Stanhope - we were beaten by champions

Jean contacted the Stanhope club on Facebook to say we were coming. She didn't get an answer but we turned up anyway to a friendly welcome.

We saw two guys and said we were there for a rollup. We convinced them (Ben and Butch) to have a game with us. We played three bowl pairs. Mal and Jean against Butch and Ben.

(Ben, Butch, Jean and Mal)

Butch is the volunteer greenkeeper and the green is immaculate. The best we've seen.

We complimented him on his great work.

Butch told us he used to play in the ones but is now in the threes. Ben skips the ones. You could tell.

We didn't bother paying attention to the score because we got a shellacking. We thoroughly enjoyed the game and the company. Every time we got shot Ben drove us out. Jean called out "Don't you break my bowls!"

(Ben's light blue bowls headed for Jean's)

We liked their dial-a-score board.

We met Tim who said he read the message on Facebook but didn't know how to respond to the question about social bowls because they don't really have it.

A few other boys came down to play a championship game after our rollup. Some beautiful bowls played.

Butch's wife Jenny runs the bar. Butch proudly boasted she has 13 singles championships under her belt.

Butch told us the club won Pennants for decades. With the bowls we saw played, we believe that!

Stanhope - a champion club.