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Author Topic: Bumper Bowling  (Read 7686 times)

bowlingmaniac017

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Bumper Bowling
« on: March 06, 2007, 12:36:23 AM »
Now I am not talking about an easy house shot. I am talking about the bumpers on the lanes you can put up.

I read in one post how a few will not let their kids use bumpers because it will cause a handicap. What do they mean by that will cause a handicap?

From my experience bowling with bumpers is purely psychological and I have gotten my fair share of straight bowlers to bowl 100+, when they couldnt before, because I had bumpers up.

My first example is an old friend of mine. He could not score over 65. He kept throwing it in the gutter. I put the bumpers up and I told him not to hit the bumpers. He would hit them, and I would tell him not to worry about. I told him to keep trying. I noticed GREAT improvement by the 5th game and took them down the 6th game. He asked me if I was being serious and I told him yes. He shoots 135. After that he bowled 4 more games and ALL but 1 was a 100 and that game was a 98.

I had a chance to help the local high school girls and I tried this as well but for only 3 games. They have 2 girls that could average 100, about 3 that could average 80, and about 5 that were 60 or below. I put ALL the 60 average kids on the right lane and ALL the rest on the left lane. I tried this and after the third game every girl on the right lane shot higher than average. 4 girls went over 100 and one of the girls was in the 90's. On the left side I had 2 girls who went over 150, and the other 3 broke a 100. During this 1 game I had every girl get a new high game.

So what exactly does someone mean by the bumpers will handicap you?
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Mike
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DanH78

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Re: Bumper Bowling
« Reply #1 on: March 06, 2007, 08:41:22 AM »
It's HOW you use the bumpers that matters.  The way you use them is the right way IMO.  However, a lot of people use them because that way they only have to worry about throwing the ball hard enough, not where the ball goes.
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What are you gonna do?  Beat me with your Jesus stick?
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bowlingmaniac017

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Re: Bumper Bowling
« Reply #2 on: March 06, 2007, 08:44:50 AM »
quote:
It's HOW you use the bumpers that matters.  The way you use them is the right way IMO.  However, a lot of people use them because that way they only have to worry about throwing the ball hard enough, not where the ball goes.
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What are you gonna do?  Beat me with your Jesus stick?


Thanks. So technically if a parent were to teach their child in the same manner as the before mentioned, then is it considered a handicap to the child? or a helpful tool that will better them by the time they are 1 year older lets say?
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Mike

Edited on 3/6/2007 9:42 AM
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BOWL119

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Re: Bumper Bowling
« Reply #3 on: March 06, 2007, 08:53:49 AM »
quote:
So what exactly does someone mean by the bumpers will handicap you?
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Mike


It means that the person using BUMPERS does not have to worry about looking at the arrows or dots on the floor as a target. They can just grip it and rip it and still score. Picture it like wearing an eye patch for a couple years. When you finally take it off, your eye is going to be a handicap for you. The bumpers do the same thing. By using them, kids do not learn how to bowl, they just throw the ball and the bumpers will keep it on the lane. They are almost guaranteed to hit pins on the first ball.

I for one would not let me kids bowl with bumpers. I wanted them to learn how to roll the ball straight, use targets and hit the pins.
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T.J.

BOWLING IS FUN NO MATTER WHAT YOU SCORE. BUT A 300 IS ALWAYS NICE.

STRIKE ZONE, ONSLAUGHT, REVS, FLIP & PYRO. STAND 22 AND THROW 10 OUT TO 5 AND CRUSH THE POCKET. AT LEAST THAT IS THE PLAN OF THE NIGHT...

GOOD LUCK AND GOOD BOWLING!!!
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bowlingmaniac017

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Re: Bumper Bowling
« Reply #4 on: March 06, 2007, 09:01:53 AM »
quote:
quote:
So what exactly does someone mean by the bumpers will handicap you?
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Mike


It means that the person using BUMPERS does not have to worry about looking at the arrows or dots on the floor as a target. They can just grip it and rip it and still score. Picture it like wearing an eye patch for a couple years. When you finally take it off, your eye is going to be a handicap for you. The bumpers do the same thing. By using them, kids do not learn how to bowl, they just throw the ball and the bumpers will keep it on the lane. They are almost guaranteed to hit pins on the first ball.

I for one would not let me kids bowl with bumpers. I wanted them to learn how to roll the ball straight, use targets and hit the pins.
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T.J.

BOWLING IS FUN NO MATTER WHAT YOU SCORE. BUT A 300 IS ALWAYS NICE.

STRIKE ZONE, ONSLAUGHT, REVS, FLIP & PYRO. STAND 22 AND THROW 10 OUT TO 5 AND CRUSH THE POCKET. AT LEAST THAT IS THE PLAN OF THE NIGHT...

GOOD LUCK AND GOOD BOWLING!!!


Good point. I dont know why I didnt think about that then. Couldnt you still use the bumpers and tell your kids to focus on the arrows and not to hit the bumpers? Kids can hit their mark at that age if they want, but they arent exactly going to be consistant shot to shot. Maybe if the bumpers are there they will always know to hit the arrows not the bumpers.
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Mike
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Mike

bowlingmaniac017

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Re: Bumper Bowling
« Reply #5 on: March 06, 2007, 09:02:58 AM »
Im just thinking at that age you need to see objects to realize. If they see the gutter then sure Im not suppose to throw it there, but if they see the really long bumpers then maybe it will catch their eye more.
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Mike
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MaineLefty

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Re: Bumper Bowling
« Reply #6 on: March 06, 2007, 09:35:33 AM »
I started my daughter out bowling last year when she was five.  She really seemed to enjoy it the first couple of time out and we had the bumpers up.  She comes to the bowling alley with us so she knows how to keep score (pretty much) and watches how everyone bowls and tries to emulate people she likes to watch.  The point is, the third time we went bowling she asked if we could take the bumpers out because she said she wanted to bowl like everyone else does.  We did it and she still loves to do it, even if she shoots a 30 game.  I think it just depends on the kid and what each persons' learning curve is like on whether to keep the bumpers in or take them out.

-MaineLefty
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shelley

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Re: Bumper Bowling
« Reply #7 on: March 06, 2007, 09:52:57 AM »
quote:
They can just grip it and rip it and still score.


I'm not sure how many five year olds can "grip it and rip it" where you live, but around here, they're lucky if they roll the ball on the correct lane.

SH
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bowlingmaniac017

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Re: Bumper Bowling
« Reply #8 on: March 06, 2007, 09:53:21 AM »
quote:
I started my daughter out bowling last year when she was five.  She really seemed to enjoy it the first couple of time out and we had the bumpers up.  She comes to the bowling alley with us so she knows how to keep score (pretty much) and watches how everyone bowls and tries to emulate people she likes to watch.  The point is, the third time we went bowling she asked if we could take the bumpers out because she said she wanted to bowl like everyone else does.  We did it and she still loves to do it, even if she shoots a 30 game.  I think it just depends on the kid and what each persons' learning curve is like on whether to keep the bumpers in or take them out.

-MaineLefty


I have actually seen this alot with kids when I worked in a bowling alley. Parents would want bumpers up for their kids and the kids would throw a fit lol because they wanted to be like everyone else and not have any. Like you said, it didnt matter if they shot 30 or not, they were happy.
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Mike

Edited on 3/6/2007 10:50 AM
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Gene J Kanak

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Re: Bumper Bowling
« Reply #9 on: March 06, 2007, 10:05:10 AM »
To me, just let the kids use bumpers if they want them. When they get older and want to learn the game for real, they'll tell you and try to bowl without them. If they never want to bowl without bumpers, bowling probably just isn't their game.

Edited on 3/6/2007 11:03 AM
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BOWL119

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Re: Bumper Bowling
« Reply #10 on: March 06, 2007, 10:59:54 AM »
quote:
quote:
They can just grip it and rip it and still score.


I'm not sure how many five year olds can "grip it and rip it" where you live, but around here, they're lucky if they roll the ball on the correct lane.

SH


Meaning for the age that they are, they are trying to throw as hard as they can with no regard to where it is going. I have seen parents ask for bumpers for their children who are teenagers.

I know a few of the centers I bowl in will nto put the bumpers up for children if they are over the age of 10. My kids were never allowed to use bumpers. Not saying that it is right or wrong, but I felt that it would only hinder them in the long run.
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T.J.

BOWLING IS FUN NO MATTER WHAT YOU SCORE. BUT A 300 IS ALWAYS NICE.

STRIKE ZONE, ONSLAUGHT, REVS, FLIP & PYRO. STAND 22 AND THROW 10 OUT TO 5 AND CRUSH THE POCKET. AT LEAST THAT IS THE PLAN OF THE NIGHT...

GOOD LUCK AND GOOD BOWLING!!!
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mrbowlingnut

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Re: Bumper Bowling
« Reply #11 on: March 06, 2007, 11:23:46 AM »
I started my son at age 2 years old he is now 3 1/2 and with a rack and bumpers he averages around 95 a game. Somehow he makes about 3-4 spares a game using the rack without moving it, it rolls straight or hooks into the spare i have not figured out how he knows to do this yet. He has a high game of 137 and the same series of over 350, fun to watch i am putting him the bumper league next year he will be going on 4.
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vagabond

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Re: Bumper Bowling
« Reply #12 on: March 06, 2007, 01:56:20 PM »
I guess I will throw my two cents in.  In my center that I work and and can influence policy we ask that children over ten not use bumpers.  I personally can not stand parents that insist their child can not bowl without them.  bowlingmaniac017 had it right in his latest post.

I know many centers do not have the staff that has the time or the ability to work with patrons that come in but I make every effort to help any person that wants to get better learn to play the game.  

Many times I will talk to the parents and children after they bowl how they did.  If they seem like they would like help when they say that had a bad experience then I will offer that they come in at a slower time and I will come down and show them some things that will be helpful or even stand on the capping and give them my finger as target and they normally become good customers.  Any age is welcome to my help.

But to the point- I do not like bumpers and find that my customers generally get away from it very quickly.  But then their are some parents that want them and the kids could care less one way or another because they aren't even paying attention to the bowling.  The worst is the parents that want bumpers and the handicap ramp.  I ask "is someone in your group handicap?" They look at me like I'm stupid and say no.  Then I tell them that they are HANDICAP RAMPS meant for those who need it.  You are more than welcome to assist them bowl ma'am.  

(sorry for the rant)

Edited on 3/6/2007 3:10 PM
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bowlingmaniac017

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Re: Bumper Bowling
« Reply #13 on: March 06, 2007, 02:02:13 PM »
I also know little kids want to use handicap ramps because they see what it does to the ball and they see other people doing it. My little cousin saw one of those lol and it was two lanes down from us and he walked over to it trying to pull it back to our lane. I asked if he wanted one and he told me yes. I told him that he didnt need one. At the age of 2-4, maybe even up to 5, I think kids need as much entertaining as possible. When they get past that certain age they realize slowly that what they have is what they have.
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Mike
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