Somebody is probably gonna call me a crybaby, but I have to unload this before it sours my whole day.

Last Monday night I had my first 300 game. I'm just thrilled, because I pretty much only bowl once a week except for a sweeper once in a while. Well, anyway last night I was surprised to find the same identical shot on the lanes. First game, I have the first nine, super clean shots, real possibility of my second perfect game. I get up to the approach, the bowler on my left nods and says go ahead and gives me the two lane courtesy. I look to my right, make eye contact with the bowler two lanes over, and step up on the approach. As I'm setting up, I can see him right at the end of his approach out of the corner of my eye, but I figure he's giving me the lane courtesy also. As I get to the last step in my approach, here comes this guy on my right running up on me (he basically runs to the line). Needless to say, I was distracted, pulled the shot for a seven/spare, which I followed by a flush pocket strike to finish the game for a 277.

I'm fuming as I sit back down, and this guy who had run up on me comes over and says "What did you do?" When I tell him that I was distracted when he ran up on me, he laughs! Well anyway, I know a lot of bowlers think two lane courtesy is crap and all, but on a nine bagger in the tenth, I don't think I've ever seen this happen before. I could understand if this guy was a new bowler, or a low average bowler, but this guy is a 2-teen average who bowls three times a week.

I don't know if I feel any better yet, but at least I tried. BLAH!
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kendog
avoids spare shooting at all costs
just throw strikes

Edited on 2/3/2004 10:32 AM

Edited on 2/3/2004 10:32 AM

Yeah, I know all that; but how many 300 games have you seen (in league play)where other bowlers didn't give the person at least two lane? I haven't seen any. In fact I have seen some times in which practically the whole league would pause. This is a trio, An hour and a half.

I knew there would be at least a few that would start quoting the rule book on me. double blah!

You're exactly right Mojo. It wasn't strictly the two lane, it was that this guy paused when I looked over and made eye contact, he really surprised me. Also, it's not that I care anything about the legality of it. To me league bowling is recreational (for fun). I kind of feel this guy meant to distract me. That's why it bugged me.
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kendog
avoids spare shooting at all costs
just throw strikes

Get over it kendog.  Things like this happen all the time.  You just need to leran to focus through it.

If you can bowl with distractions then you can bowl against anyone anywhere.

In my league people yell out your name or crack a joke.  You learn to become immune to it.

I remember one night while practicing a fellow member komike bowled a 300 with people on the next lane running up to the line as he was in his approach.  He just followed through and buried it.  This was during an open play bowling where there were all kinds of people who know nothing of lane courtesy.

Next time if you know someone isn't up to giving you courtesy then back off.  Once you begin you should be so focused on the shot you block everything else out.  Pull the trigger and go.  If you think someone is going to distract you then it already has happened.  Negative thoughts. I believe Dean Hintz has written something on that.
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Doc
Owner and Inventor of
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Hey KenDog, sorry you missed out on the second 300.  I'm still waiting for my first, one day I will get there.  As for your post, from how you word it sounds to me like this guy may have been trying to mess you up on purpose.  I base this on three things.  1)  He ran up and shot with you.  Even when not giving full 2 lane courtesy, I try not to throw at the exact moment someone else is.  2)  Its almost a rule and everyone knows it that if a guy is on a big run, you give him the courtesy.  Hot hand takes the lead, simple as that. He was only 2 lanes over, he knew what was going on. 3)  He laughed when you told him you missed the three hundred and that he distracted you.  He probably felt you were mad at missing three and blaming him for it, but its still not appropriate to laugh.

As for courtesy in general, I agree with the posters who said they ask to be placed next to kids during practice.  I totally do the same thing and it really helps you focus.  Ive had kids wander into my lane during the approach, and scream just for hitting a pin or 2.  Now its too the point I dont even hear them.  I hear nothing but my feet, the ball hitting the lane, rolling and hitting pins.  I expect it to be noisy at a bowling alley and get most unnerved at total silence.  I am cool with one lane courtesy, and even 2 lane if everyone chooses to observe it.  Otherwise 2 lane is too slow.  We have this one team that refuses to bowl if you are within 3 LANES!!  No one likes bowling this team, because it takes 3 hours to bowl a set.  I tried talking to them about it and they blame everyone else.  I eventually got mad and told them if you can't bowl because someone is within 3 lanes of you, its time for a new sport.  Of course, they all average 130-140 and think they are God's gift to bowling.

BTW, if other bowlers catch on that lane courtesy bothers you, they will use it on you.  I got lectured by one lady for just walking up to get my ball that I was supposed to remain seated until she was done.  I got mad, and the next time she threw her shot and knocked down 3, I walked up threw my strike and made a comment about how this game is just too easy sometimes.  Pissed her off good

 


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"Here we go folks, he is working off the first 8, and looking good.  Looks good on the approach.... OH NO, its off his ankle and down the gutter!!  OHH THE HUMANITY!"

Darrell Guzman
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This week's series:  
Thursday League: 686 (242, 222, 222)
Sunday League:   541 (157, 157, 227)
New Personal High Series!

Kendog, I respect your opinion on a lot of things, including you political alliances. But now you've went and done it. lol. Next year people will want three lanes of courtecy. In a couple of years if someone has nine in a row they will want the whole alley stop bowling because the noise could distract them. After that they will wants the lanes cleared out totally when they shoot.

1 lane is the rule. I remember a psot about a month or so back about a guy that wore blinders when bowling to keep from being distracted, maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea for you to try something along those line.
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You can always hit em hard when you've got the balls

Lefties are the only people in their right minds.

no1bucsfan