New best series tonight

[Ryster]

The GM at our center is also pretty tight-lipped about the pattern. Usually when people inquire about the lanes, especially when they seem really different than usual, the response is "it is always the same shot". Once in a blue moon he will talk about tweaking or experimenting with a new type of oil or length of pattern, but for the most part it is always "the same shot". We are pretty certain that is not the case when we notice a drastic difference, but for some reason the GM will insist it is. Sometimes I wonder if the mechanic forgets to select the correct pattern in the lane machine or something.

[RobLV1]

Bowling proprietors must laugh themselves silly when every time a house bowler doesn't score they come running and start questioning the oil pattern. Back in the days of wooden lanes and plastic or rubber balls, the oil pattern was all there was. Today, with synthetic lanes and overly reactive bowling balls, the oil pattern is just one small part of the equation. The panels that make synthetic lanes are less than 1/2" thick and they are anchored to wooden support beams. Any change in humidity or temperature will cause the lanes to shift causing differences in topography from one lane to another. Once bowlers can learn to recognize lane topography bases on how their balls react on specific parts of the lane, they will free up their thinking and raise their averages. It's as simple as that!

[boatman37]

Bowling proprietors must laugh themselves silly when every time a house bowler doesn't score they come running and start questioning the oil pattern. Back in the days of wooden lanes and plastic or rubber balls, the oil pattern was all there was. Today, with synthetic lanes and overly reactive bowling balls, the oil pattern is just one small part of the equation. The panels that make synthetic lanes are less than 1/2" thick and they are anchored to wooden support beams. Any change in humidity or temperature will cause the lanes to shift causing differences in topography from one lane to another. Once bowlers can learn to recognize lane topography bases on how their balls react on specific parts of the lane, they will free up their thinking and raise their averages. It's as simple as that!

Don't think it was that Rob. I heard 2 of our top bowlers that were in the lane next to us talking about how they were using their strongest balls and slowed their speed and they still wouldn't turn. It wasn't just a few guys, I probably heard 15 guys mention it and it was extreme compared to normal. I went to my strongest ball and moved about 3 boards left and slowed my speed about 2 MPH just to get to the pocket. Last night was much closer to our usual.

[RobLV1]

Last night was much closer to our usual.

If you never THINK that again, you'll be a much better bowler. Your "usual" only exists in your head because it makes you feel comfortable!

[J Anderson]

If you never THINK that again, you'll be a much better bowler. Your "usual" only exists in your head because it makes you feel comfortable!

I like Norm Duke’s saying, “I play where the lane tells me to play.”

[RobLV1]

I like Norm Duke’s saying, “I play where the lane tells me to play.”

Amen to that!

[boatman37]

Heard that before. But about 90% of the time I'm between the 5 and 10 board for our THS. That night to be there I had to be about 3 boards left of where I would normally stand. Doesn't sound like much but being 3 boards left means my ball was pretty much going straight at an angle to the pocket. No hook. I ended up most of the night closer to the 15-17 board and going straight. Me being a lefty and 99% of my bowling in our Tuesday night THS I don't usually have to move much. I do try other lines but usually end up back near the 10 board.

Rob, if you remember a year or 2 ago I was always around the 7 board and you kept saying get closer to the 10 and I said I couldn't because my accuracy suffered? Well I forced myself and now am very comfortable there...lol. I even got comfortable in at the 15 too so have that option if I need it...lol

[boatman37]

Tonight was a disaster all around. I had a throbbing headache but it went away shortly after we got there. We were bowling one of the higher average teams tonight. Lanes were wet in the middle, not bad around the 10-12 board but were very dry outside the 10. Our high series tonight for our team was 546 and he has a 201 average. I was 2nd high at 520. Lanes weren't the issue as the other team rolled 670, 564, 539, 578 and 707. Their worst was barely better than our best.

I feel like a rookie when shooting at spares like I have no idea what I'm doing. Pretty sure at this point it's a confidence thing.

Now on to the other team...ugh. They have 2 guys that are just ridiculous. One guy had about 5 balls up there and has to wipe off at least 2 before and after each shot. Even when it isn't his turn he is standing at the return wiping all of his balls down and getting in the way. He does this every week. And when he wipes them I mean he wipes each one for about a minute. He spends almost the entire night standing at the return wiping balls. Then another guy is very impatient and won't wait. The first ball of game 1 I threw and as I turned around he was at the foul line beside me. He had to have started his approach after I took my 2nd or 3rd step. Then he walked up to grab his ball when my teammate was starting his approach. Teammate told him he would appreciate it if he didn't do that again. Then at a couple of times they had 4 of their 5 guys around the return while we were bowling. Both guys I mentioned spend an excessive amount of time wiping their balls down so as 2 of their guys were bowling those 2 were up there wiping their balls down. I don't think they do it on purpose. Oh and the 2nd guy...after he releases his ball he stands up and watches it but takes about 3 steps right and ends up in the lane next to him so you can't go until he is out of the way. Frustrating enough to bowl bad and lose but to have to deal with this all night just makes it worse

I'm wondering if it is a case of 'playing down to the competition'? Really it's mainly me and my one teammate that are in the higher score range and seems we feed off of each other. So when one of us does good the other does good. My wifes average is 111 and his wifes average is 147. His average is 184 and mine is 190. If he bowls bad I'm wondering if I bowl down to the rest of the team? Partially that and partially that I know if he struggles we will probably lose. With such a low team average we all have to be on point to get a win. We have the lowest team average in the league by quite a bit. Our team average is 833 for 5 of us. Our 5th bowler(s) alternate. The one that bowled tonight has pre-bowled every week because of his job so we haven't seem him all season. The other has a 201 average too but seems to usually roll a 250 then 2 170's.

[Ryster]

Tonight was a disaster all around. I had a throbbing headache but it went away shortly after we got there. We were bowling one of the higher average teams tonight. Lanes were wet in the middle, not bad around the 10-12 board but were very dry outside the 10. Our high series tonight for our team was 546 and he has a 201 average. I was 2nd high at 520. Lanes weren't the issue as the other team rolled 670, 564, 539, 578 and 707. Their worst was barely better than our best.

I feel like a rookie when shooting at spares like I have no idea what I'm doing. Pretty sure at this point it's a confidence thing.

Now on to the other team...ugh. They have 2 guys that are just ridiculous. One guy had about 5 balls up there and has to wipe off at least 2 before and after each shot. Even when it isn't his turn he is standing at the return wiping all of his balls down and getting in the way. He does this every week. And when he wipes them I mean he wipes each one for about a minute. He spends almost the entire night standing at the return wiping balls. Then another guy is very impatient and won't wait. The first ball of game 1 I threw and as I turned around he was at the foul line beside me. He had to have started his approach after I took my 2nd or 3rd step. Then he walked up to grab his ball when my teammate was starting his approach. Teammate told him he would appreciate it if he didn't do that again. Then at a couple of times they had 4 of their 5 guys around the return while we were bowling. Both guys I mentioned spend an excessive amount of time wiping their balls down so as 2 of their guys were bowling those 2 were up there wiping their balls down. I don't think they do it on purpose. Oh and the 2nd guy...after he releases his ball he stands up and watches it but takes about 3 steps right and ends up in the lane next to him so you can't go until he is out of the way. Frustrating enough to bowl bad and lose but to have to deal with this all night just makes it worse

I'm wondering if it is a case of 'playing down to the competition'? Really it's mainly me and my one teammate that are in the higher score range and seems we feed off of each other. So when one of us does good the other does good. My wifes average is 111 and his wifes average is 147. His average is 184 and mine is 190. If he bowls bad I'm wondering if I bowl down to the rest of the team? Partially that and partially that I know if he struggles we will probably lose. With such a low team average we all have to be on point to get a win. We have the lowest team average in the league by quite a bit. Our team average is 833 for 5 of us. Our 5th bowler(s) alternate. The one that bowled tonight has pre-bowled every week because of his job so we haven't seem him all season. The other has a 201 average too but seems to usually roll a 250 then 2 170's.

Unfortunately, dealing with certain characters is half the challenge at bowling anymore. Ideally, it would be great to go in and have everyone follow traditional bowling etiquette and be respectful of everyone else. That isn't the reality anymore at bowling or society in general. There are 2 or 3 teams on our summer league that have absolutely no respect for anyone. Our whole team pre-bowls for those weeks and avoids dealing with it. Whenever confronted by other teams or the bowling center about complaints against their team, the team goes out of their way to behave even worse and brags about the fact that they are engaging in behavior that other teams have requested they tone down. Very mature.

With regards to bowling equipment, we have a guy on one of our leagues that will keep track of how many balls are on the return and will not hesitate to approach the other team and demand that people remove equipment. His usual argument is that "I have had my ball damaged by other people's bowling balls when they slam in to each other on an overloaded ball return. Please make sure you have only one ball on the return because I don't want my ball damaged!" I guess he doesn't think damage ever happens from repeatedly throwing the ball down a 60ft lane, having it crash in to 33lbs worth of pins, slam in to a mat, then get routed through a channel, picked up by a belt and pulley system, and pushed through a chute. This same person also has to inform his opponents that he does not want people walking up along side of him because he was trained by the Army to be keenly aware of his surroundings. This makes him very sensitive to movement in his peripheral field of view and when people walk up on the approach while he is bowling it is highly distracting.

[J Anderson]

. We were bowling one of the higher average teams tonight.

I feel like a rookie when shooting at spares like I have no idea what I'm doing. Pretty sure at this point it's a confidence thing.

Now on to the other team...ugh. They have 2 guys that are just ridiculous. One guy had about 5 balls up there and has to wipe off at least 2 before and after each shot. Even when it isn't his turn he is standing at the return wiping all of his balls down and getting in the way. He does this every week. And when he wipes them I mean he wipes each one for about a minute. He spends almost the entire night standing at the return wiping balls. Then another guy is very impatient and won't wait. The first ball of game 1 I threw and as I turned around he was at the foul line beside me. He had to have started his approach after I took my 2nd or 3rd step. Then he walked up to grab his ball when my teammate was starting his approach. Teammate told him he would appreciate it if he didn't do that again. Then at a couple of times they had 4 of their 5 guys around the return while we were bowling. Both guys I mentioned spend an excessive amount of time wiping their balls down so as 2 of their guys were bowling those 2 were up there wiping their balls down. I don't think they do it on purpose. Oh and the 2nd guy...after he releases his ball he stands up and watches it but takes about 3 steps right and ends up in the lane next to him so you can't go until he is out of the way. Frustrating enough to bowl bad and lose but to have to deal with this all night just makes it worse

I'm wondering if it is a case of 'playing down to the competition'? Really it's mainly me and my one teammate that are in the higher score range and seems we feed off of each other. So when one of us does good the other does good. My wifes average is 111 and his wifes average is 147. His average is 184 and mine is 190. If he bowls bad I'm wondering if I bowl down to the rest of the team? Partially that and partially that I know if he struggles we will probably lose. With such a low team average we all have to be on point to get a win. We have the lowest team average in the league by quite a bit. Our team average is 833 for 5 of us. Our 5th bowler(s) alternate. The one that bowled tonight has pre-bowled every week because of his job so we haven't seem him all season. The other has a 201 average too but seems to usually roll a 250 then 2 170's.

On the spare shooting I agree. Half the battle is figuring out a system that works for you. The other half is practicing enough that it becomes automatic. With some of the kids that I coach it drives me crazy. They will hit 5 or 6 ten pins in a row, dead center, and then completely whiff three or four. Also, with some of us, if we are getting a lot of strikes we start missing easy spares. Other times, like when it feels like you’re shooting your twentieth ten pin of the night and you’re only halfway through the second game you start missing them.

I doubt if you’re playing down to the competition. More likely it’s that the season has ceased being fun.

Sounds like the other team needs a talking to from the league officials. One bowler with 5 balls on the rack? Starting an approach before the other bowler has finished his shot? All five bowlers standing right behind the approach? I hope it’s a case of relative newbies who are more used to open bowling than league bowling. These are all pretty serious violations of lane courtesy. I know that right now both centers and leagues are wary of saying anything that might cause a bowler, or a team to quit, but if these guys act like this every week you’re going to have other teams dropping out because they don’ want to put up with this nonsense.