South Ramsey Bowling Club has improved its playing surface thanks to a grant from Manx Lottery Trust.

The £2,500 funding has enabled the purchase of a Verticut TT mowing machine to help reduce thatch, improve the sward and encourage finer grasses to flourish, increasing bowl speed on the surface.

David Kelly, greenkeeper at the club, said: ’Manx Lottery Trust’s support is invaluable.

’The grass was growing sideways which gave the green a bumpy surface, not suitable for playing bowls.

’Weekly use of the new mowing machine has helped keep the thatch off the green, encourage new roots and vertical leaf growth.

’All-in all this should maintain a smooth safe surface - great news for our ever-increasing membership and League and competition visitors.’

The season was put on hold during lockdown.

The club has invested in hollow tining (the removal of cores from the lawn, a good way to aerate and relieve compaction), scarifying and overseeding, but a side effect of all this work has been a build-up of thatch.

This loose, intermingled organic layer of dead and living shoots, stems and roots develop between the zone of green vegetation and the soil surface, building up when turf produces organic debris faster than it can be broken down.

The Manx Lottery Trust’s chairman, Sarah Kelly, added: ’We are very happy to be in a position to help South Ramsey Bowling Club.

’The club is a great community network and it’s good to know, with membership on the increase, that the playing surface can now be in the best possible condition to maximise enjoyment for all.’