Social bowler distraction

[rynzeski]

I guess this kind of things happen a lot... when I get kids running around while I am trying to bowl, I always put my ball down first and wait for them to settle down. If it happens to often I calmly talk to the adult of the group and tell them I might ACCIDENTLY hit their kid with a 15lb ball if they keep running in front of me when I go for my shot.

 

[split happens]

If there are lanes available, there should not be social bowlers next to you.
But if it's the only lane left, you can't expect a centre to turn away not only a income, but the chance to recruit new league bowlers.
If as you said, it was near the end of the last game, staff should of asked them to wait a few minutes, most people will.
As for them making noise and distracting you, do balls hitting lanes put you off? Do balls hit pins put you off? You should learn to block everything out and just bowl.

 

[Ben A]

I dont really mind the social bowlers coz most of time there just in awe at you bowling and they cheer you on when you bowl though i can understand where H8_ the _ 10_pin is coming from as a bowl at the same center as him and our center always has partys on at the same time most of the time i just talk to a adult and they then settle down and watch you. I can remember when i first got my new ball i was practising on 1an2 and i had socials on 3 and one of the men there was watching me was trying to beat me which gave me compition and Ended up bowling a 230 somthing but it was kool like i said socail bowlers can be good and not all bad you just have to no how to deal wif them

 

[Escapee]

geesh, do the math
league bowlers = minimum profit
social play = maximum profit

why would they make social bowlers wait for the lowest paying customer in the centre?

its good practice to concerntrate on your bowling.

 

[The Real Deal]

At Fairlanes its the last lane available before we give it away to social bowlers, and if possible we will try and put league bowlers who are having some practice games or regular social bowlers who we know will show some lane courtesy and give way etc.
Although some leagues tend to forget that majority of our staff are league/competative bowlers and know what they are doing, and are up in your face complaining about the social bowlers you have put next door to them before they realise its a league bowler!
Using the buffer lane for social play is bit of give and take between the league and the centre staff. Obviously the centre staff should use some common sense and think about who the social players are, and they league should be able to trust the staff to understand the game!

If it happens to often I calmly talk to the adult of the group and tell them I might ACCIDENTLY hit their kid with a 15lb ball if they keep running in front of me when I go for my shot.

Personally from a Bowlign Centre Employee, Id prefer you to ask the staff to speak to the social players, sometimes they can take it personally or the wrong away and get offended....Just speaking form experience

 

[CHIN]

But if it's the only lane left, you can't expect a centre to turn away not only a income, but the chance to recruit new league bowlers.

Privately owned centres might be different, but from experience AMF centres dont give a toss about about league bowlers. They would rather fill there centres with social bowlers paying full price per game than 10-12 lanes of league bowlers paying $5.65 per game.

As ESCAPEE said "DO THE MATHS"

I would rather practice with a bunch of social bowlers next to me than some league bowlers. Some league bowlers get to uptight and seem to be playing for sheep stations every week.

The only complaint I have is when these "TIGHT ARSE" centres have a Major Tournament on for 15 hrs over 2 days, taking in $5,000 - $6,000 and they have to run a 4 lane birthday party in the middle of a Squad. I know who is going to come off worse if a 180 - 200 pound bowler swinging a 16 ball slams into a 40 - 50 pound 5 year old running in front of them. I suppose when you weigh up profit over responsibility, profit wins hands down.

 

[bitchy lil brunette]

At Redcliffe if you are bowling a league or in a tournament they leave a pair of lanes free and then the next pair will have socials/birthday partys.

Its awesome I love bowling in among the social bowlers it makes me concentrate more and more and then you try and not get distracted.

 

[Wallbanger1]

The only issue i have with social bowlers is the safety issue. For instance if you are about to take your shot and a little kid comes out of no where. Wham someone could get hurt. I think it needs to come down to duty of care on the part of centre staff, they shouldn't be putting younger kids next to social bowlers.

 

[mannah]

I have actually hit a kid who ran in front of me. Luckily I don't have a lot of power behind my shot and use a fairly light ball. By the time I saw the child out the corner of my eye it was too late for me to stop although I was able to partly hold back and didn't hit with full force. Still the kid went flying. Thankfully the centre staff came over and explained to the parents that they should have been watching the child and then moved them. What annoyed me the most was that there were other lanes empty but the staff decided to put this family with 3-4 kids on the lane next to league. Maybe the staff learnt a lesson but still it shouldn't have happened.

After all who is liable if the child is seriously injured......... the centre? the bowler? the league? the parents?...... it could get very messy and an expensive exercise.

 

[Squiptar]

In regards to children getting where they shouldn't be, such as in the paths of bowlers, or more horrifyingly, down into the machinery, i have one huge gripe, and that is aimed at the parents.
Now, I am not targetting ALL parents. Kids do have a tendency to wander, especially young ones, and then there are the downright stupid ones, which i've unfortunately encountered a few of too.
What annoys me is when a child is retrieved from these dangerous situations- such as an example where i looked up from cleaning a machine to see an 8 year old about to look under and his friends bolting down the middle of the lane to join him- I sent them back quickly and firmly, and went to have a quick word to their parents, who simply looked up from their conversation, gave a few "yeah yeahs, oh that's awful" and went straight back to it. Meanwhile, the kid was a few metres back past the foul line. Parents did nothing, yet again.
This is an extreme example, but not uncommon! Bowling can be a dangerous sport, and it is the responsibility of parents to ensure they keep an eye on their children. The warnings are there, our staff will keep an eye out too, but ultimately, it is the parents that can quickest prevent tragedy, and to a lesser extent prevent inconveniencing neighbouring bowlers.

 

[Ash]

I've noticed now that a few centres are putting up large screens between the league and social/party lanes, which I think is a great idea.

Something like that should be adopted alot more widely than it is currently.

 

[Samael]

once bowled in a center that put a party of 14 kids on a pair between league bowlers.

Its just not good enough to pay your league money, have the center f*** up and overbook, then make their bowlers suffer the consequences. If it happens once, maybe i can overlook it, but they did it again and have done it to other bowlers too.

Certainly shows who has the greatest weight within the bowling community, cash vs leagues, cash usually wins out (which is utter crap IMHO).

 

[MinusZero]

My centre always leaves a lane gap if possible between a league and social bowlers. I dont find it a problem anyway. Unless they stay standing on the lane. I just time my shot so they wont be bowling at the same time.

My most disliked social bowler thing is cameras. Just last friday i was bowling and some person stood on the lane and took a pic (with flash), right when i was releasing the ball. I know i wasnt the only person who wasnt happy, i saw several others give glaring looks in the offenders direction. Admittedly it was on a lane 4 lanes away, but when they are near the foul line taking a shot back towards the bowler, its a tad annoying.

 

[CHIN]

once bowled in a center that put a party of 14 kids on a pair between league bowlers.
Its just not good enough to pay your league money, have the center f*** up and overbook, then make their bowlers suffer the consequences. If it happens once, maybe i can overlook it, but they did it again and have done it to other bowlers too.

Centres dont give a toss about league bowlers. There more concerned about filling the house with social bowlers. League bowlers are paying 1/2 - 2/3 of what social bowlers generally pay.

 

[Escapee]

Just cause they dont turn social play away doesnt mean they dont give a crap about league bowlers. They leave the space if its possible and then if worse comes to worse they will use that lane. They dont put in 20 lanes so they can only use 16

 

[granat]

I love to see a centre full of social bowlers. I intend to keep bowling for the rest of my life and that will only happen while centres remain profitable. Social bowling is really the grass-roots of the sport and those that find it an enjoyable experience will be tempted to join leagues and the sport will grow stronger. Social bowlers who feel like they are "looked down upon" by the league bowlers or who cop dirty looks because they wanted to take a photo during a family outing certainly won't be encouraged to join league or even come back socially.
As for children wandering around, I've generally found that if you approach the parents in a polite & friendly manner, explain your concerns about potential harm to the chilldren then they will make an effort to restrain the kids (easier said than done)

 

[Toshio]

Have you ever got those social bowlers that don't give way, bowl their ball then walk backwards across infront of you.

I was on a roll...had 7 in-a-row social's turned up, I blew it, and bowled a 215 game.

Some of the social's have the common sence to give way, however most of them just don't give a crap.

Toshio

 

[dshadow]

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

How can you tell social bowlers to pay whatever it is they pay for a game, but they have to shut up and play it straight laced. If they enjoy it, they come back. If they are faced with constant "reminders" that the league bowlers are more "important", who comes back?
A catch 22 to be sure, but something that our centre does it's best at keeping "down the line"
DS

 

[CHIN]

Just cause they dont turn social play away doesnt mean they dont give a crap about league bowlers. They leave the space if its possible and then if worse comes to worse they will use that lane. They dont put in 20 lanes so they can only use 16

I know they dont turn social play away. Few years ago our league was sent packing when we got there because they had to many lanes booked with social bowlers.

And it's great when your bowling a Supersix tournament at Woodville, and because your only using 26 lanes in 1 squad out of 32 they put a 4-5 lane birthday party on with 20 screaming kids on. You think the staff are going to tell them to keep there noise down.

The bottom line at the end of the day is $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[Kaz]

If we dont have the little kids running around we dont get bowlers for the future.