The South African National Bowls Championships is organised by Bowls South Africa (BSA). The first National Singles Championships were held in 1897 in Kimberley despite the fact that the South African Bowls Association was not formed until 1904.
The Rinks was first held in 1906 at Kimberley. The winner received the Pyott Cup and runner-up the Dewar Shield (until 1927 when the Dewar Shield was renamed the Sir David Harris Cup). The event was not held during the Second World War and when it returned in 1948, it featured a squad of up to five players.
Men's events Singles YearChampion Runner-UpRef1897 F Wightman (Kimberley) 1898 James Watson (Gardens) G Hankinson (Gardens) 1899 W H Smith (Kimberley) J Johnston (Gardens) 1903 J P Williamson (Kimberley) R Sumner (Kimberley) 1904 J F Thomson (Port Elizabeth) D Byrne (Kimberley) 1905 George Roulston (Kimberley) H Parkin (Port Elizabeth) 1906 R Sumner (Kimberley) D Byrne (Kimberley) 1907 J F Thomson (Port Elizabeth)J Bauchop (Pretoria) 1908 F Wightman (Kimberley) R Rosser (Gardens) 1909 S B Malcolm (Pretoria) A H Stirrat (Johannesburg) 1910 J Bauchop (Pretoria) J F Gough (Victoria Park) 1911 J Roxburgh (Gardens) J Farish (Port Elizabeth) 1912 James Gilbert (Port Elizabeth) R Sumner (Kimberley) 1913 R Paterson (Johannesburg)D Watson (Durban) 1914 W Paterson (Johannesburg) T A Duncan (East London) 1919 J Johnson (Green & Sea Point) W Lester (Wynberg) 1920 R W Boyd (Kimberley Mine) A W T Downie (Pretoria) 1921 A G Webber (Berea) J A Stewart (Maritzburg East) 1922 T McMurray (Kensington) R Sumner (Kimberley Mine) 1923 T McMurray (Kensington) J A Stewart (Maritzburg East) 1924 J G Donaldson (Brakpan) D Cuthbert (Crown Mines) 1925 H J Matthew (Boskburg) C Marr (New Modder) 1926 J E Miller (Grahamstown) C J Crawford (Rondebosch) 1927 H J Matthew (Boskburg) A J Ogg (Port Elizabeth) 1928 A Kopel (Boskburg) D Sneddon (Stadium) 1929 L Sewell (Plumstead) W McCracken (Liesbeck Park) 1930 F Stevenson (Brakpan) W Gibb (Kimberley Mine) 1931 J Steel (Brakpan) H S Walters (Wanderers) 1932 N Foulds (Camps Bay) A McMillan (Berea) 1933 John Southern (Stadium) H Oldbury (Kensington) 1934 John Southern (Stadium) C A Proudfoot (Observatory) 1935 W F Keppler (Maritzburg Railway) J Clark (Bloemfontein) 1936 J G Donaldson (Brakpan) S Young (West Rand Cons.) 1937 Horace Harvey (Brakpan) J Henderson (Maritzburg) 1938 J Thomson (Durban Prisons)W Eaton (Rondebosch) 1939 Tony Willmott (Durban Deep) Norman Snowy Walker (Pretoria West) 1940 Gert Fourie (Parys) W Davidson (Pretoria) 1948 C Marshall (S.A Lands) S S Paterson (Durban) 1949 G Jacobs (Berea Park) H J van Zyl (Green & Sea Point) 1950 T Winter (Wit. Knights)F Matthews (Silverton) 1951 I G Moir (Berea)O V Gillman (V.F.P Johannesburg) 1952 Herbert Currer (Pretoria West)C K Crossman (Kroonstad) 1953 Arthur Saunders (East London Railway)H C Dyer (Silverton) 1954 Norman Snowy Walker (Pretoria West) D E Singer (Stella Park) 1955 E C "Eddie" Hillier (Klipbank) Herbert Currer (Pretoria West) 1956 H J van Zyl (Pinelands) A I MacNamara (Robinson Deep) 1957 Pinky Danilowitz (Kadimah) E Lyttle (Mowbray) 1958 M D Vilettaz (Pretoria) R A Coats (Old Edwardians) 1959 Norman Snowy Walker (Pretoria West) Bill Stead (Balfour Park) 1960 Douglas Anderson (Durban CC) Ray Ferguson 1961 Norman Snowy Walker (Pretoria West) Harold Eaton (Johannesburg)1962 Kelvin Lightfoot (Westmorepark) Rudolph van Vuuren (Westmorepark)1963 Hugh Lobban (Wanderers) Kelvin Lightfoot (Westmorepark) 1964 Gert "Blackie" Swart (Roodepoort) Pinky Danilowitz (Kadimah) 1965 Norman Snowy Walker (Pretoria West) Noel Spence-Ross (Roosevelt Park) 1966 Basil Wells (Pretoria West) Tommy Harvey (Belgravia)1967 Brian Ellwood (Berea Park) Bert Stanley (Stella Park) 1968 Kelvin Lightfoot (Westmorepark) Rudolph van Vuuren (Westmorepark) 1969 Peter Wilson (Pretoria) Ernie Harvey (Roodepoort) 1971 Edgar Davey (Florida, West Transvaal) Cecil Bransky (Balfour Park, South Transvaal) 1972 Cecil Bransky (Balfour Park, South Transvaal) 1973 Teddy Miller (Balfour Park) Nando Gatti (Olympics) 1974 Kevin Campbell (CBC Pretoria) Stan Greenwood (Ridge Park) 1975 Doug Watson (Springwood) David Pelkowitz (Beaconsfield) 1977 Dennis Rayfield (Olympics) Kelvin Lightfoot (Westmorepark) 1982 Neal Burkett (Westview) Fred Wilson (Walmer) 1983 Lex Morton (Florida) Bill Moseley (Ridge Park) 1984 Bill Moseley (Ridge Park) Tony Waters (Kyalami CC) 1985 Dennis Grainger (Mowbray) Doug Watson (Springwood) 1986 Kevin Campbell (PHSOB) Frans du Plessis (Pretoria Prison Services) 1987 Nino Oberto (Bedfordview) Cyril Lahana (George Lea Park) 1988 Kevin Kobusch (DHSOB) Rob Owlsley (Langholm) 1989 Kevin Kobusch (DHSOB) 1990 David Poultney (Ladybrand) 1991 Cliffie Kay 1992 Ashley van Winkel (Constantia) Stan Brown (Wanderers) 1994 Kevin Kobusch (DHSOB) Clive Webb (Grifo) 1996 Keith Rees-Gibbs (Benoni Municipals) 2006 Wayne Perry (Bloemfontein Municipals) 2009 Wayne Perry (Bloemfontein Municipals)Reagan Jacobus (Westville) 2010 Bruce Makkink (R.D.L.I) Hertzog Meiring (BFN) 2011 Bruce Makkink (R.D.L.I) Andrew Barrow (Delville Germiston) 2012 Arthur Langley (Somerset East)Willie Kilian (Walmer) 2013 Bobby Donnelly (Wanderers)Francois Koen (Wingate Park) 2014 Morgan Muvhango (Discovery)Billy Radloff (George) 2015 Rudi Jacobs (Parys) Thinus Oelofse (Brakpan Mines) 2016 Kenny Kyriacou (PHSOB) Joel Roebert (WPCC) 2017 Wayne Rittmuller (Stella Park)Bradley Robinson (Lynwood) 2018 Wayne Rittmuller (Stella Park)Joel Roebert (Mowbray) 2019 Grant George (Lekkerbreek) Wayne York (Ramblers) 2020 cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic2021Niksa Benguric (Wingate Park) Bradley Robinson (Bryanston Sports) 2022Shaun Thomas (Roosevelt Park) Jason Evans (Morningside CC) 2023Paul White (Westville)Jason Evans (Morningside CC)2024Wayne Roberts (Hillcrest) Paul White (Westville) 2025Brendan Ferns (Wingate Park) Wayne Perry (Wingate Park)
Pairs YearChampion Runner-UpRef1959 Kelvin Lightfoot 1971 Doug Watson (Springwood) 2009 Bobby Donnelly & Shaun Lotter (Johannesburg Northern Suburbs) Dawie Nell & Philip Bailey (CCB Old Boys) 2010 Clinton Ingliis, Graham Turner, Chris Scaife (Westville) Gidion Vermeulen & Gawie Lessing (Westville) 2011 Daniel Loubser & Joel Roebert (WPCC)Wayne York, Louis Heyns (BFN Municipals) 2012Billy Radloff & Japie Combrink (George)Nick Rusling & Louis Fourie (Discovery) 2013 Robin Ashby & Thomas Minnie, (Harlequins) Dylon Stafford & Shaun Nell (Wanderers JHBG) 2014 Joel Roebert & Robin Gibbs (WPCC)Tony van der Poel & David Pillay (Milnerton) 2015 Robby Piketh & Theo van der Walt (Edgemead) Adrian Rakic & Michael Mashabela (Dunkeld) 2016 Robby Piketh & Theo van der Walt (Edgemead)Gerry Baker & Kepler Wessels (Belgravia) 2017 Morgan Muvhango & Wilson Malobolo (The Nest) Pierre Breitenbach & Carl Smit (Potchefstroom Town) 2018 Gawie du Toit & Tinus Crous (Correctional Services)Alexander Miller & Tommy Potgieter (Stella Park) 2019 Brendan Ferns & Andre Rousseau & Ernst Wagner (Wingate Park)Gerald May & Gordon May (Edenvale) 2020 cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic 2021Jason Evans & Luan Cronje (Roosevelt Park) Wayne Roberts & Deon Audie (Stella Park)2022Wayne Rittmuller & Jason Lott (Hillary)Brendan Ferns & Andre Rousseau (Wingate Park)2023Bradley Robinson & Gerry Baker (Morningside CC)Jason Evans & John Ingram (Morningside CC)2024Wilson Malobolo & Prince Neluonde (Bryanston Sports) Otto Holicki & Warren Steyn (Linden)2025 Billy Radloff & John Rimbault (Knysna) Mike Underwood & Logan Subramony (Comrades)
Fours/rinks