When it comes to celebratory food, Margaret Sumner doesn't mind keeping it simple.

The Terang lawn bowler recalls competing at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, where her women's fours team earned silver.

"We were one shot away from gold," she said. "It was just so humid.

"The green was running four seconds, which is pretty heavy.

"We were drinking a bottle of water after each end.

"I was absolutely buggered, I didn't really care about the gold in the end."

After members of the silver-winning side were drug-tested, they headed back to their hotel room.

They arrived in the early hours of the morning, with no fancy meal awaiting them.

"There was yoghurt, cornflakes, a stubby, a bottle of Bacardi rum and Coke," Sumner laughed.

"The others didn't really like beer so I had that."

If Terang has a notable win in pennant these days, it's often marked with a couple of simple delights.

"We just have a laugh," Sumner said. "And if we're coming home from Warrnambool we'll go into Hungry Jack's and get an ice-cream for 50 cents."

The 69-year-old is a legend of Terang Bowls Club, winning its champion of champions an astonishing 20 times since starting indoor bowls in 1979.

"Those days there were 110 ladies," recalled Sumner, who had a background in indoor bowls before arriving at the club.

"I never dreamt of going anywhere with my bowls, all I wanted to do then was make the pennant team."

She made the pennant team about a year after taking up the sport, then gradually progressed to become a state and national representative.

"Just playing for Australia and Victoria has been the highlight," she said. "Only seven get into the Commonwealth Games, which isn't a lot when you think about how many bowlers there are."

Sumner's service to lawn bowls was recognised in January, when the former Warrnambool and District Ladies Bowling Association president received an Order of Australia Medal. It's highly likely she will increase her champion of champions record at Terang. "I'm 70 next year, so I'd like to play for another 10 years," she said.