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Author Topic: Practicing vs. Cosmic Bowling Mini-Rant  (Read 3005 times)

Fluff E Bunnie

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Practicing vs. Cosmic Bowling Mini-Rant
« on: October 03, 2006, 05:22:21 AM »

Sorry in advance for this topic:

I am trying to get better at bowling and in order to do so I must practice.  Great.  Unfortunately, it seems that it is getting harder to find the right time to do so...

I work weekdays starting early in the morning so the only time I can get to a bowling alley to practice is on the weeknights or weekends.  My goal is to practice two nights a week in addition to my league that I bowl in on Sunday nights.

However, I find it increasingly difficult to find a time that I can practice.  I can't go very much on work nights because there are leagues until late and then I can only play so long until I have to turn around and go home.  Still, this is the only time I can really practice and this is when I go.

Friday nights and weekends are a whole different problem.  Any night time is off limits because there is either a league or cosmic bowling.  Cosmic bowling wouldn't bother me as much as it does if it weren't for the people it attracts.  So that leaves only the day time during is pot luck due to special events and tournaments.  Just this last weekend I was kicked out of a bowling alley to make room for a school group.  After that, I called all of the local bowling centers and they all had special events and no open lanes.

Now I hear that one of the local bowling centers is going to do cosmic bowling every night starting at 10!  This is the only time that I can really practice.  Luckily, this is not the place that I practice at, but I fear that this could become a trend.

Don't get me wrong.  Bowling is fun and people should be able to screw around and have fun doing cosmic bowling.  Also, the owners of the bowling centers should be able to make money to stay in business or we are all out of luck.  Ok, I get that.  But when there is all this talk about how bowling needs to be taken more seriously as a sport, how are the "athletes" of the sport supposed to practice?  Of course, this doesn't apply to most of you because bowling has gotten so easy that you don't need to practice right?

I don't see people having a rave on the golf course 24/7.  When you go to the driving range there aren't laser lights shooting you in the face right?  

With cosmic bowling you get:
- People walking off with your equipment
- People falling on the ground all over the place
- Kids running in front of you in your lane
- Frat guys spilling beer on the approach
- People falling onto their lane, stepping onto your lane, and onto your approach getting oil on your approach
- Families of 8 crammed onto one lane
- No lane courtesy or common courtesy in general

It seems like we are being sold out for recreational bowlers who just want to trash the place and leave.  But then, they are the ones that fill the place up.  So where does that leave everyone else?

It's just an observation, and my situation may not be the same as yours.  I am just saying that for someone in my situation, this is quite annoying and for me to grow with the sport and get other people involved it's kind of impossible to find a good time to practice.  I could join more leagues just to bowl more on weekdays, but I can't really practice when I am supposed to be trying to get high scores.

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I mean what's next, WRW in a Codpiece if the mens tour suffers? - Nodsleinad
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BradM

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Re: Practicing vs. Cosmic Bowling Mini-Rant
« Reply #1 on: October 03, 2006, 01:30:14 PM »
Get in good with the manager.  The center I go to on the weekends has 32 lanes and they are able to turn on regular lights above the last 4 lanes and leave the cosmic bowling for the rest of the 28.  Maybe they can do something like that for you.  I just bowl on 31 and 32 and that way there are 2 lanes between me and madness at all times. Woo hoo!

Edited on 10/3/2006 1:23 PM
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Fluff E Bunnie

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Re: Practicing vs. Cosmic Bowling Mini-Rant
« Reply #2 on: October 03, 2006, 01:34:47 PM »
quote:
Get in good with the manager.  The center I go to on the weekends has 32 lanes and they are able to turn on regular lights above the last 4 lanes and leave the cosmic bowling for the rest of the 28.  Maybe they can do something like that for you.  I just bowl on 31 and 32 and that way there are 2 lanes between me and madness at all times. Woo hoo!

Edited on 10/3/2006 1:23 PM


That's definitely a good idea and a way to beat the system.  But should every bowler have to get in good with a manager to practice?  What if a manager could care less about your special situation?  

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I mean what's next, WRW in a Codpiece if the mens tour suffers? - Nodsleinad
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BradM

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Re: Practicing vs. Cosmic Bowling Mini-Rant
« Reply #3 on: October 03, 2006, 01:48:12 PM »
Boot to the head.  Just kidding.  I don't know, I'm lucky enough to have a house run by a bunch of bowlers that understand that this is still a sport in addition to a happy go lucky game.

Move to North Texas, come bowl with me, problem solved!  LOL!
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BOWL119

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Re: Practicing vs. Cosmic Bowling Mini-Rant
« Reply #4 on: October 03, 2006, 04:05:18 PM »
I know what you are saying. The house that is here on the base is either having B-DAY parties or cosmic bowling. It is so hard to go in there and practice. But it is for the military and most military have kids and want to have parties there. So all the lights are off and music is blasting with strobe lights swirling.

We can go off the base, but the shot is not the same. So we cna not really practice.
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T.J.

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

STRIKE ZONE & PYRO. STAND 15 AND THROW 10 OUT TO 5 AND SMASH THE POCKET. AT LEAST THAT IS THE PLAN OF THE NIGHT...
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kmanestor22

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Re: Practicing vs. Cosmic Bowling Mini-Rant
« Reply #5 on: October 03, 2006, 05:19:31 PM »
If you want to practice in a league-like atmosphere, then bowl in more leagues or sweepers.  I get nothing out of bowling by myself on THS other than a false sense of confidence.  Nothing recreates the competition of leagues, sweepers, and tournaments period.  I could practice all day on a PBA pattern by myself, but that won't replicate what happens when other bowlers of different styles play on the same lanes.  If I wanted to get better, I'd bowl more nights of the week, preferably in different houses on tougher shots.
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Where is the bait?  I'm goin' to jail!!! - Chocolate GAYzer

Edited on 10/3/2006 5:12 PM
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Wallshot

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Re: Practicing vs. Cosmic Bowling Mini-Rant
« Reply #6 on: October 03, 2006, 05:39:02 PM »
If you're working on your mechanics or spares it makes no difference what shot you're practicing on. To say you get nothing out of practicing on a THS ignores the aspects of staying fresh and in form. You can quite easily turn a THS into a commanding condition by using equipment not suited for that particular shot as not all THS's are created equal(throw urethane or plastic, use drilling layouts and coverstocks for dry on oil and for oil on dry, etc, etc). Also, practicing on a THS after scratch leagues have ended is a whole different animal. The tracks are fried, there's over/under, etc, etc. It's as good a way as anything to hone one's skills (like playing 5th arrow).

My main center has no cosmic bowling and is focused on the typical league/tournament player. Practice times are open whenever a full house league ends.

Edited on 10/3/2006 5:34 PM
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BrianCRX90

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Re: Practicing vs. Cosmic Bowling Mini-Rant
« Reply #7 on: October 03, 2006, 08:23:17 PM »
Cosmic bowling has been nothing but BAD for the sport. I don't care if the kids like it and it's good for familes and birthday parties. Damnit, bowling alleys didn't used to have this garbage and bumper. I run into this same problem at my alley. I work all week at the office. Bowl in 2 , sometimes sub in another one in the same week. I get discounts, league officer rate and free games all the time. Unfortunatly, I can never use them. Sometimes the people at the counter if I know them they don't care if it's cosmic bowling and give me the rate. Some will be pricks about it and make me pay the full rate. So they do that all weekend, when the hell am I supposed to practice? Well, I can go to another alley like an AMF alley and pay 3.50 a game. Screw that too!
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joe 26

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Re: Practicing vs. Cosmic Bowling Mini-Rant
« Reply #8 on: October 03, 2006, 08:27:20 PM »
its really hard to practice during cosmic beacause atleast where i go you can't tell what the ball is doing down the lane, can't really see what you hit at the arrows and all of the people that come with it.
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BrianCRX90

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Re: Practicing vs. Cosmic Bowling Mini-Rant
« Reply #9 on: October 03, 2006, 08:33:20 PM »
quote:

It seems like we are being sold out for recreational bowlers who just want to trash the place and leave.  But then, they are the ones that fill the place up.  So where does that leave everyone else?

--------------------
I mean what's next, WRW in a Codpiece if the mens tour suffers? - Nodsleinad


I'm taking it your house is either a Brunswick or AMF. Most independant alleys either don't have this garbage or a limited time of it. Sad to say, we have been sold out. If you look at any of the Brunswick centers, look closely at the remodling arrangment. It's catered only for recreational bowlers, kids and birtday parties. They have horrible arrangments for a league. Notice the rise of cosmic bowling and the rise of non sanctioned bowling.

That's just Brunswick, at least they don't totally suck. Let's talk and trash AMF, a pitiful excuse for a bowling corporation. 2 years ago I bowled on a summer league at a AMF house on a Friday night. The league rep came by and told us one by one that the league made of 5 people teams would have to change out time to an earlier time. Actully, she didn't want our league to move but to merge with the earlier league. Too bad it's 3 hours before us and 4 member teams! What turned out was AMF was actully going to kick out our league to make room for cosmic bowling. That's right, kick out a league for open play bowling. Safe to say no one bowls at that house as everyone got pissed. As for thier revenue on Friday night? Not any better then it was if not worse. Charging 4.00 a game? People aren't that stupid. What once was a thriving alley of leagues and open play bowling a few years ago at 2.00 a game..those days are gone.
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BrianCRX90

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Re: Practicing vs. Cosmic Bowling Mini-Rant
« Reply #10 on: October 03, 2006, 08:33:20 PM »
quote:

It seems like we are being sold out for recreational bowlers who just want to trash the place and leave.  But then, they are the ones that fill the place up.  So where does that leave everyone else?

--------------------
I mean what's next, WRW in a Codpiece if the mens tour suffers? - Nodsleinad


I'm taking it your house is either a Brunswick or AMF. Most independant alleys either don't have this garbage or a limited time of it. Sad to say, we have been sold out. If you look at any of the Brunswick centers, look closely at the remodling arrangment. It's catered only for recreational bowlers, kids and birtday parties. They have horrible arrangments for a league. Notice the rise of cosmic bowling and the rise of non sanctioned bowling.

That's just Brunswick, at least they don't totally suck. Let's talk and trash AMF, a pitiful excuse for a bowling corporation. 2 years ago I bowled on a summer league at a AMF house on a Friday night. The league rep came by and told us one by one that the league made of 5 people teams would have to change out time to an earlier time. Actully, she didn't want our league to move but to merge with the earlier league. Too bad it's 3 hours before us and 4 member teams! What turned out was AMF was actully going to kick out our league to make room for cosmic bowling. That's right, kick out a league for open play bowling. Safe to say no one bowls at that house as everyone got pissed. As for thier revenue on Friday night? Not any better then it was if not worse. Charging 4.00 a game? People aren't that stupid. What once was a thriving alley of leagues and open play bowling a few years ago at 2.00 a game..those days are gone.
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Fluff E Bunnie

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Re: Practicing vs. Cosmic Bowling Mini-Rant
« Reply #11 on: October 04, 2006, 08:46:01 AM »
Well it's good to know that other people feel the same way.  I am thinking about joining another league during the week just to practice.  That seems a bit backwards though because I can't really practice during a league.  I can't sit there and work on 10 pins or practice lines I wouldn't normally play or I will be the ultimate sandbagger.
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I mean what's next, WRW in a Codpiece if the mens tour suffers? - Nodsleinad
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sheppy335

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Re: Practicing vs. Cosmic Bowling Mini-Rant
« Reply #12 on: October 04, 2006, 08:59:14 AM »
My feeling is that bowling alleys need some other income, but i do agree they are finding they can make money with parties and cosmic bowling and forgetting that leagues are a more guaranteed source of income. I think it is harder and harder to practice, not like it was when i was younger. I would be at the bowling alley every friday and saturday night to practice, i think at 10pm buck a game started with a red pin that if you struck you got a free game. I would bowl 10 to 15 games. Now i bowl in my leagues and that is it. Now I only practice alittle extra then i am getting ready for a tournament.
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Why does the 8 Pin laugh at me!

Sheppy

Edited on 10/4/2006 8:52 AM
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Oil is served Best with fingers!
Why does the 8 Pin laugh at me!

Sheppy

Djarum

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Re: Practicing vs. Cosmic Bowling Mini-Rant
« Reply #13 on: October 04, 2006, 09:00:29 AM »
I run into the same issue. I think we all do at some point. I have found the only time to bowl is early sundays before 12. If I don't then, I'm out of luck. Plus I don't get league rate during cosmic bowling...

Dj
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