Anyone elses house not clean the backends for league?

[e-tank]

I was talking to one of the staff at my house the other week after i was having some trouble in my league getting my ball to hook. He said they had a huge party come in before league and thus there was a ton of oil carry down and they dont clean the backends because league is supposed to be harder. I dont know how it works at other alleys but now that i know what i need to do to combat the carry down, this doesnt make bowling harder, it just makes me bowl like curlie becton from bb.com. Is this common?

[swingset]

Sounds like they're not dressing the lanes before league, period. I wouldn't bowl a league in a house that gives you the crapped up remnants of open-bowling, at least for anything other than a screw-off league.

No, to answer your question, that should never be normal and not how my leagues do it. The lanes are oiled and the approaches and back ends cleaned. Every time.

[ecub]

On rare occasions, it does happen in our house as well. A party before the league, finished later than normal, so they don't have time to properly dress the lanes. If it effects me, then I'm sure it effects other people as well, so why should I complain? A good bowler SHOULD be able to adjust accordingly.

If you have trouble hooking, move right and play a straighter shot.

[e-tank]

@Swingset the lanes are oiled but backends are left as is. My main problem is that im not able to use my balls to their potential because im too busy slowing ball speed and killing revs. I have a couple friends who are cool with the owners so ill see if i can have a chat with them.

@Ecub i had a problem a couple weeks ago but now that i can recognize its not a problem for me. Although after checking league secretary it seems like the majority of the leagues avgs have gone down over time while mine has gone up after i learned about this. Idk if this is related to the carry down or what

[swingset]

@Swingset the lanes are oiled but backends are left as is. My main problem is that im not able to use my balls to their potential because im too busy slowing ball speed and killing revs. I have a couple friends who are cool with the owners so ill see if i can have a chat with them.

The first pass of the lane machine should be cleaning and stripping the lanes - including the back ends. If they're oiling only, what are they oiling? A dirty lane? Are they intentionally not cleaning the full lane? If so, why?

Sounds to me like they're not doing anything to the lanes prior to your leagues...just a once-a-day clean/oil and you're getting the business end of it.

I'm never afraid of fouled lanes, I can bowl them, but the reason for good lanes is consistency. If I'm being scored relative to someone who is on markedly different conditions 3 lanes down for a 3-game league, how is that fair to either one of us? If they're not dressed prior to leagues, they're recreational lanes and should be bowled as such.

[e-tank]

well i see them oiling before leagues with the machine so im assuming they clean the oiled portion only then reoil it. And as for the why its prob because as the staff told me they want leagues to be "harder"

[Greenday]

well i see them oiling before leagues with the machine so im assuming they clean the oiled portion only then reoil it. And as for the why its prob because as the staff told me they want leagues to be "harder"

Sounds like they are just lazy.

[I suck at bowling]

My local center oils like twice a week, and has a messed up oil pattern. (supposed to be a house shot, but there is oil on the 1 board -_-)

So I know how you feel.

[maximumslinky]

there are some lanes here that im pretty sure dont strip the oil before they lay new oil down. just plain lazy if you ask me.

[e-tank]

there are some lanes here that im pretty sure dont strip the oil before they lay new oil down. just plain lazy if you ask me.

how does it effect the lane if they dont strip the oil before they lay down new oil?

[swingset]

how does it effect the lane if they dont strip the oil before they lay down new oil?

Same way your kitchen floor would look if you didn't clean it but waxed on top. You'd have a hodgepodge of oil and dirt under oil.

[mxjosh]

I bowl at 1 house that oils, no clue if they clean, a couple hours before league then allow open play until 30-45 mins before league. I really have no clue what ball to use til practice. Its so inconsistent. Lately I been using my strongest ball on their house shot.

The other house oils and sometimes cleans before league. No open play before league as they oil right up until start time. Supposed to be same shot but I use different balls each week. seems as the weeks go by the lanes get sloppier. The first couple weeks the backends were really dry and I was using med/dry balls. now Im throwing med/heavy balls.

[Trex]

Our local centers are too cheap to do the lanes before league, so we bowl on crap all the time. The centers are owned by people who care more about open bowling/Glow bowling/ and Birthday parties!!

I have to drive almost two hours just to bowl at a decent house that does there job properly!!! We bowl on trash locally, and the approaches are so sticky you must wear a sock over your slide shoe just so you don't stop and fall on your head...lol

It's truly sad!!! If I could afford it I would move, but I bought a house here and have no choice but to stay here, it sucks big time!!!

[swingset]

Our local centers are too cheap to do the lanes before league, so we bowl on crap all the time. The centers are owned by people who care more about open bowling/Glow bowling/ and Birthday parties!!

I have to drive almost two hours just to bowl at a decent house that does there job properly!!! We bowl on trash locally, and the approaches are so sticky you must wear a sock over your slide shoe just so you don't stop and fall on your head...lol

It's truly sad!!! If I could afford it I would move, but I bought a house here and have no choice but to stay here, it sucks big time!!!

Get your league secretary to draft up a nice letter, complaining that the conditions are unsuitable for league bowling. Have all your league sign it. Better yet, hit the leagues other than yours and see if you can't get more on board. Faced with several leagues of unhappy bowlers, maybe your house will start dressing the lanes properly.

We had a center do this locally, and they went out of business because all the leagues left for another house. Some people are slow learners.

[Perrin]

one house here that re-oils between leagues usually trips the backends but if the early league goe late they skip that part.

Makes for significantly different conditions because ~1/2 of the early league throws plastic balls.