Practice without pins

[Porto]

What do you prefer?
I've never understood the concept of practice without pins...
Why do some tournaments have practice without pins before we start? Why practice hitting something that's not even there?

P.S. It didn't happen last weekend, it's just something that I was thinking about yesterday!

 

[GeorgeF]

The bowling centre managers/proprietors do it to reduce the pin setting machine work load. If they leave it on instructa-mat the machine doesnt cycle which is not recorded on the meters on the machines.

I hate no pins, I've lost count on how many times I thought I was lined up and started my game with a 6-8 pocket hit.

 

[Easy Tiger]

It's done because as George said, it racks up the meters every time a machine cycles a full set.

At the end of the day in AMF centres, the meters are checked and the figure recorded by hand. This is then matched up to the games recorded on the scoring system with paid games. With AMF Machines, to run practice with pins requires putting games into the system. These games are effectively viewed as lost sales.

This is why pins are not put up for practice, as per the K&K Classic a couple of weeks ago.

 

[Growly]

As I don't bowl tournaments anymore, since 1996, my interpretation may be a little bit different to most of our current bowlers.

In the "old days" we used to get say 10 minutes without pins, then a few minutes with pins... being an 'old fart' as I am, the first 10 minutes were to simply get warmed up & decide which ball/s suited the condition you were on, then the last few minutes were to line yourself up.

I don't mean to be disrespectful to anyone, but, when I go to a tournament, and that isn't very often, I see a lot of the today's bowlers go straight down to bowl & don't appreciate the importance of warming up. They simply hope they are switched on physically.

Practice without pins can 'warm you up' BEFORE the tournament starts.

 

[Porto]

As I don't bowl tournaments anymore, since 1996, my interpretation may be a little bit different to most of our current bowlers.
In the "old days" we used to get say 10 minutes without pins, then a few minutes with pins... being an 'old fart' as I am, the first 10 minutes were to simply get warmed up & decide which ball/s suited the condition you were on, then the last few minutes were to line yourself up.
I don't mean to be disrespectful to anyone, but, when I go to a tournament, and that isn't very often, I see a lot of the today's bowlers go straight down to bowl & don't appreciate the importance of warming up. They simply hope they are switched on physically.
Practice without pins can 'warm you up' BEFORE the tournament starts.

I totally agree with what you're saying about the importance of warming up. However, if the machines were cycling this wouldn't stop people from warming up if they thought it was necessary.

 

[androooo]

I prefer pins, but as a mechanic standpoint, I prefer pins during practise as it helps absorb the blow of the ball smashing into the cushion/pit.

 

[DaleS]

Depends on if I am bowling a tournament or just training. Bowling a tournament I prefer pins (for obvious reasons). If I am training I tend to prefer bowling without pins as I prefer to practice technique rather than flat out trying to throw strikes.

 

[mongoliantreesloth]

It's done because as George said, it racks up the meters every time a machine cycles a full set.
At the end of the day in AMF centres, the meters are checked and the figure recorded by hand. This is then matched up to the games recorded on the scoring system with paid games. With AMF Machines, to run practice with pins requires putting games into the system. These games are effectively viewed as lost sales.

In that case that is either bad management or bad accounting. To count practice cycles as lost sales would be the same as a door-to-door leaflet operation counting every household that didn't respond as a lost sale.

 

[mannah]

Have to agree with Dale S. If training usually prefer no pins so I concentrate on the one or two aspects of my game I am practising. If prior to tournament or league prefer with pins to accurate see the result of my delivery.

 

[Easy Tiger]

In that case that is either bad management or bad accounting. To count practice cycles as lost sales would be the same as a door-to-door leaflet operation counting every household that didn't respond as a lost sale.

True. But it's AMF.

All games must be accounted for, and cycles rack up "games".

 

[dishman]

I think it is imperative to have pins during practice before a tournament. Striking involves more than hitting the 1-3 pocket these days. Its all about the entry angle and how the pins react once the ball hits the pocket.
I also prefer to have pins during regular practice but do not have the scoring on.
Dinesh

 

[Matt H]

l would pefer to bowl at pins so then if your sticking the one pin all the time in warm you can try a different shoot or ball....

Matt

 

[beynon]

i definetly prefer pins so it gives a good indication on where your hitting and how the pin action is etc.
however bowling and working on AMF lanes i understand why we practice with instruca-mat mode. and its not bad accounting also, its business.

 

[PoITeR]

I understand the business side as thats the way most amf centres have been working for years, but since bowling in tornaments i preferr to practise against pins mainly because you can see the pin action fropm the oiled lanes, see how the ball is going to the pocket.

 

[beynon]

exactly. great minds think alike PoITeR

 

[mick07]

i prefer to practise with pins as it warms me up so i know where i got to put the ball for strike and spare shots

 

[Rayzer]

I'm gonna be difficult... i like the concept of 5 minutes without pins so you can warm the shoulder up and throw a few at the pocket before a few minutes where the machines do set the pins up, that way u can use different balls to see which one gives the most forgiving carry before the game starts!
But it's all too much trouble for AMF
R

 

[rpac23]

I prefer pins to see how well i can get into the pocket. Sometimes with no pins, it almost seems as if you get pocket shots, except you could be choppin the 1 pin away instead!

Funny how everyone is dissin AMF when I know a few of you actually work for AMF!

 

[Tiger]

I'd prefer the first few minutes of practice with no pins, takes me awhile to loosen up so I just gently trundle along and roll a few slowies down to get moving.
Once adequately warmed up I'd prefer pins so I can more accurately guage how my ball is finishing, watching the way the pins are reacting/not reacting etc. and make little adjustments from there.
Often times I've gone into a game after instruct-o-mat thinking I was lined up and that the ball was finishing well, only to have my first shot hit like a potato or have it jump or lag a little.
Bowling in an AMF house I'm used to bowling practice with no pins, been doing it for 20+ years so you get used to it, on the random occasion when there's been a malfunction and we've had pins for most of practice it's made lining up quite a lot easier.

 

[scooter]

Tiger said: Once adequately warmed up I'd prefer pins so I can more accurately guage how my ball is finishing

Since when has your shot had any 'finish' ...........

Heheheh .... be down this weekend and over the next few weeks, mite pop in to see some of this 'finish' ..... ;-)