You’ve got your set of shiny new bowls, now why do you need a lawn bowls bag?
When you play bowls, you’ll be moving your bowls around from home, to the car, to your home club and to away clubs. You’ll therefore need an easy and secure way to transport your bowls safely from one place to another without causing damage to your bowls…or to yourself!
A good lawn bowls bag protects each bowl as you transport them. One way in which lawn bowls can be damaged is when they are agitated during transport and come into contact with hard objects, such as the movement they experience when kept in the boot of a car. If bowls come into contact with hard surfaces inside a bag, such as rivets, this can cause wear and tear. Bowls should be kept in compartments with a soft or padded surface. The right storage should separate each bowl to protect them and prevent this kind of damage.
Bowls are a heavy item with each set weighing around 7kgs, not to mention any extra items you’ll need to bring with you so it’s important you bag is manufactured specifically for bowls and to carry this weight.
Along with polishing and washing your bowls regularly, you need to secure and store them safely.
What makes a bag a lawn bowls bag?
A lawn bowls bag will secure each bowl by storing them in separate section. These bags also feature separate storage sections for clothing and extra equipment, so you can organise your belongings well and be prepared with everything you need every time to you step on the green.
To top it off, you’re getting a strong, supportive fabric and structure that withstands the weight of the bowls without tearing.
What to consider in a lawn bowls bag
There are four main factors to consider when shopping for your lawn bowls bag.
1. How many bowls are you carrying?
Bowls come in sets of four so naturally most lawn bowls bags will cater for space for all four bowls. However you might find that you are only using two bowls for pennant (or pennants, depending on where you are) and want to use additional space in a bag for other items. You’ll therefore want a bag with flexible use of space.
TIP: If you do take only two bowls with you, we recommend rotating these each game so that all bowls wear at the same rate.
2. Transportation
As you determine the best bag for protecting your equipment, you’ll want to ensure you can transport your bowls with ease. If you are often bowling and travelling, you may want a bowls bag you can use to carry all your gear for the green and overnight items as well.
3. Consider storage for the extras
What else will you be taking with you? Many bowls bags offer additional compartments for wet weather jackets, on green accessories, warm clothing and shoes. If you intend on bringing additional equipment, shoes or clothes, you’ll want to choose a bag with extra room. Take the time to consider how much extra room is available on the bag, including extra pockets for small items like keys and phones.
4. Carry bag or trolley bag?
There are two main types of lawn bowls bags to choose from: the carry bag and the trolley bag. So which one do you choose?
The carry bag
A carry bag is a great budget option for your bowls bag. They are lighter and made for carrying your bowls by hand or over the shoulder with a shoulder strap. They are good for quick access and transporting your bowls and gear short distances such as from the car to the club. A small carry bag will also fit in a standard sized locker.
The trolley bag
Trolley bags are a very popular choice with a lot of bowlers as you don’t have to carry the weight of your equipment. They offer a secure, rigid structure to keep bowls safe. Consider a trolley bag if you are likely to be carrying a number of other items as well as bowls as each of these will add to the weight of the bag. With additional compartments for other items, it can be easier to keep things organised in a trolley bag.
Protection for your lawn bowls
The reason bowlers choose a dedicated lawn bowls bag is that they’re designed to secure and protect lawn bowls appropriately. They are made to last and carry the weight of your bowls and accessories. A general duffel bag or backpack isn’t constructed with this function in mind, so make sure you’re investing in a high-quality lawn bowls bag which will be structured to last.
TIP: Be sure to empty your bag regularly of sand and dirt. These can cause scratches and chips on bowls or remove paintwork on the engravings if they are consistently grinding against the surface during transportation. While these minor blemishes won’t affect the performance of your bowls, they may adversely affect the appearance.
Find the right bowls, find the right bags
Where you get high quality lawn bowls, you’ll get high quality lawn bowls bags. Henselite is a leading supplier of lawn bowls and accessories for both professional and social players. Browse our range of storage options for your lawn bowls. For all enquiries contact 03 9488 0488.
