Never had that,but did have a bowler rush up on me in the lane beside me. I did say something. But if you don't want to start trouble, talk to you league president. There may be more people that don't care for it as well.
Very Frustrating Experience at League Last Night
I had an interesting night at league yesterday. The house I bowl at is a 24 lanes, and it's a 10-team league; otherwise, the center is pretty dead on Thursdays, so we're all spaced close together. There's a team in my league that has a legit cowbell. Every time someone gets hung, they ring the bell very loudly.
I went 184, 202, 251--all in all, pretty good. In the 184 game, I didn't get a single double--it was almost entirely 9 counts (3 8 pins with some 7 pins mixed in). I got frustrated and missed a couple of spares. The next game starts out the same way--more 8 pins, 7 pins, and a few more misses as I was trying to make an adjustment. Then, in frame 7, I found my mark and ended with the back 6.
Then starts game 3. I throw the front 6 to get my "300". On ball 7/frame 7, right as I start my downswing and get to the point of no return.....off goes the cow bell, 4 lanes down, very loudly. Both teams looked at me and then the cow bell team. It startled me, I got a 7 count (1-3-5), and got really pissed off. I made the spare. In frame 8, I got the 6-count bucket and converted. Frames 9 and 10.1 are both perfect strikes, then on the second ball, I threw a solid 7-pin and missed.
All in all, 637, I'm not going to complain. I left a lot on the table and know I need to work on my spares. But, the cow bell thing really irks me. I have no delusions of being pro, and my league (while sanctioned) is markedly "laid back". I know I really should let that stuff slide, but I just don't see any good reason to do this. It's my first year bowling in it, so I don't want to make waves.....but I really wish that team would be told to leave the cow bell at home.
Do any of you, in your leagues, have people that do stuff like this? How is it handled?
Last edited by jab5325; 02-20-2015 at 08:13 AM.
Never had that,but did have a bowler rush up on me in the lane beside me. I did say something. But if you don't want to start trouble, talk to you league president. There may be more people that don't care for it as well.
I once bowled in a league where one particular team thought the goal for each league session was to see how much beer they could drink and how loud and obnoxious they could become. That's why I say that I "once" bowled in the league. It's sad when one team's bad judgement can ruin a league for everyone else.
Is the league a fun league or serious league? I bowl in both and on Tuesday nights it is filled with good bowlers who care about their game and the game of others, but we do have fun as well. One team, all ladies, shout a chant every time someone is hung and do shots. Lots of pairs of lanes kind of joins in the chant sometimes. Actually pretty funny to hear the several pairs of lanes surrounding them chanting and with a final WOOOOOO!!! Some of them were college bowlers so have that college level bowling enthusiasm. When we bowl them it is always a blast. Very good bowlers, but not so serious to not have some fun with it.
Thursday nights is a bit different with bowlers of all skill levels. On Thursday of course we do have lane courtesy and respect for each other while on the lanes, it is just a fun league and people drink and have a good time talking with one another and certainly get rowdy by the 2nd game due to alcohol. There is even music playing while we bowl.
My advice for distractions like the cowbell, is to get some practice in when a bunch of kids are around. No better way to handle distractions that having a kid up on the approach next to you while you are in your stance and starting your approach. You will have to just block all of that out. Can't tell you how many times in a night that the loudspeaker comes on with an announcement from the front desk or that someone's order is ready while up on the approach. Have become accustomed to just blocking everything out and focusing on my mark, my approach and how my ball is entering the pocket.
High Sanctioned Scratch Game - 300(12) Hi Sanctioned Scratch Series - 822(3)
2016/17 Book Average=221, 2017/18 Composite Average=223
Equipment in the bag - Storm Crux Prime, Storm Physix, Roto Grip Idol, Roto Grip Idol Pearl, Roto Grip Hyper Cell Fused, Storm Sure Lock, Storm Drive, Roto Grip Winner Solid, Roto Grip Haywire, Storm Fever Pitch, Roto Grip Red ball spare.
Rev Rate 400. Speed 18 at heads, 16.5-17 at pins. Axis tilt 10, Axis Rotation 55. PAP 5 5/8 x 5/8 up
The league is "mixed" as far as skill levels and seriousness goes....it is sanctioned. The house is BYOB.
To give an overview of this team:
- They drink and are loud.
- The cowbell.
- One player has been seen on several occasions making out with his girl in full view of the entire house.
We have a few guys who average 120, but on the flipside, we have several in the 210-225 range. There is definitely respect in the sense that someone isn't going to run up on your approach. I can't say it's the most serious league, but this is the only team that has a blatant disregard for etiquette. Sure, sometimes people have a few too many to drink and get a bit loud......but this cow bell rings nonstop from frame 1/game 1 with a total disregard for other bowlers, even on their own pair of lanes.
I really hate sounding like a crybaby, and know I need to "block the stuff out". But, the bell has got on my nerves all season, and last night was the icing on the cake. This team also has a guy who, legitimately, lofts the ball nearly to the arrows on most shots. It's pathetic, and I've seen people thrown out of houses for doing that kind of stuff.
Last edited by jab5325; 02-20-2015 at 09:56 AM.
My Friday night league is kind of loud and lots of people drinking my Sunday league is much more serious with very little drinking and some of the better bowlers in the valley there. I think the cow bell would be too much for me. I have no problem with cheers or chants but you bring outside noise makers in thAts going to far
I would talk with the league president about it. Maybe they choose to do something about it if not I would find a different league next year
There was an enormous guy (easily 6'4 and about 450 lb) in the league next to mine who would yell a very loud, very bass "BOOOOM!" every time he got a strike for years. It echoed throughout the whole house. It was pretty funny but I think someone eventually complained about it because a couple years ago he stopped. The best part is that he isnt a particularly great bowler so it was pretty scattered, haha.
A cowbell is exactly the type of thing that would really kill my shot if I was in my backswing. Understand they probably just want to have some fun but there's a limit, too. I think the first thing I would do in that situation is give it a quick glance towards their lanes to make sure their anchor isn't up to bowl around the same time as me... if that didn't work a quick chat with the league president would probably work (but I'd probably do that at the end of the season/before the next season). Biggest thing is just making sure you don't make it a phantom thing in your head that affects your game more than it should.
You need to talk to them. They want to have fun, and that's fine, but if they drive off all the real bowlers there'll be no league left for them to have fun in. Conversely, you need idiots like this to keep bowling, keep the league alive, and...to remind everyone to have fun. Stress that interdependence when you talk to them.
I don't make noise or bother people, so take this for what it's worth, but I realized early on in this game that being distracted is like being offended - it's up to you if you let it happen. And, in a fun league, it's often a looser environment and you cant always expect everyone to care about the game in such a way that it's quiet or consistent.
I try to bowl in distracting environments as much as I can - glo-bowl nights, next to kids or parties, whatever. The better I get at it, the less that will ever enter my sphere when it matters. I think all bowlers should do this. If there's an extreme in one direction (being obnoxious), there's an extreme in the other (thinking you're Pete Webber and should be immune from movement or sound).
Have fun, or find a more serious and solemn environment to bowl in. Bowlers can disagree, with me, but then I'm not the one that's rattled...and I'm always having fun, even if the people next to me are loud.
It seems every league I've been in had that one team that did stuff that bothered everyone. I've even had one of those teams get kicked out of the league for trying to hit the pins without the ball hitting the lane . Yep, 60 feet downlane in the air. The center owner kicked them out.
Your options have already been mentioned. Go to your league president or find another league and hope there isn't a worse team in it.
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