Access to bowling [Archive] - BowlingBoards.com

Tony

11-10-2015, 08:58 AM

Just thought it would be interesting to see how much access we all have to bowling, how many centers are under 20 miles / 30 minutes from your house.
I have a feeling I'm toward the high side with at least 8

Timmyb

11-10-2015, 09:19 AM

Amyers

11-10-2015, 09:30 AM

3 within 30 min. 5 under an hour away. We are used to driving in WV to get to things so an hour drive isn't out of the question.

JasonNJ

11-10-2015, 09:32 AM

I'm in Central NJ and my home center is in the same town as me so about 3 minutes away. My guess there are about 10 centers within 20 miles of me.

bobforsaken

11-10-2015, 09:51 AM

2 within 30 minutes. Another two within 1 hour.

shadd

11-10-2015, 09:59 AM

There's 3 houses within the 20 mile range (the 3rd is 22 miles away). Now, the 30 minute thing might be a little challenging with the traffic near in this area. I'd be interested to hear how many houses are "updated" (scoring, ball return, seating, etc.)...the 1 I go to the most looks like its straight out of 1986, snack bar included haha.

NewToBowling

11-10-2015, 10:05 AM

One recently closed but for the ones I visit there are 4 within 20 minutes from my house. 3 are AMF/Brunswick and one is local

My main alley is around 8 minutes away

scottymoney

11-10-2015, 10:22 AM

2 I can make t to in under 5 minutes. about 10 within half an hour.
The Buffalo area you can get anywhere in 30 minutes.

vdubtx

11-10-2015, 10:27 AM

1 within 5 miles that I don't bowl in(Entertainment Center - no leagues)

1 within 10 miles where I bowl my Thursday night league.

1 within 15 miles where the US Open was held this year, I don't bowl league here as it is an AMF center and they were a smoking center until the week before the US Open. Another reason I didn't bowl there.

1 within 15 miles that is a very small 16 lane wood house. Only time I had bowled in this house was from the Virtual Tournament.

1 within 20 miles where I bowl on Tuesday nights and another within 20 miles that is an AMF center.

1 within 20 miles in opposite direction from all others and is in the country and is also an entertainment center. They do have leagues and held a couple PBA Regional's.

So, actually quite a few for me that are accessible.

NewToBowling

11-10-2015, 10:52 AM

vdubtx

11-10-2015, 11:06 AM

Still allow smoking indoors in Texas?

The town that center is located in, yes. Unfortunately. Most other towns in our area are smoke free. Some to different degrees. Some towns don't even allow vaping either.

NYMIKE

11-10-2015, 11:13 AM

NYMIKE

11-10-2015, 11:40 AM

I busted out my phone with gps to answer this question. Surprising answer comes out. I know there are 5 lanes in Queens, I only bowl in 2 of them neither one requires me getting on the highway, one time about 15 years ago I bowled in the third house. All 5 of them are within 7 miles of me. Then there is Brooklyn, I found out that there are 2 houses less then 4 miles away. Another one is 11 miles away, that one requires getting on the highway, and dealing with NYCs traffic. Another house is 14 miles, I would not even consider going there due to distance. Fifth house is 16 miles, again too far, but within the range of the question. Sixth Brooklyn House is 15 miles away. 2 in Manhattan, that would require me to get on the train and probably the most expensive lanes in the world ($20 drinks), I have a guy in my league that comes from Manhattan to bowl with us. Bronx 3 houses, getting there would require a toll, however one of them is well kept wooden Van Nest Lanes, I will go there one day. There is also at least one on Long Island that is within 20 miles. At least 17 houses (not sure how many exactly on Long Island), but realistically I can go to about 7 of them.

fordman1

11-10-2015, 02:44 PM

Metro Detroit has roughly 70 Centers now that we lost 3 last summer. There are 2200 lane beds. All of Mich. is smoke except for the 3 Detroit Casinos. None have bowling. The actual city of Detroit only has 1 or 2 centers all the others are out side of the city. So depending where you live you should be close to bowling. I do not know of any that don't have auto scoring. Some still have wood lanes but not many. Many were lost because the land was worth more than the center. Some were in areas that had went down hill and no longer were where you wanted to go.

fortheloveofbowling

11-10-2015, 04:33 PM

[QUOTE=fordman1;135343]Metro Detroit has roughly 70 Centers now that we lost 3 last summer. There are 2200 lane beds. All of Mich. is smoke except for the 3 Detroit Casinos. None have bowling. The actual city of Detroit only has 1 or 2 centers all the others are out side of the city. So depending where you live you should be close to bowling. I do not know of any that don't have auto scoring. Some still have wood lanes but not many. Many were lost because the land was worth more than the center. Some were in areas that had went down hill and no longer were where you wanted to go.[/QUOTE

Unbelievable and really sad fact: The height of metro detroit abc membership was more than the population of the city today.

Blomer

11-10-2015, 07:49 PM

I live in far north burbs of Chicago, Wisconsin is about 15 minutes if that from me. In Illinois there are three in my town where I live and then I can think of 8 others within 20 miles and then at least two more on the Wisonsin side so at least 12.

DarkyDizzle

11-10-2015, 07:57 PM

2 I can make t to in under 5 minutes. about 10 within half an hour.
The Buffalo area you can get anywhere in 30 minutes.

Same boat here in Grand Island. I have 3 lanes within 5 min. About 5-6 more within 30min

Cajun

11-10-2015, 08:11 PM

The main house I roll at is 5 minutes from me... the next one is 10 minutes from me....any other ones are over an hour

J Anderson

11-10-2015, 08:36 PM

One that's about a quarter of a mile fro our house. Two others that would be about 15 to 20 minutes away if I95 wasn't a parking lot from sun up till well past sun down.

More centers have closed in Fairfield county in the last thirty years by at least a factor of two.

scottymoney

11-11-2015, 11:02 AM

Same boat here in Grand Island. I have 3 lanes within 5 min. About 5-6 more within 30min

Hey Darky, I have bowled at one of the lanes on Grand Island. Not sure what it was called, but old Wood lanes and a split house.
I live in Lockport. And do most of all my bowling at Brad Angelo Lanes.

Tony

11-11-2015, 11:37 AM

Still allow smoking indoors in Texas?

I'm really glad they passed the no smoking ban in Illinois a few years back, it was nasty coming home smelling like a big ashtray, had to wash all the clothes, take a shower and keep your coat and bowling bag in the garage a couple of days to let it air out.

billf

11-11-2015, 11:41 AM

2. Male it an hour and it jumps to around 20 or so with the majority being in the Dayton area

Mike White

11-11-2015, 11:43 AM

I'm really glad they passed the no smoking ban in Illinois a few years back, it was nasty coming home smelling like a big ashtray, had to wash all the clothes, take a shower and keep your coat and bowling bag in the garage a couple of days to let it air out.

You weren't planning on washing the clothes, and taking a shower anyways?

P.S. What is a "No Smoking Ban"?? If you don't smoke, you're banned?

DarkyDizzle

11-11-2015, 12:21 PM

Hey Darky, I have bowled at one of the lanes on Grand Island. Not sure what it was called, but old Wood lanes and a split house.
I live in Lockport. And do most of all my bowling at Brad Angelo Lanes.

Yea that's Malwitz Lanes on the Island now. I think it was called Island lanes previously. Only set of lanes I have ever heard of on the Island. Ive bowled out at BA a cpl times before. Typically I bowl at Manor Lanes, but my current league is in Classic lanes now The former MilSher Lanes in Tonawanda.

scottymoney

11-11-2015, 12:57 PM

Ah yes, Malwitz sounds right. I just remember the old wood lanes that were so dry.
Never bowled at Manor and many years ago I did bowl at MilSher.

I am going to start bowling ABT in 2016 after all the holidays and stuff are over. So I am sure I will frequent these lanes a lot. The other house I bowl at frequently is Rapids, since that is where my PSO is out of.

Timmyb

11-11-2015, 03:49 PM

Have you ever bowled at Holler House?

I have, and it's a blast!

foreverincamo

11-11-2015, 06:21 PM

Well, within 30 minutes I think there's at least 12 places around me, perhaps a few more.

mc_runner

11-11-2015, 09:13 PM

Within 30 minutes... probably about 12, maybe a few more. When I move in a couple months, that will go down to about 5 (only moving 20 min away from where I am now but out to the boonies a bit). Good news is the center I primarily bowl at is still between work and home.

Timmyb

11-11-2015, 11:24 PM

I live in Milwaukee. We may not have as many as we used to, but it's still hard to not run into one every couple of miles! I have three within 5 miles of my house. The one I shoot at is a half mile away.

Thought this over, and it's 5 or possibly 6 with 5 miles. Three are withing 2 miles, and 2 of them are legitimately walking distance. I am blessed!

AlexNC

11-13-2015, 10:18 PM

Within 30 minutes I just have 1, but I live in a relatively rural area. 45min to an hour gets me 8 additional.

Blacksox1

11-16-2015, 07:48 PM

Good thread. I bowl in two houses. One less than 3 miles away, the other 20 miles or so. The distances of travel could be great if you lived in rural Alaska or some other random place.

TonyInPortland

11-17-2015, 07:32 AM

Four, I think.

manke

11-17-2015, 05:18 PM

I have 8 with in 30 miles

SAbowler

11-21-2015, 01:19 PM

I have about 10 or 11 bowling centers within 25 miles from my house.

Tony

11-21-2015, 08:32 PM

You weren't planning on washing the clothes, and taking a shower anyways?

P.S. What is a "No Smoking Ban"?? If you don't smoke, you're banned?

I wouldn't be forced to take a shower, and toss those clothes in the laundry the instant I arrived home, it it wasn't for the nasty smell of tobacco smoke. When expressed in the original sentence, it is implied that were it not for the stench of smoke, it would not be necessary to immediately shower, and change clothing.

So you've never heard of a No Smoking Ban ? Also written as No Smoking, Ban. The following organization has some information to help you understand.
http://no-smoke.org/goingsmokefree.php?id=127

It appears you might be having trouble understanding English, if this is correct, please consult these resources for more information.

http://englishconversations.org/lessons/english-for-beginners/

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/implied

If you did understand and were just being an A$$hat, please accept my apologies. I'm very sorry for you. :)

Jekyll & Hyde

11-22-2015, 08:29 AM

i would say that i have about 6 with in a 30 minutes from my house.

JoeInPI

11-24-2015, 05:36 PM

We have 2 within a half hour, one more about 40 minutes out.

Like fordman said- the Detroit centers are dropping out. I grew up in Taylor, and bowled most of the good centers during travel leagues in the 80's/early 90's. I am happy that I was able to bowl on the upstairs 16 at Garden Bowl when they were still bowling upstairs. It was also odd to hear the thumping above your head when you bowled on the first floor. Now the oldest functioning bowling center in the country!

ep1977

11-26-2015, 02:47 PM

I'm on LI and there are 5 bowling centers within a 12 minute drive from my house. The only problem is 3 of them are AMF centers where the prices are high.

Aslan

11-26-2015, 03:18 PM

I think I'll win this contest easily.

Theres 22 sanctioned centers and 2 more non-sanctioned centers within 20 miles. Pretty much the entire Orange County USBC and Southern LA County USBC are within 20 miles. Add in one center from the Citrus Belt USBC that is in Chino Hills...thats 25 total. There may be 1-3 centers in the Northern LA County USBC that are within 20 miles; not sure. At least one though, so thats 26.

Now...where I LOSE this competition is the 30 minute drive part of the equation. That would limit me in Southern California to about 5-7 centers within 20 miles and 30 minutes. But, I am the only one (I think) that is < 5 minute walk from a center.

In California, it's not about how close...it's how long it'll take to get there. For example, Irvine Lanes is about 29 miles from where I work (18 miles from my apartment). But I could never make it there in less than 30 minutes unless it's 3-5AM. Driving there from work, 29 miles, Tuesday it took me 1 hour and 20 minutes.

It's why I could only do that sport shot league in Norco on Sunday mornings. Because to get there any other time but 8AM on a Sunday...would take over an hour...especially on a weekday evening. I'd have to traverse the Green River pass which is one of the worst 5 commutes in Southern California.

We discussed this a bit when we were doing the Virtual Bowling Tour. I think Mudpuppy, in the metro Detroit area actually had the most centers within an hour. The guys out on the East Coast also had a ton of centers within an hour....but, like me in SoCal and classy granny in Arizona...to live in the New York area....you're within an hour's drive of centers all over New York, New Jersey, etc...but the commute would probably kill those possiblities.

ep1977

11-26-2015, 08:31 PM

But, I am the only one (I think) that is < 5 minute walk from a center.

The closest center to my house is about a 5 minute walk as well.

Jessiewoodard57

11-27-2015, 11:45 PM

5 houses within 35 miles add 15 more miles the number increases to about 10 Including Walter Ray Williams Jr's home house as well as Norm Duke. Would love to meet these guys.

J Anderson

12-02-2015, 10:37 AM

5 houses within 35 miles add 15 more miles the number increases to about 10 Including Walter Ray Williams Jr's home house as well as Norm Duke. Would love to meet these guys.

I met Norm at a Next Level Bowling clinic that he did with Pete Weber. Norm was very out-going and friendly, walked right up to me before the clinic to thank me for coming. Of course he may have been acting to a degree since in a way he was "on stage". Pete was definitely more laid back, but not at all unfriendly.

I've heard that Walter Ray tends to be more aloof with fans, but I've never tried to meet him.

Aslan

12-02-2015, 04:55 PM

I met Norm at a Next Level Bowling clinic that he did with Pete Weber. Norm was very out-going and friendly, walked right up to me before the clinic to thank me for coming. Of course he may have been acting to a degree since in a way he was "on stage". Pete was definitely more laid back, but not at all unfriendly.

I've heard that Walter Ray tends to be more aloof with fans, but I've never tried to meet him.
I've never met WRW Or Norm. I saw PDW at a Pro Am once but most of the time he was sitting outside smoking and I never got a chance to bowl with him. Bowling is a unique experience regarding Professionals because very few sports give you such open access to pro athletes. At a Pro bowling event, there's no security or anything...you can just walk right up to these guys/gals and start talking to them. Most sports you have to catch the person when they are out in public or something.