Lawn bowling holds key to sport

Most people of a certain age grew up with three of everything: three TV stations, three friends and three sports — football, baseball and basketball.

Now, kids have limitless TV, virtual friends and a wide world of sports that has truly become global.

On any given Sunday, kids of all ages can do lacrosse, water polo, Jujutsu, sea kayaking or almost any of the 8,000 official sports. Why?

Why not?

So when there is lawn bowling in your backyard, why not try it?

A great teaching moment, haul the kids away from their video games long enough to experience something different.

The Laguna Beach Lawn Bowling Club, celebrating its 100th year anniversary, holds an annual open house where visitors can get a free introduction to the sport.

“I think what’s cool is that all different ages can play it, and it’s competitive, so you can have a kid if he really practices, can be as good as someone who is much older,” David Grofik, former president of the club. “There’s a lot of skill and strategy in the game. It’s definitely challenging. It’s really fun.”

In case you are unfamiliar, the bowls (or balls) are shaped in such a way that they roll in a curved line, based on which side is facing out.

It’s challenging, humiliating, and has a certain flair that you can’t deny.

So ball up and prepare to lose.