Social bowler distraction

[Troy]

Whilst bowling in league the other night, the bowl decided it would put social bowlers right next to us. Now, I really don't believe this is right as it can be a HUGE distraction. Not just the getting up on the lanes whilst your bowling, but noise making and carrying on. Not that there is anything wrong with that, and it's definitely not the social bowler's faults. Luckily it was near the end of the last game, although this is another thing i disagree with, the control staff could easily have said there will be a 5-10 minute wait or so. Luckily, after a little while one of the staff came and explained to them giving way and a bit of bowling courtesy, which was good.

However, I don't believe it is right to put social bowlers right next to league bowlers. Also, I have been told that as part of TBA rules it is not allowed for the bowl to put social bowlers right next to a sanctioned league. Correct me if I'm wrong, or point me in the direction of the ruling, any input would be appreciated.

It would be great to hear other's thoughts on this matter.

Just my thoughts,
Troy Schultz

 

[Bowler]

Well I know what ya mean. I don't know about the rules but at the center I work at we will not put social on next to league. I know of a lot of centers that do. I think they should have asked the soical bowlers to wait 5 mins which isn't long becos they can go play aracde machines or get some food, and it keeps everyone happy!

 

[h8_the_10_pin]

Hey, well i bowl at Coolangatta Tweed on the gold coast and i can tell you now if we are bowling junor league that we bowl on saturdays, the staff would put birthday partys right on the lane next to us........ and you have little six year olds running around on your lane when you are about to take your shot....it gets really annoying but because its a junior league i guess they dont take it very seriously.
but i think its really bad and they should at least have a lane between the league and the social bowlers.

 

[Andrew S.]

The rules are written for the league not the Centre owner. If a Centre wants to put social bowlers next to a league so be it.
Use the situation to your advantage and learn how to handle distractions.

 

[h8_the_10_pin]

The rules are written for the league not the Centre owner. If a Centre wants to put social bowlers next to a league so be it.
Use the situation to your advantage and learn how to handle distractions.

I agree, its good to learn how to handle these kind of situations, but when they put 10 or so kids right next to you it gets a bit hard to bowl when they run and slide in front of you when you are trying to bowl....one time when i'd taken my first step on the approach a little kid about five or six ran in front of me..... that could have ended in a serious accident.
I just think that the centre could at least put a lane's space in between league and social bowlers, and maybe not put birthday partys on at the same time as league.
just my opinion

 

[jemmo]

the way i see things if a league bowler does not want any social bowlers placed next to them then the only thing they should do is to hire the lane next to them for the duration of the league as bowling centres do not like empty lanes as they are not making money from an empty lane are they. so unless you would like to pay for the lanes to stay vacant i think you should put up with it. but yes the staff should explain to the social players to give way to league play.

 

[*'TOPHER*]

I personaly dont have a problem with social bowlers. The noise just makes me have to focus more which is always good.

Today i shot a 279 in practice whilst the center was occupied completly(with the exception of me of course) by school kids. There was a 10lane group of primary kids next to me and a high school next to them. They were making a hell of a noise, just have to try harder to shut it all out.

Chris

 

[h8_the_10_pin]

I don't have a problem with social bowlers at all or the noise they make - the only thing that gets to me is little kids running out in front of you when you are trying to bowl in league. Like, literally being in front of you when you are taking steps.

 

[tonx]

I don't have a problem with social bowlers at all or the noise they make - the only thing that gets to me is little kids running out in front of you when you are trying to bowl in league. Like, literally being in front of you when you are taking steps.

That is where lane courtosey comes involved.

Keep in mine, you are not suppose to be taking steps while the bowler on the next lane is still on the approach, so if you run into them, that is your fault.

I often practise next to jnrs/social bowlers, as apart from the distraction training, its a great way to get others involved in the sport. How many times has anyone gone for practise and got a crowd of social bowlers behind you? These guys wanna watch, and learn how to do it. Its great for league recruitment!

When it comes to league, let them bowl where there is space. If its next to you, learn to live with it. When it comes to tournaments, let them be at the other end of the centre!!!

 

[rychenroller]

At our centre...we will always use the lane next to the league as a buffer lane, until there is no other lane available. You just cant knock back what could amount to $100 of social play, regardless of where you put them. If you tell them there will be a half hour wait while there is a lane free and they decide to walk out? ridiculous.

 

[mongoliantreesloth]

You are lucky. In my league there is a team that behave like social bowlers - clapping and cheering almost every shot. The only time they're quiet is when they're losing badly.

 

[CHIN]

I can recall years ago at an AMF centre in Adelaide our weekend league was told to have the night off when we got there because they had to many social bookings. Obviously they could make more money filling the centre with social bowlers than 1/2 social & 1/2 league bowlers.

I also recall one S.A. Tenpin Cup in Janurary one year at Woodville bowl where one of the squads was bowling on 26 lanes of the 32 lane centre & they stuck a childrens birthday party on the end 4-5 lanes. You had the little buggers running everywhere.

 

[h8_the_10_pin]

You had the little buggers running everywhere.

gets annoying doesn't it

 

[<±>|{ÿ£è<±>]

i dont rly care if i have them next to me but when they get out of control thats a problem

a few weeks ago me n craigy were bowling a couple games of practice and we had a bus load of kids next 2 us, one of them was using a ramp thing to push the ball which is fine and i checked next to me before i bowled to make sure there was no one else on the lane. i went into my slide and this kid ran up n grabbed the ramp thing, swung it around and wacked me in the leg, as u could imagine i wasnt very happy

 

[Street Racer]

same with me i dont care, at brissy area this yr, i had a party next to me, and i shot a front 3, and then i got moved and i left a 10 pin that

 

[AdrianS]

Still remember 1997 Vic open at Moorabbing with social bowlers right down the end while our squad was on, no problem with the noise but the dad decided to go down the walkway a few ft and started taking flash pictures!!!!. He got a talking to for that and Karma had it's say a few minutes later when he tripped over the small foul light cover and landed on his rump!:snipersm: gotcha!!!!!

 

[jase_mate]

even when theyre are tournaments on and they have a buffer lane its still frustraiting with noises and distractions, the staff should tell the social bowlers to respect other league/tournament bowlers...cause half of the time the socials are so rowdy and distracting

 

[~Mrs STORM~]

Being put next to social bowlers does not bother me when Im practising...actually MOST times I dont even mind being on the same pair if I only get one lane. (I say most, as one time I almost got into a punch up with a social bowler...)
I know myself that when Im working, I keep social play as far away from leagues as possible...or if a bowler wanting to pre bowl comes in I do it in reverse...
If the situation arises where social play is put next to league, I know that staff at my centre (well, most of...) explain the situation and give them the low down on the giving way rule and the customers are usually more than happy to accept it...
Try coming to bowl at Strikezone on the first 4 lanes where you have people gawking at you throught the windows...that always gives you practise at blocking out distractions...

 

[Tiger]

I generally tend not to notice them much these days.
Most are pretty good, but you get the occasional ones that need pulling into line.
You can't totally blame social bowlers because they generally aren't told by staff - when placed next to leagues or tournaments - not to run around on the approaches, to give way, and just show general courtesy.
A friendly chat usually does the trick.
Had a situation in a junior tournament about 12 years back, where I needed a double in the tenth to win one of the events in the local championships, which would've given me the clean sweep.
Got the first one, then this baldheaded guy in a pair of thongs walks up on the approach right in front of me while I was standing on the approach, watching his mate bowl from the side.
I put my ball down and waited, settled my self and got back up and noticed him out the corner of my eye again, put the ball back down and waited again.
I got up and went through the beak and left a bunch of pins and lost the title by about 2-3 pins.
On the spare shot, I'm on the approach, and up dordles this prat again, and stands right in front of me again.
Me: "MOVE YOU BALDHEADED F***WIT!!"
Him: "Urrr thorry moite didn't thee ya there"

After that I had a serious attack of the Red Mist across the eyes and wanted to wrap a double bag of two 16lb balls around his head repeatedly for quite some time afterwards.

 

[jedi_bowler]

I wouldn't worry if little kids run in front of you.

If you run into them it will only happen once

Frosty