All about All Weather Sports Cover Ltd

World Bowls media officer Ceris Hewlings catches up with Marcus Doig, General Manager, All Weather Sportscover Ltd, to find out about clubs who are looking to invest in canopies for their greens and chats about what’s involved and the benefits.

WB: Please can you tell me about yourself and All Weather Sportscover Ltd?

MD: My background is a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and History from Canterbury University in Christchurch, where I ended up in Accounting for 10 years in London and Amsterdam, before starting a successful small business for 15 years in the construction industry in Auckland. I’ve also been a first-class cricketer in Holland and enjoy a roll up when time permits.

In terms of All Weather Sportscover Ltd, we began in 1987 with automated groundcovers, invented by my late father, Pat Doig, part of the champion 1989 New Zealand Fours Nationals team. It was initially to play bowls in winter. However, the two largest stadiums in New Zealand, Lancaster Park in Christchurch and Eden Park Outer Oval in Auckland, purchased it instead for the crossover of sports from season to season. These were there for over 20 years. With my time overseas in the UK/Europe, I studied the market over there and developed a product later that was quick to deploy, with minimal members required and great value

WB: What are the benefits of having canopies for bowling greens?

MD: The benefit of our product for bowling greens is we’re a high tech, simple design, with great value (up to half the cost of a permanent canopy). It’s designed by ex-champion America’s Cup designers and engineers, so effectively it’s a large sail.

We provide exactly what a permanent canopy provides, except we bring it down when it gets to 100kmh for insurance purposes as this is classified as a storm. It’s also semi-permanent, meaning you can bring it down for special occasions.

It can also have sides around the perimeter for cooler conditions, and it comes with a leading lighting system, Novii, and the same Hiraoka material used at the World Championships in Victoria, Australia in 2026.

Plus, we provide a Producer Statement and its council approved.

WB: How do covers work for bowls greens?

MD: The hydraulic cover system would be up the majority of the time as its steel wires, inside jackets in the fabric, are fixed to steel posts that are housed on the concrete walkways.

When the club does need to lower it for a special event, by using a minimal amount of members which only take them 10-15 mins, the steel wires are loosened and the hydraulics also lower the cover. From here it gets rolled up on an inflatable tube.

WB: How long does it take from the club agreeing the project to it being constructed?

MD: After the design and consent stage, it would take approximately eight weeks for it be manufactured and installed.

WB: What are some of the bowling club projects you have worked on?

MD: We are still in the infancy of starting with bowls but are presently dealing with four clubs in Auckland who have shown initial interest. One in particular is looking at the next steps.

We also believe it’s feasible, at this initial stage to cover over natural greens to add to the artificial greens we cover now. Our contractors, NZ Sports Turf Institute, will investigate this further if enquiries are made.

WB: Tell me more about the feedback?

MD: The feedback we’ve had so far from the four clubs in Auckland with our initial discussions has been very encouraging. It’s similar to what they see elsewhere, regardig sides enclosed and lighting available, but the differences are it has a high-tech modern design that gives them the utility factor to lowering it for special occasions.

WB: What are your top tips and advice for clubs thinking about covers for their greens?

MD: Think of the overall benefits for the club, after a great value canopy is installed, as it allows renovations to the clubhouse so clubs can compete with expensive bars/restaurants as an option for locals to use (whereas an expensive permanent canopy can’t provide this option). Not to mention be a community asset all year round for activities/ functions etc. A great way to also entice new bowls members. Or it allows clubs more financial flexibility with the savings we provide long term compared to permanent canopies.

FURTHER INSIGHT

Please see full drawings from our leading yachting designer, Richard Bouzaid. The ‘spiders web’ design.

Features

▪︎ Cost effective (around half the cost of a permanent canopy).

▪︎ Wind rated to 100kmh.

▪︎ Traditional marquee design in the middle.

▪︎ Yet a modern design around the perimeter, in line with modern stadiums globally i.e. BC Place Stadium, Vancouver.

▪︎ Only 6-7m high in the middle (permanent canopies 10m high).

▪︎ 3-4m high around the rest of the perimeter with posts every 6m.

▪︎ Less obtrusive with only poles around the perimeter (essentially “flagpoles”).

▪︎ Uses the top-rated fabric www.hiraoka.com.au (as seen at Hamilton Workingman’s Bowling Club and same Hiraoka fabric now seen at the 2026 World Bowls Championships in Ocean Grove, Victoria.).

Plus, see the successfully tested prototype video:

https://vimeo.com/893235021/e9af79e30f?share=copy