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Author Topic: Tough centers in/around Chicago...  (Read 4029 times)

anorexicwonder

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Tough centers in/around Chicago...
« on: December 16, 2005, 11:12:48 AM »
Just trying to compile a list of the more challenging centers in the Chicagoland area.  Please feel free to add your own comments.  I've only got two so far:

Wheaton Bowl - Wheaton, IL:  Old wood lanes with Guardian heads that are beat to hell.  Hooking heads with tight backends are commonplace.  The guys that work the pro-shop inside the center won't bowl there.

Tivoli Bowl - Downers Grove, IL:  Small 12 laner in the hotel basement.  Wood lanes w/Qubica scoring.  Lanes 1 and 12 have walls right next to them, making corner pin shooting interesting.  Long ball returns, and columns supporting the ceiling make playing inside difficult.  




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northface28

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Re: Tough centers in/around Chicago...
« Reply #1 on: December 16, 2005, 07:34:49 PM »
AMF Hoffman lanes, old wooden house with awful heads and dead pins. Lanes are usually scorched, Hoffman is a real pit.
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chitown

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Re: Tough centers in/around Chicago...
« Reply #2 on: March 25, 2006, 11:35:04 AM »
Rolling lanes on Sunday morning league.  The toughest place I have ever bowled at.
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CompEdgeProShop

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Re: Tough centers in/around Chicago...
« Reply #3 on: March 25, 2006, 02:44:31 PM »
I would have to agree that Tivoli is one of the tougher places around. I used to dead wreck that place playing right up 5, last year I was there, bout 3 years ago,  avg. 209 and that was high in the center for the year. I know that there has never been an 800 down there, I have the 2nd and 3rd highest series on record down there-779 and 774. Its a tough place to carry and at any time you could leave an 8-10 then follow it up with a 5-7-10, saw that happen once. The racks are pretty bad and some broken pins in the deck also. I would have to say that the columns really don't get in the way if your trying to play to deep and the ball returns are undergrounds now, so that shouldn't be an issue. Definatly a place you should try out though atleast once, haven't bowled down there since I left so cant tell you how it is now, but I'm sure its still just as tough.
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axeweldr

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Re: Tough centers in/around Chicago...
« Reply #4 on: March 25, 2006, 04:26:12 PM »
Mont Clare can be pretty bad depending on what shot is out.  Above ground ball returns, make playing insde very hard on the right hand lanes. Heads are pretty bad, old wood lanes.  Can be a desert one week, and a swamp the next.  Leftys are usually dead in the house.

John
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brinen28

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Re: Tough centers in/around Chicago...
« Reply #5 on: March 25, 2006, 05:21:32 PM »
I would have to say Rolling Lanes it a very difficult shot, based on what night you are there....

They must have changed Wheaton Bowl (I am assuming you mean Fox Bowl).. I bowled at Fox Bowl, and the shot was a joke.  

If you are talked about Wheaton Bowl.. then I dont have a comparison...
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anorexicwonder

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Re: Tough centers in/around Chicago...
« Reply #6 on: March 25, 2006, 05:43:33 PM »
There are actually two centers in Wheaton, IL:  FOX BOWL on Route 56 (Butterfield Road), and WHEATON BOWL on the corner of Gary & Geneva.

To the best of my knowledge, there have been no honor scores shot at Wheaton Bowl yet this year.  (Only one series over 750 is what I hear)
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Woody D

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Re: Tough centers in/around Chicago...
« Reply #7 on: March 25, 2006, 06:40:59 PM »
If you want tough, come to Stardust whenever there is a Top Gun or Boot Hill Tournament. What a surprise when the ball goes where you throw it. LOL
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realbowling1

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Re: Tough centers in/around Chicago...
« Reply #8 on: March 26, 2006, 04:23:33 PM »
Lawn Lanes is one of the toughest and just like they say when Woody runs his tournaments at Stardust Bowl or Hawthorn Lanes it is super tough.He rotates between about 10 different tough patterns.When Hoffman's not running the Petersen they are easy.Rolling isn't as tough as it used to be.

Edited on 3/26/2006 5:24 PM
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loose5682

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Re: Tough centers in/around Chicago...
« Reply #9 on: March 26, 2006, 04:29:18 PM »
Jeremy, great idea about the Boot Hills, the Chicagoland area BR people should all go out there to a tournament, see who can thump their chest the best on the toughest shot in the area.
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realbowling1

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Re: Tough centers in/around Chicago...
« Reply #10 on: March 26, 2006, 09:28:35 PM »
Grand Boot Hill over Memorial Day weekend on 6 different patterns.If you guys are going to bowl pm me for the recruiter doubles.I been bowling Woody's tournaments for 18 years,they are awesome.
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realbowling1

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Re: Tough centers in/around Chicago...
« Reply #11 on: March 28, 2006, 07:22:18 AM »
Don't forget about Diversey River Bowl,it is one of the toughest around!!The brick yard of all brick yards used to be Argo Bowl and Oak Lawn Bowl before they tore them down.There were alot of other centers I could name that were tough back then but these 2 places were brutal and the toughest in the 70's,80's and early 90's besides the Petersen.









Edited on 3/28/2006 8:32 AM
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realbowling1

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Re: Tough centers in/around Chicago...
« Reply #12 on: March 31, 2006, 09:22:49 AM »
quote:
Argo was rough. I would be down for the Memorial day weekend thing, if I had the money to do so. Even then, I would have to travel 9 hours back home to bowl it.

I hate where I live.



9 hours???I thought you lived in IL.
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purduepaul

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Re: Tough centers in/around Chicago...
« Reply #13 on: March 31, 2006, 10:03:42 AM »
I might be bowling the boot hill this weekend...I'm a grad student dont have the cash for the grand boot hill.  I've bowled it one other time and minus the 131 I shot the first game, I shot 380 the last two games.  It's defintely another world out there.
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splendorlex

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Re: Tough centers in/around Chicago...
« Reply #14 on: March 31, 2006, 10:08:34 AM »
I've been thinking of trying out one of Woody's tournaments, as in my mind the Chicagoland ABT is kind of going downhill.  I mean the Master's division is all but dead now, since they opened up the Classic division to 205 and under.
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