Boules is the collective name for games played with balls. The aim of the game is to get large balls as close as possible to the “jack” as you can. It is very popular in France and Italy where it can often be seen played in open spaces in villages and towns. It is similar to bocce, petanque and bowls. The class is purely social fun with simple rules and no great skill required.
All equipment is provided.
Thursday
This course is for those members who want to keep their minds active. It is played all around the world and when travelling local clubs can be found where one can have a game.
Bridge is a four-player partnership trick-taking game with thirteen tricks per game. Each player is dealt thirteen cards from a standard 52-card deck.
Bridge is a very social activity and meeting new friends is one of the advantages.
Monday
A group of members who come together to play the card game Canasta. New members are welcome as vacancies occur . Members welcome newcomers and are happy to help them learn how to play the game if necessary. Games are played in a relaxed, friendly and non-competitive atmosphere with all equipment provided.
Tuesday
The class is designed to provide the opportunity for members to learn to play “500” or to hone their skills if they already play. While there is no experience needed, some participants have played the game quite a few years ago, so are looking to get “up to speed” again. The emphasis of the group is on enjoyment, not serious competition. All materials are supplied.
Friday
This group is designed for those who enjoy the challenge of chess in a relaxed and congenial atmosphere. All levels of ability are welcome with members happy to teach those with no previous knowledge. All chess sets are provided. Thursday
This course provides the opportunity for members who have no knowledge of chess to learn the very basic moves of the chess pieces and learn to understand the objective of the game and some strategies to achieve this.
Friday
This is an extraordinary, historic card game originating in England and played all around the world, especially in England, USA, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. Games may be played in pairs, three-handed or foursome. There are several variations of the game, so come along and join in, in a non-competitive and friendly atmosphere. All equipment is provided.
Monday
Croquet is a tactical struggle, played on lawn, where players use a mallet to manoeuvre balls through the hoops in a specific order. At the same time they attempt to position a ball to restrict their opponents chances of doing the same. Classes are held at Cosmos Park and are designed for those who have no experience, as well as those who have had previous tuition and developed some skill. Members are asked to wear closed in shoes, bring a shady hat, sunscreen and a water bottle. (There is a cost of $5 per session paid to the club to cover green fees and equipment hire)
Thursday
Members have the opportunity to learn some of the skills of Lawn Bowls in a 6 week course offered by members of the Bongaree Bowls Club. This is a fun outdoor sport but you do not necessarily need perfect health. If you have back trouble or find it difficult to bend down, it is possible to play using a bowling “arm” and many people use bowls lifters to raise their bowls from ground level.
Members are asked to wear appropriate footwear and bring a hat and water. There is a cost of $5 (each week) to cover the use of equipment and green fees. It is hoped that following the course members may decide to join the friendly Bongaree Bowls club.
Friday
Mahjong originated in China and is similar to the western card game, rummy. It is a game of skill, strategy and calculation and involves a degree of chance.
The game is played with a set of 144 tiles based on Chinese characters and symbols. Usually played with 4 players, there are several variations of the game most of which start with each player receiving 13 tiles. For all mahjong classes all equipment is provided.
Mahjong 1 caters for members with all levels of mahjong ability. New players wishing to learn are able to enrol at times when there is a vacancy. This group does not score.
Tuesday
Mahjong originated in China and is similar to the western card game, rummy. It is a game of skill strategy and calculation and involves a degree of chance.
The game is played with a set of 144 tiles based on Chinese characters and symbols. Usually played with 4 players, there are several variations of the game most of which start with each player receiving 13 tiles. For all mahjong classes all equipment is provided.
Scoring is taught in this class to all new members but also to current members who show an interest to learn. New players wishing to learn are able to enrol at times when there is a vacancy.
Monday
The Mahjong Experienced class is designed for those who are competent mahjong players. Players should have experience playing Western style mahjong. All games are scored so new players should be keen to learn. House rules would be explained before a player's first game. It is recommended that players have the book “The Mahjong Player’s Companion” by Betty Maloney. (Kangaroo Press) Thursday
This is an exciting game that is hugely popular in North America and Europe. It uses a badminton-sized court with a lower net. Solid paddles (bats) are used and the ball is hollow plastic. An ideal game for seniors, it can be tailored to all fitness and ability levels. Sessions are held at the Lions Community Hall, Sunderland Drive, Bellara. A $3.00 equipment hire fee each session will apply.
Wednesday
This is a class for those who want to keep their mind active while having fun. There is a variety of quiz formats. Some come from newspapers and some from a collection of books the group has acquired. These are somewhat like trivia but can cause spirited discussion at times. On occasions current events are discussed, mostly with diverse and often hilarious comments. During our time there is an interval for morning tea, then there is a session for games such as Rummikub, dominoes, and a variety of card games, and Scrabble, which makes for some very creative spelling at times. The main objective of the group is to keep interested in the world around us and have a good time while doing it. The only criteria for joining the group is to have a sense of humour and don't take yourself too seriously.
Tuesday
Rummiking is a game with a long history. It is a tile game and not one played with cards. It can be played by two, three or four people at any one time.
This course is aimed to teach participants the rules of the game, but its main focus is to have fun and enjoy the company of other members.
Wednesday
Scrabble is a board game played with the tiles A-Z , each with a numerical value. The aim of the game is to make words with the highest score possible. It is normally played with 2 people but can be played with 3 or 4. Being a good speller is a great help but we also use the official Scrabble Dictionary to check words and their meanings. We also have copies of the two and three letter words from this dictionary which players can use. This is the only dictionary used.
The game is played in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere where tutoring is available if required. New players are always welcome. All equipment is provided.
Friday
This session is designed to encourage members to exercise their memory, learn something new and have fun. The quiz is based on a wide variety of topics. Members work in teams of 4 made up on the day from those attending. As the program is not sequential, members can attend on a casual basis and new members are always welcome. Those attending are advised to bring a pen and paper. Members will have the opportunity to organise the quiz for a session if they choose to.
Friday
This course allows members a chance to play some of the best board games of the new era. On offer: games such as Worker Placement, Abstract, Co-operative and Deck Building. Legacy and Euro games such as Catan, Viticulture, Pandemic, Dominion, Wingspan, Castle of Burgundy, Clank, Agricola, and Code Names could also be used throughout the course. The tutor will provide training and instructions for each new game introduced through the course.
Tuesday