Clovelly Bowling & Recreation Club

It's hard to imagine a more magnificent spot in the entire world to play a game of lawn bowls than the Clovelly Bowling Club.

Standing out on the green, the manicured grass is like a carpet floating high above the cliffs. The view is breathtaking. Below, the ocean gently rolls this way and that, stretching out towards the horizon. The coastline unfurls in front of you; a ragged, rocky wall punctuated by the sandy coves of Bronte, Tamarama and Bondi, and in the other direction, Coogee and Maroubra.

The club was formed in 1947 when Randwick Council agreed to lease a portion of Burrows Park to a local committee keen to establish a new recreation facility. Two greens and a clubhouse were constructed. Even back in the early days, members knew they'd gotten a good deal.

Weekend barefoot bowls, which attracts a younger crowd, has helped the club's books. As have endeavours like renting out the function room, which goes cheap, despite the fact that it offers sweeping ocean views from every window. Then there are the punters who just stop by for a drink or two at the bar, where the prices remain reasonable.

The club's key mission is evident on weekday mornings when the regulars crowd the greens. But it's in the clubhouse, with its red leather seats and blue carpet, where you realise that the game of lawn bowls is not all what this is about; it's about socialising and friendship.