Ever bowl a league game next to a family/kids bowling on the lane next to you?

[Aslan]

Friday I bowled leagues and we had the first set of lanes (31-32) where the league started. First time we bowled that set this season. Well, I noticed our first bowler, an older, asian lady was just irate for some reason after bowling the first frame. I asked her what was up and she pointed out that right next to our lane (to the left) there was a dad and two little girls bowling with bumpers up.

I didn't think much of it because I'm used to bowling with kids running around…it doesn't bother me that much. But then, as I get up to bowl…I throw a ball that hits a little right…leaves something like a 1-3 or a 2-5. I get up…start my approach and just as I'm about to swing…a little girl comes flying up the left side of me and chucks the ball 2-handed into the bumper!

Now…I did get rattled…something about having something unexpected in your peripheral vision…and it caused me to lose my balance a bit…but, I picked up the make-able spare so all was good.

Now….I'm fairly mellow. Unless the opposing team is purposely trying to yell during your swing or something…I'm pretty mellow. So it didn't really bother me. I didn't even say anything…I was glad I picked up the spare and went back to my seat to finish my burger and dive into my drink.

The center's person responsible for leagues did go over and talk to the father and the kids…I think the dad had already mentioned it to them. And really, it's the center's fault. You put two 6-9 year olds WITH BUMPERs right next to one of your more serious leagues. They were short lanes due to a big youth football private party down on the other end of the center…but come on. That lane should be the absolute LAST lane you give away. And there should be a rule that you can't put bumpers up on the lane next to the league.

Anyone else ever run into this kinda thing on league night? I never have…this was a first.

[zdawg]

Not during league night thankfully, but it happened one time while we were doing a makeup bowling night. I can't fault the people bowling next to us, or the center really as it wasn't a scheduled league night and it was after all open bowling. I just made sure that I lined up right when a little kid next to me was on their approach. By the time they went back and waited for the pin reset and their ball to come back, I had more than enough time to lineup, make my approach, and deliver the ball unimpeded.

It did take a little longer than normal I suppose

[Aslan]

One problem I've had with casual bowlers, especially kids and females….they'll take 2 house balls of the same weight…then throw them in rapid succession. So there's no time to throw my shot in between their's. Annoying.

[zdawg]

One problem I've had with casual bowlers, especially kids and females….they'll take 2 house balls of the same weight…then throw them in rapid succession. So there's no time to throw my shot in between their's. Annoying.

Ya that's tough if they're throwing them in rapid succession, I have had something worse though - last night one of my drunken teammates, and the second worst player on the team, decided to start heckling me because I was having a bad night (especially compared to the last couple weeks where I've been bowling better than ever).

He's a friend of a friend outside of the lanes, and we've hung out before (so we're kinda friends I guess) but I tell you it was hard for me to suppress the desire to lay him out right there in the alley. In the end I did get into a bit of a yelling match with him, and some obscene gestures and language was exchanged. Suffice to say our entire team sucked (at one point he was giving his g/f a hard time and she left the alley for a little while)- we lost all four points to a team we previously dominated two months ago.

So I guess the point is distractions can come from anywhere? Don't know, but he and I will be having a little "talk" tomorrow as this won't be happening again LOL

[sprocket]

I've never heard of a league that wasn't given a one pair cushion between the league and open bowlers. That's the standard policy around here and I assumed it was that way everywhere.

[striker12]

i do all the time i'm in a jr league lol

[josheaton16]

Agree on the one pair cushion. I thought it was like that everywhere

[tccstudent]

Well we use the one pair cushion but I have had to bowl on the cushion pair after a lane broke down next to a family

How bout bowling league when there are some beginners in the league on the pair next to you and they throw the ball and hop the gutter and goes over two lanes and goes down your lane as you are on the approach getting ready to throw

[e-tank]

Theres 3 leagues that bowl on my league night and how it works is the older more serious league gets the lanes on one end, my league is smushed right up against them, a 4-10 lane buffer then a university league on the other end. So if someone comes in during league, they get put into that buffer, sometimes next to the end of our league, sometimes not. One particular time we were on the end of lanes for our league(right next to the buffer) and the center put a 10 person party next to us that had no bowling etiquette and essentially crowed on the approach while one person bowled. Tbh it didnt bother be too much, i was just worried about one of the kids running in front of my push way or back swing

[J Anderson]

I've never seen them put open bowlers directly next to a league at Nutmeg Bowl, but they will often put two leagues right next to each other so they don't lose an additional two lanes of potential open bowling. I've also seen only a one lane buffer between open and league when they're really busy. None of this has been a problem even though I wonder what happens when a one lane courtesy league is right next to a two lane courtesy one.

[Aslan]

Ya that's tough - last night one of my drunken teammates, and the second worst player on the team, decided to start heckling me because I was having a bad night (especially compared to the last couple weeks where I've been bowling better than ever).

Suffice to say our entire team sucked (at one point he was giving his g/f a hard time and she left the alley for a little while)- we lost all four points to a team we previously dominated two months ago.

So I guess the point is distractions can come from anywhere? Don't know, but he and I will be having a little "talk" tomorrow as this won't be happening again LOL

The only times I've had problems like that was:

1) A lady on the opposing team was sort heckling me during one league game. At one point she pretended to cough (very loudly) as I was in my backswing. But you know how it is…what can I do…ya can't hit a woman, right? I think guys are a bit more respectful because they know that if ya start rubbing other men the wrong way…tempers can flare…alcohol is involved…you may have a real "situation" on your hand. Women are sorta "immune"…they can say whatever they want and get away with it.

2) In my other league we were playing a foursome that was really good. So we were getting a lot of handicap. Well, one of their players was having a bad night and was getting rather drunk. So he decided since he was having a bad night he'd just act like a complete jack***. He started 2-handing the ball…throwing house balls as hard as he could…throwing balls from the seating area…just essentially throwing an adult "tantrum". Bunny sorta got in his face about it…and you could tell his teammates were not very happy with him. I mean, their TEAM actually could have still salvaged a couple points that night…but this guy throwing a tantrum cost them all 4…kinda pathetic if you ask me.

I'm as competitive as the next guy…but if I'm having a really bad night…I might take a little stroll…maybe play an arcade game or something. But in addition to learning my "old school ways" regarding being a bit of a bowling purist…I also learned about etiquette and teamwork and sportsmanship.

[chiefnikki]

i do all the time i'm in a jr league lol

Me too!! It's the most annoying thing when you're in the middle of the season and some 13 year old cuts you off. After 15 weeks, you'd think they would have learned lane courtesy.
I'm bowling one more season of youth and I'm moving on to a scratch league. Then, hopefully, I won't have to worry about being cut off by a kid who doesn't know the first thing about bowling.

[Hampe]

The centers here are small and divided into two floors (both centers are 2 floors with 8-10 lanes on them), so we generally don't have this problem. A few years ago when some of the league divisions didn't have a full 8 teams the center would have some open players, but with a one lane buffer.

[circlecity]

What drove me nuts was the automatic bumpers flying up as I made my approach. It was a little distracting.

[zdawg]

I'm as competitive as the next guy…but if I'm having a really bad night…I might take a little stroll…maybe play an arcade game or something. But in addition to learning my "old school ways" regarding being a bit of a bowling purist…I also learned about etiquette and teamwork and sportsmanship.

Yeah, I chalked it up to one too many shots of cheap tequila (one is too many IMO as I don't do cheap tequila). It was just odd because he's normally a positive influence on the team despite his deficiencies in his actual bowling ability, so I'm not gonna hold a grudge.

[Aslan]

I remembered last night...there was ONE other time the center put a group next to us on league night. It was a young adult threesome...and the ONE thing they did that I couldn't believe....the girl in the threesome...was kinda "tipsy" and at one point grabbed the rosin bags that we had sitting on our lane and started using them as hacky sacks. Her boyfriend hurried over and grabbed them from her and put them back and you could tell he was kinda annoyed with her doing that.

The only other thing distracting about that particular instance. Lets just say...moderately attractive 20 something female...pink thong...jeans that probably coulda used a belt. So yeah. Nothing distracts ole Aslan more than a whale tail in his peripheral. :p :eek:

[GeoLes]

The two lane cushion is standard as I have experienced as well. In one of the bowling centers I bowl, I was given the adjacent lane to senior leagues with the expectation that I would respect their lane play, as I roll in league too. I always gave first priority to the league bowler. This was an exception.

In other cases, I personally complain as my league scores are important.

[Aslan]

I was allowed to bowl next to a league once with the agreement that if a lane broke down I had to give mine up. But they only let me do that because they knew I was a league bowler...AND there was still 1 lane between me and the league. I was on lane 1, lane 2 was empty, and their league started on lane 3.

[swingset]

I've only run into that once, the center put a birthday party full of people next to us and they had little kids running around and making all kinds of ruckus. We complained to the house afterwards, but put up with it. They gave us cushion the rest of the league.

[YODA]

I may be differant than most but if I was bowling with my kids and they put me next to a league, they had better not come talk to me about my kids beig loud or having fun playing bumpers. I will be honest, someone will get a butt chewing from me. I understand some league people can be serious but if I am having fun with my kids bowling and it's the lanes fault I don't care who ya are, I will raise hell if asked to quiet down and stop having fun.

[Aslan]

YODA-

It's not the family's fault. It's the center's fault. The center knows where they have leagues set up and most will provide a 2-lane cushion next to each league. Not only to keep the league bowlers from getting distracted by families, partyers, fun, etc... But also in the event one of the league lanes breaks down...they have a lane to put those bowlers on.

In my example, especially since it's a Friday night league, the center has decided to pack "casual" bowlers next to leagues. And that creates the problem. League bowlers are used to certain rules and etiquette that casual bowlers are not accustomed to. Sometimes you get upset and they respond, "Oh....I didn't know. You should have told me." Other people will respond more like what you said, "Hey, I'm here to have fun, I paid my money, the center put me here...so deal with it."

Since I'm not usually distracted by it, and am new to the league, I haven't said anything. But if it started to get out of hand and started messing with my game...then I'd say something to the center..not the family. I'm probably going to go from playing on Friday to playing on Tuesdays next season so maybe it'll be different. It only affects ONE match...because the leagues are usually put at the end of the center so they have a wall on one side and league bowlers everywhere around them...EXCEPT....for that last pair. And for some reason, we have had to play on that pair like 2 of the last 3 weeks.

[YODA]

YODA-

It's not the family's fault. It's the center's fault. The center knows where they have leagues set up and most will provide a 2-lane cushion next to each league. Not only to keep the league bowlers from getting distracted by families, partyers, fun, etc... But also in the event one of the league lanes breaks down...they have a lane to put those bowlers on.

In my example, especially since it's a Friday night league, the center has decided to pack "casual" bowlers next to leagues. And that creates the problem. League bowlers are used to certain rules and etiquette that casual bowlers are not accustomed to. Sometimes you get upset and they respond, "Oh....I didn't know. You should have told me." Other people will respond more like what you said, "Hey, I'm here to have fun, I paid my money, the center put me here...so deal with it."

Since I'm not usually distracted by it, and am new to the league, I haven't said anything. But if it started to get out of hand and started messing with my game...then I'd say something to the center..not the family. I'm probably going to go from playing on Friday to playing on Tuesdays next season so maybe it'll be different. It only affects ONE match...because the leagues are usually put at the end of the center so they have a wall on one side and league bowlers everywhere around them...EXCEPT....for that last pair. And for some reason, we have had to play on that pair like 2 of the last 3 weeks.

I completely understand the rules and etiquette that League bowlers use, My cousin, grandma, mom, dad, uncles, and myself and my brother have bowled leagues. And I think you are right, talking to the center should be what happens, although I have seen many league bowlers begin saying things to the family who is bowling, and it ends up ruining the kids fun time they are having. I have seen it way too many times. League Bowlers also need to understand that they do not "Own" the bowling alley, although one bowling alley I went to they seemed to think they did.

I told my cousin one time when he got upset about a family with 3 little kids bowling next to us in a league. "Those kids are the future of leagues, remember when we used to be like that." He then went over and gave the kids some high fives when they had a good shot." I have always rememebred that, even if the kids are being loud, and happy and having fun, thats what we need to rememeber, if they dont pick up bowling, eventually more lanes and centers will close. My old hometown has 2 lanes that have closed, only one open and they are having money issues. My town I live in now used to have two bowling lanes, both closed, and the nearest one to me now is 1 hour away.

[Aslan]

Thats why I never say anything to the kids. Some people disagree and think you need to teach the kids the etiquette of the game. But I think at that age it puts a bad flavor in a kid's mouth when they get "corrected". I don't even like it when the dad corrects the kid about etiquette just because I always worry it might turn the kid off to bowling.

[J Anderson]

Thats why I never say anything to the kids. Some people disagree and think you need to teach the kids the etiquette of the game. But I think at that age it puts a bad flavor in a kid's mouth when they get "corrected". I don't even like it when the dad corrects the kid about etiquette just because I always worry it might turn the kid off to bowling.

You're right in not saying anything to the kids. If the parents are paying any attention, they'll jump to the conclusion that you are a pedophile and call the police.

However, lane courtesy is not something invented by grumpy old league bowlers to keep every one else from enjoying the game or so they can have an excuse for a bad shot because the guy on the next lane had his toe on the approach. The first purpose of lane courtesy is safety. Funny things can happen when a person tries to walk and swing a heavy ball at the same time. You do not want to be on the approach next to them when one of these events occurs. The second is that it improves the flow of the game by letting people know when it's their turn to go. The third and least important reason is that it allows the bowler to focus with minimal distractions.

" But I think at that age it puts a bad flavor in a kid's mouth when they get "corrected"." So we protect the kid from the consequences of his or her actions and they become an adult who can't hold a job because oddly enough the boss wants them to be on time and actually do their work. But at least they have high self esteem.

I think that you should either speak to the child's parent or ask one of the staff to do so.

[Aslan]

You're right in not saying anything to the kids. If the parents are paying any attention, they'll jump to the conclusion that you are a pedophile and call the police.

Well; who could blame them on that.


" But I think at that age it puts a bad flavor in a kid's mouth when they get "corrected"." So we protect the kid from the consequences of his or her actions and they become an adult who can't hold a job because oddly enough the boss wants them to be on time and actually do their work. But at least they have high self esteem.

By the time the kids today grow up, they'll have to move to China, India, or Africa to find a job so it really doesn't matter.

[YODA]

You're right in not saying anything to the kids. If the parents are paying any attention, they'll jump to the conclusion that you are a pedophile and call the police.

However, lane courtesy is not something invented by grumpy old league bowlers to keep every one else from enjoying the game or so they can have an excuse for a bad shot because the guy on the next lane had his toe on the approach. The first purpose of lane courtesy is safety. Funny things can happen when a person tries to walk and swing a heavy ball at the same time. You do not want to be on the approach next to them when one of these events occurs. The second is that it improves the flow of the game by letting people know when it's their turn to go. The third and least important reason is that it allows the bowler to focus with minimal distractions.

" But I think at that age it puts a bad flavor in a kid's mouth when they get "corrected"." So we protect the kid from the consequences of his or her actions and they become an adult who can't hold a job because oddly enough the boss wants them to be on time and actually do their work. But at least they have high self esteem.

I think that you should either speak to the child's parent or ask one of the staff to do so.

Most of the time though that I have seen has nothing to do with "Safety", that usually is an excuse brought up in it by the league bowler. Most of the time I have seen League Bowlers get mad is because the kids are being loud and trying to enjoy the game, and even if they dont understand when to properly throw, that has neve affected me when I have been bowling next to them. If the League bowler knows he is next to some kids, he should be extra careful when he is bowling, because he knows how to play, while those next to him may not.

[Aslan]

Most of the time though that I have seen has nothing to do with "Safety", that usually is an excuse brought up in it by the league bowler. Most of the time I have seen League Bowlers get mad is because the kids are being loud and trying to enjoy the game, and even if they dont understand when to properly throw, that has neve affected me when I have been bowling next to them. If the League bowler knows he is next to some kids, he should be extra careful when he is bowling, because he knows how to play, while those next to him may not.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBub5A0jgOE

Maybe...maybe not. I went to start my approach once and 3 little girls from a nearby birthday party walked in front of me. I guess they decided to go back to their lane using the approach areas instead of behind the bowling action. It was no big deal to me at the time...but had I benn 1-2 steps into my approach with a 15lb ball above my head....there's relatively little I can do at that point.

[Aslan]

And THIS (below) is CERTAINLY frowned upon!!! This is a non-ICEMAN approved use of bowling balls!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Y6AmgNEq3M

[circlecity]

That last video says it all man. I agree on the safety of everyone there should be a lane buffer.

[Aslan]

That last video says it all man. I agree on the safety of everyone there should be a lane buffer.
Sometimes even THAT doesn't help ya!!
http://www.totalprosports.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/7-mom-hits-daughter-in-head-with-bowling-ball.gif