New York Lawn Bowling Club Brings A Sport Of Kings To Central Park

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- It's a sport that's been played in the heart of Central Park for nearly a century, yet it's something most New Yorkers don't even know exists.

As CBS2's Emily Smith reported, tour guides and pedi-cab drivers have been known for telling people that the New York Lawn Bowling Club is an exclusive clique for millionaires, but really it's open to anyone.

Off of West 69th Street in Central Park you find a bowling green, which by definition is a finely laid stretch of lawn for bowling. It's been around for about 90 years in New York City, yet it's referred to by its hundred members as the best kept secret in New York.

"I think Central Park has an oasis here that most people don't know about," Central Park New York Lawn Bowling Club, Vice President, Ryan Hastu said.

For attire, he said weekend members wear white. During the week there is no dress code. For equipment you use a roughly 3.5-lbs ball supplied by the club if you don't happen to own your own set of four.

Before you bowl, you roll the white ball known as a Jack to mark the spot.

To roll the ball properly you need a combination of finesse and speed.

In the end it's about who is closest to the Jack. The game has more in common with bocce than bowling.

"You don't even have to be a bowler or sports enthusiast or even a sports player. Before I joined 9-years-ago I never played a sport in my life," Joe Kelly said.

It's an old sport, but not necessarily an old person's sport. It's suitable for most anyone looking for a genteel experience.

The club costs $105 to join for the season which runs from May to October. The fee also includes a clubhouse locker.

The sports is played around the world in more than 45 countries, and is historically known as a sport of kings. In the 1200s King Henry III had bowling greens installed at Whitehall.