Summer leagues anyone?

[foreverincamo]

Have a few choices for this summer. 1. screw it for the summer and go fishing 2. Big money trios league 3. Summer trios sport shot league. Anyone else with plans/options?

[RobLV1]

I am bowling the gamut this summer: a high average senior doubles league, a senior recreational league (with my wife), and a high average trios league (no age restrictions) at night.

[Blomer]

I'm looking to find a langue to bowl in. In the past I bowled in a sport shot non sanctioned league, but looking to explore a different center.

[NewToBowling]

I don't see why people shouldn't bowl in the Summer. One weeknight a week isn't a big commitment. Plan to do the "get two free balls" league this summer. Yes, we have great summer weather here in Colorado. I plan to spend my weekends outdoors. But during the week sure I'll spend a few nights bowling.

[Amyers]

I will at least bowl a family twosome league with my daughter and probably a Friday night mixed league this summer. If someone has something interesting I might pick up another.

[BrianG]

Every year I tell myself that I am going to take the summer off but I always end up in a league haha.

[fokai73]

I May do Doubles sport league again, but the last three years, my sons swim practices are held in the same evening.

I don't mind not bowling it, he comes first. And if I want to practice on sport, I just visit a house 30 mins away and bowl on their weekly sport pattern.

[JasonNJ]

Probably going to find a PBA experience league this summer.

[mc_runner]

I'll be in a couple. large/big money doubles league and probably a slower paced rec mixed league, since it sounds like there won't be a sport league this summer

[vdubtx]

No leagues for me this summer. Too much stuff going on with vacations, work commitments etc.

Will get some lessons in before Nationals at end of June as some tune-ups and also get some practice in on weekends to keep me sharp.

[jab5325]

After how hot it was in my center last summer, there's no way I'm bowling this time around. The place is trying to run 4 leagues though, which is an awful lot--signups aren't going all that well from what I can see.

My plan is to start bowling again in early August to get into shape.

[Aslan]

I plan to be moving this year...once I nail down a new position with a new company. So I don't want to commit to a league this summer.

I plan to do a lot of bowling as a sub though. I may end up bowling more games this summer as a sub than I would if I was in any leagues. And given the Monday league secretary did me a solid by helping to get rid of our "problem child"...if she needs me on a team, with the understanding that I may not be able to finish the entire season...I'll give her that option. So 'maybe' a Monday night league....sub the rest of the nights....if I can.

[Mike White]

I plan to be moving this year...once I nail down a new position with a new company. So I don't want to commit to a league this summer.

I plan to do a lot of bowling as a sub though. I may end up bowling more games this summer as a sub than I would if I was in any leagues. And given the Monday league secretary did me a solid by helping to get rid of our "problem child"...if she needs me on a team, with the understanding that I may not be able to finish the entire season...I'll give her that option. So 'maybe' a Monday night league....sub the rest of the nights....if I can.

If you move back east (Mich.) maybe you can track down Iceman in the old folks retirement home and challenge him to a game of Wii bowling.

Just be sure to do it in a room with hard wood floors.

[fordman1]

Thanks for nothing Mike. Why don't you keep him in Ca.

Not bowling league in the summer. The house has 6 tournaments scheduled and will probably do those. Need to get out and breathe some fresh air in the warmer months. We only have about 4 and a half months to do it.

[Aslan]

If you move back east (Mich.) maybe you can track down Iceman in the old folks retirement home and challenge him to a game of Wii bowling.

Just be sure to do it in a room with hard wood floors.

I'm not going that far East. And Iceman is in Missouri, not Michigan. Similar...but very different.

I'm going to Iowa...an even worse version of Missouri or Michigan. Less lead in the water...which is good....less traffic. Less hippies. But, less degrees Farenheit, less bowling alleys, less palm trees, and less bikini clad women...which are all bummers.

And no more 6 hour trips to Vegas to listen to people talk about how they got to Vegas in 3 hours...when there's no way humanly possible you can make that drive from Orange County or LA County in 3 hours.

[NewToBowling]

Missouri....yayyy
Iowa....mehhh

[Mike White]

And no more 6 hour trips to Vegas to listen to people talk about how they got to Vegas in 3 hours...when there's no way humanly possible you can make that drive from Orange County or LA County in 3 hours.

From OC do you go 57,210, 15. Or 91 15?

91 - 15 uses up the first hour just getting thru Green River.

[Mike White]

Thanks for nothing Mike. Why don't you keep him in Ca.

Not bowling league in the summer. The house has 6 tournaments scheduled and will probably do those. Need to get out and breathe some fresh air in the warmer months. We only have about 4 and a half months to do it.

California attracts the beautiful people, and the weirdos from other states.

Michigan let one of it's weirdos loose, and we're trying to send him back home.

The percent of people living in California, who were actually born in California is getting smaller and smaller.

[Tony]

If you move back east (Mich.) maybe you can track down Iceman in the old folks retirement home and challenge him to a game of Wii bowling.

Just be sure to do it in a room with hard wood floors.

I thought Iceman was from Podunk !

[Mike White]

I thought Iceman was from Podunk !

He's from K.C. Mo.

He wanted us to go to Plattsburgh Mo, to bowl at a 6 lane wood house.

Plattsburgh is "Podunk".

[Amyers]

I'm not going that far East. And Iceman is in Missouri, not Michigan. Similar...but very different.

I'm going to Iowa...an even worse version of Missouri or Michigan. Less lead in the water...which is good....less traffic. Less hippies. But, less degrees Farenheit, less bowling alleys, less palm trees, and less bikini clad women...which are all bummers.

And no more 6 hour trips to Vegas to listen to people talk about how they got to Vegas in 3 hours...when there's no way humanly possible you can make that drive from Orange County or LA County in 3 hours.

Why in the world would you consider moving from CA to Iowa? My god have you ever been to Iowa? This coming from a guy who lives in WV

[Mike White]

Why in the world would you consider moving from CA to Iowa? My god have you ever been to Iowa? This coming from a guy who lives in WV

He's hoping to find a bowling version of "Field of Dreams"

[Aslan]

California attracts the beautiful people, and the weirdos from other states.
Native Californians don't realize how weird they are. It's like the opposite of Texas. You go to Texas and everything thinks being a ultra-conservative redneck is normal....in California everyone thinks that the World is full of hippies. Turns out, if you've ever lived anywhere outside of Texas or California...they are both wrong.


Michigan let one of it's weirdos loose, and we're trying to send him back home.
Michigan had a bit of a "crisis" in 2008. The result of your entire State's economy being tied to ONE industry....and that industry being led by idiots...which ended with massive job losses and the near collapse of the automobile industry. So, I exited the State back then...actually went to Illinois. But, Illinois was not to my liking. A company in California was very interested in me moving out here...so I moved to California.

I have to say...California definitely has some nice parts to it in terms of climate and activities and it's a very beautiful State. Unfortunately, it's, as I said above, so insanely far to the "left" that it doesn't even realize it's own absurdity. And unfortunately, that absurdity has eventual consequences. And there lies the "problem" side of California. Liberal governor letting criminals out of prison (= crime rates going up), corrupt city councils and mayors and congressmen, etc.. Most people work for the government...people make 21% more in salary but pay 170% more in rent. There's many cities you can barely even go to (Venice, San Bernadino, etc..) because the crime is so bad. Homeless "camps" exist just about everywhere...because the government is so liberal they won't enforce any laws against the homeless unless the homeless are acting violently. Traffic and air quality are the worst in the country....although, side benefit...no bugs. The air is too polluted so you don't get a lot of insects...other than cockroaches. And you'd think California would have great schools given how much money they sink into them...but nope. Essentially 2-4 good areas for schools (Yorba Linda, Irvine, Newport Beach, and Huntington Beach) and even those districts have "bad" schools in one area or another. And, as you might expect, living in those 4 areas of Orange County is nearly impossible if you don't have $150,000K+ salary.


The percent of people living in California, who were actually born in California is getting smaller and smaller.
That's true. Most people I meet aren't originally from California. California is > 51% immigrant (Mexico, Asia pacific, Asian). Of the remaining minority...I'd say only 40% or so are actually born in California. People come out here once they have a skill or desirable experience to get a good job. You can't really afford to live in California if you're working in a lower level job. So, many people move for that reason...they can't afford to live here.


From OC do you go 57,210, 15. Or 91 15?
Usually I'm leaving from Santa Fe Springs/Whittier so it depends how the freeways look. If I leave from Orange County...I usually take the 57/210/15...for exactly the reason you stated. But when leaving from SFS/Whittier...I either chance it and take the 5/405/210/15 or I take surface streets to get to the 15....going through City of Industry/Ontario/etc... The problem is, there's no "good" time to go. I went after bowling at like 10:30PM once and ran into traffic on the I15 because late at night they close half of it down to do extensive road work. If you go during the day...there's traffic...if you go at night...there's traffic. Generally, it takes about 5.5 to 6.5 hours for me to get there or back...and once I'm in the desert past Barstow...I'm doing near 80mph.


91 - 15 uses up the first hour just getting thru Green River.
I used to live right off the Gypsum Canyon exit so I know the Green River pass all too well. That's the reason I didn't try to do a league at Chapparal300 or Brunswick Classic lanes. Both were closer to me (in terms of distance), but unless it was Sunday at 8:00AM...there's no way I'm getting there in under 2 hours. Same thing with poker. I used to go to Temecula for poker at least once a month for a tournament...sometimes every Sunday. No point to it anymore. Even on the weekends...getting to Temecula takes 3-4 hours because of the 91/I-15. And it takes the same amount of time to go in the back way through the canyon pass to Lake Elsinore.


Why in the world would you consider moving from CA to Iowa? My god have you ever been to Iowa? This coming from a guy who lives in WV
Well, my ex-wife couldn't find a job in her field in California...so she had to move to Iowa. That meant my daughter had to move to Iowa. That means I have to move to Iowa. That's how these things work. The alternative, was for the ex-wife to stay and make minimum wage...which means I'd owe her 35% of what I make...which means I would need to move outside the State to find a place I could afford to live...and thus, the same problem.

Mudpuppy Cliff Notes: Iowa has a lot of corn.

[fordman1]

I was just reading about an 85 year old man who averaged 222 and hit an 800 series. Are the lanes that easy in Cal. or is this gentleman that good? Let us know when you get to Iowa and have to bowl on different lanes.

[Mike White]

I was just reading about an 85 year old man who averaged 222 and hit an 800 series. Are the lanes that easy in Cal. or is this gentleman that good? Let us know when you get to Iowa and have to bowl on different lanes.

I didn't hear anything about him averaging 222, but based on his form, they ain't hard lanes.

Also easy lane conditions aren't limited to Cal.

http://fox40.com/2016/04/05/record-breaking-85-year-old-bowler/

[foreverincamo]

Well, this thread went sideways in a hurry....

[Aslan]

It's almost impossible to say that one region or area is "easier" or "harder" than another area.

Everyone has different styles, strengths, and weaknesses. Sometimes you find a house you bowl well at and a house you bowl poorly at. Rarely is there one THS that is so much more challenging that everyone universally bowls better there.

I can't count how many times people claim the house they bowl at is harder than other houses. It's ridiculous. If it's a THS...it's a THS. Are there other factors that might make a house slightly more or less "hard"? Sure. And I'm sure lots of people can comment on what those are...but from my experience...

1) Age of the lanes. Lanes that are very new or very old...can affect (usually in a negative way) performance versus lanes that are "in the middle".

2) How well maintained the center is. This is purely for the sake of consistency...lanes that are managed well...that are maintained well...they will tend to be consistent from pair to pair, lane to lane, and night to night. Places that try to cut corners and oil sometimes but not all the time...sometimes before leagues...sometimes not...those are going to be very difficult to score well on...because you never know what you're going to get. Not to mention...many of us have bowled at places where the ball comes back looking like it's a Dalmation....because it picks up so much dirt and grime and belt material. Another sign that the house doesn't do a great job. And that carries over to the approaches...sometimes sticky, sometimes not. Or the pin setters...sometimes the 7-pin is in one spot...sometimes it's somewhere else.

But besides those two things...a THS is a THS. Some lanes I perform better on than others...because they fit my style. That being said....sometimes I play on lanes everyone is scoring like mad on...and I can't figure em out....different styles. If you have a low ball speed and fair amount of rpms...wood lanes and shorter patterns and very narrow patterns....you're gonna have problems. If you throw a speedy shot...high mph...low revs...longer, wider, more volume THS shots are going to challenge you.

Mike wasn't the only guy that complained about the wood lanes I used to bowl on. There was this older bowler I met there...he was cussing up a storm...because he couldn't get near the pocket. Why? Low speed, heavy oil ball, moderate RPMs. You need more speed on beat up wood lanes. The AMF center...which drastically raised my stinking average...my old teammate....old 70s year old veteran...complained CONSTANTLY that he couldn't bowl there. Everyone else LOVED those lanes....8 300-games....a couple 800 series each season...they LOVED em! But not him. He threw the ball 8mph...and insisted on throwing a Guru or something like that. He missed left every time.

How good of a bowler you are is how versatile you can be. Anybody, even me, anybody can find a house and bowl there for 17 years and eventually figure out the lanes and throw a perfect game. It's just staying healthy long enough to do it. But very, very few....even good or above average house bowlers...can go to different houses and perform well. That's why there's so little interest in travel leagues and sport leagues and tournaments. Bowlers have insanely horrible egos...that are as fragile as a Faberge egg. They go to a tournament, with their 189 average...and can't hit a 500 series...and that's the last time they make that mistake. Back to their cozy confines...back to their high 5s and a** slapping for getting 200 games.

Mudpuppy Cliff Notes: I like that balloons can be all different colors.

[Stormed1]

I am doing a short have-az-ball league zandc one of 2 sport shot leagues (whih one depends on if my son can switch his day off)

[Blomer]

Went to practice at a different house and signed up for a summer league. Just a fun league to stay on track for fall. No $, no prizes, just fun!

[jab5325]

I was just reading about an 85 year old man who averaged 222 and hit an 800 series. Are the lanes that easy in Cal. or is this gentleman that good? Let us know when you get to Iowa and have to bowl on different lanes.

I bowl with an elderly guy who averages 215-220, and is good on any lane/condition.

[Mike White]

I bowl with an elderly guy who averages 215-220, and is good on any lane/condition.

I have no doubt an elderly guy can average 215-220.

My doubt is on the phrase "on any lane/condition"

[fordman1]

What do you call an older guy? 85 is old compared to the rest of the people who were born the same year he was probably 85% are already dead. And of those how many can get around or remember where they live.

[Mike White]

What do you call an older guy? 85 is old compared to the rest of the people who were born the same year he was probably 85% are already dead. And of those how many can get around or remember where they live.

Where I bowl, they have Senior Leagues on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 12:30.

We call Tuesday and Thursday the "Old Folks League".

And Wednesday is "Their Parent's League"

[J Anderson]

Back to the subject; I talked to my Buddies Summer Doubles league teammate from the last two years tonight. he's so fed up with his bowling this season that he's planning to take the summer off. I may sign up for the summer sport league and drop the winter sport league in the fall.

[Tony]

Where I bowl, they have Senior Leagues on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 12:30.

We call Tuesday and Thursday the "Old Folks League".

And Wednesday is "Their Parent's League"

You didn't say which of the three leagues you were bowling in....

[Tony]

Not looking like there will any summer leagues in store for me, having carpal tunnel surgery next week !

[jab5325]

Not looking like there will any summer leagues in store for me, having carpal tunnel surgery next week !

Best wishes, Tony--hope it goes well.

[foreverincamo]

We occasionally have tournaments where I bowl. Guys come in carrying 230-240 averages at " their " house and barely break 600. What's funny is how bowling has changed over the years. People used to bowl where I do because the house was difficult. Now people DON'T bowl there because the house is " too hard ".
I can go to a tournament with my barely over 200 average and kill the place, plus get pins with my handicap. You can watch my league for 3 hours and not see a ten pin carried by a messenger. They just don't happen. From the opening in 1962 until I worked there in 1987, there were 6 300's shot there. The total number of 300's there over 54 years is under 100. Some leagues around us average 100 300's a season.

[ep1977]

I'm bowling in the AMF Get your Gear league this summer. Great deal IMO. $22 x 16 weeks = 48 league games, 32 free practice games, and 2 high performance balls.

[Mike White]

I'm bowling in the AMF Get your Gear league this summer. Great deal IMO. $22 x 16 weeks = 48 league games, 32 free practice games, and 2 high performance balls.

Those numbers sound reasonable, assuming you still have to pay for drilling.

High performance balls tend to sell to pro-shops in the range of $120 to $150, with the high range being the newer releases.

That means the manufacturer gets a little less from the distributors.

AMF is probably getting the balls at the distributor rates, now that AMF/Brunswick isn't directly connected to Brunswick ball manufactures.

So maybe $100 to $130 per ball.

22*16 = $352 paid, with no prize fund, $200-$260 of that goes towards the balls.

$90 to $150 goes to lineage.

Again, it sounds reasonable.

Just watch out for how much the pro shop charges for drilling since they aren't making a profit on the balls.

When I was working the pro-shop (at an independent center), someone from the center inquired about idea of a get-a-ball league to compete with local Brunswick's get-a-ball league.

What they didn't realize was at that time Brunswick centers, and Brunswick balls were still in the same company family, which meant the bowling centers could get the balls at the manufactures cost or even less due to being promotional, no manufactures markup, distributor markup, or pro-shop markup.

Based on the centers expectations, I would have to organize who wanted what kind of ball, purchase all of those balls, fit and drill all of those balls, and deliver them to the bowlers at the start of the league.

Then wait until the league concluded to receive compensation, which would only be for the cost of the balls at distributor whole sale. Nothing for my time organizing, acquiring, drilling and delivering.

Needless to say, that idea didn't fly.

[fordman1]

Some leagues around us average 100 300's a season.
I find this hard to believe.

[NewToBowling]

Those numbers sound reasonable, assuming you still have to pay for drilling.

High performance balls tend to sell to pro-shops in the range of $120 to $150, with the high range being the newer releases.

That means the manufacturer gets a little less from the distributors.

AMF is probably getting the balls at the distributor rates, now that AMF/Brunswick isn't directly connected to Brunswick ball manufactures.

So maybe $100 to $130 per ball.

22*16 = $352 paid, with no prize fund, $200-$260 of that goes towards the balls.

$90 to $150 goes to lineage.

Again, it sounds reasonable.

Just watch out for how much the pro shop charges for drilling since they aren't making a profit on the balls.

When I was working the pro-shop (at an independent center), someone from the center inquired about idea of a get-a-ball league to compete with local Brunswick's get-a-ball league.

What they didn't realize was at that time Brunswick centers, and Brunswick balls were still in the same company family, which meant the bowling centers could get the balls at the manufactures cost or even less due to being promotional, no manufactures markup, distributor markup, or pro-shop markup.

Based on the centers expectations, I would have to organize who wanted what kind of ball, purchase all of those balls, fit and drill all of those balls, and deliver them to the bowlers at the start of the league.

Then wait until the league concluded to receive compensation, which would only be for the cost of the balls at distributor whole sale. Nothing for my time organizing, acquiring, drilling and delivering.

Needless to say, that idea didn't fly.

I'm bowling in same league this summer. Balls are Brunswick Danger Zone, DV8 Grudge, Track Paradox Pearl and Hammer Scandal

[foreverincamo]

Some leagues around us average 100 300's a season.
I find this hard to believe.
33 week season, 3 300's per night. Very doable. Seen some nights where there were 10 in one night, and 5 series over 800.

[stargell1]

33 week season, 3 300's per night. Very doable. Seen some nights where there were 10 in one night, and 5 series over 800.

Where I bowl, there are only 2-5 300's per year.