Do you get distracted by bowlers on either side of you?

[Hammer]

No so much on practice but on league night for me if I am making my approach and somebody on either side of me goes flying by it will throw off my shot. Some folks on our league don't care if you are making your approach. When they pick up their ball they are off and running. It's like faster traffic
flying by you on a road. When it is my turn to bowl I make sure I don't bother someone that is on the approach already on either side of me setting up to do their approach. I had times where I started my approach and somebody to the left or right of me goes flying by me and I stop dead in my tracks and start over again. If I keep going and try to make the shot I usually end up with a pulled shot. Maybe I am just to aware of my surroundings and don't have sharp enough focus to block something like that out. Anybody else here get bothered by a bowler flying by you when making your approach?

[noeymc]

sounds like u need to say something person on the left always goes first and once he is half way up on his approach then u can set up

[AZBowla]

People on leagues should know better, but I get this a lot on open bowling and it's a big distraction. I just let 'em go. I'll stand there and wait for both sides to be clear before I start my swing, and as a result the open bowlers on either side are standing there watching me after they've taken their shots. Usually once I've thrown a couple strikes and picked up a couple spares they give me the lane courtesy simply because they want to watch a "real bowler" play. :D I don't mind waiting, I'd rather wait than get distracted.

[bowl1820]

sounds like u need to say something person on the left always goes first and once he is half way up on his approach then u can set up

Where did you get that? that if someone is halfway up the approach you can setup.

Most leagues use the one lane courtesy system, That is, if you're up on lane 10, you don't bowl if someone else is already on the approach of lane 9 or lane 11.

Typical bowling etiquette says if two bowlers arrive at the approach at the same time, the bowler on the right goes first.

Once on the approach you own that lane, your allowed to post your shot till the ball falls in the pit.

[scottymoney]

Never have a problem in league. But my league is also all grown men.

The one thing I always make sure to do is if I walk up and the guy next to me is walking up that if he is going to pick up a spare I allow them to finish before I start my frame. Past that we normally settle ties by the first guy to say to the other, go ahead.

[AZBowla]

If I arrive on the approach at the same time as another bowler, I always motion for them to go first. It's better to wait than to end up feeling rushed or distracted and miss my shot. Once they throw their shot then I'll start mine and that usually works out well for both of us.

[Davec13]

People don't bother me when I'm bowling. I don't look to the sides I'm looking down at my mark. That being said though I always do one lane courtesy. On a league night I'm pretty shocked people wouldn't observe the one lane courtesy.

[HughScot]

Never during league, that's just plain rude. Open bowling, sure and it does cause me to have to focus harder. I think anyone over 40 or either sex knows bowling etiquette.

[Hammer]

Never have a problem in league. But my league is also all grown men.

The one thing I always make sure to do is if I walk up and the guy next to me is walking up that if he is going to pick up a spare I allow them to finish before I start my frame. Past that we normally settle ties by the first guy to say to the other, go ahead.

I do the same thing when it is my turn. Somebody picking up spares first. If somebody on either side of me going first gets a strike at the beginning of the 10th frame I stay off the approach and let them finish. They might get two more strikes and I don't want to interfere with that. A lot of this bowling courtesy is just common sense.

[Travan]

No so much on practice but on league night for me if I am making my approach and somebody on either side of me goes flying by it will throw off my shot. Some folks on our league don't care if you are making your approach. When they pick up their ball they are off and running. It's like faster traffic
flying by you on a road. When it is my turn to bowl I make sure I don't bother someone that is on the approach already on either side of me setting up to do their approach. I had times where I started my approach and somebody to the left or right of me goes flying by me and I stop dead in my tracks and start over again. If I keep going and try to make the shot I usually end up with a pulled shot. Maybe I am just to aware of my surroundings and don't have sharp enough focus to block something like that out. Anybody else here get bothered by a bowler flying by you when making your approach?
I am the same way. If people next me are bowling, it doesn't mess me up. But if someone comes running up out of nowhere, I'm done. It's like my brain knows the others are there and deals with that, but if there's a new entry, it messes me up.

[Zothen]

Usually have that happen in practice,which is why the house I bowl in always tries to put me on a lane where I wont be bothered. In leagues I have not had this problem as most people respect each other and know it will be done to them.

Zothen

[EboniteKid299]

For me personally, one lane courtesy should be a given, and I like to have two lane courtesy, and honestly I don't usually make my best shots unless I have that two lane courtesy because I can see someone else in my peripheral view

[e-tank]

yea it definitely messes me up

luckily people in my league are pretty turn about letting people have their turn though

[AZBowla's Girl]

I have gotten distracted before. Usually when it happens is when I am about to take my shot and someone with no bowling etiquette comes up on either side of my and it tends to throw me off somewhat. This is one reason why I am very careful when bowling with others. I am teaching my five and a half year old bowling etiquette as best as possible. It is also a common courtesy in my opinion that many people don't have, but should.

[noeymc]

Where did you get that? that if someone is halfway up the approach you can setup.

Most leagues use the one lane courtesy system, That is, if you're up on lane 10, you don't bowl if someone else is already on the approach of lane 9 or lane 11.

Typical bowling etiquette says if two bowlers arrive at the approach at the same time, the bowler on the right goes first.

Once on the approach you own that lane, your allowed to post your shot till the ball falls in the pit.

idk thats how everyone where i am at does it once ur out the persons view u can step up on the approach and after the balls gone u can set ur feet at my lanes u step up on to the lane

[AKbash]

I do get distracted. Before no, but since I joined league, i guess i got used to no one flying by you... Lol

[75lockwood]

I always seem to be the guy waiting, i don't mind, it gives me more time to focus. i'll stand up start cleaning my ball and the guy on the other lane will run up and try to throw before i finish cleaning the ball.

Be patient!

[billf]

It's never an issue for me. One advantage to being totally blind in one eye and can't see well out of the other. Plus I practice on weekends with birthday parties so I have gotten use to it.

[LonelyBowler]

Visually yes, but not by sounds like the people on PBA get distracted by.

[ArtVandelay]

I'm lucky we don't seem to have that problem in my league. If anything, it's the league that I'M in that has all the screwballs in it (I'm in a company league that only has 8 teams of 4, and we're all just here for fun, only one or two teams really takes it seriously), and we do pretty well with etiquette. I was ESPECIALLY pleased when one of our bowlers bowled our company league's first ever 300 game. That last frame, I think 8 lanes around him all cleared and everyone was dead quiet the whole time, afraid to say anything at all. If it were ME up there that might have screwed with me more, but I thought it was neat everyone seemed to understand. I didn't think they would!

I will say I do think it's an important rule, though. I was once in a league where a guy liked to "walk," around after he bowled. He was arrogant, but none the less, after he released he would always walk into the lane to his right to watch it curve into the pocket. It was really unnecessary, in my opinion. Anyway. The guy on his right wasn't watching once, and right after our "walker," released the guy to his right started to go and sure enough, they collided. It wasn't violent, but it could have been.

It's like golf where I think it's all a mind game, and you need to have tunnel vision and concentrate on what YOU are doing, not everyone else. Other people don't bother me, but I do think it's an important thing to observe for the purpose of safety. Never assume the guy next to you won't fall, or drop the ball backwards, or whatever. If you get injured like that in a bowling alley, you're going to have to make up some amazing story to hide your shame!!! hahahaha.

[JerseyJim]

Usually it's not a problem in my league. I don't mind it during open bowling. It allows me to practice pushing all distractions out of my mind.

[GoodGorilla]

I don't bowl in leagues, but what bothers me the most is when kids are on the left side of me. One time I saw my brother's balance leg kick out to the other lane and stopped like 2 inches from a kid who was like 6. My brother and I were extremely cautious, but the kids where grabbing the balls and throwing them in like a machine. I have been rushed playing, and half of the time I get screwed up, what I do is take even longer on my setup (I am sure that pisses them off).

[ArtVandelay]

Ugh... Kids make me so nervous! Everytime I'm in open bowling I end up next to them, and that's fine, BUT there are just never any guarantees. I just always feel like someone is close to serious injury.

I think it's up to the parents to monitor their kids, but it's a rarity to see parents paying attention. When I was a kid (or, Back in MY day...) my Old Man always bowled with us. My mom never bowled, but we were always supervised.

[MICHAEL]

I get distracted by all the advertising Food, Beer, and pizzia they have just above the pins! I find myself constantly looking up, and dulling out the corner of my mouth! What really gets me is when I look down toward my mark,,,,,, THERE IT IS AGAIN,,,, reflection in the oil!!!! I swear, that’s why I have such a hard time keeping my eye on my MARK!! NO advertising on the walls above the lanes!!! PLEASE ICEMAN!!

[GeoLes]

I can say that last bowling season, there was another league bowling the same night and it sounded more like a football game than bowling. It was off the hook. These guys cheered, and "cattle-calling" while their guy was on the approach even. It was so unfair to the bowler who wants to concentrate. I started to complain, but no one else said anything and these loud guys were bowling actually right near the front desk and no one on the desk felt prompted to ask them to simmer down. I could have gone to any of the league officers and "made a stink" about it, but I was there to bowl, not fight, so I let it go.

That said, I just focused more on my approach. It can be great focus practice. Besides, that which does not kill me only makes me stronger........ or is it "makes me sicker"

[GeoLes]

There are times when kids can be challenging. Just lighten up, and let 'em go. On one occasion a parent kept apologizing because the kid didn't understand waiting. I just looked at Dad and said "He's a kid. Bowling should be fun.", Looked at the kid and said "Go for it". No big deal.

It it the "unsupervised minors" you have to worry about. The drop the ball on the approach amazingly close to fingers and toes, Play on the ball return, and dash accross your aproach mid delivery. One group had a 2 pre-teens who were apparently on the cheering team. They kept doing splits on the approach to the parents' approval. That is a distraction.

I recall once an entire family walked the entire length of the bowling center on the approachs all the while mom was yaking on the phone. not noticing anything or anyone. Mom just meandered accross lane after lane in animated phone converstatin with 5 kids from 6 - 10 following behind her in staggered order. Finally DAD came brought up the read with an apologitic look on his face. All I could do is shake my head and move on.

[SSG]

Lane Courtesy is one thing that does not bother me. I have learned to deal with things like that. I feel like have a very strong mental game.