Packer Park Public Lawn Bowls (Carnegie)

Packer Park West Bocce, Bowls and BBQ features a combination of the two outdoor bowling sports - lawn bowls and bocce - and is surrounded by tree species associated with the countries in which each of the bowling forms originate. This theme has a strong link with the site's historic and former use as a bowling club between 1957 and 2003, firstly, as the home of the Carnegie Bowling Club and then for the Glen Eira Bowls Club.

There is an astro-turf bowling green at the western end of Packer Park. There are two sets of bowls in a metal container with a PIN code lock. Call the Glen Eira council Recreation Services on 9524 3333 to get access. 72 hours advance notice is needed in order to provide a PIN code. It is free to play but a $100 bond is required. After the bowls are returned the caretaker will check that the bowls have been returned in good condition and the bond will be refunded.

Next to the court is a bowls rotunda with tables and a water tap. There is also a bocce court in the area (BYO bocce balls).

Note: If someone has booked the Bowls rotunda then this also includes exclusive reservation of the bowling green and it will not be available to anyone else.

Lawn Bowls Rules

Lawn bowls can be played between two players or two teams of up to four players on a team. (This bowling green can be divided into two separate rinks for two games to be played simultaneously).
To begin each end, a player rolls the Jack across the entire green length, from a mat that is placed at the bowling end. The Jack must be rolled a minimum distance of 21 metres away from the bowler. When it stops it is then centred in the middle of the rink at the stopping distance.
Each team then takes alternating turns to deliver their bowls from the mat, with a under-arm rolling action toward the Jack. Remember that the bias of the lawn bowl causes it to curve inwardly as the object begins to slow down.
Depending on your strategy, a bowl can be bowled to knock another bowl or the Jack out of play; delivered with a lot of extra force to disturb other bowls; placed short on purpose to stop an opposing players potential bowling path.
After each player has delivered all of their lawn bowls, the distance of the closest lawn bowls to the Jack is determined (the Jack may have been displaced) and one point is awarded for each lawn bowl that a player has closer than the opponent's nearest to the Jack. The exercise is then repeated for the next end, and the player whose bowl was closest on the previous end places the mat and delivers the Jack on the next end.
Every game consists of a series of ends and the winner can either be the one who has scored the most shots after a specified number of ends or the first to reach a designated score.

History
This site was originally used as a bowling club between 1957 and 2003, firstly, as the home of the Carnegie Bowling Club and then for the Glen Eira Bowls Club. It has now been redeveloped into a recreational park, that is supported by tree plantings associated with the countries in which each of the bowling forms originate.

A Brief History of Bowls - 'First we finish the game, then we deal with the Armada'
Sir Francis Drake, July 19, 1588

In contrast to bocce balls, lawn bowls are designed to travel a curved path, due to a weight bias on one side of the bowl. The Duke of Suffolk introduced the bias inadvertently in 1522. Apparently his bowl split in two after striking another bowl and to obtain a quick replacement, he took the spherical knob of a stairway banister post. The flat side of the knob caused it to roll with a bias and he began using this curve to his advantage in the game. The word spread and bias bowls gradually became the norm.

Lawn Bowls have been traced to the 13th century. In 1299,The Southampton Old Bowling Green Club was formed in England - this club remains in existence today, making it the oldest sports club of its kind in the world.

In 1864 William Wallace Mitchell (1803 - 1884), a Glasgow Cotton Merchant, published his 'Manual of Bowls Playing' following his work as the secretary of The Scottish Bowling Clubs. The manual became the foundation of the rules of the modern game. The home of the modern game is still Scotland, and the World Bowls Centre is in Edinburgh. Lawn Bowls is now played in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa, Hong Kong, and parts of the United States and more recently in Japan.

Location

118 Leila Road, Carnegie 3163 Map

✆ (03) 9524 3333

Web Links

→ www.gleneira.vic.gov.au/our-city/parks-and-playgrounds/packer-park