I have been trying to "relearn" to bowl after suffering a disability, and subbing in a few leagues this season. My average is only up to the mid 180's, but I am having fun despite the literal pains, and low scores.

The Monday league is a 32 team (5 man) that has a wide array of ages, styles, and abilities, 90% of 230, and lots of brackets, pots, and big prize money. I have now been in the lineup 14 times. Old wood lanes, and very little oil, none outside 5, and the shot has not changed once all season. This past week was position round, and I found it quite amusing.

The opposing team did not have one bowler over 194 in average, and the low man was about 150. The funny part was not one of them arrived with less than 4 balls! One guy even came in with 7! We have one young guy that carries 3, the rest of us "old" guys carry 2.

We took 5 of the 7 points (lost middle game by 3 pins). These guys were all throwing the newest hook monsters, and complained all the way from too much oil and too dry....ROFLOL, how can it be both? My Shout with Extra Shine is even a bit much after about a game and a half to 2 games, and I don't have that much hand at all.

Is it just me, or do these guys need to spend some of their equipment dollars on lessons or/or practice, or is it just an ego thing?

Of course not one of them change lines, or hand positions, just kept changing from one aggressive ball to another.

Sorry for the long rant, but I can surely see why the sport is dying.

I'm one of those guys who "drag" five balls with me to a THS league. A four ball Storm roller with a single ball bag on top. I use the spare ball of course(single ball bag), but will only use one of the four balls in the roller usually. I'm just too lazy to take the others out before I head out to bowl. LOL

I think you're reading too much into the number of balls the guys are carrying. Are they misguided? Absolutely. They clearly need lessons and a bowling reality check. If they stick with it, they'll get it with time. Otherwise, they'll fall by the wayside as legions have before them.

I'm encouraged that they're at least looking for answers on how to get better, even if there initial attempt is wrong. The world is filled with bowlers who never attempt to get to the next level.

Cut them some slack and look at the positive.

I took 12 with me to practice last night!

Granted, I basically drilled a whole new arsenal, and had only thrown 3 of them in a candlelight setting once, and last night, I followed a woman's league filled with a bunch of ladies using plastic pushing the oil down, over and back up. The pattern at this house is pretty long in the middle, with some spark off of 8, but nothing inside of it. Plenty of tug room.

I used to run the shop in this house, so I get the general idea of what to use, and if I was bowling on the fresh, I would probably bring 4. Plastic, something weaker (Hook Hybrid in this case), something strong and smooth (Freight Train in this case) and something I could get in and really bump it off the dry (Look, Black Eagle, or War Eagle)

Out of all the stuff I threw last night, have to say the War Eagle is pretty freakin awesome. On what I was bowling on, pretty good looking.

Impending Doom, there was a time before I was hit with this disability, I too would take 4-6 balls to practice, especially any new drilled orbs, as it allowed me to fine tune my knowledge of the difference in reactions.

But this house has not had one iota of difference all year, not in my personal experience of over a dozen weeks spread out, nor by others accounts of whom I trust. That being some very high level players whom I have had the pleasure of playing against throughout the area for years.

Someday I would hope that these bowlers learn the value of a good arsenal, and some good coaching. They may enjoy the game more, and be less frustrated.

I take 5 usually. I have my own drill setup and get bowling balls cheap so when a ball cost you $60-100 max drilled it is easier to do then for many who pay retail at a shop. Still I typically end up using one ball all night maybe two if the first ball is something more aggressive.

Usually I go with what ever ball I am in the mood to try and if it is just way out of my comfort zone or not matching up at all then change to something else before the lights came on.

Depending on what bowling ball you select you can easily get by on a league night or in many tournaments with two bowling balls.

Quote from: milorafferty on April 03, 2013, 11:51:33 AM

I'm one of those guys who "drag" five balls with me to a THS league. A four ball Storm roller with a single ball bag on top. I use the spare ball of course(single ball bag), but will only use one of the four balls in the roller usually. I'm just too lazy to take the others out before I head out to bowl. LOL

This.  And half the time I'm rushing to get out the door, I can't remember what's in each bag and don't have time to check, so I just grab both.  99% of the time, I use the same 2, so I could get by just fine with just my 3-ball roller

Hey, it's DanH!!  Good to see you back here.