Here is a something hopefully to stir up some comments.  Last night I went to do some practice at my usual house.  Prices are a little stiff (8.25) for 3 games, and that is the league discount.  Regular price is 8.75 (big savings, I know)
Anyways after throwing my first ball, it was obvious the lanes were in complete neglect of any sort of shot.  My ball hooked side to side, and off the lane.  I was playing in deep with my plastic and still having problems taming that ball!  It was a complete joke and not even decent spare practice like they usually are even after leagues.  Im not talking normal dry, it was just awful.  Worst lanes I've ever bowled on, save the one time they stripped the lane but forgot to re-oil.  (Which the house rectified very quickly)

As I was thinking about it later, I was wondering out loud if bowling alley's should give you a discount on open bowling after leagues or when the lanes haven't been maintained in awhile.  Before anyone tears me up, keep in mind in golf they do indeed give you discounts if the course is too wet or if its raining.  I think the same should apply in bowling and may draw some interest from league bowlers sticking around later or the late night open bowlers.  Any thoughts?
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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
guzmand19 - Yahoo IM and MSN screen names

In some centers their discounted prices are offered at times that they can't get bowlers...ie; early Sat/Sun, one place here has rent a lane 3 hours for $10, and another has $.97 a game on Sunday morn til 1pm, and some times in the evening on non-league times, say 9-12pm.  There are a lot of ways to get discounted practice prices. Look for coupons for any bowling center,..most will recognize any coupon, however ask first if they do.  Some centers have a practice package you can buy in advance,..say 20 games for half price. One of the best ways to practice inexpensively is BECOME A YOUTH COACH. Almost every house I've ever seen offers free practice games to coaches. Talk to the manager and see what they offer,...some discounts aren't as advertised as they should be, and they may have a program that you don't know of...Look in the back of new phone books in the free stuff section they have free game passes there sometimes...for some of you younger guys, a few hours of working at the center a week might be traded for some practice..talk to the center managers..jim
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je

mine costs 11 dollars an hour and me and a friend can get in 12 games which is a pretty good deal
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stanski

Bob7-

I live in Long Island.  Those prices are definitely neighborhood specific.
I can understand charging those prices in Manhattan but not in the suburbs.
What a rip-off.
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LadyW....(aka Wannabe)

Open play prices are too high. I've said it before and I'll say it again:  The owners need to pay for all those stupid lights, sound systems, and big video screens somehow!!

Went into a different house for some practice one afternoon and the lanes were just fried.  I'm not paying $3 per game to shoot on that crap.  I asked to talk with the manager about it.  He came out and told me that good bowlers could adjust and started walking away.  I told him he should put on his shoes and bowl me for $20 a game on the garbage that was on the lanes.  I knew he was a 185 average player, but he had no clue who I was.  After a ton of heckling, I finally got him to bowl me for one game.  I win: I don't pay for any of my bowling on his dirt dry lanes.  He wins: I pay the money and go home.  Needless to say he couldn't believe how dry his own lanes were and he didn't even finish the game.  He apologized and gave me three free game passes as well as a huge chunk off my bill for the previous games.  I'd suggest that others do the same if your lanes are just crap during open play.  You're paying a lot of money and not having any fun or decent practice for that matter.


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Evolutionary.  Revolutionary.

I am from a small town in Kansas. I agree with getting discounts when the lanes are to dry to even bother bowling. I pay 1.50 at one house, thats with membership, and i pay a 1.75 at the other wiht membership. I love to bowl on the good lanes in big towns with oil, but the prices are outrageous!!!!! Someone should do something!!!!!

around here, it varies from $2.50 a game to $3.50 a game
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Rev-O


"I only have 3 boards to work with, and they all have arrows on them!!"

One house that I bowl in for open play has $2.50 a game for non-league bowlers except for Thursdays, where they run a $1 a game special from 5pm-11pm. If you are a league bowler, it's $1.50 a game anytime.

In the other house that I sub in, it's $3 a game for non-league members, and $2 a game for league members. If you bowl in 2 or more leagues, they give you $1.50 a game for open play. They also run rent a lane specials on the weekends.

Matt