Introducing Bowls Buddies: A New Way to Bring the Next Generation into Bowls

At ShopPotters, we’re always looking for ways to help grow the game of bowls and make it more accessible to new players. That’s why we’re excited to introduce Bowls Buddies, an innovative range of bowls equipment designed to help children, schools and beginners discover the sport in a fun and engaging way.

Bowls Buddies has been developed specifically to remove some of the traditional barriers to entry in bowls, making the game easier to play in a wider range of environments while still keeping the core skills and enjoyment of the sport.

The Story Behind Bowls Buddies

Bowls Buddies was created by Steve Clamp and Ian Gill, two highly experienced bowlers and coaches who are passionate about growing participation in the sport. Both have spent many years working in bowls development and delivering projects that introduce new people to the game.

Steve Clamp is the County Development Officer for North Lancashire & Fylde CCGBA, a Level 2 bowls coach and one of the driving forces behind the successful Philip Wright Bowling Academy in Colne. His dedication to developing new players has been widely recognised — including receiving the Coach Bowls Grassroots Coach of the Year award in 2022.

Ian Gill is also deeply involved in bowls development as the County Development Officer for Lancashire CCGBA. He has worked extensively with school sports partnerships and junior bowls programmes, organising indoor tournaments and helping introduce bowls to children who may not typically engage with mainstream sports.

Together, Steve and Ian formed Bowls Buddies LLP in 2022 with a clear mission: to develop equipment and activity formats that make it easier for more people — especially children — to discover and enjoy the sport of bowls.. 

Making Bowls Accessible Anywhere

Traditional bowls can sometimes be difficult to introduce in schools or community settings due to the need for specialist greens or surfaces. Bowls Buddies was designed to solve this challenge.

The Bowls Buddies bowls behave like a traditional bowl with a genuine bias, but they are made from a lighter polyurethane material, making them safer and easier for younger players to handle. They also feature a ridged running surface, which helps control speed and allows them to be used on smooth indoor floors without the need for specialist mats or carpets.

This means Bowls Buddies can be played in a wide range of locations, including:

• School sports halls

• Community centres

• Playgrounds

• Bowling greens

• Artificial or hard surfaces

By removing the need for a bowling green, schools and clubs can run sessions all year round, making bowls far more accessible to younger players.

A New Format for Schools

One of the most exciting aspects of Bowls Buddies is that Steve and Ian didn’t just develop new equipment — they also created a new format of the sport designed for school environments.

Sessions can be run within a standard badminton court area inside a sports hall, making it easy for teachers and coaches to set up structured activities and competitions during PE lessons or sports programmes.

The system also includes a range of target mats, cones, hurdles and scoring challenges, allowing children to take part in fun games that develop accuracy, coordination and teamwork.

To support teachers and coaches, Bowls Buddies also provides an Activity Book containing multiple game ideas and simple instructions, making it easy to deliver engaging sessions even for those completely new to the sport.

Engaging Children Who Don’t Enjoy Traditional Sports

One of the key benefits of Bowls Buddies is its ability to engage children who might not normally participate in traditional sports such as football or rugby.

Schools and sports partnerships have reported that Bowls Buddies sessions provide a welcoming and inclusive environment, allowing pupils to try something different while building confidence and coordination.

This inclusive approach is one of the reasons the programme has already been adopted by hundreds of clubs, schools and community groups, helping introduce bowls to a completely new generation of players.

Supporting the Future of Bowls

At its core, Bowls Buddies is about growing the sport for the future.

By introducing bowls to children in a fun and accessible format, the programme helps create a natural pathway from school activities into local bowls clubs. It also helps clubs connect with their local communities and develop new junior sections.

For organisations looking to expand participation, Bowls Buddies offers a simple, flexible and proven way to introduce bowls in schools, clubs and community programmes.

Discover the Bowls Buddies Range at ShopPotters

We’re proud to bring the Bowls Buddies range to ShopPotters, making it easier for schools, clubs and organisations to access this exciting development tool for the sport.

From starter kits and activity equipment to full school packages, the Bowls Buddies range provides everything needed to deliver fun, inclusive and engaging bowls sessions.

Explore the Bowls Buddies collection today and help inspire the next generation of bowlers.