What keeps you from bowling more?

[Greenday]

I'm sure we'd all love to be able to bowl more but for some reason or another can't. I'm curious as to what's stopping everyone else?

For me, it's a couple things. The lanes are usually dry during the day, so I can't go when it's cheaper. The lanes I don't particularly like practicing at oils their lanes at 4pm on non-league nights and or right before leagues and I don't know when that is. That's around dinner time so I'd have to go after dinner. Then I'd be paying $4.25 a game which is a lot to me. The other lanes are oiled better, but I never know going in whether it's going to be freshly oiled or bone dry. One week, I'll go around 2pm on a Tuesday and it'll be bone dry. I'll go the exact same time the next Tuesday and they'll be nicely oiled. And it's only $2 a game during the day!

If I could an alley that has oiled lanes during the day, I'd probably go every weekday (Except Wednesdays and Thursdays, league and lesson days). AND I'd bowl at least five games a session.

[e-tank]

i bowl on my off days from the gym. Ive tried bowling after i go to the gym and its a no go lol

[swingset]

Like you the times and availability of lanes is the big issue. I work 2nd shift, so the majority of leagues are off-limits to me. The daytime leagues are only for seniors, so all I can do during the week is play on scorched lanes or ones sullied by open bowling. I get reduced rates for practice, which is cool but aside from spare making and general "swing" drills I can't practice patterns or transition...the conditions are generally poor.

I'd love to bowl more tournaments, but I swear houses are almost secretive about them...I seldom hear about them until they're over or like leagues they fall on times I can't attend. Scratch leagues are almost always weekday nights, so I have to bowl mixed leagues which is fun but not the challenge I'm looking for.

I bowl one league on the weekends and try to throw 5-10 games during the week if I can.

[striker12]

to me its transportation and also money i can get games $1.75 a game with my discount card but lanes here only get oiled 3 times a weeks and a few leagues bowl on the oils so it would become dry and to go to the bowling alley i bowl at it takes 45min-1hr to get there and thats a long drive.

[Kobra167]

If you're trying to get some oil. You could search out the senior leagues and show up to play right after they leave. It's about the closest you can normally get. In my house, they are usually oily enough for decent practice. I can't use my most aggresive equipment, but I pull out my mid performance ball and bowl just fine. I can use a similar line to league night. It's not like you need fresh oil to practice hitting the mark, do spare shooting, using different launch angles, or hand positions. It also helps with versatility. In the end your ability to adjust and convert spares will control whether you do well. Not how much oil is on the lane.

What keeps me from bowling more is just me keeping balance in life. Bowling is my favorite activity, but I want to have time for non bowling activities. As much as you think you would love to bowl everyday. You'll be surprised how quickly you'll burn out if you over do it. Especially if you've commited to league bowling 5-6 times a week.

[I suck at bowling]

Three words.

Lack of money.

[ChrisB]

Work is stopping me. The lanes closest to me has all you can bowl (2-5pm) for $8 on most weekdays, however I'm lucky if I can get off of work in time to make it. So I bowl on Wednesdays (All you can bowl 5PM-Close), and on saturdays (Jackpot Bowling) until summer leagues start.

[Greenday]

If you're trying to get some oil. You could search out the senior leagues and show up to play right after they leave.

Interesting. I'll check out my practice alleys for that. On Thursdays when I get my coaching, there's a senior league and the lanes are always oiled.

I'm hoping my coach and I can start practicing sports patterns. We can basically go any night and they'll late down whatever sports pattern we want.

[unclemantis]

Money,

The neighbors in the next lane. (Know what I mean? WTF right!?)

My neck injury from 20 years ago that flares up now and then and requires a visit to the chiropractor.

[mxjosh]

Injuries. I used to bowl 15-20 games a day every day. But after knee issues (previous injury) and hip strain (bowling), I am stuck to 4-6 games. My hip wont allow me to go past 6 games b2b.

I usually dont care too much how the lanes are. I've had good days and bad days. Its best to learn every crappy condition.