I am seeing this concept getting abused more and more every year at my local bowling center. What was once an occassional thing is turning out to be a problem.

My local center has 20 lanes. Open bowling during the week is Tuesday and Wednesday. The night I have time to go in and practice is Tuesday.This Tuesday I almost did not get a lane. Why? Pre/Post bowlers.

Let me establish that there is a Women's league that night that has 8 teams. So 8 lanes down.

There were 3 different teams needing to Post Bowl (1 team had all 4 players, the other 2 teams only had 2 people). They were from different leagues and requested their own pair of lanes. So basically, there is 8 bowlers using 6 lanes. The bowling center should have put them all on one pair. But I am sure those league bowlers would have had a problem with that.

A league makes an agreement with the bowling center to bowl on specific night having a specific number of lanes. League members should stick to it. If a team or part of a team can't make it that night, pay the money, and take the loss.

I understand your logic and i agree with some of your points. However, the rule of pre/post bowling is agreed upon by each individual league. The center has nothing to do with that. The league can designate a certain night for pre/post bowling to help the situation but other than that the center itself cannot impose its own rules unless those rules are agreed upon by the league at the beginning of the league. They just so happened to beat you to the open lanes.

Now entire teams pre/post bowling should be illegal. You must have a certain number of bowlers present on the night of league to win points. Anything less would be considered a forfeiture. But again that falls in line with the league bylaws.

All I will say on this post is Rule 111. starting on pg 49.

Okay! Let's look at 111b.

Rule 111 – Pre-bowl/Postponements
111b. Reason
A league cannot adopt a rule that would have the effect of not permitting any pre-bowling/postponements. The league must grant a pre-bowl/postponement when the team is unable to field a legal lineup for the following reasons:
1. Some of its bowlers are participating in the USBC Championships, state or local association championship tournaments or attending an annual meeting.
2. There is sufficient cause.
3. An emergency situation.

And there it is a nut shell. USBC might as well just state #2. Sufficient Cause, because that pretty much covers it.

My opinion: I might be willing to grant Pre/Post Bowl in certain circumstances, bad weather, family emergency, person was called to work. I really think this rule was meant for a "team" that can't meet the legal lineup requirement. That's why a league has substitutes, thats why a league has rules for an absentee score.

If a team has two players ready to bowl on a scheduled night (and league rules has legal lineup set at 2 bowlers), then those two bowlers play that night and use the absentee score for the two missing players. The missing players don't get to come in at a later date and post bowl.

Our house has been hurt in past years by pre-bowling. Here's what I mean.  We guarantee and reserve lanes for each league on their league night. When teams and individuals are not there for league, the lanes are not being used by anyone - not league bowlers or open play.  We lose any revenue from the open play that could have used the lanes. We have nights when there are literally zero lanes available for open play until leagues are finished.

Then, when Team A or Joe Bowler comes in for his pre-bowl can he use one lane?  Nope, he/they need two lanes. Again, revenue the house cannot make on those lanes.  During busy league seasons we turn away huge amounts of open play business (gladly) to accommodate our league bowlers, but the line has to be drawn somewhere.  Will the league bowlers graciously allow open play on those lanes not being used on league night?  Not til Hell freezes over... So...

We have implemented a schedule of (off peak) hours when pre/post bowling is available and given to all league secretaries.  We ask for 24 hour notice of the appointment so we can (again) keep two adjacent lanes available.  No buffer lanes are granted when we are full.  Walk-ins, and those who refuse to live by the schedule are simply turned away when we are busy.  Substitute bowlers and absent scores are a viable option that people seem to have forgotten about.  Pre/post bowling is not a right given to league bowlers as long as we are still holding their lanes vacant on league night. 

Everyone understands that life can have it's emergencies, and we try hard to do what is fair, but refuse to continue to lose unnecessary revenue simply because someone wants to watch something on T.V., or would prefer to be somewhere else that night. Get a sub, or take a blind score.  Banning pre/post bowling is probably not the answer.  However, if both sides work together a compromise can usually be reached without too much heartache.

The league cannot tell the center how it will deal with pre and post bowling.  They cannot tell the center what time or when they will pre or post bowl.  The center owns their business.  If the center allows the pre or post bowl they can require a member of the league officers to attend the pre or post bowl.  Pre or post bowling is a courtesy of the center.  They do not have to oil any lanes or make any special arrangement.  Pre and post bowling is subject to lane availability.  Pre or post bowling takes up lane space twice.  It takes away from use by other customers that may want to bowl. 

Smash49

Pre-Bowl...Try telling the local golf course that you want to Pre-golf...and on
a busy weekend...

If someone wants to pre-bowl...IMO, the house has the right to charge them for
the lineage...

People just don't understand that pre-bowlers coming in on busy days are costing
the house money...

Once again, trash heap is put out by something and wants to change the world. 
1.  Tough luck.  Open bowling is open bowling.  What if the lanes were filled by open bowlers and the 8 team women's league?  You wait your turn.
2.  Lost revenue from lanes not being available for open bowlers when a team is absent?  What open bowlers expect to be able to get a lane on a week night?  Plus the lanes have the contract that says they get paid a certain amount every league night no matter how many teams bowl.  Oh, the teams making up the missed day will probably buy just as much beer during the makeup session as they would on regular league night.
The small stuff that bowlers get torqued about never ceases to amaze me.     

LGD,

Thanks for your input. Your comments were insightful, wise, and this post is now better since you took the time to reply. Again Thanks.