Summer leagues?

[boatman37]

Well looks like I may be joining a summer league this year. I normally wouldn't but since I'm trying to get back in my groove after a 15 year absence and I feel I am just starting to get back on track I don't want to stop now for 3 months.

What should I expect as far as lane conditions with the higher temps and humidity? Will the lanes break down quicker? Be inconsistent? Anything I can do to try to alleviate these issues?

[Phonetek]

I haven't been on a summer league in decades. From what I remember the lanes were always pretty dry because they were oiled less frequently. I suppose it could have been weather conditions, I didn't know enough then to say.

I'm not sure if we will change the oil frequency or volume in the summer or not. I'd be happy to ask. I can ask my PSO too to see what his house does, and compare notes.

[Amyers]

It depends on the house. I've seen some here who try to only oil every other day or not put out fresh oil for summer leagues. I have some hoses here that treat it just like fall. I do think the warmer weather makes the lanes transition a little faster. If you bowl in a older house be prepared for the air conditioning to be on the poor side which sucks

[mattmc82]

If you’re trying to get some games in on the cheap in the summer AMF/Bruswick has a deal where it’s 45 bucks and you can bowl 3 games every day during certain hours from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Also, I went to Baden Bowl a couple weeks ago. Reminded me a lot of your house. It was the closest alley to me with open bowling on a Friday.

[boatman37]

A bunch of our guys are in leagues at Baden Bowl too. Not sure if I ever bowled there.

Not really looking to get cheap games in as much as just getting games in. If I'm not in a league I probably won't bowl at all in the summer. Too busy with other stuff.

[fordman1]

Our lanes are oiled every day all summer.

[Phonetek]

It depends on the house. I've seen some here who try to only oil every other day or not put out fresh oil for summer leagues. I have some hoses here that treat it just like fall. I do think the warmer weather makes the lanes transition a little faster. If you bowl in a older house be prepared for the air conditioning to be on the poor side which sucks

It's barely even spring and I can tell already our AC sucks. In the short time since I started it has died twice already. I hope when the do the remodel they do some upgrades on the AC. 3 ceiling fans and a separate air circulation system with a de-humidifier isn't gonna cut it on their own. The fact our lanes are underground technically a large basement should help but so far not so good.

[bdpeters]

I believe wood lanes dry out (or soak in) faster than synthetic. this may have an impact esp in summer.

[Phonetek]

I would think you're gonna have more issues with the approach in the heat and humidity making them more tacky

[boatman37]

Could be. Our lanes are all synthetic. Just curious because I heard people complain about the end lanes being very hard to bowl on because of the doors being right there

[JasonNJ]

I usually just get the AMF\Bowlmore summer pass. Like MattMC82 said, its a great deal. 3 games a day until Labor day usually. If I do bowl a summer league, I do a sports shot league just to see where I'm at with my bowling on a tougher shot. Also its a short season so I don't have a 35 week reminder how bad a bowler I really am when I'm not on a THS.

[got_a_300]

I really can not see much of a difference between the fall and the
summer league lane conditions. I do know that they change the
blend of oil used on the lanes I believe it is a little bit thicker oil
to combat the heat to keep the lanes from breaking down and
drying out too fast.

[Phonetek]

In a Siri voice "Here is what I found on da web" I didn't test the links in the post so I'm not sure if they are still valid.

Some info

From the Brunswick Synthetic lane care manual:

Atmospheric Conditions
It is important that proper climate control is maintained throughout the center.
Indoor humidity is a large factor in lane conditions and approach sliding characteristics.
A relative humidity level of 45% ± 5%, and a constant temperature
that is comfortable for the bowlers should be maintained.

Atmospheric conditions affect the approach surface. Sudden changes in temperature
of the lane surface or the conditioned air flowing across it can cause water
to condense on the approach surface. Relative humidity in a bowling center
should be maintained at a constant level no higher than 50%. The more constant
the temperature of the lane surface and the air in the building, the better. A
relative humidity of 45% ± 5% is ideal at a constant indoor temperature that is
comfortable for the bowlers, should be maintained.


also see:

The Weather’s Changing…Are Your Lane Conditions?
http://www.kegel.net/V3/ArticleDetails.aspx?ID=72

Lane Conditions and Cold Snaps
http://www.kegel.net/V3/ArticleDetails.aspx?ID=73

Weather, Topography, and Ball Motion
http://www.kegel.net/V3/ArticleDetails.aspx?ID=75

10 Things That Everyone Should Know About Lane Conditioners
http://www.kegel.net/V3/ArticleDetails.aspx?ID=6


The main affect the weather has is on the oil and it's viscosity. The cooler the lane surface is when oiled, the more the oil has a chance to bond onto the lane properly. When oil is applied to a cooler lane surface, the oil is kept from migrating, due to the disruption of heat. An oil pattern applied to the cooler lane surface will be truer to the intended lane pattern characteristics..

A lot of house's change the pattern lengths trying to compensate for it.

[Amyers]

I would think you're gonna have more issues with the approach in the heat and humidity making them more tacky

It depends. In my experience wood approaches are not a problem very often. I've seen synthetic approaches so bad that I have actually threw one ball walked back got regular shoes back on packed my stuff up and left.

[Phonetek]

It depends. In my experience wood approaches are not a problem very often. I've seen synthetic approaches so bad that I have actually threw one ball walked back got regular shoes back on packed my stuff up and left.

Wow that is bad. I'll have to claim ignorance on the approaches. I know if there is a spill or we have to wipe off foot prints from an idiot walking on the lanes that's one thing. Otherwise we really don't do anything with them thus far since I've worked there. We have a cleaning crew that comes in after close at a million o'clock but I've never been there to see what they do. So I don't know if cleaning them is something they do or not. If people don't complain then I don't think they are cleaned.

I have although taken it upon myself to clean under the ball return lazy Susan because frankly they were gross. I told the boss, I'm gonna go clean that and the both the top and bottom racks. I couldn't deal with what they looked like, my OCD again. I told the boss that's the things that people will notice and put on Yelp reviews if they are disgusting like they were. I think that's what sold him on the idea. Since it's been done regularly. When bowlers leave I always wipe the return down in addition to the control pads where people type in their names which I doubt anyone else does. Too many fingers on them for my taste so I ALWAYS wipe them down. I don't even wanna think about the fingers that have been in house balls, ICK!

[LowDown]

I'm actually considering a summer league as well. The last summer league I did was brutal, the A/C barely worked and about 2 weeks in the owner cleaned the floors (not the approach) and whatever he used to clean them stuck to the floor, got on peoples shoes and then the approaches. They had to close the house and re-clean the floors and all of the approaches.

Since then new owners bought the place and closed it for about 6 months. New HVAC system, new bar and updated the scoring systems for all the lanes. Might be worth another shot.

[Phonetek]

I did confirm last night that our approaches actually are cleaned every night. I had no idea but the cleaning crew does it. One of them came in at 11:30 pm which is unusual for them to come in that early. They have an approach cleaning solution and it's in a device that's like a cross between a Swiffer and a steam Shark just a larger commercial version. It explains why all the crud was under the ball return, it can't get under there and likely pushes stuff under them. I assumed because of what was under there they weren't cleaned, I'm happy they do it. It explains why I never get complaints of any problems with people sticking or slipping on the approach. When I bowl there I never have any issues with them.

[Blomer]

I’m doing a summer league again as well. More so to stay fresh. Not a serious league, more or a fun league. They provide tickets to bowl during open bowlin as well and provides. A few drinks each night. However, they do oil lanes every night. Real nice house that takes care of things year round.

[Dice]

My son and I plan on joining a summer league. It'll be our first experience in a league and I'm pretty excited about it. I'm too much of a newbie at all this to really notice lane conditions being different.

[boatman37]

Looks like I'm in. It's a 3 man team but only 2 bowl each night so you rotate. 4 game series. Bowling with 2 of my teammates that are father/son. Been bowling with the father as a teammate since 1988 minus my 15 year break. My main objective is to continue to get better. Hate to take 4 months off after just starting back up.

[Eddy]

I’m doing a summer league again as well. More so to stay fresh. Not a serious league, more or a fun league. They provide tickets to bowl during open bowlin as well and provides. A few drinks each night. However, they do oil lanes every night. Real nice house that takes care of things year round.

Same here. But I'm not doing a summer league to stay fresh, I'm doing it to get better for the fall leagues. This is my first year back in 20 years, so I have a bit of catching up to do. But I learn something new every week that I put into the memory bank. Now the trick is to keep progressing. Which I think I am. Sometimes it is 2 steps forward, 1 step back kind of thing.

[Eddy]

Hate to take 4 months off after just starting back up.

Exactly this. It took me the whole year to get where I am after so long off that I'm not gonna let up now. A friend of mine suggested I take the summer off to mentally regroup, and I said "#*&% NO! I'm just starting to feel semi-comfortable and am gonna bowl until I'm sick of it. Which may never happen. I feel at home when I'm bowling.