Oxhey Bowls Club is a long-established members’ club with a friendly and relatively small membership.
The Green has six rinks maintained with care by Veolia on behalf of Watford Borough Council. Volunteers from amongst our members look after the clubhouse and the surrounding gardens.
The Clubhouse has a well-stocked and popular bar managed by members of our Bar Committee, together with a main function room and kitchen used for teas and social events, and changing rooms.
Members At the end of the 2023 season, we had approximately 70 playing members and about 20 social members. We hope to attract more players in 2024. Most of our members live locally and come from all walks of life. Above all, we are a friendly crowd!
Location Our Club is discreetly tucked away in a quiet setting behind Watford Heath, just off Oxhey Lane, South of Bushey, on the outskirts of Watford.
The Club’s address is:
Oxhey Bowls Club, Oxhey Grange Playing Fields, Watford Heath, Watford, Hertfordshire WD19 4EU.
Playing Bowls For our own playing members, we run regular organised bowling sessions (open to all playing members) at least four days a week, and a variety of internal competitions throughout the bowling season.
We play a full list of other local clubs, with men’s, ladies’ and mixed teams.
Further details can be found on our Playing Bowls page.
Social Activities Throughout the playing season we run a programme of social events, including Fun Days. During the Winter we run regular social events, including card games (Bridge and Whist), arts and crafts and coffee mornings in aid of local charities.
Management The Club is managed by an Executive Committee. Details of the Committee members are set out on the Committees page. There is also a Social Committee and a Bar Committee. These committees are supported by volunteer members.
The Clubs History
Oxhey Bowls Club is the oldest bowls club in the Watford area. It was formed in 1910 for the workers employed by The Oxhey Grange, Watford Heath.
OBC was the forerunner of a number of bowls clubs that started up in the immediate area during the next four years. By 1914, there were 12 local bowls clubs which eventually formed the Watford & District Men’s Bowling Association.
The Club’s green originally only had three rinks and play was only possible in one direction. And the roots of poplar trees on the green made for an interesting game! The Club moved to a green nearby which was officially opened in August 1926.
The famous golfer, Ted Ray, who was the professional at Oxhey Golf Club, British Open Champion in 1912 and the American Open Champion in 1920, won several bowls competitions at Oxhey Bowls Club.
In 1933 Watford Borough Council took over the maintenance of the green from the executors of The Oxhey Grange. In August 1966 a full-size six-rink green was built on an adjacent part of the Oxhey Grange playing field. In the early 1980s, the Club doubled the size of its clubhouse and a further extension was opened in July 1990 by the Mayor of Watford.
In 2010 the Club celebrated its centenary, and a Centenary Cup Competition is played annually.
