LAGUNA BEACH LAWN BOWLING CLUB
LAGUNA BEACH LAWN BOWLING CLUB
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    • Home
    • Reserve
    • About
      • The Club & History
      • Club Calendar
      • Contact Us
      • FAQ
      • Membership & Dues
      • Leadership
      • Volunteers
      • ByLaws
      • Code of Conduct
      • Private Events
      • Club Rules & Policies
      • Contacts
    • News
    • Social
      • Social Bowls
      • Social Calendar
      • Gallery
      • Social Outings (Fun!)
    • Compete
      • 2022 LBLBC Tournaments
      • Coast League
      • Competition Calendar
      • SW Division & Tournaments
      • Novices
    • Train
      • Resources
      • M/W Competitive Pairs
    • Bowls
    • Board
  • Home
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The Club & History

  1. The Club
  2. Someone New Moves To Town
  3. A New Club Is Born
  4. 1940 Grantland Rice Film
  5. Twentieth Anniversary
  6. A Third Green???
  7. Fiftieth Anniversary
  8. Today

The Club

The Laguna Beach Lawn Bowling Club (LBLBC) is located in Heisler Park at 455 Cliff Dr, Laguna Beach, CA 92651 overlooking Main Beach to the south and Picnic Beach to the north.  The club has two bowling greens, a clubhouse, and a patio.  People from all over the world visit the club as it has one of the most beautiful and stunning views in the United States. For a history of the club, click here.


The LBLBC organization is a member club of Bowls USA and becoming a member automatically makes you a member of Bowls USA. Membership is open to anyone. You do not have to be a resident and the membership fee is the same for everyone. For membership information, click here.

    Someone New Moves To Town

    1930

    On May 31st 1930, Harl S. Kittle, vice president of the Beverly Hills Lawn Bowling Club, purchased a new 5-room stucco house at the corner of Catalina and Oak streets to be used as a summer home. The Kittles must have liked their home and surroundings, because in February of 1931, they made a permanent move to Laguna Beach. He brought with him his hopes of building a bowling green in Laguna Beach not only for the enjoyment of the residents, but to induce Canadians to visit Laguna Beach for the winters. 

    A New Club Is Born

    1931

     

    Harl's efforts bore fruit when on April 29, 1931 at the Laguna Hotel, the Laguna Beach Lawn Bowling Club was formally launched with Harl being named its first president. With seventy-four members registered on the charter list, it was at the time the largest club in Southern California. By May the membership had grown to ninety-five. By July of that year the new green, what is now the south green, was being mowed. In November the green was opened and first games played. On May 1, 1932 the club was officially dedicated along with Heisler Park with a 2-day tournament. From then on, Laguna was a very popular club hosting numerous tournaments through the years..

    1940 Grantland Rice Film

    This classic 1940 film short by Grantland Rice depicts various aspects of "bowling," including Lawn Bowling in Los Angeles (0:26) and Laguna Beach (2:06). 


    This short also included outdoor Duckpins (at a fashionable Hollywood outdoor duckpins establishment) and, of course, indoor "Tenpins" bowling.

    20th Anniversary

    1951

    Arial photo of he club before the north green was added

    Arial photo of he club before the north green was added

    • At its 20th Anniversary celebration in 1951, the club announced that a new north green was to open within months. The added rinks would not only double playing surfaces, but permit alternating and allowing the highly cultivated grass a "breather" from the heavy traffic. The "new facilities" received their final "dressing" under the direction of the Agricultural Experimental Stations, University of California at Los Angeles.

    Arial photo of he club before the north green was added

    Arial photo of he club before the north green was added

    Arial photo of he club before the north green was added

    Photo courtesy of the Laguna Beach Historical Society.

    A Third Green???

    1960

    Believe it or not, almost 10 years later in August of 1960, the Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce supported a drive for funds to build yet a 3rd green, most likely north of the current north green. At the time there were 115 regular members, but there were also 152 Canadians associated with the club. That effort, unfortunately, seems to have fallen through. Alas, there is no third green.

    50th Anniversary

    1981

    Laguna Beach Lawn Bowling Club's golden anniversary was celebrated with a huge well-publicized tournament. Note the change in dress from all whites to a more "relaxed" ensemble.

    Today

    To Now

    Many years later, the present-day Laguna Beach Lawn Bowling Club has a membership of approximately three hundred and is still going strong.

    Laguna Beach Lawn Bowling Club
    501(c)(7) EIN:953819273
    info@lagunabeachlawnbowlingclub.com

    455 Cliff Dr, Laguna Beach, CA 92651