Ever have trouble finding a center to practice at??

[Aslan]

So I had some rare free time on a Wednesday…thought I'd practice on heavy-oil synthetics for my last night of Thursday league tomorrow. I get to the center (AMF/Bowlmor) and there are TWO people bowling…the place is empty. I ask for a lane…2 hours for $14…and the guy says;

"Hmm…I can only give you a lane for about 2 games because we got leagues coming in."

Me: "Really? The leagues are going to take up EVERY lane?"

Him: "Yup…I could put you on the end…but you'll only get two games in before the guy needs to oil them."

Me: "So leagues start when?"

Him: "Well, they start at 7…but like I said, I need to get them oiled beforehand."

Me: "Nevermind."

Him: "So…you don't want to just do a couple games?"

Me: in a disgusted manner…"No."

So I drive back to my regular center…wood lanes/low oil…walk in and ask for a lane for 6 games….

Him: "Ughhh…yeah…I got a league coming in at 6…I'm not going to have anything till probably close to 9PM."

So…I call up a lane I never heard of…it's actually a bowling alley inside the student commons at Cal State Fullerton…and I asked if they have any lanes open…the young gal said, "yup…nobody is here."

So…I go over…and..

Negatives: I'm the oldest guy in the building and feel completely out of place. AND…I have to learn a whole new lane that I've never played at. AND…pretty much all the girls are young and hot and wearing yoga pants…so thats distracting. AND…3/4 of the guys were most likely gay…one stared at me for much longer than I was comfortable with. AND…$8 to park…California.

Positives: $1 per game to bowl!! Never busy…the girl behind the counter said, "Where have YOU been all semester…it's been super dead in here." AND…I guess during finals week they are open 24 hours and the games are FREE!!!

But yeah…long story short…I remember back in the 80s finding an open lane on a weeknight was an issue…but it hasn't been really for a decade or two. And I can understand the one alley (my usual one) being busy…since they had two big leagues…and 1/4 of the alley was reserved for a private party. But the first alley…this is the THIRD time this has happened! I mean, why open at 4PM…and not let anyone bowl until 7PM when leagues start?? It doesn't take 3 hours to oil the lanes!!

It's just crap. I like the challenge of bowling on heavy oil synthetics…but that center is just a pile of crap. Part of the reason you can't get a free lane when there are two leagues running…is because literally 7-8 lanes are permanently out of service.

Oh well. It was an interesting night…not sure how I feel about bowling at a college student commons…but man…$1 per game?? Hard to beat.

[Hampe]

I never have that problem because I always call ahead before going to either of the centers I play at. That way I know that A) they have a lane that's free and B) that they have a lane that was oiled recently (or if they'll do one fresh for me).

[sprocket]

I'm actually bothered by the fact that I could bowl in the weekday evenings at my home center if I wanted to. To me that means that league bowling has really declined. The center SHOULD be full of league bowlers at that time.

[vdubtx]

Nope, no issues. I know the schedules of the centers I bowl at and know when they have open bowling or not.

[H3RBSKI]

no problem for me, me and my brother both work at a bowling alley, we get lanes put on maintenance so that nobody can bowl on them before we get there, bowl as many games as we like for free:)

[Greene3417]

I usually bowl at times I know people won't be there- usually early mornings. Even if there are early morning leagues, they won't take up the whole alley.

[MICHAEL]

Well my son still says he is looking into all the aspects of what it will take to incorporate a single bowling lane into his house! It will have the 1/4 court basketball area, with the workout area gym, and single lane bowling alley!

All I need to do now is move a little closer to his place, and I can work out with him, shoot basketballs,,,, and bowl till we drop!! LOL I live about 15 miles from his place!