Do I need my own bowls?

No. We keep sets for visitors and beginners to borrow, free of charge.

Anything comfortable with flat-soled shoes. Smooth-soled trainers are fine.

Is there an age limit?

None at either end. Juniors play here and our oldest members are well into their eighties.

Enough to walk the length of the rink and bend to deliver a bowl. It is a gentle game and plenty of members play into their eighties.

Can I come on my own?

Most first-timers do. Say so when you book and the staff will start you off and put you in with other players.

Yes. Inside session hours book as many rinks as you need. Outside them we open specially for groups of sixteen or more.

Is it cheaper to be a member?

Members pay £6 a session against £8 for visitors. Membership also brings league and championship entry, priority booking and a vote at the AGM.

Are you open at weekends?

Weekend hours vary with the competition calendar. Check what's on, or ring us and we will tell you what is free.

We always recommend it. Rinks go quickly at 10:00 and 19:30, and booking means the bowls and the rink are waiting for you. Call, WhatsApp or email if you would rather not book online.

How long is a session?

Two hours, long enough for a full game in any format — singles, pairs, triples or fours. Group bookings can run longer by arrangement.

When does the season run?

September to Easter. Session times are seasonal, so summer opening is by arrangement and group booking only.

What is indoor bowls?

A precision game played on a flat carpet rink. You roll a weighted bowl as close as you can to a small white jack; the bowl curves because it is biased on one side. Games are singles, pairs, triples or fours.

Is it hard on the knees?

Less than most sports. There is no jumping or running, you can deliver from a standing position, and players use a bowling arm or a stick if bending is difficult.

Can I hire the whole green?

Yes. Both greens can be booked outright for competitions, corporate days or events, and the arena can be floored for something else entirely.

Indoor bowls in Northern Ireland

Two greens of six rinks each, twelve in all, and both play quick and true. Visitors are welcome at £8 per person for a two-hour session, members pay £6, and bowls are provided free. No club and no experience needed.

See tonight's rinks Never played before?

A bowler in delivery on the green, with players waiting at the far end beneath the club banner

Playing here

Jim Baker Stadium is one of the best indoor bowls venues in Ireland: two greens of six rinks each, twelve in all, and both play quick and true. That is why national and international events come here, the 2025 World Bowls Junior Indoor Championship among them. You do not need a club or any experience to play on the same rinks — visitors book a two-hour session for £8 a head, members £6, and we lend you the bowls.

Never played before?

You can come to an open day, or simply book a rink like anyone else. Just tell us when you book that it is your first time, or that you need bowls, and we will have bowls out for you to use. Flat shoes or socks are all you need, and one of our staff will take you through delivery and scoring — you will be playing an end within ten minutes.

There is no course to sign up to and nothing extra to pay. The staff on duty will start anybody off who wants a hand, and if you arrive on your own they will put you in with other players rather than leave you on a rink by yourself.

Beyond casual sessions the stadium is home to County Antrim Indoor Bowling Club, whose morning, afternoon, evening and veterans leagues run from September to Easter. Club championships cover singles, pairs, triples and fours, and open competitions bring in bowlers from across Ireland. If you would rather play competitively than socially, the league programme and competition calendar are open to every member.

The stadium sits on the Ballysavage Road at Parkgate, between Ballyclare and Antrim, about twenty minutes from Belfast and fifteen from Belfast International Airport. Members come from all over — Ballyclare, Antrim, Templepatrick and Ballymena, but also Portadown, Ballywalter and much further afield — and there is free parking for a hundred and twenty cars at the door.

What it costs

Visitors welcome£8 / person / 2hr sessionNo membership needed. Bowls provided free. Book online or turn up if a rink is open.

Members£6 / person / 2hr session£2 off every session you play, plus league entry and priority booking.

New member season£30 for 2026/27Member session rates, the opportunity to enter leagues and championships, and priority booking.

Groups, outside session hours16 people minimumAny other time of day can be opened for a group of sixteen or more — work outings, clubs and family days.

How a game works

Indoor bowls is played on a rink about forty metres long. One player rolls the jack to the far end, then each side plays their bowls in turn, trying to finish closer to it than the opposition. When every bowl has been played the closest side scores, the end is cleared, and you play back down the rink in the other direction.

Every bowl is biased, so it curves as it slows. Learning to read that curve is the whole game, and it is why bowls rewards patience over strength. Sessions here are played as singles, pairs, triples or fours, and our staff will happily set you up with a partner if you arrive on your own.

Because the green is indoors and heated, nothing is ever cancelled for weather and the carpet plays much the same whatever the season is doing outside. Indoor bowls suits anyone: there is no minimum age at either end, nothing to buy before you start, and a beginner can hold their own against an experienced bowler in a way few other sports allow. Plenty of people who first came in for a work outing or an open day are still playing here years later.

Book a rink

Mon 21 Sept12 free
Tue 22 Sept12 free
Wed 23 Sept12 free

Rinks free at the busiest point of each day. Pick a time on the booking page.

Book a rink

Session times

The season's sessions start on Mon 21 Sept. Until then the green opens for competitions and group bookings.

Sessions are seasonal and run from September to Easter. Weekend hours depend on the competitions and events calendar, and outside these times the green opens for group bookings of sixteen or more. We always recommend booking ahead — or get in touch and we will sort it.

Getting here

20b Ballysavage Road, Parkgate, Antrim, BT39 0DX. 20 min from Belfast, 15 from the airport. Free parking, 120 cars.

Your first visit

Book a session — online, by phone, WhatsApp or email. Tell us if it is your first time.
Arrive ten minutes early and we will find you a set of bowls to use.
Play in flat shoes or socks. Nothing else is needed and there is no dress code for casual sessions.
Staff will start you off if you want a hand — delivery, scoring, and the etiquette of the rink.
The bar is open throughout. Have a pint while you play if you like — just no food or drink on the green.

Book your first session

Group bookings · sixteen or more

We will open the green for you

Outside the published session times the stadium runs on group bookings. Bring sixteen people or more and we will open whichever part of the day suits you — twelve rinks, staff on hand to get everyone playing, and the bar open. Food comes from our own kitchen if you ask for it when you book; there is no daily service to walk in on.

Enquire about a group 028 94 432 937

Work outingsAfternoons and early evenings, a rink per team. Some groups bring a trophy along for the winners.
Clubs and societiesRegular block bookings for church groups, rural clubs and social committees.
Family daysAll ages on the same rink. Bowls to borrow, no experience needed.
Schools and youth groupsDaytime sessions with staff on hand, supervised throughout.

Common questions

Do I need my own bowls?: No. We keep sets for visitors and beginners to borrow, free of charge.
What should I wear?: Anything comfortable with flat-soled shoes. Smooth-soled trainers are fine.
Is there an age limit?: None at either end. Juniors play here and our oldest members are well into their eighties.
Do I need to be fit?: Enough to walk the length of the rink and bend to deliver a bowl. It is a gentle game and plenty of members play into their eighties.
Can I come on my own?: Most first-timers do. Say so when you book and the staff will start you off and put you in with other players.
Can I bring a group?: Yes. Inside session hours book as many rinks as you need. Outside them we open specially for groups of sixteen or more.
Is it cheaper to be a member?: Members pay £6 a session against £8 for visitors. Membership also brings league and championship entry, priority booking and a vote at the AGM. What membership includes →
Are you open at weekends?: Weekend hours vary with the competition calendar. Check what's on, or ring us and we will tell you what is free. What's on →
Do I need to book?: We always recommend it. Rinks go quickly at 10:00 and 19:30, and booking means the bowls and the rink are waiting for you. Call, WhatsApp or email if you would rather not book online.
How long is a session?: Two hours, long enough for a full game in any format — singles, pairs, triples or fours. Group bookings can run longer by arrangement.
When does the season run?: September to Easter. Session times are seasonal, so summer opening is by arrangement and group booking only.
What is indoor bowls?: A precision game played on a flat carpet rink. You roll a weighted bowl as close as you can to a small white jack; the bowl curves because it is biased on one side. Games are singles, pairs, triples or fours.
Is it hard on the knees?: Less than most sports. There is no jumping or running, you can deliver from a standing position, and players use a bowling arm or a stick if bending is difficult.
Can I hire the whole green?: Yes. Both greens can be booked outright for competitions, corporate days or events, and the arena can be floored for something else entirely. Exhibitions & events →