[wannabee]

Lawn Bowls

Spoiler:

Yes, if you hear a groan from your driver, they are probably concerned with the Datsun full of old ladies all dressed in white with their hats on or piled on the back shelf. It is ALLWAYS retirees on their way to the "Bowl'oe"

Yes the game is a bit like Petanque. Though the balls aren't metal they are a well balanced composites of some sort. You don't through them, you bowl them on pristine, well manicured greens. The bowl, (ball) is not spherical so as it looses momentum it turns. The trick is to get it past the competitor's bowls either by steering it in or knocking the others out of the way. The competitor with the most bowls closest to the jack wins.

It is customary to celebrate either your victory or loss at the bar afterwards.

There are thousands of non-profit clubs here. It's an Australian institution, hence the movie's popularity, however, the bowling greens and clubs have become worth more in property values and poker machine licenses and when the wrong people gain control of the clubs, developers and entrepreneurs don't always do what is best for the community. Which was the gist of the movie.