After a year of ''unexpected events'' which forced the closure of the Middlemarch Bowling Club, the organisation has been given nearly $1500 from the Strath Taieri Community Board to maintain its mower.
Club secretary Dawn Coburn said normally the club paid for the maintenance but its income was down considerably after it had ''unexpected events'' and was forced to close at the end of January.
The club's season ended this month, she said.
The drought during the summer had caused the club's seven greens to burn off and it needed to install a new irrigation system for there to be any chance of saving the green, he said.
''With the new irrigation system we should be much better able to manage our green.''
The greens had became unplayable and the club needed to be closed in January to ensure there was time for some grass growth before winter.
Mrs Coburn hoped the club would reopen by late October and although the interclub competition began before the planned reopening date, the first games would be played away.
The club had 16 members and fielded four teams - two men and two women.
Club president Nola Tisdall said she had been a member for 30 years and it was the worst drought in her memory.
The club had never before been forced to close because of greens becoming brown.
The club being able to reopen on time depended on weather to boost grass growth.
Board chairman Barry Williams said the money for the mower maintenance was given because the club was a community asset and the board wanted it to remain open for future use .
''If a club closes, you'll never get it back ... I'd hate to see it slip away.''
