1 Apr 26 - Resident stories
Absolute players
February was a busy month for keen bowlers Trevor and Linda Rayner, as the pair are off to compete in the Summerset National Mixed Pairs, hosted in the Bay of Plenty for Bowls New Zealand. “I have been playing bowls since I was 18,” says Trevor, 78, who lives with Linda at Summerset on the Landing in Kenepuru. “I have been the been runner-up in Wellington Singles for the last two years, flying the flag for the older brigade.” Trevor has played against the likes of bowls legends Val Smith and Gary Lawson, “finishing a distant second on each occasion.” “That’s the great thing about the Nationals,” he says. “Anyone can enter. You get to play against some great players and learn some tricks and tips.”
“It’s a simple game. We just muck it up by overcomplicating it!” laughs Trevor. Bowls is a popular pastime for the Rayner family – both Trevor, Linda and their three children, Dale, Grant and Karen, play both outdoor and indoor. While the principles of the game remains the same whether indoor or out, lawn bowls is played on a large 36-metre green, and indoor bowls on a 24-foot mat, with bowls biased (weighted) differently to account for the difference in surface.
“Of the children, two of them play outdoor bowls and they all play indoor bowls. They started at intermediate school.” The children all play at a high level – daughter Dale was the first woman to win as an indoor bowls skipper for New Zealand Fours and has won the Dominion Pairs and Fours in the outdoor code. She has also represented New Zealand at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India. “Linda and I went along to watch,” Trevor says proudly. Grant has seven Nationals titles under his belt for indoor bowls, while Karen, who plays indoor bowls, has represented the North Island alongside her siblings, who have also represented New Zealand in the indoor code.
Linda, meanwhile, started playing indoor bowls in 1970 after she had met Trevor, beginning outdoor bowls 14 years ago. “She used to joke she’d play outdoor bowls when she was old enough,” laughs Trevor, addressing the perception that lawn bowls is for seniors only. But statistics show differently – bowls has become hugely popular sport across New Zealand, regardless of age. Trevor mentors several youth players at the Tawa Bowls Club, of which he is president. “I play two or three times a week. There is interclub midweek and at the weekends. Our team won Division Three this year.”
For Trevor, the game appeals as it can vary so much from match to match. “In bowls, every end is different – the heads build up as each bowl is played. You get different shots and opportunities to think about.” The social aspect is a big drawcard too. “In team games, such as Fours, there is a fair bit of standing around while others take their shots, so there is time and opportunity to chat. It is a good way to get to know the other players.”
As well as a lengthy involvement in playing both sports, Trevor has also been involved as an administrator of both for over 50 years – serving as President of New Zealand Indoor Bowls from 2009 to 2012 and awarded Life Membership at club, district and national level.
Several other Summerset on the Landing residents play alongside Trevor at Tawa Bowling Club, with around a dozen residents who also actively play. “We take part in the intervillage competitions,” says Trevor. “The village bowls green serves its purpose and gets used regularly. In bowls, the longer the ground settles, the better it is to play on, and the village green is now better than it was when we first arrived four-and-a-half years ago!”
Although the Nationals are held in Tauranga, the two days of qualifying games are played at other locations. “There is a fair bit of travel involved,” confirms Trevor. “We play three games in Katikati on the first day, and then the next day is three games in Rotorua. We are staying with friends in Tauranga but we will only play there if we qualify.” It will be a busy and social event, as 20 sections are playing, with 12 to 14 teams in each section. The National Mixed Pairs are one of the few events men and women play together. “Linda and I will provide the entertainment,” Trevor says cheerfully. “We have some robust discussions!” Dale is also playing in the Fours, so the couple will go along to her matches to cheer her on, see friends, and enjoy a sport that is popular across age groups and social status across the country.
This is an article from the Autumn 2026 edition of Summerset Scene magazine