The Bowling Thread

[SuburbanFarmer]

Not played much. The bowls are weighted on one side so they curve as in curling. Every town and many villages have a bowling green around here. Very middle class, middle aged, white guy pastime.
Of course you have to avoid the marauding Muslim invaders while you play...

Reminds me of the Olde English saying - keep bewln yer bewls, howr watch fer rape gangs.

[Montegriffo]

Only been ten pin bowling once. Those balls are heavy, might make a decent projectile for this years treb'. Little 2kg we've been using is too light really.

[SuburbanFarmer]

Only been ten pin bowling once. Those balls are heavy, might make a decent projectile for this years treb'. Little 2kg we've been using is too light really.

Yeah, it’s basically a cannonball. You could do a lot of damage, just rolling it at something.

[brewster]

I’m kinda drawn towards challenge though. Darts, pool, golf, bowling, the list goes on. Always improving whatever game skill I can socialize with.

Only one sport there actually has real game, pool. All the rest what your opponent does makes no difference, there's no defensive game. And hitting straight in pool is just the beginning, controlling your cue ball and strategizing patterns and defense make pool more like chess than throwing rocks or hitting them with sticks.

[Haumana]

Only one sport there actually has real game, pool. All the rest what your opponent does makes no difference, there's no defensive game. And hitting straight in pool is just the beginning, controlling your cue ball and strategizing patterns and defense make pool more like chess than throwing rocks or hitting them with sticks.

There is defense in darts. See Cricket and if you really want to up the ante try Cutthroat Cricket. That is all we play in this house. But I get your more general point.

[Haumana]

Yeah, here’s the score (and how incredibly inconsistent I am):

07 X X 70 90 X X X X 60

Started the game with a gutter ball, and never hit a spare if I hit that one (fucking) pin in the 5th... ugh

Yeah, my shoes are a microfiber bottom (Dexter Turbo IIs). I’ve been scraping the hell out of it with a wire brush, and dumping baby powder and ez-slide on it. No major effect.
So last night, I ordered a replacement sole that’s supposed to work really well for synthetic approaches - which is the only remaining explanation. I’ve only bowled at the one center, so I don’t know if they’d work better elsewhere.

4 strikes in a row is pretty good. Gutter ball to kick it off hurts a bit but if you aren't making spares it isn't that much of a show stopper.

So you do bowl on synthetic? They are notoriously stickier than maple lanes.

What weight ball are you throwing?

[SuburbanFarmer]

Yeah, here’s the score (and how incredibly inconsistent I am):

07 X X 70 90 X X X X 60

Started the game with a gutter ball, and never hit a spare if I hit that one (fucking) pin in the 5th... ugh

Yeah, my shoes are a microfiber bottom (Dexter Turbo IIs). I’ve been scraping the hell out of it with a wire brush, and dumping baby powder and ez-slide on it. No major effect.
So last night, I ordered a replacement sole that’s supposed to work really well for synthetic approaches - which is the only remaining explanation. I’ve only bowled at the one center, so I don’t know if they’d work better elsewhere.

4 strikes in a row is pretty good. Gutter ball to kick it off hurts a bit but if you aren't making spares it isn't that much of a show stopper.

So you do bowl on synthetic? They are notoriously stickier than maple lanes.

What weight ball are you throwing?

I’m confident that the lanes are wood, but the approaches I’m not sure about. It’s a 60+ year old bowling alley, recently under new management, so I’d assume they’re wood, but probably not kept up well. They’re making a lot of changes week-to-week, but the place was in really bad shape.

I’m throwing a 16-lb Pyramid Path Rising that I found on amazon for $80. Cheapest reactive pearl ball out there.

Also, yeah, I’ve never hit a Turkey before, let alone 4 in a row. That was a big thrill.

[SuburbanFarmer]

Only one sport there actually has real game, pool. All the rest what your opponent does makes no difference, there's no defensive game. And hitting straight in pool is just the beginning, controlling your cue ball and strategizing patterns and defense make pool more like chess than throwing rocks or hitting them with sticks.

There is defense in darts. See Cricket and if you really want to up the ante try Cutthroat Cricket. That is all we play in this house. But I get your more general point.

I definitely prefer Cricket, but yeah hes right. Not a lot of defensive strategic games. I do my strategery on the computer.

[Haumana]

I’m confident that the lanes are wood, but the approaches I’m not sure about. It’s a 60+ year old bowling alley, recently under new management, so I’d assume they’re wood, but probably not kept up well. They’re making a lot of changes week-to-week, but the place was in really bad shape.

I’m throwing a 16-lb Pyramid Path Rising that I found on amazon for $80. Cheapest reactive pearl ball out there.

Also, yeah, I’ve never hit a Turkey before, let alone 4 in a row. That was a big thrill.

That wouldn't be all that uncommon to have synthetic approaches and wood lanes. What kind of changes?

I never heard of Pyramid. Had to Google it up. Reactive resins were just becoming popular about the time I gave up on the game. Marriage, mortgage and a kid....

Yeah, that first Turkey is quite a thrill. Are you lefty or righty?

[SuburbanFarmer]

I’m confident that the lanes are wood, but the approaches I’m not sure about. It’s a 60+ year old bowling alley, recently under new management, so I’d assume they’re wood, but probably not kept up well. They’re making a lot of changes week-to-week, but the place was in really bad shape.

I’m throwing a 16-lb Pyramid Path Rising that I found on amazon for $80. Cheapest reactive pearl ball out there.

Also, yeah, I’ve never hit a Turkey before, let alone 4 in a row. That was a big thrill.

That wouldn't be all that uncommon to have synthetic approaches and wood lanes. What kind of changes?

I never heard of Pyramid. Had to Google it up. Reactive resins were just becoming popular about the time I gave up on the game. Marriage, mortgage and a kid....

Yeah, that first Turkey is quite a thrill. Are you lefty or righty?

They got all new house shoes a few weeks ago, a whole supply of new balls, changed all the seating from stackable chairs to wooden benches and modern swing chairs. It's really nice to see new things every time I go.

Yeah, the reactive coverstock is a whole different game from the old plastic and urethane stuff. (Not that I'm any kind of expert, but I've been doing my homework on the game for a few weeks now.) I have a friend that can curve the house balls, but that's pretty rare. The new stuff can grip a lot harder, and skids better on the oil.

Apparently, it's changed the pro game quite a bit. They've all changed their releases from a 'lift' motion, to a kind of cocked-twist at the end. I'm still trying to figure out which one works for me.

Oh, and I'm a righty.