Beer and bowling

[the_halfie]

Thought I'd start up a discussion to see how many other bowlers out there are like minded and drink while they bowl whether it's to have a good time and/ or possibly calm their nerves.

I started off drinking and bowling when I first joined a league. Me and the team mates all drink and have a good time, but I have found that it also calms me. When I don't have a glass or two in me I find myself over thinking, and psyching myself out even before I throw my first frame. However after a few I calm down, I stay focused on what I need to do, and I keep my focus on the target at hand. I REALLY noticed this when I bowled at the USBC VA State Open tournament this year as to how more relaxed I am after I've had a couple first. My nerves, heart, and thoughts were racing, I could feel that I wasn't going to calm down until I got a slight buzz. Once I got that slight buzz, I zoned in and started making my release which in turn helped me to make my shots. Of course I missed quite a few due to simple mistakes (throwing across my body, missing my mark because I'm not incredibly consistent yet, etc) but overall I noticed that I was doing quite well. I joke around saying, "I can't bowl sober" and laugh, but when I REALLY think about it there's some truth to that so far!

So just how many others find that this helps?

[Greenday]

It helps sometimes. Last night, I bowled an awful 221 in my first game (Two opens). Then everything went to hell and I bowled a 121. I stopped striking all together, my spare shooting was complete garbage. I started drinking in the second game, then I bowled a 165 in the third (Still couldn't find a rhythm). Going into the fourth game, while on my fourth beer, I decided to just say screw it and change my whole approach. Put my Tropical Breeze away, pulled out my Sync, and instead of throwing ten and outside (Lanes burned up REALLY fast, super hot in there), I stood on 29, hit 15 at arrows, and was actually getting it out to 7-8 and it was slamming in. Looked just like a ball reaction video on youtube. 256. Hot damn beer gives me good ideas.

[the_halfie]

Nice! Whenever I get a strike, I smile lift my glass and say, "I give credit to the beer!" Or something to that extent at least lol.

[billf]

I really don't drink much. There is a standing rule among my teammates and friends though. Every time I make a 7-10 split somebody buys me a double shot of tequila.
My opponent bought it tonight. He was the one that left the 7-10 split in the tenth frame. Being non-sanctioned he jokingly asked my to pick it up. Which I did but that enabled him to beat me.

[the_halfie]

Ok now that's funny and awesome lol! I'll eventually pick up the 7-10 split, some day only I'll take a double shot of rum or Jameson :p

[Hampe]

Yea I've noticed that as well. I don't necessarily play better (as far as higher scores), but I do feel more relaxed and confident after a few. Unfortunately the Swiss bowling association is a part of Swiss Olympic, so no alcohol is allowed during those tournaments/leagues. But in the company league and all tournaments for that, I definitely always have a beer in my hand (except when I'm on the approach :D).

[the_halfie]

Man that sucks! I think I could EVENTUALLY get comfortable enough to bowl with little to no beer, but for now it helps calm me and I'm out there having a blast! No need to change that for now :)

[GeoLes]

I find that if I drink enough beer while bowling, I think i bowl better. If I drink too much, I don't care how well I bowl :)

Seriously, I rarely drink anything but water while bowling.

Whatever you drink, make sure you don't spill it on the approach or you may miss your shot. If you do spill on the approach make sure it ruins your opponent's shot.

[got_a_300]

I only drink coffee or water when I bowl as I do not drink
any kind of alcohol drinks any more. I can remember back
in my mid 20's myself and a few friends would get together
and head out to the bowling center to have a few and bowl
a few games.

Well we would make it to the bar and that is as far as we got,
don't think I ever did make it out onto the lanes to bowl a few
games I always just sat at the bar and drank.

The last time I tried to bowl with a snoot full or drinking any kind
of alcohol drink was back in 1991. I came in from the lodge after
having a few.....well lets say quite a few that is and tried to bowl
the Moose Lodge league that night.

I couldn't hardly get the ball past the arrows before it would hit the
gutter and I would just bust out laughing about it as I thought it was
pretty funny but my team mates swore if I ever came in like that again
they were going to hurt me badly.

So it is safe to say that has never happened again since I quit drinking
right after that.

[crimsoneyes]

I like to have a couple drinks while i bowl. It calms the nerves a bit. I am very conscientious of how much I drink however. My brother in law is one who drinks excessively and I have first hand experience with how annoying it can be. He actually blew our chances of winning our league this year. He is a 175 avg bowler and only bowled 135 avg that night. We lost the championship match by 17 pins.

I guess the point I'm making would be that there is a time and place for excessive drinking. Open bowling.

[the_halfie]

Agreed crimson. I try to keep my alcohol intake at a decent pace, enough to catch a slight buzz, then carry the buzz, and when I'm ready to leave feeling REALLY good (I don't drive so we're good to go there). It also helps that my whole team is there to have fun, and we all drink.

[maximumslinky]

i really enjoy drinking beer but when it comes to bowling i find that more than a couple beers kinda slows me down and it start to get the full feeling in my stomach. i have been getting it down to a science by subbing a whiskey instead of a beer. i usually drink 1 beer while i am waiting to get the first game started and then a shot of pendleton between the first and second game and a second beer that i slow drink during the end of the second and the beginning of the third game. perfect amount of aiming oil in my system to bowl well and not over think (when i over think, i over adjust and usually make an unnecessary ball change). you stay sober enough to not have it effect your motor skills and are still well under the legal limit to drive home. i should have tried for a government grant to perform these studies :p

[the_halfie]

Well at my bowling house, there's no liquor unfortunately just beer. Otherwise I would probably have Jameson's whiskey vs the beer. :p

[DrOcktagon]

I never drink, but I almost always smoke before league. Granted, I almost always smoke before, during, and after everything, but I honestly find it helps with my bowling. There are some people who find marijuana to be a performance enhancer; I am one of those people. It won't help you be better at something than you naturally are, but it helps me reach my full potential on the lanes.

[Tampabaybob]

Many years ago, I was bowling up North in a League in Westerly, Rhode Island. One of my teammates was a pretty heavy drinker, you know the type, has his first pitcher sitting there before he rolls his first practice ball. So he starts edging me on to join him for a beer. Well, one leads to two, and so on, but I'm throwing all strikes. By the 10th frame it really starts to kick in, I shoot a 280 + game, keep drinking, and can't hit a bull in the axx with a bass fiddle the rest of the night !! The team captain got on this guy SO BAD for getting me started I thought he was gonna throw him off of the team ! Well, that was probably the last time I ever drank THAT much while bowling. Now it's coffee or soda. Helps keep my average up. LOL:cool:

[the_halfie]

Bob THAT'S pretty funny dude LOL!!! My first league season I'll admit, I drank WAY too much to hit anything in the third game. This past season I slowed it down considerably and man you could really tell lol. I actually seem to bowl my best games between the 2nd and 3rd this year :p .

[GeoLes]

To paraphrase former New Jersey Governer Keane,


"Bowling & Beer. Perfect together!!"

(It used to be "New Jersey & You. Perfect Together" )

[the_halfie]

I just might have to start using that slogan lol

[dnhoffman]

I too have suffered from the game 3 beer blues :(

A couple of the guys I bowl with are big beer drinkers and I have to actively moderate my consumption or I go sub-600 quickly.

[the_halfie]

dnhoffman that's not an issue for me at the moment, I still haven't tacked on a 400 series yet, I've missed it by as little as 3 pins before. I'll get there eventually some day, hopefully lol just going to take A LOT of practice and learning.

[GeoLes]

I sometimes wonder if beer is to bowling what cigarettes was to social life in the 1950's.; essential. I once heard that one of the essentials of a gentleman was to always carry a pack of cigarettes, even if he did not smoke. They were to be offered to the lady who may want one.

Does that mean that I have to upgrade from a 3-ball carrier to a 4-ball carrier to accomodate the 6-pack for offering to some thirsty lady on the lanes? :)

[GeoLes]

There's an idea: In addition to a compartment for shoes, a compartment ice in the bowling bag.

[GeoLes]

Unless you prefer a "Red Solo Cup"

[the_halfie]

How about one of those 6 ball rollers, but instead of the bottom bag being a ball bag, it acts as a cooler....That'd be awesome lol

[scruffwhor]

I'm the youngest guy on my Thursday night league team by almost 30 years!!! That being said, with the exception of one teammate, we all take turns buying a round of drinks for this 5 man squad. It's fun for sure, but I agree that I notice my overthinking-ness relaxes after a few.

Not to mention I'm in the same league as my uncle and cousin who love to drink and bowl!

The line between bowling, fun, and RESPONSIBILITY can get blurry (LOL) sometimes...

[Zaxmazr]

How about one of those 6 ball rollers, but instead of the bottom bag being a ball bag, it acts as a cooler....That'd be awesome lol

I think you have something boiling here...

[mjoyce]

I like to have a few beers while I bowl. We have a four person team with my fiance, my friend, and his wife. We normally have two pitchers during the three games. I tend to agree that it helps calm me down. I bowl my best games when I get myself to relax and throw the ball. I find when I over think it and get on myself about hitting my mark and form and everything it all goes bad. If I aim my ball at my mark and approach and release with a relaxed attitude I do much better.

But we'll see how this goes this Friday as I'm going from throwing a conventional grip lane ball straight to throwing a fingertip griped resin ball with a hook...I think for once I'll be the guy bowling under my average on my team. But I'm the captain...everyone gets to have a bad series right :)

[Aslan]

I really don't drink much. There is a standing rule among my teammates and friends though. Every time I make a 7-10 split somebody buys me a double shot of tequila.
My opponent bought it tonight. He was the one that left the 7-10 split in the tenth frame. Being non-sanctioned he jokingly asked my to pick it up. Which I did but that enabled him to beat me.

Wait...."every time you pick up a 7-10 split"...as if you've ever done it...or God forbid done it more than once??

Man...I hope Iceman doesn't see THIS post...multiple 300 games and astronomical averages are one thing...but when people start talking about regularly picking up a 20,000 to 1 split...I just picture a man and a boat and a fish and a guy describing that fish....in a way that makes the fish HUUUGE in comparison to the actual size of said fish. :eek:

I drink Gin and Tonics when I bowl. Sometimes I just have diet cokes if I bring my daughter with me. But most of the time Gin and Tonics. It doesn't seem to affect my game...but then again...bowling left handed in the dark during a tornado would minimally affect my game (positively or negatively) so drinking ain't gonna make much difference at this point. My only cause for "pause" is when bowling is over and I'm a little too "lit" to drive...or lit enough that I make bad decisions concerning debothchery. :cool:

[manke]

We drink a lot on or bowling team but were out there to have fun!

[e-tank]

i used to drink before league to calm nerves mostly cuz i was horrible. I stopped drinking to focus on my form. Now i wanna bring it back so i can stop overthinking

[dnhoffman]

This is beginning to be a bigger problem for me. Dropped my average below 200 in one league because of it :(

One league is much more of a party environment and I tend to wreck my third game over it every time. Ugh.

[e-tank]

This is beginning to be a bigger problem for me. Dropped my average below 200 in one league because of it :(

One league is much more of a party environment and I tend to wreck my third game over it every time. Ugh.

lol im in a vegas league so obv most of the teams are drunk when bowling. One guy passed out last week during the 3rd game. Another guy injured his foot from falling on the approach and is out for the season

[dnhoffman]

my teammate was so "happy" on wednesday night he ran into the ball return on his way back from the approach and fell down... ya... we lost.

[mjoyce]

I've had many a bad third game due to the beers. But I quite enjoy them. My league is every other Friday so I'm sure that my ability to sleep in Saturday plays a role.

[i2icustom]

My friends and I don't play in leagues but we usually go once a week to our neighbourhood bowling ally. Of course they always have beer pitcher specials so we're always drinking while we bowl. It's become sort of a tradition with us. Glad to see we're not the only ones! It really does help though, relaxes you. I find I always overthrow if I haven't had at least one brewski lol! :cool:

[2fingerroller]

I work Sunday-Thursday and Thursday is my league night as well as my "Friday". I love bowling and I love drinking beer and I get to do both in one night.

[zdawg]

My team's name is Blood, Sweat, and Beers so yeah, we've been known to knock a few back :D

[Hampe]

hehe....cool name

I could see myself playing for a team with that name :)

[Mudpuppy]

Our team name next year is going to be Alpha Kenny One.

[Perrin]

"Brew Crew"

Drinking team with a bowling problem :)

[dnhoffman]

We're the "Jive Turkeys" ... Our shirts have a turkey with an Afro holding a bowling ball on the back.

[Fabricate]

Well I have a story for you. I am 23, My leauge consists of mainly occassional drinkers. Are leauge manager tryed to make a rule where no one under the age of 21 could bowl as a sub; and or be at a table with a beverage. That did not go over with anyone, As jokes I have my 16 year old cousin to do shots with us every other leauge night. The only thing is his glass is filled with Pepsi. That is definition of rebelion. Back onto topic. I bowl worse when I drink, unless its only durring my first game. I normally get around a 150 my first game maybe 170 if im lucky. Cheers

[Bunny]

We're the "Jive Turkeys" ... Our shirts have a turkey with an Afro holding a bowling ball on the back.

That is hilarious! Too funny!! :D


Want pic!!!

[dnhoffman]

I'll get one for you this week!

[Big Daddy]

I never drink, but I almost always smoke before league. Granted, I almost always smoke before, during, and after everything, but I honestly find it helps with my bowling. There are some people who find marijuana to be a performance enhancer; I am one of those people. It won't help you be better at something than you naturally are, but it helps me reach my full potential on the lanes.

I find this interesting. I can't smoke now because of drug testing at my work. I haven't for many years, 15 I think. It was just made legal in WA. state and that kinda gets under my skin concerning my work. I can go get blasted on alcohol after work, stay out until 3 in the morning and come in all stinky, bleary eyed and stupid (I don't) but I can't smoke a little weed on Saturday night! I make no distinction between alcohol and any of the other drugs available to most people. Yes, alcohol IS a drug, one of the worst in my opinion, for several reasons I won't get into here as it is for another discussion.

I found in years past that Ganja made many things more interesting. By interesting I mean it seemed to help me concentrate on what I was doing and I ACTUALLY realized positive improvement in many endeavors. Some might not believe this as "they" would like us to think that Mary Jane totally screws up your mind and makes you a moron. It CAN do that if you over do it, like alcohol, but if you are a casual and moderate user, this is not the case.

Perhaps, some day, I too can experience what you have/do when bowling. I'm quite disappointed with the general public's perception of marijuana use. The very same people that boo and hiss about marijuana are usually the biggest alcoholics out there. I think they are the biggest hypocrites in the world!

Anyway, I mean none of this to be inflammatory and hope no one is offended by it or thinks less of some one who thinks like I do.

[MICHAEL]

Hey I don't drink or smoke, but I agree with you 100 percent!! Most of the violent crime, and people killed has to do with the drug called alcohol!! Now I am not talking about the dealers, and that subject, that's another story!

Maybe one of the most mellowing out drugs to the human condition is weed! I base this on research, not from use (:)

I think things are changing, but its sad how everyone is being tested in the work place! Land of the Free.... hummm

I knew some Iron workers who did their best work, under the influence.... lol walking steel hundreds of feet up!

Weed is not anymore evil,,,lol ,,, then alcohol!! But maybe because it would be competition to alcohol, that is the reason its illegal!

I can see it now: Roll your weed, and then roll your ball, nothing but good, if you start in the fall!! LOL....

(Iceman is not condoning or recommending the use of what man has decided is an illegal substance) (further more Iceman does not drink alcohol, nor has ever done any drugs)!

[circlecity]

I say we change "beer frame" to "bong frame"

[Rdmonster]

I bowl to drink and drink to bowl.....poetry right there.

[zdawg]

So I got sick last week and had to start a two week regimen of antibiotics, one of which I was told reacts VERY negatively with alcohol, the side effects are apparently similar in fashion to the drugs they give severe alcoholics that can't go 24 hours without a drink.

As such, I bowled league last night with zero alcohol for the first time (My practice sessions are dry but there really is no pressure since I don't really keep score right now), and well I was struggling and at one point my buddy/team captain started referring to me as Mr. Serious....I was giving myself a stern talking to for most of the night, sort of like Pete Weber without the world class talent LOL

So while normally I don't drink enough to really affect my bowling from a physical standpoint, it seems that having that slight social lubrication helps me treat the game more as fun, and less as serious. I guess there is a line there as with all things that involve alcohol, some can make things more relaxed or "fun" while too much probably just makes everything sloppy and less fun.

[Perrin]

That is a good point zdawg. I tend to get on myself when I mess up.

I don't get upset when the ball doesn't react the way I expect or leave a pin etc. For me it is when I miss my mark that bothers me.

It seems easier to let those go it seems when the beer/drinks are flowing. of course I know that getting mad is actually causing more problems but it's a downward spiral that is hard to break :)

[sprocket]

I don't drink. I don't need alcohol to help me in any way. I know other guys on my team drink but I couldn't even tell you if all of them do because I pay absolutely no attention to it. They can do what they want. I'm glad I'm not paying their bar tab though.

[Mudpuppy]

I bowl to drink and drink to bowl.....poetry right there.

that right there is genius

[dnhoffman]

I've finally regulated my drinking to a consistent beer a game, surprisingly my scores have gone up...

[tr33frog]

If I bowl like last week much more I might have to take up drinking.

[circlecity]

Beer is a depressant so it should calm nerves down if one needed it.

[Jaescrub]

I'm drunk right now! But I'm not bowling ;( o we'll I need to go to sleep I have work in 4 hrs

[Geneo2u]

I say we change "beer frame" to "bong frame"

Maybe in Colorado

[tccstudent]

Maybe in Colorado

so what do they do puff puff bowl

[Mudpuppy]

so what do they do puff puff bowl

They should make a Snoop Lion ball that has a huge pot leaf on it and is cannabis green

Oh and if Storm makes it then it can smell like chronic

[circlecity]

They should make a Snoop Lion ball that has a huge pot leaf on it and is cannabis green

Oh and if Storm makes it then it can smell like chronic

Great idea of a chronic ball!