NEWLY formed Bungaree Bowling Club will have two sides in Ballarat District Bowling Division's Saturday pennant competition next season.
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Bungaree will contest divisions seven and eight.
The club will initially play home games at Ballarat Bowling Club, with a long-term plan to have its own synthetic green at the Bungaree Recreation Reserve by 2016-17.
BDBD chairman Marilyn Blake said it was exciting to have a new club formed in the district.
It's great for bowls and sport in Ballarat.
"This gives us 24 in the district now.
"They have an impressive set up and are very enthusiastic," she said.
Bungaree promotions officer John Maher said the club had made a strong start, already having 36 members.
He is confident membership will top 50 by the start of the bowling season in October.
With Tony Trigg as inaugural president, the club expects to have a mix of experienced and rookie male and female bowlers in its first season.
Maher said of the experienced players, only a handful would be crossing from other clubs while others would be coming out of retirement.
Trigg said the importance of the support of the Ballarat Bowling Club could not be stressed enough.
Maher said club would a great asset for the Bungaree community, with the opportunity to build from the ground up.
"We've got a great facility already."
He said facility-wise, everything was in place other than a green.
The club will have use of the state-of-the-art clubrooms and associated facilities, which were completed midway through last year.
Maher estimates the development of a green. on the western side of the building, will cost $340,000.
Bungaree initially discussed the possibility of also fielding a side in the BDBD midweek pennant on Mondays, but has decided to delay this until 2015-16.