It really is never too early or too late to take up the sport of bowls, writes Tony Broughton.

To prove the point the Honiton outdoor men’s champions in 2013 was 16-year-old Liam Crawford who took up the sport some four years earlier and narrowly missed being the indoor champion during the 2013/14 Indoor season, losing 21-19 to Terry House.

At the other end of the scale we have players that only took up bowls in their retirement, already making great headway into the sport!

For example, in the sport of bowls if a team score the maximum number of shot available in one end they have made a hot shot, much like a 147 in snooker. Some players may never achieve this in a lifetime of play.

However, one Honiton team did it recently and this included two retired ladies that only started to play bowls in September 2013.

The Bowls International Magazine run a hot shots club and players that have made the maximum score can become members. They receive a certificate stating the team member names, the date and place the Hot Shot was achieved, they all get a Hot Shot lapel badge and their names go into the record books.

A few weeks back George Kille and Tony Broughton, both experienced players, were joined by new players Yvonne Williams and Diana Hawkins when Honiton played against the Bovey Tracey Club and got eightshots on the 15th end. Both the ladies played magnificently throughout the match and well deserved their award. This is great praise for our coaching team and their methods and you can take advantage of that too.

On Sunday, April 27, from 10am to 2pm, Honiton Bowling Club is to hold an Open Day and invites people of all ages that may like to try their hand at bowling to come along and give it a go.

There will be no costs, equipment and refreshments will be provided free of charge. Come and take advantage of our facilities and our excellent bowls coaches.

For further details call 01404 45931 or 813185. If you don’t know where we are, look at the map on our website www.honitonbowlingclub.co.uk