Skittles

The Club supports two skittle alleys and has teams entered in both the ladies and gents divisions of the Axminster Skittle League, the Three Counties League, the Club’s Summer League and our own In-House Sunday Skittle League.

Skittles was a monastic game dating back to the fifteenth century so it is not surprising that we continue to support what is one of the oldest competitive sports that still thrives in the Southwest of England.

The Pilgrim Fathers also took skittles to America. Unfortunately, the puritans saw the game as an evil influence, probably due to the raucous environment to which it became associated and the fact that a drink or two soon became an essential accompaniment to the game. What did the Americans do? They brought out a law to ban the game. Not to be deterred the games supporters discarded one ball and added another pin and so it emerged that American Ten Pin Bowling became the very popular off-spring of our very own game of Skittles.

Yes, skittles has a long history of fun, socialising and competition so why don’t you have a go? New teams are welcome or maybe you just want a social night out that involves playing the game, just contact our club manager on 01460 30536 for alley availability or other further information.

Skittles Leagues

The Sunday Skittles League

teams meet over the winter months starting in September through to end of April. The league supports a maximum of twelve teams per season”.

Each team consist of four players (mixed teams are allowed) League fees are £15.40 per team for the season and will be collected each week at a rate of 25p per player.

Games must commence on or before 8.30p. In addition to the league cup the teams also compeate for the "Fowler Trophy" and the "Muttlebury Cup"

The Axminster Skittles League

This is a league with three Ladies divisions and four Men’s divisions and draws over 90 teams from within 7 miles as “the crow flies” of Axminster Church, This being the leagues criteria for entry. Thorncombe has four men’s teams and two ladies teams in the Axminster League and for reports on their progress you can visit the leagues web site on www.asl.leaguerepublic.com

The Summer Club's Skittles League

This League was formed in 1993 by a number of sports and/or social clubs in the area so that their members could still continue to play the game outside of the normal winter league season. The league has a membership including clubs from Axminster, Seaton, Beer, Offwell, Wootton and Thorncombe. Others have been involved in the past and new clubs are always encouraged to join in the future. In the first two years it was Thorncombe teams that took the honours, but alas they have failed to emulate this since.

The Three Counties Skittle League

This League draws teams from the three counties of Dorset, Somerset and Devon and is mainly base around the Chard area. Thorncombe Club has one team in this league, but could support more.

Results & Fixtures

Axminster Skittle League Results

Congratulations to Thorncombe “A” (Mens’ Division 3) for finishing at the top of their division. They will now look forward to division two skittles next season. Thorncombe “B” and Thorncombe Difters both of whom narrowly missed the drop in Division 1 for the and almost had to join the “A” team in division two for 2010/11.

In the ladies division Thorncombe Newtops (Ladies Division 1) and Thorncombe “A” (Ladies Division 2) still have work to do in their last game of the season if they are to avoid relegation next season.

Thorncombe Club's Sunday League Skittles

The Pistol Packing Mammas under the captaincy of Wayne Vincent emerged the winners, but only just. Georges Dragons finished equal on points, but had to settle for the runner-up spot due to a lower average score for the season.

The winner of the Muttlebury Cup for the highest average score for the season went to Rick Curtis with an average score of 70.3 pins per game.

Saturday 15th.May 2010 was the individual competition and trophy presentation night, won by Pete Waller.

Download the full report here