Limit to number of balls in the rack?

[taxexpert2]

I have been bowling for a long long time and this is the first time this issue has ever come up. It is a new league for me in a fairly new house for me. I generally carry my regular ball and a ball to use to get certain spares. I usually keep that second ball below the regular balls, but when I use it it will end up with the regular balls. I have never had anyone complain until this week when someone said - "We should only have 10 balls in the upper rack - one for each bowler on each team. Who has an extra ball?" It was mine, of course I was the only one that night that had an extra ball. I have bowled in leagues where more than one person had more than one ball and they were all in the upper rack. Is there anything that says you can only have one ball for each person or was this just an incidence of someone's OCD coming out?

[vdubtx]

How many does the rack fit? If it fits more than 10 and you are only one with an extra, who cares. Tell the person bringing it up to get over it.

[Jessiewoodard57]

How many does the rack fit? If it fits more than 10 and you are only one with an extra, who cares. Tell the person bringing it up to get over it.
I agree if it fits and balls can still return what's the big deal ..some people

[bowl1820]

Extra balls on the rack, freak some people out. Yes if everyone forgets and leaves a spare ball up there, balls backup in the return etc. It's usually not a big deal.

A woman on my Tuesday league several years back, complained because I had a extra ball on the rack. Said its against the rules and I had to tell her we don't have that rule. Plus we were missing a bowler that night, So there really wasn't a "extra" ball there to begin with.

See The big women's league here, actually had a rule at one time saying you could only have one ball on the return. (I don't know if they still have it).

The fun ones are when someone on the other team starts complaining about the your team having extra balls up there and you have to point out none of those extra balls are yours! there his teams balls.

[Jaescrub]

If it fits it ships o wait never mind. My teammate hates when the rack is loaded with balls. We don't have under racks at our house.so if I'm using more then one ball I'll keep the second close to me off the rack.

[J Anderson]

I've bowled mostly doubles and trios leagues the last six years, so I've gotten used to leaving my spare ball on the return rack, and have seen other bowlers with as many as 4 balls on the rack. I find that when I sub in a league with 5 person teams that I forget to pull one of my balls off the rack at the end of my turn. There really isn't room at our center to have more than 10 balls on the return.

[RobLV1]

A couple of years ago, in a DOUBLES LEAGUE, one of the bowlers on the other team complained that there were too many balls on the ball return. It just so happened that all of the balls were coming back on one side of the split ball return. There weren't too many balls, you just had to pay attention.. He took one of the my balls and removed it from the ball return. I told him that if he touched one of my bowling balls again, he might have to remove it from one of his internal orafices. He apologized in short order and the problem was resolved!

[Tony]

The racks at the center I'm at can hold 12 balls so typically anyone with a spare ball will pull it from the rack if we are close to the max and put it on the shelf / counter behind the rack.
The one league is 4 man so depending on the teams bowling there's not always a full rack, I've only heard a bowler complain a few times when the rack is full" we need to get some of the spare balls off the rack"
The last time was a fri morning 3 man league a couple lanes down from me that had loaded up the rack.

[Stormed1]

I usually just bring a ball cup with me and set my spare ball on the floor either under or at the end of the rack

[HowDoIHookAgain]

It doesn't bother me much. As long as the balls aren't getting backed up, I could care less how many balls you bring. I keep my strike ball up on top, and my spare ball on the lower rack (if there is one) until I have to use it, and at that point I just leave it on the top rack.

[Blacksox1]

I love bowl1820's answer. "We do not have a league rule against it". I will use this reply when I get the chance.:D It could be soon.:rolleyes:

[foreverincamo]

Seems to always be that fine line between OCD and a$$hole. Ours only fit 10, but there's another rack that fits another dozen so we never have this issue

[Mike White]

I make it a habit when shooting a spare to stick around and pick the spare ball off the rack and set it on one of the unused seats.

Someone asked why I do that and I answered, if there isn't room for everyone to have two up there, then there isn't room for anyone to have two up there.

[fordman1]

Our return rack only holds about 13 balls 6 on each side and one right in front of the return hole. When it is full I give notice a few times then start off loading the last 3 onto the floor. After a few times they get the message.

[jab5325]

Last week, we had a backup because people weren't paying enough attention to getting their spare balls, and a couple went crashing overboard onto the floor.

I generally don't get too excited about the balls on the return. But, there's a few in my league who are oblivious and don't bother to take theirs off the rack until a problem arises.

[Amyers]

I always carry a master cup with me as all of our returns are older and can only fit 6-10 balls so it's almost always an issue. I bowled a lot of doubles and trio's leagues before and didn't use to have to worry about it. it took some getting used to having to wait for the spare ball and move it.

[manke]

At our house everyone normally keeps just there strike ball on the rack. But sometimes a person can forget i don't think its a big deal.

[Jaescrub]

Our return rack only holds about 13 balls 6 on each side and one right in front of the return hole. When it is full I give notice a few times then start off loading the last 3 onto the floor. After a few times they get the message.
That's very brave of you. I don't get upset easy but when Someone puts hands on my things that's a fight waiting to happen. My lead bowler hates when the rack is full sometime the wife will put an extra ball in the rack to mess with him ha ha ha.

[bowl1820]

Our return rack only holds about 13 balls 6 on each side and one right in front of the return hole. When it is full I give notice a few times then start off loading the last 3 onto the floor. After a few times they get the message.

Yes, off loading someone elses ball on to the floor (or anywhere else) without their permission is a fight waiting to happen. Especially if someone starts saying your tampering with their stuff, you damaged it etc.

[Tony]

Our return rack only holds about 13 balls 6 on each side and one right in front of the return hole. When it is full I give notice a few times then start off loading the last 3 onto the floor. After a few times they get the message.

I have not seen anyone try that tactic, I would have some doubt about remaining in good health with some of the guys in my league.

[fordman1]

Helping keep the place safe is a good thing. Usually the balls in the back aren't being used. Just trying to help. I am 69 yrs old and starting a fight with a old man and only 2 things will happen you get embarrassed or arrested. Or end up in the hospital.

[NewToBowling]

Yeah my rule is I don't touch other peoples balls and they don't touch mine. As long as we all agree I'm pretty relaxed at bowling

[Aslan]

This has increasingly been a problem as more and more people have switched to spare balls.

Some houses have racks beneath the ball returns...some Brunswick houses still have the round tables where you can put extra balls. But most houses have gotten rid of these...so on league night you can barely find a place to sit down anywhere near the lanes because there are balls in all the chairs.

And yes...if you have 11 balls on the rack...some old woman will almost certainly point it out and make someone come and remove it. I remember one lady that as part of her pre-shot ritual would count the balls on the rack. Rediculous. :rolleyes:

[Aslan]

Yeah my rule is I don't touch other peoples balls and they don't touch mine. As long as we all agree I'm pretty relaxed at bowling

My rule is that Olivia Wilde can touch my balls as much as she....oh nevermind...different topic.

[Tony]

Helping keep the place safe is a good thing. Usually the balls in the back aren't being used. Just trying to help. I am 69 yrs old and starting a fight with a old man and only 2 things will happen you get embarrassed or arrested. Or end up in the hospital.

LOL that explains it !

[fordman1]

Best rule is never bowl with women. If you have to don't mention anything about "rack size" or too many balls.

[Blomer]

I set my spare ball below the return. But often forget to take it off after I use it. Usually not a issue and others usually say just keep it up on the return.

[billf]

My trios league it stays on the rack. Only about five if us even use a spare ball.
Monday men's is 5 man teams. Next up takes the last guy's ball off. This helps to cut down on traffic at the return.
Tuesday men's we get our own.

Rack holds ten. Tuesday's is scratch so there are usually 15-20 balls on the floor at the end of the return.

[classygranny]

Best rule is never bowl with women. If you have to don't mention anything about "rack size" or too many balls.

First sentence makes me think you are afraid of a little "competition". Second sentence makes me think you are a bit smart. Quite a diabolical personality.

I don't mind extra balls on the rack, but I do mind when it gets too full and nobody cares. Also, I hate when the older, higher than thou "guys" (usually aren't the women) think they are above all others and are entitled to leave their spare balls on top of the rack when there isn't enough room for all players to do that. I just accept the fact that they are generally a a-hole and go about m business of beating them into the ground scorewise. But when balls start jumping off the rack due to lack of room, I take the safety of my toes seriously and have the balls to say something to the other team, as it's not our team causing the issue. Both my teams are good about removing the spare ball of the person bowling in front of you.

[Aslan]

I usually will leave mine up there if somebody is absent. But if I notice that there are 11 balls up there...I'll take mine down.

The thing that gets me...is some ladies will stand there counting them and complain that the balls are going to bounce off the rack...yet most of the reason for that is...nobody is READY to bowl. So we end up with 11-12 balls on the rack because nobody is bowling...they're just counting the balls. GRAB YOUR BALL AND BOWL!!

It never fails...this Wednesday team is the FIRST team EVER where I don't have to wait and look around and wonder WTH our bowler is because it's her friggin turn. It happened on Tuesdays the last 2 seasons...as our female teammate had to "visit" all the other teams. And last season's Wednesday team...the leadoff lady...I swear sometimes she'd leave and go to WalMart or something...nowhere to be found. And this season's Monday team...forget about it. I wanted to name the team "Where's Brittany"?" because that's what we say about 36 times per night.

But that fella was on to something with the lady hating...classygranny excluded of course....but who's balls are usually falling off the rack? The women's 12-14lb nonsense. My 16lb balls never fell off the rack. They just pushed all the other ones off.

The bottom line is, at least for me, it's not an easy thing to remember. I'm so "in my own head" while I'm bowling, and trying to figure out what went wrong or why I missed or whatever...that the last thing on my mind is, "oh wait...now I have 2 balls on the rack and I'm only allowed 1". If I'd only throw strikes...I wouldn't even need the 2nd ball. That's the damn shame of it.

[billf]

I have bowled with GUYS that go and visit, etc. to not be ready when it's their turn. A few times of paging them over the intercom and the conversation that ensues usually solves the problem. If I can go out and smoke between games of a trio league bowling second and be back and ready before my turn they sure as hell can play lottery, get a beer or whatever before their turn on a 5 person team.

[fordman1]

Seems like a lot of trio leagues on here is that on purpose or because you don't have enough bowlers? Not many with a sense of humor either.

[Amyers]

I struggle to remember to take my spare off too especially if I'm having a rough night spare shooting. It's hard to be cussing yourself and still be self aware enough to remember to grab the ball

[Amyers]

Seems like a lot of trio leagues on here is that on purpose or because you don't have enough bowlers? Not many with a sense of humor either.

Think it's too things with the trios. One they finish faster and it helps fill lanes. So lack of bowlers and saves time. I bowled two trio leagues during summer. None this fall. Will have a doubles league starting in October.

[billf]

The Sunday Trio league I bowl has been around since 1964 when the center opened.

[billf]

Not many with a sense of humor either.

How so?

[NewToBowling]

I noticed many people don't have spare balls or even a second strike ball. There will be 6-7 balls on the rack and I'll still put my spare ball on bottom rack. This week we'll see how many balls are on top rack. If enough room I'll just go ahead and leave my spare ball there also

[billf]

Social league only bowlers tend to only have one maybe two balls and usually not a spare specific ball. That being said I do know one that uses plastic, throws straight and has one for forst throws and one for spare attempts. Me being me I remarked that given her ten straight open frames that maybe she had them backwards.

The scratch leagues are funny to watch bowlers walk in. Tons of 4 ball and 6 ball bags. I have two 3 ball totes at the center, I grab one and whatever is in there is what I use. Some nights I regret it. It's a great sport and I like playing the game and being a ball whore is just one small part of the equation.

Each person/team/league should addrress the number of balls in the rack issue as is needed both for safety and to prevent frustration. We are all human so expecting a person to never forget to remove their spare ball is ludicrous.

[taxexpert2]

I have been bowling for a long long time and this is the first time this issue has ever come up. It is a new league for me in a fairly new house for me. I generally carry my regular ball and a ball to use to get certain spares. I usually keep that second ball below the regular balls, but when I use it it will end up with the regular balls. I have never had anyone complain until this week when someone said - "We should only have 10 balls in the upper rack - one for each bowler on each team. Who has an extra ball?" It was mine, of course I was the only one that night that had an extra ball. I have bowled in leagues where more than one person had more than one ball and they were all in the upper rack. Is there anything that says you can only have one ball for each person or was this just an incidence of someone's OCD coming out?

Well we are now four weeks into the league and I appears that while most bowlers do not have a second ball, some do and they do keep them below the regular rack.

This is a five person league, but the rack would probably fit 7 balls on a side. I am not making an issue of this, just trying to remember to put that spare ball out of the way.

The range of responses here has been interesting, and some of them are quite funny. Thanks to all.

[NewToBowling]

Last night the other team didn't show up. They pre-bowled. Broncos played Sunday Night Football so they couldn't miss it :)

Only us three so all balls were on the rack. Finished in an hour.

[Aslan]

I miss having the lower rack. They got rid of it when they changed from wooden lanes to synthetics. The AMF center only has the old round ball return. And the new place I bowl at doesn't have a bottom rack either.

But even with the bottom rack...bowlers will still forget to move their ball down there. Like Amyers, if I'm 0 for 3 on single pins in a game...I'm not thinking about putting my spare ball away...I'm thinking about throwing all 5 balls in a dumpster and taking up a different sport.

[Amyers]

I miss having the lower rack. They got rid of it when they changed from wooden lanes to synthetics. The AMF center only has the old round ball return. And the new place I bowl at doesn't have a bottom rack either.

But even with the bottom rack...bowlers will still forget to move their ball down there. Like Amyers, if I'm 0 for 3 on single pins in a game...I'm not thinking about putting my spare ball away...I'm thinking about throwing all 5 balls in a dumpster and taking up a different sport.

I was there Friday night and it was a H*** of a lot worse than 0 for 3. I don't think any of my balls have ever come so close to going for one final swim

[Aslan]

I was there Friday night and it was a H*** of a lot worse than 0 for 3. I don't think any of my balls have ever come so close to going for one final swim

I'm at the stage now where my expectations are probably greatly exceeding my abilities. Sometimes I feel like I can't make a single-pin spare to save my life and then I look at the stats in PinPal and see I went like 5/7 or 7/9...not as bad as I thought.

[Amyers]

I'm at the stage now where my expectations are probably greatly exceeding my abilities. Sometimes I feel like I can't make a single-pin spare to save my life and then I look at the stats in PinPal and see I went like 5/7 or 7/9...not as bad as I thought.

Try 2/11 on 10 pin and 6/10 spares combined. I did convert 6 single 9 pin spares though (if you consider leaving that many 9 pins in the first place as believable).

[Aslan]

Try 2/11 on 10 pin and 6/10 spares combined. I did convert 6 single 9 pin spares though (if you consider leaving that many 9 pins in the first place as believable).

Seems like 2/11 that you'd hit more than 2 just by accident.

Most of my problem is I have a tendency to square up to the foul line. So I'll travel towards the single-pin, and then as I swing I straighten my shoulders parallel to the foul line and miss inside. That's probably 70% of my misses.

One thing I've done recently, which has helped mentally, is I try to focus on how much axis tilt I want in the shot....45 degrees, 90 degrees, whatever. Now, does it matter what the axis tilt is on a spare shot with a plastic ball? Nope. The ball will theoretically do the exact same thing...go straight. BUT...it gets me thinking about something other than how badly I'm about to miss my single-pin spare shot.

My coach tells me not to think about anything other than just hitting my target...but for some reason ONLY thinking about that makes me miss. I need to distract my mind with something else....so long as that "something else" is pointless.

[Amyers]

Seems like 2/11 that you'd hit more than 2 just by accident.

Most of my problem is I have a tendency to square up to the foul line. So I'll travel towards the single-pin, and then as I swing I straighten my shoulders parallel to the foul line and miss inside. That's probably 70% of my misses.

One thing I've done recently, which has helped mentally, is I try to focus on how much axis tilt I want in the shot....45 degrees, 90 degrees, whatever. Now, does it matter what the axis tilt is on a spare shot with a plastic ball? Nope. The ball will theoretically do the exact same thing...go straight. BUT...it gets me thinking about something other than how badly I'm about to miss my single-pin spare shot.

My coach tells me not to think about anything other than just hitting my target...but for some reason ONLY thinking about that makes me miss. I need to distract my mind with something else....so long as that "something else" is pointless.

Yeah I'm pretty sure that I could have kicked the ball at the pins and done better. I don't know why I have these meltdowns on right side spares occasionally. Bowled twice since made 15 missed 2. Who knows.

[Tony]

Seems like a lot of trio leagues on here is that on purpose or because you don't have enough bowlers? Not many with a sense of humor either.

I went down to practice one Friday morning and got drafted into subbing in a trio league, I liked it so much I joined the team. The guys have more fun and there is more comradery than any league I've ever seen.

[Tony]

Yeah I'm pretty sure that I could have kicked the ball at the pins and done better. I don't know why I have these meltdowns on right side spares occasionally. Bowled twice since made 15 missed 2. Who knows.

I've done the same thing more than once, and certainly part of it is mental, I will miss one badly and start to tighten up, then try to aim the ball instead of taking a normal loose swing and extend my arm out toward my mark, I think I missed about 8/10 10 pins one week, absolutely horrible spare shooting. The thing I'm trying to focus on is not
letting one or two misses take over the whole game

[JasonNJ]

Yeah I'm pretty sure that I could have kicked the ball at the pins and done better. I don't know why I have these meltdowns on right side spares occasionally. Bowled twice since made 15 missed 2. Who knows.

How are you missing them? Are you missing left or dumping the ball into the channel? I was struggling with making 10 pins a few months ago and my problems was I was too concerned about throwing the ball into the gutter that I would miss left a lot. What finally helped me was I bought a Storm Mix for my spare ball, it's a pearl urethane ball and I applied a 1000 grit pad to it. It still goes really straight but has enough hold that if I miss right a little bit that it has a chance to ride the gutter and still make the 10. That gave me more confidence and I rarely miss left now and if I do miss it's because the ball drops into the gutter right before hitting the 10. My 10 pin percentage was about 55% and I would say it's about 75% now.

Although before buying my Storm Mix, I should have realized I could have tried applying surface to the spare ball to give it more hold too. Anyway, I would say give that a shot, maybe surface your spare ball so it doesn't skid as much and see if that helps.

[billf]

Right side spares are not my issue even being right handed. Now if I leave a 4 pin or 7 pin then it's an adventure. It's not a lack of practice either. I have gone so far as to getting 100 7 pins in a row then 100 4 pins. It has to be mental or maybe it's because I'm mental. I had one season where my conversion rate for the 7-10 split was higher than my 7 pin. The odd part is I hit the 7 pin when going for that split.

Any body else get so mad at themself that they just throw too damn hard at the single pins? One of these days one of those 30mph throws are going to take my shoulder with it.

[NewToBowling]

Left side single pin spares are easy for me now (2, 4, 7). I'm thinking close to 95% rate. Of course I play only on house shots but I know exactly where to stand and where to target for each of those pins and get it pretty regularly.

Right side ones are a different story, especially 6 and/or 10. I do use a spare ball for those but even then it's an adventure.

[Amyers]

How are you missing them? Are you missing left or dumping the ball into the channel? I was struggling with making 10 pins a few months ago and my problems was I was too concerned about throwing the ball into the gutter that I would miss left a lot. What finally helped me was I bought a Storm Mix for my spare ball, it's a pearl urethane ball and I applied a 1000 grit pad to it. It still goes really straight but has enough hold that if I miss right a little bit that it has a chance to ride the gutter and still make the 10. That gave me more confidence and I rarely miss left now and if I do miss it's because the ball drops into the gutter right before hitting the 10. My 10 pin percentage was about 55% and I would say it's about 75% now.

Although before buying my Storm Mix, I should have realized I could have tried applying surface to the spare ball to give it more hold too. Anyway, I would say give that a shot, maybe surface your spare ball so it doesn't skid as much and see if that helps.

That's the bad thing about it there is no rhyme or reason to it when I start struggling with it. It's mental with me. I'll throw one in the gutter, the next I'll miss to the left when it gets really bad I'll throw what looks like a good one and the ball hooks just around the pin (yes I use plastic but still hooks some). Then I get frustrated with and get to where I can't hit anything. Been fine since but on that night I really should have started throwing two handed or granny style or something it was pathetic. Surface on the plastic ball wouldn't be a good idea for me. I struggle in some of my wood lane houses with friction on the outside making the ball hook.

[Amyers]

Right side spares are not my issue even being right handed. Now if I leave a 4 pin or 7 pin then it's an adventure. It's not a lack of practice either. I have gone so far as to getting 100 7 pins in a row then 100 4 pins. It has to be mental or maybe it's because I'm mental. I had one season where my conversion rate for the 7-10 split was higher than my 7 pin. The odd part is I hit the 7 pin when going for that split.

Any body else get so mad at themself that they just throw too damn hard at the single pins? One of these days one of those 30mph throws are going to take my shoulder with it.

I think that's what happens with me on the right side stuff frustration sets in. Usually if I miss a 7 pin it's because I misread the amount of transition that has taken place. Always use one of your practice throws to get one over there during warm ups has helped me a lot with that problem.