Choose My Bowling Center

[GrumpyCatFace]

DISCLAIMER: I love both centers, and I don't mean to disparage anyone from going to them. If anyone's local, please feel free to correct my points, as you see fit.



Ok, folks. I have a question that I know should generate some debate.

I joined my first league, and got my first ball a couple of months ago. Still not consistent, but I'm thoroughly hooked on the game. Now the league is winding down, and we're looking for a summer format. We've been bowling at a center called Lake Erie Lanes in Vermilion, OH. It's an ancient place, recently bought out, and slowly being remodeled, but the age shows. The approaches are sticky, the lanes are wood, and it's got that "old school" feel to it.

+ Comfy
+ Wood Pins
+ More serious bowlers, generally
- Chews up my ball nearly every throw (reactive pearl coverstock)
- Staff is not generally organized/professional

There's another center, in the next town over, called Rebman Rec Center. Has a 70's vibe to the furniture, but it's clean, spacious, very modern. Lanes are synthetic, approaches are also sticky (I need new shoes to deal with this, but that's another thread). I don't love the noise of plastic pins - it's kind of jarring compared to wood.

+ Clean, sleek
+ Speed display
+ Better chance of free gear for league players
+ Better food/drink options
+ Uploads their league scores to League Secretary, which is kinda neat
- Noisy
- Plastic Pins
- Smells like Fabuloso
- More casual/noisy bowlers (at least in open bowling)

So, given the choice, what would you do? I know I'm comfy in the old-school house, but I'm tempted by all the bells and whistles. You have until May 1st to decide.

FIGHT!


Side note: I'm also very interested to get peoples' thoughts on wood vs. synthetic lanes. I wonder if any of the more experienced bowlers have noticed a difference in play?

[Phonetek]

Synthetic pins (Twisters) would be an immediate turn off even if it's the nicest center in the world. I'd take a dump with real pins vs modern with synthetic. Lanes are a different story, wood or synthetic I don't care which, both are fine. Synthetic pins sound like I'm knocking down 10 2 liter pop bottles. Centers with Twisters are trying to save money in the long run because they are more expensive initially but last longer than regular ones. Plus Twisters have some issues with certain pinsetters. No thanks.

Wood lanes I grew up bowling on and always did well on them. Synthetics took a time to get used to not because they were any tougher really it was more the sound. They were very quiet in comparison. Since I've bowled on both for a great many years I can't say that I do better on one versus the other. 60' with arrows and dots wood or synthetic, it's all the same to me.

[GrumpyCatFace]

Synthetic pins (Twisters) would be an immediate turn off even if it's the nicest center in the world. I'd take a dump with real pins vs modern with synthetic. Lanes are a different story, wood or synthetic I don't care which, both are fine. Synthetic pins sound like I'm knocking down 10 2 liter pop bottles. Centers with Twisters are trying to save money in the long run because they are more expensive initially but last longer than regular ones. Plus Twisters have some issues with certain pinsetters. No thanks.

Wood lanes I grew up bowling on and always did well on them. Synthetics took a time to get used to not because they were any tougher really it was more the sound. They were very quiet in comparison. Since I've bowled on both for a great many years I can't say that I do better on one versus the other. 60' with arrows and dots wood or synthetic, it's all the same to me.

Same. The sound is rather jarring, and surprised me. They seem to move a lot differently (less) as well.

Has anyone seen synthetic lanes with wood pins though? I'd imagine most places switched both at once...

[Phonetek]

Synthetic lanes don't mean synthetic pins. The lanes came long before them. I don't think Twisters are widely used at least not yet and hopefully never. You throw one ball you'll know right away.

[bowl1820]

Are wood lanes different than Synthetic Lanes?

Yes, there is a big difference.

In general, on synthetics the ball tends to skid more in the oil and hook more in the dry. (when they are wet, they are wet. And when they get dry, they are dry.) Also how they transition, how they wear (topography). Plus with synthetic approaches the humidity has more of a affect, the moisture sometimes makes them feel tackier than wood till it clears up.

Also not all wood lanes are the same, just as not all synthetics are the same.

There are new wood lanes, old oil soaked ones, The worst being old wood lanes with guardian overlay. There are different brands of synthetic each with it's own characteristics.

Example:
Some of the common Lane surfaces in order of decreasing friction are:

1. Guardian (most friction)
2. wood (different coatings change friction)
3. Brunswick Lane Shield
4. AMF HPL and SPL
5. Original Brunswick AnviLane (if it has been polished)
6. new Brunswick Pro AnviLane (textured)
7. early Brunswick Pro AnviLane (least friction)

Note: The hardness of the sub strait, the foot print that the ball produces on the surface, and the texture are the determining factors in determining the friction between the ball and the lane.

Has anyone seen synthetic lanes with wood pins though?

Yes, that describes the majority of the houses in the country.

The synthetic (twister) pins have been around for like 18 years or so now. They didn't really go over big because of several issues they had when they first came out.

While they may last longer, a lot of people told how they became dead after a year. Out range problems because of ridges on the bottoms and pin jams and pinsetter problems. They didn't fall the same as wood pins also there seemed to be more splits with them. Some even called them cheater pins, because scores went up with them (they were pretty lively).

and of course cost (probably the biggest problem keeping most houses from using them).

These initial issues gave them a bad reputation, Which even though they have improved them still hamper sales and wide spread use of them.

[got_a_300]

I can really tell the difference between wood and synthetic lanes
on synthetic lanes the ball tends to hook a lot less than on the
wood lanes.

Yeah there is quite a different sound when the ball hits and rolls
down the lane on wooden lanes compared to the synthetic lanes
and quite a bit different reaction on the backends.

When I used to bowl on the old wooden lanes my ball would start
its hooking phase just about 10 feet past the arrows that is why I
would have to hook the whole lane or throw a big loft which wasn't
good for the lanes as I've been known to put a few dents in the old
wood lanes out past the arrows on the pine boards.

Also another thing about wood lanes is like GrumpyCatFace said they
chew up the track area on the ball very fast back in the day I'd get a
new bowling ball and in a week or two it would look like it was a very
old ball all scratched/scraped/chunks missing from it but on the synthetic
lanes I hardly ever a scratch get on my ball.

[GrumpyCatFace]

I can really tell the difference between wood and synthetic lanes
on synthetic lanes the ball tends to hook a lot less than on the
wood lanes.

Yeah there is quite a different sound when the ball hits and rolls
down the lane on wooden lanes compared to the synthetic lanes
and quite a bit different reaction on the backends.

When I used to bowl on the old wooden lanes my ball would start
its hooking phase just about 10 feet past the arrows that is why I
would have to hook the whole lane or throw a big loft which wasn't
good for the lanes as I've been known to put a few dents in the old
wood lanes out past the arrows on the pine boards.

I've noticed this as well, even though I'm not a very consistent bowler. My ball seemed to have a MUCH harder time hooking on the synthetics. It's a reactive pearl cover, and I think it was hooking about a foot before impact.

Also another thing about wood lanes is like GrumpyCatFace said they
chew up the track area on the ball very fast back in the day I'd get a
new bowling ball and in a week or two it would look like it was a very
old ball all scratched/scraped/chunks missing from it but on the synthetic
lanes I hardly ever a scratch get on my ball.

Ah, now that might explain it. I have a whole ton of little scratches around the track area. I’ve been blaming the machines in the back, but maybe it was the lanes after all.

I also have a deep gouge between fingers and thumb, and often see belt burns and bits of rubber on it, but at least the scratching may be from something else.

[TCJ]

Wooden lanes and wooden pins? That sounds like a winner. I love wooden lanes even though my scores drop.

[got_a_300]

I love wooden lanes even though my scores drop.

I was always right opposite of that as my scores were always a lot higher on
wood lanes compared to the synthetic lanes of today. I usually had at least one
or two 279 or higher games every week bowling on the wood lanes but of course
I bowled 7 nights a week back then too.

Now days I'm lucky to just make it thru all 3 games on league night one night
per week and I haven't even went and practiced in quite a while the old body
just isn't what it used to be. LOL!!!!!