Welcome to the Devon County Short Mat Bowling Association website

Yes, we have finally published our own site for all our members and visitors to obtain current information and details of future events.  We hope that you will find the site both useful and interesting.  At the moment, the site is quite basic and needs some enhancement.  Over the coming months, we will try to expand the site to include more items and features.

Anyway ENJOY and COME BACK from time to time to see how we are progressing.

                                                                                                                    

Brief History of Short Mat Bowls and our Association 

Short Mat is the youngest and fastest growing variety of the four major disciplines of the ancient sport of bowling.  It is a sport which began centuries ago and which was later banned by Henry VIII because his archers were playing too much bowls rather than practicing their bowman skills.

It is believed that the Short Mat variety was created a little over fifty years ago in Wales and further developed in Ireland.  It was quickly taken up in England and as its popularity grew, the administration devolved from regional organisations to County organisations.  Short Mat Bowls within England is now administered by the English Short Mat Bowling Association (E.S.M.B.A), which was established in 1984.

The Devon County Short Mat Bowling Association was formed in 1990, and now boasts over one hundred clubs and more than 2500 registered members.  It is a sport which is tailor made for a County like ours, with its multitude of village halls and bowling clubs, whose members have nothing to play during the long winter months when they are deprived of their outdoor greens.  Of course not all of our members have former links to bowls, in fact Short Mat was the introduction for most of our members and is the only variety that many choose to play all year round.  From those who have yet to reach thier tenth birthday to those whose eightieth is but a distant memory.  Both fit and disabled, this is truly a sport for all.

Club, County and National Competitions and Leagues 

Bowls is a very social activity and many of our members are quite happy to attend their local club for just a quiet roll-up and a get together.  However, for the more competitive member, many of the clubs organise their own competitions and may also participate in a local league.  This can be an ideal way to improve your skills and to meet other members who share your enthusiasm for the game.

The County Association organises a variety of events for all our registered members.  These include: -

  • County Singles
  • County Pairs
  • County Triples
  • County Fours
  • Club Team Championship
  • Under 18's Championship

Most of these events commence at club level where members compete against other members from neighbouring clubs in order to qualify for the County Finals.  These are held at our County HQ, currently located at the ISCA Centre in Exeter.  The venue is an established indoor bowling club which offers a near ideal playing surface for our mats, ample parking facilities, viewing area and a good standard of catering which is available at all our events.

The County Association also has two County teams that participate in the Inter-County Championships organised by the ESMBA.  Both the Premier and "A" teams compete annually in a local league with Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset in order to qualify for the knock-out stages of the tournament.

For those even more competitive, the E.S.M.B.A organises a range of National events which include the following: -

  • National Singles
  • National Pairs
  • National Triples
  • National Fours
  • National Mixed Fours
  • Under 18's

More details on all of the events mentioned above and how to enter can be found on the Competitions page.   

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