Garioch Indoor Bowling Centre attracts national players across Scotland to compete at its 2021 Short Mat Annual Competition

The Garioch Indoor Bowling Club hosted the interclub ‘Round the Stick’ competition this weekend. Over 100 competitors attended the event, including players who regularly compete nationally and several who represent Scotland.  

This is the 12th year of the Garioch Interclub “Round the Stick” Competition, and this year sees a much-welcomed return to the competitions’ calendar after the covid lockdown.  The match is played twice a year and is a firm fixture in the Scottish sporting calendar. 

Last weekend’s competition attracted clubs locally and further afield, including clubs from Mallaig and Gretna. The “Round the Stick” Competition included Singles, Pairs and Triples games. Triples Championship was won by Jim Gordon from Huntly Club, Sandy McDonald from Grampian Bowling Association, took runner up position, and the Triples consolation winner was Roy Lingard from Monymusk Bowling Club and I Ross as runner up.  The pairs championship winners were Murray Masson & Bill Fraser, Sandy McDonald & Roy Lingard, the Pairs runners up. The Singles Championship winner was Ian Jaffray.

Sandy McDonald, a finalist in this weekend’s Triples,  plays internationally and has been selected to play at the British Championship (Ireland, Wales, Scotland, England) in January 2022.  Paul Walker from the Grampian Bowling Association, a finalist at this weekend’s competition, regularly represents Scotland and joins Murray Masson and Sandy McDonald at the British Championship.

Several of this weekend’s players will play at the Scottish Open Short Mat in Stranraer (21-22 Nov). The Scottish Open attracts players from across Scotland, with clubs coming from far and near, including Aberdeenshire, Dumfries, Glasgow, Skye; the Scottish Open will have players qualifying to represent Scotland.   

At the end of the weekend, Derek Mackay, President of Garioch Indoor Bowling Club, said: “Normally the competition draws over 300 players to what has become a high profile competition in the short mat calendar. However, this year we weren’t sure what to expect following lockdown. We were thoroughly delighted to welcome over 100 players, including players who could join us from Mallaig and Gretna Bowling Clubs. A thank you to Barrett Homes, who kindly sponsored this weekend’s event.”

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