The AMF/Bowlmor house have short hours of operation which I can't really take advantage of the free games for practice. They open at noon most days, at 4 one or two days, and during the hours when the house gets full with youth bowling and/or parties.

The free games end at 8 pm on weekdays and 4 pm on weekends. which is during league/party times. Getting just one lane out of 4 that's available is like fighting for that last pizza at my house.

It's a great deal for $28 and some change for 3 free games everyday, but it's hard with my work/family schedule. hopefully I can squeeze one or two weekends each month till the promo is over in September.

For now, I go to the 24 hour bowling center which is also 20 mins from home and take advantage of "all you can bowl" on Sunday mornings at 6am to noon. They advertise $11 unlimited bowling, some times on sport shots, but I've always paid $9. OR the dude doesn't charge me at all - it happened twice when the lanes were bone dry! Also, one time there were 3 of use who bowled one sunday, and we bowled 21 games all day. The same guy just charged me for $18 total for our games (one guy was free).... That's why I don't mind bowling at 6:30am lol

Jay, the AMF/Bowlmor facility here in Fair Lawn has the same deal as your house. My place also has the same short hours of operation, but I bought a card for the bowling and practiced a couple of times. Once the public school year ends in late June, it will be hard to get on the lanes.

Buying into the promotion seemed like a great idea at the time, but we will see how this works out.

Charlest, funny you mentioned no oil and plastic ball in your post.

This is the honest truth. When I had the chance to bowl the three free games last week, I put away my blue hammer and used a house ball for the last two games.

On another night before 8pm, half the house 1-19 was oiled. Lanes 20 to 32 was filled. When I asked if I can go to lane 19 so I don't have to wait 30 mins or so, the "manager" said, "no, we just oiled those lanes for tomorrow." I said, I just want to bowl 1 or 2 games. She replied, "sorry I can't do that, you'd have to wait." Thank you BOWLMOR

So, I went to my locker, grabbed my stuff, and drove 5 miles to the next house which hooked me up. It was an extra pair not used from their sport league.  I was very happy. $14 unlimited bowling for the next 3.5 hours.

Our traveling bowling club bowled the last two months at AMF Bowlmor houses.  As far as oil on the lanes it was a joke.  Folks were so upset we voted to never have a tournament at an AMF Bowlmor house ever again.
I seriously don't know what Tom Shannon is thinking, but he surely is killing off tournament and in some cases league business with his "cheap scape" oiling methods.  Maybe that's actually what he has planned all along since buying the AMF & Brunswick centers.  Many have stated in the past he wanted from day one to offer only high grossing "boutique" centers.  It appears he is moving in that direction as he sure does not seem to care about league or tournament business based on our clubs experience. To bad, but he is not the only game in town.

That's really bad..... The two privately owned centers cater to both league bowlers and rec bowlers... And Steve cooks house isn't too far either... Hopefully it doesn't happen here with bowlmor.. A league or two already left amf

My AMF/Bowlero is a Horrible place too; unless a league is about to bowl, its a crappy version of black light bowling 24/7 365. Even if my lanes offered something like the OG poster I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot poll.

I do have a second smaller house in town that I can practice at which is handy, the folks there are super nice; but their machines are all extremely old and have some issues. Lately I've been biting the bullet and driving to the next town over, they have a great lane/pro shop setup along with a good house shot and sport shots down occasionally. I'm trying to convince myself that the 3 man league over there will get me home just as early as doing the 4 man league at Bowlero that I'm currently in.