Sydenham (Canterbury’s second-oldest, established 1888), Kaiapoi Riverside, Redcliffs and Papanui, among many more.
For the full, current list, use the Find a Club tool on the Bowls Canterbury website.
How to Get Started
If you’ve never bowled before, getting started is low-cost and low-commitment:
- Contact a local club or Bowls Canterbury. The Find a Club directory lists clubs across the region; many offer free coaching and loan bowls to newcomers.
- Go to a “have-a-go” session. Several clubs run casual try-it sessions — for example, Sydenham welcomes newcomers at 3pm on Fridays through the warmer months, with bowls and coaching supplied.
- Wear flat-soled shoes. That’s typically the only requirement to step onto a green.
- Ask about coaching. If you want to improve, the Canterbury Open U5 programme and your club’s own coaching are the structured next steps; youth players can join CYBA.
Contact Bowls Canterbury: Fendalton Park, 28a Makora Street, Fendalton, Christchurch 8540 · Phone (03) 351 2050 · bowlscanterbury.co.nz
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bowls Canterbury a club I can join? Not directly — Bowls Canterbury is the regional governing body (a “Centre”). You join one of its member clubs, and that club is affiliated to Bowls Canterbury. The Centre is your starting point for finding a club and accessing coaching.
How do I find lawn bowls coaching in Christchurch? Most clubs offer coaching to new members, and Bowls Canterbury runs the Canterbury Open U5 pre-season programme plus Foundation, Development and Update courses for coaches. Youth players (9–21) can join the free monthly CYBA sessions at Burnside.
Do I need my own bowls to start? No. Most clubs provide bowls for newcomers and “have-a-go” sessions, and CYBA has bowls to borrow. You generally just need flat-soled shoes.
Where do youth and high-performance bowlers train in Canterbury? The CYBA programme runs monthly at Burnside Bowling Club for players aged 9–21, and Bowls Canterbury runs school competitions and South Island youth tournaments.
How do I enter Bowls Canterbury competitions? Most Centre events and interclub competitions are entered through your club. Join a member club, and it will guide you into the season’s events.