Experienced local bowler Phil Jordan went up against the best bowlers in Australia when he played for the Queensland Over 60s side at the 2022 Australian Senior Sides Championships.
Queensland were leading halfway through the competition, which went from 2-5 October at Broadbeach Bowls Club, and finished fourth behind New South Wales (third), South Australia (second) and Victoria (first).
For Jordan, playing in a team of Queensland’s 12 best Over 60s bowlers was a thrill in itself.
“They don’t just go picking everyone – you’ve got to earn your spot,” he said.
Jordan, 61, has been playing bowls since 1984, even longer than he’s been married to his wife, Tanya, and won his first title in 1985. He joined Beaudesert Bowls Club at the age of 23 and was the club’s youngest member at the time.
“I used to stop at the club on the way home after work – I was a government meat inspector at the abattoirs – and I’d do an hour and a half of bowls practice every day,” he said.
“My finest achievement was winning my first club singles, then representing Queensland. My long-term goal was to make the Over 60s Queensland side, which I’ve now achieved.”
In his nearly four decades of bowls, Jordan has notched up some significant wins.
He has won 579 representative games for Gold Coast Tweed District since 1988, played 72 representative games for Queensland open side from 2000 to 2008 and 7 representative games for Queensland Over 60s this year.
“That 579 games is probably an Australian record, representing your district for that many games, it’s a lot of years of play and a lot of travel,” he said.
Jordan won 54 club titles at Beaudesert Bowls Club, and since he started with Musgrave Hill on the Gold Coast in 2014, he has won 17 club titles with various club championships.
“I head down the coast for bowls competitions three to five days a week and in the last 10 days I’ve had one day off from playing bowls,” he said.
“I love the camaraderie, the social side and the competition – just enjoying the game.”
