The Weymouth & Portland Open Bowls Tournament has been a regular yearly event and this year, 2011, sees the Tournament celebrate its 52nd year. The very first Tournament, called the Weymouth Open Bowls Tournament was played on two of the Weymouth greens – Melcombe Regis & Greenhill with competitors competing for the Men’s Singles & Pairs titles. At that time the winner of the Men’s Singles received 10-Guineas in prize money and the winning Men’s Pairs team received 5-Guineas. The Singles competition attracted 106-entrants and the Pairs 55-entrants.

Tournament trophies had been donated by:

• Men’s Singles Winner: The Weymouth & District

  Co-operative Society Ltd

• Men’s Singles Runner-up: Mrs Winifred Pryer

• Men’s Pairs Winners: W.J.Rugg & Co Ltd

• Men’s Pairs Runner-up: J.A.Devenish & Co Ltd.

1963 saw the introduction of the Men’s Triples competition with prize money of £2-12-6d at stake for each member of the winning team.

The Triples competition trophies had been donated by:

• Men’s Triples Winners: Harold G Read Esq.

• Men’s Triples Runner-up: Messrs

  Vickers-Armstrongs (Engineers) Ltd.

The Tournament had now expanded to 3-greens with the Wellworthy green, as we now know it, in Weymouth also being used. The Tournament continued to gain in popularity and in 1970 was staged not only on the 3-Weymouth greens but also the Dorchester green. These must have been the times when traffic levels on the main Dorchester – Weymouth road were lower than what they are now and there was no need for the relief road that has at long last been opened. Use was also made again of the Dorchester green in 1973/74/75.

1971 was the year of decimalisation and the prize monies now stood at £10.50 for the Singles Winner; £5.25 for the winning Pairs team and £2.62½ for the Triples team. In 1974 the Tournament changed its name to the Weymouth & Portland Open Bowls Tournament and entry numbers had more than doubled since the commencement of the Tournament. The following year 4-greens were again used namely Melcombe Regis, Greenhill & Wellworthy in Weymouth and the introduction of Portland Victoria on the Isle of Portland.

1984 saw the Tournament celebrate its Silver Jubilee and the prize money for the Singles winner now stood at £60.00. This year also saw the introduction of another competition sponsored by Devenish Breweries, the Springfield Cup, for the benefit of players eliminated during the early rounds of the Singles & Pairs competitions. In 1986 an Under-16’s Singles competition was introduced where the youngsters competed for a trophy donated by the Tournament Secretary at the time, Jim Harding. In 1989 a Ladies Pairs competition was introduced on a trial basis involving only local clubs. It proved to be successful and the following year it was opened up to all players and clubs who competed for prize money of £12.00 for the winning team.

Over the following years the Tournament proved to be even more popular and in 1995 there were 304-Men and 64-Ladies entrants. This was the time when one had to submit an entry during the Tournament week to be assured of being entered in the next year’s Tournament. In 1999 the Under 16’s Singles competition was changed to an 18-Year & Under competition. 2000 saw a new millennium, a new club house for Greenhill and a new fun Tournament competition. This took the form of a Swinging Woods competition played with a set of original Lignum Vitea woods that were over 100-years old loaned to the Tournament by Forest Hill BC and a presentation to all entrants of a Millennium gift from the Tournament as a way of saying thank you for supporting the Tournament since it was first held 41-years ago. The Springfield Cup was held again but this year it had the added attraction of prize money with £60 for the Winning team and £30 for the Runners-up.

Times have changed and most noticeable has been the gradual decline in the number of active participants in the game of bowls nationally. The Tournament still attracts good numbers of entrants however and continuing sponsorship by local business has enabled the Tournament to still offer its attractive prize monies. The Tournament also provides the added attraction of offering a sea side environment where entrants can also combine a holiday with their bowling. The town of Weymouth offers many attractions apart from a safe sandy beach and there are numerous hotels, holiday flats, campsites and touring parks to be found. Also not to be forgotten is the wonderful Dorset countryside and the Jurassic coast that is on the doorstep waiting to be explored.

2009 saw the Tournament celebrate its 50th anniversary. All entrants were presented with a special 50th anniversary badge and the Tournament Secretary compiled a detailed account of the history of the Tournament and the 3-greens on which the competition games are currently played. This written account through the generosity of Sherrens The Printers was made into a special edition colourful booklet that entrants and members of the public could purchase during the Tournament week. All proceeds from the sale of the booklet and additional sales of the anniversary badge along with the profits from a Tournament Raffle were presented by the Tournament Committee to the Weymouth Lifeboat.

2009 also saw the introduction of a new competition – the Mixed Pairs. This competition attracted considerable interest and entry numbers had to be limited to ensure the Tournament could remain on schedule. The Mixed Pairs will be played again in 2011 but be aware that entry numbers will again have to be limited. If you wish to enter this competition therefore and want to be assured of a place get your entry form in early. This year the Tournament will again be played on the 3-Weymouth greens of Melcombe Regis, Wellworthy & Greenhill. The programme schedule will be tight but given fair weather the schedule will be achievable.

The 2011 Tournament week will commence with the early rounds of the Mixed Pairs Competition on Sunday 21st August and the 2011 finals will be played on Saturday 27th August commencing at 10.00 at Weymouth & Melcombe Regis Bowls Club. All our competitions offer great prize monies and a warm welcome awaits you. Don’t forget that there will be a Tournament Social ‘Get-Together’ on the opening Sunday evening in the Wellworthy Sports & Social Club at 8pm onwards where old friendships can be rekindled and new friends made in jovial surroundings.

We look forward to seeing you!