Bowls New Zealand chief executive Kerry Clark is at the forefront of changes that are dragging the traditional sport into the 21st century.
One of the innovations that is working is the "Mates in Bowls" programme.
It started slowly, with only 15 of the 600 clubs taking up the challenge. Bowlers were suspicious of it.
But Clark could see the benefits and continued to promote the policy aiming at casual bowlers and 60 clubs have now come on board.
It worked in Dunedin when Craig Ellis (25) joined the North East Valley club that has used the system for a number of years.
Ellis was introduced to bowls three years ago when he joined his flatmates in a few social games at the club.
He enjoyed the experience and signed up as a competitive player with the club last year. This year he qualified for the North East Valley Invitation singles.
The small Maraetai club of Auckland used the Bowls New Zealand tools to promote itself in October and 80 new bowlers turned up.
"Most of them had never rolled a bowl in their life before," Clark said.
"The club was just blown away.
"This programme is starting to work. I'm excited about it because the future of our sport is to engage with the wider community."
Clark emphasised that clubs must change.
"If we think we are going to turn these new bowlers into traditional members we are wrong," he said.
"This is not going to happen. A lot of these bowlers will only play four to six times a year. But they are just as important to us as traditional members of clubs.
"This plan is being driven by Bowls New Zealand because not every centre wants to put their toe in the water.
It has shaken the cages of a lot of bowlers who see bare-footed larrikins enjoying themselves in their premises," Clark said.
"But we need to have them in our club rooms or the premises won't be here forever."
At the top end of the game, Bowls New Zealand has signed another four-year contract with Sparc leading to the 2010 Commonwealth Games and the 2012 World Bowls.
The four gold medals at World Bowls in Christchurch last January has ensured financial backing for the international game.
"Our main focus at the moment is on the bottom end of the game," Clark said.
"We want to strengthen the clubs. Vigorous clubs will give us a strong game throughout the country."
Bowls New Zealand realised that drastic surgery was necessary when it saw the results of an extensive review of the sport by independent consultants.
It found that bowls was a sport in crisis.
The traditional membership had decreased by 30% from 1996 to 2007, and 81% of clubs had 100 or fewer members.
The volunteer base had declined, with 63% of the centres having neither the capability nor the resources to do more than they were doing.
"The review found that a lot of the things that should be done were not being done to the level that was necessary," Clark said.
The review indicated that the routine work of running competitions was done well.
But the promotion of the game, development of coaching, the upskilling of technical officials, improving green surfaces and developing pathways for young bowlers was not getting the attention it deserved.
The policy of "One Bowls One Vision" developed from the review. It was designed to get one strategic future direction for the sport.
The key issue, according to Clark, was to develop strong clubs.
"All the evidence shows that we have too many clubs," he said.
"We can't force amalgamations. But we are keen to assist the process by getting clubs talking to each other."
The 27 centres in New Zealand will continue to organise their own competitions and run qualifying events for national competitions.
The new plan is also to have three regional service centres to operate under the direction of Bowls New Zealand.
