Season 2011-12 is upon us and the stars are aligning for it to be a big one for the Torquay Bowls Club.

With the grand opening night, which was attended by the Surf Coast Shire mayor Dean Webster, Member for South Barwon Andrew Katos and federal Member for Corangamite Darren Cheeseman,  done and dusted it has been down to the serious stuff of bowls.

After surviving another bracing Torquay winter, the greens have come up in brilliant shape for this time of year, and are a credit to master greenkeeper Bill Hamshere and his band of willing volunteers.

The Tuesday and Saturday pennant competitions get under way in the next couple of weeks with the club hopeful of strong performances at all levels.

Last year we had all four Saturday pennant teams in the finals, with the Division 1 and Division 10 teams reaching grand finals, unfortunately both being pipped at the post by slender margins. The Tuesday teams also did well, all finishing near mid-table and are expected to advance this season.

This year we are aiming to do better, and have added three extra teams in the Saturday competition thanks to an influx of new players. We will be represented in Divisions 1, 3, 5, 9, 11 and 12, which gives us great scope to cater for all standards and levels of competitiveness.

Last year we were embarrassed by the strength of numbers we had available for Saturday matches, meaning some players struggled to get a game. This year that will not be a problem.

Of great interest will be the influx of a dozen or so of our Twilighters to pennant and how they will adapt to serious inter-club competition. These players give the club a welcome transfusion of youthful zest, something that follows the worldwide trend for younger people to be playing the game at the competitive level.

And on the subject of Twilighters, the greens are near full for the extremely popular Wednesday evening sessions and the club is looking at ways to accommodate the expected overflow. On Sunday, October 23 there will be a warm-up afternoon at which anyone interested in joining the fun can enrol.