Open days will be the feature of the bank holiday weekend for bowls clubs as they look to tempt members of the public into the sport.

The clubs of Townsend, Batchwood and St Albans are all holding events this weekend, where everyone is welcome, regardless of age or experience, and the only requirement is that you wear flat-soled shoes or trainers.

Batchwood Hall are first up on Friday afternoon, their session running between 2pm and 4pm.

Townsend and St Albans follow on Saturday, the event at Townsend's Waverley Road base in St Albans running between 10am and 4pm, the same as the open day at St Albans.

St Albans are also welcoming people to their Clarence Park home on Sunday as well, again between 10am and 4pm.

Booking is not essential but if there is a group or family numbering four or more, it would helpful if the club's Richard Hall could be contacted first on 07429 407365 or richard55hall@gmail.com

On the green, there has been plenty of action, including an annual competition, founded a quarter of a century ago.

The Tripartite Trophy is competed for by Cockfosters, Mill Hill and Townsend, all three of which were founded in 1919.

Cockfosters had the honour of hosting this year's event but it was Townsend who walked off with the top prize.

Two of Townsend’s rinks played against Mill Hill while another two battled against Cockfosters but the bottom line was the same, a convincing victory for Townsend.

That guaranteed the safe retention of the trophy for another 12 months.

The overall score was 81 shots for and 49 against, with 20-12 successes for the rinks of Peter Waller, Derek Connelly and Roger Potter, as well as Ian Forster, Robbie Ransted and Alan Charran.

The top rink though, with a 26-11 victory, was Nigel Whittle, Clyde Martindill and Bob Lawrie.

In other competitions, Townsend progressed in the County Team Ten Townsend after a visit to Sawbridgeworth, although they needed a dramatic fightback under the gloom of rain clouds.

Peter Thomson had secured a 21-9 win in the singles when the wet stuff arrive but Townsend were down in all three of the other disciplines at halfway.

However, the triples, of Forster, Les Perkins and Charran scored 16 shots in the final eight ends, to win 20-10 and the fours of Lawrie, Roger Potter, Peter Armstrong and Matt Pope managed a 10-shot turnaround over the final three ends to win 19-11.

And with the pair of of Ransted and Andy Scarborough doing exactly what was required, keeping their strong opponents within three shots, that was enough to set up a trip to Buntingford in the next round.

The Hertfordshire County Triples brought Harpenden to Waverley Road, with the home trio of Thomson, Charran and Pope winning through by a single shot, 18-17.

The first few ends were generally shared but the visitors were able to pull ahead with a five.

Townsend immediately replied with a similar score and they went into the final end two shots to the good.

It went down to the final end but Harpenden were only able to pick up one instead of the two required to take it to an extra end.

The second round away to Welwyn & District was much more straight forward, winning by eight shots, but only in the latter stages after Townsend picked up a six on the 12th end.

Batchwood meanwhile had wins on both rinks in the National Tony Allcock over 60’s mixed fours, progressing 36-21 at home to Potters Bar with Jackie Bell and Dave Richardson the winning skips.

There were also two wins in the National Senior Pairs, John Turkentine and Jerry McAuliff winning 18-12 against Tring while Brian Parkes and Mark Trembling beat Berkhamsted 17-10.

It wasn't total success in national events though.

Bell lost to Jo Hollister of Bushey 21-18 in the ladies' champion of champions and Parkes was beaten in the men’s equivalent against Mill End.

And in the National Mixed Fours, Eddie Clark’s team lost 20-12 away to Herts BC.

In the men’s county triples, there was a double success for Batchwood.

Dave Gauthier, Mark Trembling and Jerry McAuliffe beat Shire Park 15-14 while Eddie Clark, John Turkentine and Dave Richardson had a good 22-11 win against Potters Bar.

In their first County league match, Batchwood’ s ladies’ lost to North Mymms, 23-15 away.

They did fare better in the District Friendly Rinks League, beating St Albans 42-27 with Bell and Liz Schlatter skipping both rinks to success.

The ladies then continued their success in this league with two more rink wins, Bell and Jenny Gauthier the skips in a 50-18 overall victory against Potters Bar.

The men also succeeded at The Walk, with maximum points in their SADBA Rinks League match.

Charlie Bowie, Vic Busani and Dave Richardson were the victorious skips.

St Albans suffered from unavailability of some of the club's more experienced bowlers and so mixed friendlies away to Harperbury and at home to Hemel Hempstead ended in defeat.

The District League loss at home to Batchwood has seen Saints competing well in the early stages, but found it tougher going once Batchwood started sending down longer jacks.