BallReviews
General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: bowl400 on November 02, 2003, 07:15:16 PM
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I bowl in a weekend travel league and one of the houses that we visit only oils during the week. everybody who participates knows up front that the lanes (synthetic heads, wood back ends) will be extremely dry. The results are predictable, the bowlers that normally bowl there with no hand bowl reasonably well and everybody else struggles. We are considering dropping this house from the rotation. The question is, should we just suck it up and try to bowl better on a very tough condition or should we not bowl there at all?
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NO!
Dry lanes are typically for people who have no hand. It isn't for somebody that throws a strong ball and likes to cup his wrist. Kids in the 12-13 year old group love dry lanes because then their balls will hook. I've had them tell me this while I will struggle. A kid will beat a 210 average bowler because suddenly, the 210 average bowler is now bowling 170 games while the kid who is a 150-160 bowler is now bowling 180's and up.
Yes, sometimes plastic will work, but what do you do when that ball is still hooking like no tomorrow? Also, typically you don't carry as well under most circumstances.
I will be dropping 2 leagues due next year due to not enough oil. Next year, I won't bother!
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The issue of dry lanes would not be the significant factor but rather the lack of respect to the league or property being displayed by the proprietor. I cannot fathom having a league coming in with four or five-member teams bowling six games without putting down the protectant (which is what the lane conditioner is for as much as anything else).
That said, when you hit such a condition, you know it is going to be a grind-out and generally those can stay plus with do better. You learn to adapt to an end-over-end roll. The little pub centers in the midwest are great for that. Just plan on doing a resurface pretty quick...I hit one of those centers on my way back from Michigan and it didn't even take 5 games to have a visible track on the Clear Grenade.
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Well said Bob.
If you want a cookie cutter wall every week then bowl in a league, that doesn't travel, that runs the wall of your choice.
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warning Harsh reality coming!
do you shoot tournaments? 2 or 3 squads, semi-finals and finals all on one oil run is common for us armatures. so you need to go on fresh heavy oils and bone dry all in the same day.
learn, grow, get better, stop crying or quit. Why make yourself miserable if you don't want to get any better. That’s no fun go get on an easy wall and avg 220. Tell every one how good you are, but don't look in the mirror and say it. Either you see it as a game or a sport. If it’s a game to you, then drop the house. If you’re in it for sport then adapt, overcome, improvise.
I read a lot posts on here about this and that house yada, yada, yada!
if you all are shooting on it, you all have the same chances or misfortune.
the only single case I can see in league bowling is when you’re in the pots and your on the lanes that have been used and abused by a smaller league and the other end of the league is on a fresh shot with a better lane conditions. Even then, just win your games, don't get in the pots and stop complaining.
The sound of bowlers complaining is deafening.
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"deserves got nothing to do with it."
-- William Munny
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What's the problem? I would bowl on astroturf, in the field next to the center, third moon left of Jupiter. It doesn't matter. If the house equipment damaged my equipment then that's a different story. Is the 210 avg bowler a real 210 avg bowler or just when the shot suits him? I have a friend who tried out for TEAM USA. He came back with his tail between his legs because they took the first 10 boards out of play. Learn and adapt the best you can that is what Traveling leagues are all about.
Smash49
Traveling Classic Bowling Association National Champion 1988
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Smash49
robert@bowlersslidesock.com
The Premier II Bowler's Slide Sock is NOW AVAILABLE with adjustable strap!
www.bowlersslidesock.com
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I like heavy oil so I can feel your pain. That being said as long as the conditions are the same for everyone you have to deal with it. Now if they are dressing one set of lanes and the rest of the house is dry from the entire weeks worth of bowling then i would say that is a problem to talk to the center about. If they are all within the same realm. Then unfortunately play the hand you are dealt.
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I don't really play cards and I am not 79, but it fits together somehow.
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Why bowl in a travel league if all you're doing is going from house shot to house shot?
It used to be that the higher average bowlers wanted to bowl in the travel league to prove to themselves and others that they really were that good - on all kinds of conditions, not just their home house.
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I say bowl....if not you are missing the most fun part of bowling. The object is not to shoot 300 every game. The object is to score higher than everyone else on any given condition. Of course for most people that would require learning something new and that is way too much trouble. It's much easier to say "That shot is only for this type of person or that type of person". If you have too much hand then take the nand out. your car has a gas peddle but you don't keep in wide open all the time do you?
I agree with Michelle about the proprietor neglecting the center. The proprietor not putting down oil is the reason the center has had to install synthetic heads in the first place. Remember there is ONLY ONE reason we oil the lanes. It is to protect the lanes, not so anyone can throw any type of ball or shot.
Bowl great and be happy!!!
Ron Clifton
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thanks for all of the replies. i respect the views of many of the posters as i have read with great interest over the years. after an evening of thought and many of the responses here, i have decided to recommend to the team that we continue to bowl at the dry lane house. it is true, we are all in the travel league in order to bowl on a variety of conditions so that we can become better bowlers. thanks again for the replies, it has been very interesting reading.
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Are you kidding? I can't get AWAY from dry lanes! Good luck, though!
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9~
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Yeah!
Bowl on a summer league at another local house. Wow, do I struggle on their dry shot. LOL! But hey its not all bad. It gives me practice for a big doubles tournament they host and the steak dinner, at the end of the league, is just out of this world! Mmmmmmm....steak!
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CURLY-
"Oh, and Elaine.....feel free to throw yourself into the mix.......!"
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I hope your league will continue to bowl aat the house
and that those who don't have an advantage on dry won't begrudge
those who do. Remember you may have the advantage in other houses.
Personally I hate dry lanes but am willing to concede that, if the
condition across the house/league is the same for everyone, its about
as fair as bowling gets. But then I'm not much of a bowler, so what do I know?
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FOr the first time ever I disagree with Mr. Magic Carpet.
THe object is to shoot 300!!!
Regardless I now agree with him.
Bowling on dry lanes is it's own art and science.
I happen to have just about enough hand to handle heavy oil and I've also had some nice bowling on lanes that have been really dry!!
There are some little tricks.
Tighten up your thumb hole with tape, REAL Tight! This will restrict early release of thumb. Extend down the lane with arm, instead of hitting up!
Move your eyes way out to your breakpoint. Hold the ball higher in starting stance. Picture a straighter trajectory!
One time during practice I was bowling with one of our big handed studs.
After 5 balls that hooked from gutter to gutter and just about every one dropped in on the far side he walked off and they gave him money back.
(I've seen him bowl a couple of 800s).
I was fortunate enough to lead the squad with a 268 anda 672. I was very proud of myself. (Now I didn't say how many were brooklyns did I? Good!!).
REgards,
Luckylefty
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I don't have a choice. Not only is Australia dry from a precipitation standpoint, but also from a lane oil standpoint. The condition shouldn't be that difficult, how much backend can you expect from wood backends? I've had to completely change my game to be competitive on dry synthetics. Why can't anyone else? Because you get people out of their comfort zone and guess what? They just turn into a bunch of crybabies instead of working on a solution to the problem and attacking it. Seems more people would rather just give up than improve their games. By looking at the previous responses, it seems that a significant proportion take the easy way out. Good on ya for making the game as pitifully easy as it already is.
Dropping houses that don't allow you to score as easily is a childish solution. If you're good enough to want to bowl in a travelling league, then you shoul be good enough to handle any condition, period.
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It's not Ez bein' Cheezy
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quote:
One time during practice I was bowling with one of our big handed studs.
After 5 balls that hooked from gutter to gutter and just about every one dropped in on the far side he walked off and they gave him money back.
(I've seen him bowl a couple of 800s).
You see, I don't like the dry either, I complain like everyone else, but I DO TRY TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY ON THAT CONDITION!! People like the guy you just described don't get much respect from me... I'm not the best, and I've certainly never shot 800, but to pack your things up and go home because the lanes aren't to your liking (or because you refuse to take that hand out of the ball) is silly. And to do so in practice is worse! This is the time to LEARN how to navigate such a condition in case you run into it in league/tournament (around here, it's practically guaranteed the lanes will be stacked for the fluffers). OR, you could work on spares and anything else. Sorry about the rant... I guess I'm not good enough to refuse to bowl on certain patterns...
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9~
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Yes, I will practice on dry lanes intentionally. Reason, we all must face them at one time or another. Granted, they aren't my favorite, quite frankly, my weakest area in my game. That is why I must practice on them. Unlike most so called bowlers I want to conquer my toughest conditions, not be handed the ones I do like. Sorry for the harshness, but the fact is, most people buy the biggest hooking thing they can find and complain that the center doesn't put out enough oil. That's like buying an umbrella and complaining it doesn't rain. Varying conditions make stronger bowlers. If you want to be a student of the game you must learn all shots, if you just wanna chuck the ball and strike I'm sure there are walled up houses that will accomodate you. Just my 2 cents.