HAMILTON Bowling Club has unveiled its brand-new bowling green with a ceremonial first bowl on Thursday afternoon as Peter Graham, the newly crowned men’s club champion, sent the first bowl down the green.

The Club has worked very hard over several years to replace the old carpet that was laid approximately 20 years ago and had to raise over $225,000 to replace the surface, with no help through grants even though the club applied for every assistance it could.

With over 100 people using the facility each week of the year, the new green will get plenty of use through social bowls, club events and pennant competition.

Club members are rightly proud of their efforts to replace the surface and now members will have to get used to the new green which is running much slower than the old surface it has replaced.

The new green is running at 14-14.5 seconds whereas the old green was around 18-19 seconds and Bowls Victoria want greens running at 15-16 seconds to be ideal and the green will quicken up over time but for now the players are getting used to the new surface.