It is the second all-weather outdoor bowling green in the Bowls Dunedin Centre. The Mosgiel RSA Club put down an all-weather surface when the club was formed in 1991.
Mornington club treasurer Gerard Simmons estimated the all-weather surface would save the club $30,000 a year in maintenance costs. No professional green keeper, machinery or chemicals would be needed.
The Greenweave outdoor green is accredited to World Bowls Board standards, has a laser-controlled, engineered base, a comfort pad and a durable Greenweave surface carpet.
"The playing surface is dead flat, has a perfect draw and a speed of 18 seconds," club president Trevor King said.
"Minimal maintenance is required and only vacuuming is needed to clean the surface."
Similar greens are at Clyde, Queenstown, Wanaka, Hokonui and Invercargill. The carpet is manufactured in Scotland.
The club's project manager, Ian Johnson, said the all-weather green project was approved at a special general meeting of the club in April.
"The green is guaranteed for five years, but if it is kept clean and tidy and is well managed, it could last for 15 years," he said.
He compared it to the club's old cotula green that had to be shut down for maintenance in April and could only be played on for five months of the year.
"The drainage is good and it can be played on in the rain," he said.
Most of the preparation work was done by club members and this saved $15,000.
The club has raised the $200,000 for the all-weather green and is debt free, The project was helped by grants from charitable trusts, with the Otago Community Trust giving $30,000 to the project.
"I expect greens like ours to be the norm in the future for all clubs," King said.
