The Bowling Thread

[FLPensFan]

As I have recently found there are several members here that are bowlers, so I figured I'd start a bowling discussion thread.

What's your average?
What equipment are you using?
How often do you bowl?
Talk about your good or bad nights, or anything else bowling here.

[offsides]

As my age goes up my average is going down. This year I am in two mixed sanctioned leagues. Both leagues are at the same place so my averages are pretty much the same. One league is 184 the other is 183. I am using a couple Storm Code X balls. I don't use other balls for spares. I used to use a plastic ball for certain spares but saw no sense in changing balls just to miss a 10 pin.
This year my high game was a 279 and my high series was a 663. The night i had the 279 I didn't even get a 600.

[Pruezy11881]

In two sanctioned leagues...One on Monday and is a 5-person team then again on Thursday night for a 3 man. And I do several tournaments a year. I have 16 career 300 games and 7 career 800's, with a high set of 836. I also, as a part time job, work as a pro shop tech for Mike Machuga here in Erie, PA.

Average on Mondays is 215ish and on Thursday is about 224. I'm not brand specific and I have too many rocks in the overall arsenal to count. Currently what I would take to a tournament would be:

900 Global Reality (this piece is GOOD)
Brunswick Prism Hybrid
Roto Grip RST X2
Storm Axiom Solid
Storm Axiom Pearl
Hammer Raw Hybrid
Ebonite Stinger Pearl
PBA 3.02 Skill ball (mostly for spares)
9B Blue Faball

[FLPensFan]

I'm only in one Thursday night 5 person mixed league, but I'm a 6th man on a Tuesday night league where I have been bowling often, too.

Average is only about 170 right now...was up around 180-185 a year before the pandemic, but got in a really bad slump.

No 300 games for me. I think 268 is my high game. I have a few low 600 games, but none with 200s across the board.

Mainly using a Roto Grip UC2 right now, with a Pitch Black as my spare ball. Hoping to get a Proton Physix after the holidays. I was looking at possibly getting a 900 Global Reality, but looks like being a year old they are already discontinued in favor of the Altered Reality.

[Pruezy11881]

I'm only in one Thursday night 5 person mixed league, but I'm a 6th man on a Tuesday night league where I have been bowling often, too.

Average is only about 170 right now...was up around 180-185 a year before the pandemic, but got in a really bad slump.

No 300 games for me. I think 268 is my high game. I have a few low 600 games, but none with 200s across the board.

Mainly using a Roto Grip UC2 right now, with a Pitch Black as my spare ball. Hoping to get a Proton Physix after the holidays. I was looking at possibly getting a 900 Global Reality, but looks like being a year old they are already discontinued in favor of the Altered Reality.

Altered is just a pearl version of the original. Same core and same numbers. God I hope they haven't discontinued the solid yet...

[FLPensFan]

I'm only in one Thursday night 5 person mixed league, but I'm a 6th man on a Tuesday night league where I have been bowling often, too.

Average is only about 170 right now...was up around 180-185 a year before the pandemic, but got in a really bad slump.

No 300 games for me. I think 268 is my high game. I have a few low 600 games, but none with 200s across the board.

Mainly using a Roto Grip UC2 right now, with a Pitch Black as my spare ball. Hoping to get a Proton Physix after the holidays. I was looking at possibly getting a 900 Global Reality, but looks like being a year old they are already discontinued in favor of the Altered Reality.

Altered is just a pearl version of the original. Same core and same numbers. God I hope they haven't discontinued the solid yet...

The UC2 is a pearl reactive ball, so I wanted a little different surface from either the Reality or Proton. I'm not a high Rev player so I heard the reality might be a little better for my game. If I don't buy from the pro shop I'll use bowlingball.com, and I saw today that they now list Reality as discontinued on their site. Wasn't like that last week...might atill be able to have my pro shop order me one.

EDIT: Storm site still shows Reality as available.

[BurghThing]

I bowl in a Thursday night league with the wife and stepson. Current average is 160. Have a Hi Road, Omega Cruz and a plastic ball for the God Blasted 10 pin. 200's every now and then but am very inconsistent.

[offsides]

In two sanctioned leagues...One on Monday and is a 5-person team then again on Thursday night for a 3 man. And I do several tournaments a year. I have 16 career 300 games and 7 career 800's, with a high set of 836. I also, as a part time job, work as a pro shop tech for Mike Machuga here in Erie, PA.

Average on Mondays is 215ish and on Thursday is about 224. I'm not brand specific and I have too many rocks in the overall arsenal to count. Currently what I would take to a tournament would be:

I like it, very impressive, especially the 7 - 800's. Consistency!
Do you use your thumb? I am seeing more 2 finger bowlers than I ever thought I would.

[Pruezy11881]

In two sanctioned leagues...One on Monday and is a 5-person team then again on Thursday night for a 3 man. And I do several tournaments a year. I have 16 career 300 games and 7 career 800's, with a high set of 836. I also, as a part time job, work as a pro shop tech for Mike Machuga here in Erie, PA.

Average on Mondays is 215ish and on Thursday is about 224. I'm not brand specific and I have too many rocks in the overall arsenal to count. Currently what I would take to a tournament would be:

I like it, very impressive, especially the 7 - 800's. Consistency!
Do you use your thumb? I am seeing more 2 finger bowlers than I ever thought I would.

Yes, I use both fingers and thumb, finger tip grip. Use Vise grips as well as thumb slug.

[offsides]

Right around my average tonight. 191 - 202 - 183 Fun night with free food and lots of Christmas music.

[FLPensFan]

Bowled last night in the league that I often sub for on Tuesday's. Utter garbage. 3rd game was 183. Other 2 games were not worth the shame of posting. Sub-500 series, though. At least this one was a progressive league so I didn't hurt the team too bad.

Thursday can only be better.

[offsides]

Bowled last night in the league that I often sub for on Tuesday's. Utter garbage. 3rd game was 183. Other 2 games were not worth the shame of posting. Sub-500 series, though. At least this one was a progressive league so I didn't hurt the team too bad.

Thursday can only be better.

I also am very inconsistent with bowling. But bowling has a way of making you inconsistent. It has a way of giving lucky carries with crap shots but also leaving stuff on solid hits. My biggest issue is missing very makeable spares. So far this season my high series is a 663 and low series is 447. My low game 112
Whatever the results I do like bowling and talking with my team mates and other team members. I'm not near as competitive as I used to be. I just try to enjoy it now, no matter what happens.

[FLPensFan]

Bowled last night in the league that I often sub for on Tuesday's. Utter garbage. 3rd game was 183. Other 2 games were not worth the shame of posting. Sub-500 series, though. At least this one was a progressive league so I didn't hurt the team too bad.

Thursday can only be better.

Definitely a better night tonight. In fact, I'm pretty sure I bowled my highest series ever tonight, a 630. 181, 205, 244.

[offsides]

Bowled last night in the league that I often sub for on Tuesday's. Utter garbage. 3rd game was 183. Other 2 games were not worth the shame of posting. Sub-500 series, though. At least this one was a progressive league so I didn't hurt the team too bad.

Thursday can only be better.

My garbage turn tonight. Bowled my lowest game in quite a while. 106 (6 splits) - 178 - 197. Not my lowest series but close.

[FLPensFan]

Subbed again last night. Meh. 181 - 148 - 170. One of those nights where I was throwing a really good ball, but just not getting the results. Had a very tight line that worked and that was it. A board or two left or right and results weren't good.

New ball should be ready for Thursday night league. Got the 900 Global Reality, which should be a little stronger than my UC2.

[FLPensFan]

Another good night on my regular league night. Before Christmas, my average in this league was 168. In the two weeks since, I've been averaging 203 and raised my average almost 6 pins, to just a bit under 174.

Bowled a 588 series tonight using mostly my 900 Global Reality that I picked up today. Took me a bit to find the sweet spot in the first game, and the lanes seemed to dry out a bit more than usual so by the 3rd game I had to put it away and go down to my UC2.

[Pruezy11881]

Another good night on my regular league night. Before Christmas, my average in this league was 168. In the two weeks since, I've been averaging 203 and raised my average almost 6 pins, to just a bit under 174.

Bowled a 588 series tonight using mostly my 900 Global Reality that I picked up today. Took me a bit to find the sweet spot in the first game, and the lanes seemed to dry out a bit more than usual so by the 3rd game I had to put it away and go down to my UC2.

The Reality is a strong one. I love it on higher oil houses though. It will tend to carve a trench in the oil but will give you a nice breakpoint to play off of later in the game or when it's time to move or ball down. Before they retire it, I may get a couple more to keep them on ice for future use.

[FLPensFan]

Another good night on my regular league night. Before Christmas, my average in this league was 168. In the two weeks since, I've been averaging 203 and raised my average almost 6 pins, to just a bit under 174.

Bowled a 588 series tonight using mostly my 900 Global Reality that I picked up today. Took me a bit to find the sweet spot in the first game, and the lanes seemed to dry out a bit more than usual so by the 3rd game I had to put it away and go down to my UC2.

The Reality is a strong one. I love it on higher oil houses though. It will tend to carve a trench in the oil but will give you a nice breakpoint to play off of later in the game or when it's time to move or ball down. Before they retire it, I may get a couple more to keep them on ice for future use.

I bowled pretty well with it the first night I used it last week, not so well last night and put it away early. Will take me a bit to get used to the stronger ball, plus, for whatever reason the league shot (same house) is much different on Tuesdays vs my regular Thursday league. Bowling a 196 average the last two weeks on my league night, and like a 165 on my Tuesday league that I sub for.

Also, hopefully they aren't retiring it soon. My pro told me that the Reality has been sold out in most places, not discontinued. Said the reason is with 900 Global part of Storm, Nova and Spectre are coming out now, Phaze 4 next month, the majority of production has shifted to cranking out those newer balls. Still making Reality but at a slower pace right now. I supposedly got the last one in the warehouse, and he sold another one right after me that will probably take 3-4 weeks for the person to get.

[offsides]

Pretty consistent night which is unusual for me. 181 - 205 - 199 Also over my 183 average in that league.

[FLPensFan]

I didn't have a great week this week. Was around a 155 average on Tuesday sub league, and pretty much right on my average on Thursday night. Thursday night I felt I threw a really good ball, hit my marks, but just got no breaks. Lanes were also a lot different between the two. 1st game, I split the first 3 frames on the left lane of the pair, and struck the first 4 frames on the right lane of the pair.

Probably only bowling my Thursday league for the next few weeks, as my shoulder has been bothering from bowling twice a week instead of just once. A true sign of getting old. LOL

[offsides]

Probably only bowling my Thursday league for the next few weeks, as my shoulder has been bothering from bowling twice a week instead of just once. A true sign of getting old. LOL

I will definitely agree with this. I used to be able to bowl a lot more than now. I could go to a tournament or just practice and bowl 6 or 7 games in a row no problem. Now after the third game I am completely worn out and very sore, especially my legs.

[FLPensFan]

Probably only bowling my Thursday league for the next few weeks, as my shoulder has been bothering from bowling twice a week instead of just once. A true sign of getting old. LOL

I will definitely agree with this. I used to be able to bowl a lot more than now. I could go to a tournament or just practice and bowl 6 or 7 games in a row no problem. Now after the third game I am completely worn out and very sore, especially my legs.

It probably doesn't help that I moved back to 15lbs from 14. Never threw 16lbs. I have mainly used 14s, maybe 5 years ago I bought a DV8 15 and threw my first 600 with it, but was bowling twice a week and it was too hard on my fingers (have some joint issues). I finally went back to 15 last year because I felt part of my slump was hitting the pocket but just not getting enough drive through the pins to get strikes.

Once a week, with an occasional subbing is good enough for me and about what I can really handle.

[offsides]

Probably only bowling my Thursday league for the next few weeks, as my shoulder has been bothering from bowling twice a week instead of just once. A true sign of getting old. LOL

I will definitely agree with this. I used to be able to bowl a lot more than now. I could go to a tournament or just practice and bowl 6 or 7 games in a row no problem. Now after the third game I am completely worn out and very sore, especially my legs.

It probably doesn't help that I moved back to 15lbs from 14. Never threw 16lbs. I have mainly used 14s, maybe 5 years ago I bought a DV8 15 and threw my first 600 with it, but was bowling twice a week and it was too hard on my fingers (have some joint issues). I finally went back to 15 last year because I felt part of my slump was hitting the pocket but just not getting enough drive through the pins to get strikes.

Once a week, with an occasional subbing is good enough for me and about what I can really handle.

I've been using a 14 for a few years. The 15 got too much for me. Still in two leagues but not sure how much longer I will be able to do it.

[offsides]

Not sure why but had an over average nice consistent night for me. 202 - 207 - 211

[Pruezy11881]

Just completed the semi finals of the Erie Times News Open. It's our prestigious tournament in the county. We bowl 10 games of qualifying over 2 days at one house, and cut to the top 32. The following weekend is 6 more games at a different house to cut to the top 16. Those who make the finals will bowl 16 match play games over two days and two different houses to determine the champion.

I made the biggest move of the day. Started 27th @ +94 and managed to go open-open for a 177 in game one which dropped me down to 29th. Oil carried down a bit and Axiom Solid wasn't cutting it anymore. Next game, moved a bit right, balled up to the Nova, and really didn't move much the rest of the day. Ended up +121 on the day for 6 games and +215 on the tournament and moved up to 13th to make the finals this weekend.