Asia Pacific Championships

Established in 1963 in an area of farmland in the suburb of Avonhead in the North West of Christchurch, the Burnside Bowling Club is located 3 km from Christchurch International Airport and 7 km from the city centre.

Play began in 1964 on the first of the three present-day greens. Initially separate men’s and women’s clubs shared the facilities but today Burnside is an amalgamated club with 227 men and 91 women members making it the largest bowling club in the South Island.

The club is sited in the 70 acre Burnside Park which is also home to rugby, soccer, cricket, and tennis and squash clubs.

The three 36.6m x 36.6m cotula-maniototo (leptinella) weed greens are surrounded by prize winning gardens with a central, large and welcoming club house with separate dining room and lounge bar facilities.

Burnside has produced two former international players – Bruce McNish and the late Stewart Buttar, former highly regarded and much respected National Coach – and numerous Canterbury Centre representatives both men and women. Members have won four New Zealand Championship titles – Men’s Fours 1993 & 1994 and Men’s Pairs 1994 & 2004 as well as dozens of Centre titles.

Burnside has been the headquarters for both the men’s and women’s National Championships and fittingly for the Nationals of 2003/2004 where the women’s and men’s Championships were held together for the first time – a fore-runner to the World Bowls Championships in 2008.

The immaculate greens have hosted several international matches including those against Australia and Ireland. The greens have always received the highest praise for their consistency, pace and true line to the jack. They are regarded as among the best surfaces in Australasia.

The Club is gearing itself to be the headquarters for World Bowls 2008 and before that the Asia Pacific Championship in January 2007.

The Club’s symbol is a clump of cabbage trees in full head. This symbol recalls a landmark used by Maoris and early settlers to guide them on their travels north of the old town centre across a rather featureless plain. The cabbage trees are now the symbol of schools and sports clubs in the local area.

Fendalton Bowling Club

Situated to the north-west of the city centre, just off Memorial Avenue, host club Fendalton is situated in quiet parkland surroundings that help to give Christchurch its Garden City tag.

A group of committed club members is already hard at work creating the best possible presentation for the clubhouse, greens and surroundings, and are looking forward to proudly welcoming all players, officials, supporters and spectators to their club.

Looking for more information about the Fendalton Bowling Club? Click here to check out their website which has a very interesting diary of the 2005 Champion of Champions event.