It’s a Grass Roots Effort

Dressed in white from head to toes, they cheered for their teammates, giggled after bad shots and clenched fists in the air after good ones.

“Yes, yes . . . that’s it, baby! Roll right in there,” a woman screamed as her black ball cruised down the lane.

Bowlers’ night out?

Not quite. Lawn bowlers’ morning out.

Four times a week 20 to 25 bowlers gather for fun, friendship and competition at the Joslyn Bowls Green in Oxnard’s Wilson Park, the only public lawn bowling facility in Ventura County. About 85 bowlers use the venue weekly.

Los Angeles County has 10 public lawn bowling facilities but only one--the Glendale Lawn Bowling Club--is located in the San Fernando Valley area.

The game, a cross between cricket and bowling, involves rolling a 2-to-3-pound ball as close as possible to a smaller white ball called a jack.

The sport became popular in England during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Scottish immigrants brought it to the U.S. about 79 years ago. There are about 12,000 lawn bowlers in the U.S., according to Joseph Siegman, the editor of the American Lawn Bowling Assn.’s official magazine, ALBA Bowls.

“The game has grown considerably in retirement communities, but it has decreased in public parks,” Siegman said. “In the Sun Belt states it has maintained its popularity pretty well, though.”

Most American lawn bowlers are in their 60s, but in Europe, Australia and New Zealand top players are in their 20s and 30s. In those countries the game is televised regularly and the best players turn professional.

“It’s great fun,” said Rob Hutton of Camarillo. “When I first saw it I thought it was too simple, but it isn’t. It’s a game of concentration and finesse. The good thing is you don’t need brute force or excellent health.”

Hutton, 73, and his wife, Rosalie, bowl in Oxnard an average of three times a week. They also compete in a variety of tournaments, among them the Senior Olympics held annually at the Joslyn Bowls Green.

“Anybody who is coordinated can play it,” Rosalie Hutton said. “It’s easier than alley bowling, which I used to play a lot when I was younger. This is a lot easier on your body.”

Hutton and the rest of the Joslyn bowlers would like to defy a myth about the game, however: “You don’t have to be old to play it,” she said.

Participants say one of the best things about the game is that, unlike other popular recreation sports like golf and tennis, bowlers of all levels can play against each other.

“It can be played at several levels,” Siegman said. “Good players can play with not-so-good players and the sport just figures itself out that way.”

That’s what 81-year-old Angel Ochoa of Oxnard enjoys most about the game. He has been lawn bowling since 1987 and, despite two knee surgeries, continues to participate regularly.

On those rare occasions when Ochoa skips a session at the Joslyn Bowls, he feels a big void.

“It’s very challenging, but it’s not so hard on your joints,” Ochoa said. “My last knee surgery was just three months ago and here I am. I love this.”

*

The Joslyn Bowls Green was founded in 1986. It has a single bowling field and a 60-by-40 clubhouse with a large kitchen.

Every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday morning, groups of about 25 meet at 9:30 for pregame coffee and socializing.

A draw is made for team assignments and about a half hour later a bell goes off and the bowling begins.

Advanced bowlers offer free lessons for beginners or those who wish to improve their games. The Joslyn bowlers often compete against other clubs in Santa Barbara and Santa Maria.

Most of the Joslyn players are retired or semiretired adults who want to participate in a fun, social activity that isn’t too physically grueling.

“Competitive lawn bowling can be very intense, though,” said Marie Ecton, president of the Joslyn Bowls Green. “I like the social bowling, but when it’s competitive there’s little talking and you really have to concentrate.”

Ecton began lawn bowling in 1987, after her late husband spotted a game in progress while showing out-of-town visitors around the area.

“I’ve never participated in sports in my life, but this I can do well,” Ecton said. “It’s wonderful.”