Is it wrong????

[briar_fan]

First a story, then a few questions.

The other night, I was talking to one of the younger guys at the bowling alley and we were talking about a spare shot that I had seen. He asked me what pins were left and I said "I don't know pin numbers without looking, but it was three on this side and two on this side." He looked at me with a smirk and said; "Ray, you mean to tell me you have been bowling for 21 years and you don't know pin numbers? That is just wrong! How do you do something for so long and not know the game?" I didn't know how to react. Then he went and got another guy and was basically making fun of me for not knowing pin numbers or whatever the hell PAP is or what certain pin leaves are called. I shrugged it off, but then got to thinking if it was wrong or not. The only good thing about this kid is I wipe the oil off the lanes with him 9 out of 10 times in match play, but does he have a point?

Is it wrong for me not to know this stuff? I mean I am a bowler just like everyone else here. I may not average deuce or above, its only 187-195 for me, but do I need to know all of the lingo?

Thanks in advance for any responses!

Ray

[10-in-the-pit]

I don't think it matters. It's a little unusual to not at least know the pin numbers but in the end, it's all about the score.

[briar_fan]

I just have never took time to really look at it...I mean I know what a 1, 5, 7, & 10 are...I just dont know what the position of the other pins are....

[chrono00]

I know the positions, although sometimes I have to stop and think where certain numbered pins go for a second.

and if 1 or 2 pins stand up, I can't always tell which ones they are left. like if its a 4 or an 8 or whatever. It's a little easier now that i've got glasses again, but before that I was really tough

[10-in-the-pit]

Aah, it's more wrong for that punk for trying to make you feel bad. What kind of loser does that?

[briar_fan]

Well I have a great story that he tried to pull off, but I will leave it be for the fact I dont want to insult the real members of certain a sponsored staff

[DaveAyotte]

It's just left to right/ front to back. Think about it that way, I guess... don't know if this is going to work...

7 - 8 - 9 - 10
4 - 5 - 6
2 - 3
1

[DaveAyotte]

It looked prettier, but it didn't take my spaces. oh well.

[RotoGrip_Jt]

Dosen't really matter, some people are alot more into the game then others which is no big deal, as long as you have fun bowling then it shouldn't matter =D

[Jiffy Pop]

I think the only time it is really necessary is when you need to be able to tell a blind person which pins are left standing. 30 years ago when I bowled in a league for the Blind, each team had to have one sighted bowler. I knew the pin numbers without even thing about them. I did not bowl for about 25 years and now I have to really think hard about it, but you only really need to know the numbers when you need to tell the desk to re-set them for a spare.