
Scott Curran of Dairy Flat aims to add a medal or two at the World Masters Games to the coveted Bowls NZ Gold Star that he achieved three years ago.
At the age of 42, Scott says he is the youngest member of Bowls Orewa; despite that, he has had plenty of experience having played the game for more than 20 years.
He chose lawn bowls at the age of 20 after a bad car accident. The painter/decorator was keen on sports as a young man but the accident resulted in a serious leg injury that effectively put his golf and tennis playing days behind him.
Lawn bowls was one of the few sports he could still do, and he says almost immediately on taking up the sport he discovered a natural flair for it. That is why he continued playing even after full recovery from the accident.
He says he remembers finding the stringent rules at bowling clubs difficult when he first started. “It would encourage more young people to play the game if clubs could relax some of the old fashioned rules, such as the dress code,” he says. “Having to turn up in your whites, for example, is something that many younger people struggle with and I remember feeling that way at the beginning.”
He says once you do join a club, there are lot of things to enjoy about bowls.
“It’s a game that’s very competitive, and more mental than physical,” Scott says. “I like that type of challenge and of course you can play bowls for the rest of your life.”
Fitting games around full time work means that Scott only gets to the green around once a month, as well as competing in several tournaments. However, with the World Masters starting next month, he is hoping to get in quite a bit of practice with his team members to sharpen up before the event.
Scott will compete in 40-50-year age group in the Fours, Pairs and Mixed Pairs. David Eades, also a member of Bowls Orewa and Gold Star holder, is Scott’s partner in the Pairs and also in the Fours team.
“I think we’re in with quite a good chance,” Scott says.
Games facts and figures
The World Masters Games is the largest event NZ has hosted since the 2011 Rugby World Cup and takes place April 21-30 at 48 venues (most in Auckland). The closest venues to the Hibiscus Coast are in Albany.
Registration closes this week, on March 3.
This is the first time NZ will host the Games, which began in 1985 in Canada.
Government and the Council CCO Auckland Tourism Events and Economic Development (ATEED) invested approximately two thirds of the $35.85 million required to stage the event with the remainder coming from registration fees and sponsorship.