Open Bowling During League Play

[Empire895]

We had our league night last night and during our last game the house decided to put open bowlers 3 lanes down from our pair. The open bowlers were some of the league bowlers who had finished before us and some of their wives and girlfriends. During the 10th frame the other teams bowler was bowling on the lane nearest to these open bowlers and was distracted twice on the approach and stopped his approach twice while trying to shoot a spare. During this our anchor bowler who needed a strike to shut out the other team had to stop as well when the other bowler stopped.

When he was finally able to throw his shot he was a bit flustered and threw a split costing us 3 points.

My question is should the league be putting open bowlers so close to a league? I must also note that the entire rest of the one side of the house was empty so there was really NO good reason for the house to put these open bowlers so close to us. They were throwing between their legs and laughing and carrying on in a manner not fitting for a league btw, making things even more distracting for us.

Our team was in First Place and losing those 3 points hurts. BIG TIME. And we are pissed.

Just wanted to vent, but also wanted to see what others thought of this debacle so I know I am not blowing this out of proportion. A bowler 3 lanes over should not cause a bowler to be distracted but by him stopping he threw off our bowler. TWICE.

So mad right now I am FUMING.

[fordman1]

OK here is my opinion.
1st. Your league only rented the alleys you are bowling on and the house has the right to rent the others.
They should have given a larger buffer though.

2nd Did anyone ask them to stop acting like a bunch of rude fools while you were bowling?

3rd. Why did you bowler have to wait for the guy who stopped twice. Your anchor was 4 lanes away and once the stepped back he should have went ahead and gone.

4th it was a shame but you can't blame them for your anchor missing.

[mx1alex]

I'd say you are blowing it out of proportion. Can't blame the folks 3 lanes down for anything. And if the guy next to you got in your anchor's head then that's on the anchor. Pros try and get in the other guys head all the time.

[Empire895]

Thanks for your replies.

We had bowlers to our left which was why he didn't get a chance to go sooner. He gave right lane courtesy to our opponent and he stopped mid approach twice then stood on the approach staring over at the open bowlers. 2 lanes should be plenty of space between us but by him stopping twice it just seemed a little over dramatic. And if that is how pros get in another bowlers head, that's really not too professional. lol. that's bush league

Anyway, it is what it is. We shall overcome by kicking the crap out of whoever we bowl next week

That's all we can do at this point.

\m/

[classygranny]

Be glad they weren't put right next to you. Yes, our lanes will do that. Unless the league pays for the "buffer" lanes they can put whoever they want on them. Gets to be a bit hairy some nights. We just try and encourage the desk people to be reasonable and to talk with them if shenanigans are going on.

[RobLV1]

Most every center where I've bowled league (4 states) leaves a one pair "buffer" next to leagues. If you anchor bowler was thrown off by someone three lanes down, suggest that he practice on a Saturday afternoon, preferably next to a birthday party... invaluable practice to develop better concentration.

[boatman37]

Well tonight we had 2 members of the team we were bowling arguing with each other. I was up to try to convert a 7 pin and they were bickering. The one was up on the lane next to me but was back off the approach. As I started my approach the other walked up to him and I caught this out of the corner of my eye. Their voices got louder as they got more serious and I missed the 7. My fault for not stopping or my fault for not waiting. Anyway, I had already missed a bunch of spares that game so can't blame it on them but they kept at it even after we were done.

[SRB57]

We are lucky enough our league fills our house other than one pair. The thing that gets me is how inconsistent some guys are in there shot routine. I had a guy last night to the right of me that would take a long time one shot then just walk up the next. I go through the same routine every time. I seem to have pretty good concentration on shots so it don't really bother me other than I know it happen. Steve

[SpinBowler300]

I'm amazed at league bowlers who think the house owes them something that is not in their contract. They don't.

[vdubtx]

3 lanes and was distracted?? That is certainly not the houses problem, that would be the bowler.

Heck, we have been in a house that puts open bowlers on the first open pair as soon as league starts to finish up.

Some of my best practice can be when I am next to families bowling when little ones run up on the lanes. Having tunnel vision or blocking those distractions out are part of the mental game of bowling.

[Amyers]

I'm pretty sure I'm with the consensus here. If something was going on 3-4 lanes away from him distracting him it's his problem not the houses. I've actually had a few instances of open bowler right next to me during league as long as they half way have lane courtesy and aren't doing anything dangerous I'm ok with it. Under no circumstances does the league deserve more than what it their contract with the house and I've never seen more than a 2 lane buffer in a contract in my life. It's usually one.

[JasonNJ]

I'm with everyone else. I don't see a problem with them being 3 lanes over. I don't think the house did anything wrong.

[ALazySavage]

With the assumption that your league is one-lane courtesy I would say that the house gave three times the expectation and that people are looking for excuses around their own performance. The house would have a reasonable expectation that (a) three lanes are plenty and (b) that league bowlers would understand how to behave on the lanes they are given. I'm just not very sympathetic to a situation that seems to be an issue with concentration.

[J Anderson]

3 lanes and was distracted?? That is certainly not the houses problem, that would be the bowler.

Heck, we have been in a house that puts open bowlers on the first open pair as soon as league starts to finish up.

Some of my best practice can be when I am next to families bowling when little ones run up on the lanes. Having tunnel vision or blocking those distractions out are part of the mental game of bowling.

Having never possessed cat like reflexes, my nightmare is being on a lane, having wild three year olds running around on the next lane without a ball return in between while I’m swinging a 15# ball.