$12 For a summer NO Tap league and the lanes are burnt up after the 5th frame. 3 games 4 people per game. $56 per pair and the volume is probably about 30% the normal house shot vs. the fall No Tap. I love a challenge but I can practice on burnt lanes for free all week. Only joined the No Tap for my wife to build confidence. I was going to use it for med/heavy oil practice for myself and for my wife she wants practice with her Cell pearl I just got her. My question is this: do I make a stink or just quit? Money wise it will only cost my wife $2 per game and me $1 per game to practice (due to other leagues we are on), so $4 per game for no tap is no real deal. It is more the principle of you should get what you pay for but I don't want to be "that guy" either. Help???

Is there anything in your league contract with the lanes that specifies that you should get fresh lanes, a specific pattern, etc? If not, best you can do is ask, and fix the contract for next year.

What portion of the $12 is lineage, and what is going to admin expenses/prize fund?

I know there is nothing about oil conditions because it is a non sanctioned league. The prize fund is like $1. It is not the breakdown of fees but the fee itself. What would you do? My goal is to enter every event I can next year, how many of them will require us to bowl on burnt lane conditions?

That's pretty much expected for a non sanctioned, 9 pin no tap league. If you want actual practice for yourself, it would have been better not to bowl in a 9 pin no tap league, whether it's oiled or not. The money would be better spent coming in and practicing.

Non-sanctioned or not, your league and the lanes have a contract. The center guarantees that a certain number of lanes will be available for a certain amount of time. In return, the league agrees to pay a certain fee per week. Often included in these types of contracts is that another pair will be kept open in case of a breakdown, and that fresh oil will be applied that will not be bowled on before the league. If you don't have something about the oil in your contract, you should fix that next year.

There's really nothing you can do. Most of the league probably doesn't care about the lane conditions. And the management is probably not going to change and decide to oil the lanes based on your complaint or the entire league's complaint for that matter.

Its true that finding that condition in a tournament is rare. But it does happen. When you have many squads in the day, and there's no time in between to oil, you might get third squad and find the condition pretty dry and burnt.

Erin

I bowled in an ABT years ago and had that happen. When I got there, it was the 3rd squad and they didn't re-oil. I asked about it and they said that there wasn't time to re-oil. Needless to say 75% of the top finishers were in squad 1, 25% in squad 2. I mentioned it to the director afterward, he told me that next time I should make sure I got there earlier then. That was my 1 and only ABT.

It is such a shame that our sport is treated like this. In golf if it rain you know what to expect, if it is windy you know what to expect. I feel for all the beginners that are learning to hook the ball. There is no way that they understand that the ball is not hooking because there is no oil. It is almost contrary to science, but it all happens in such a short distance it is almost impossible to see. How discouraging for those that are trying to embrace the sport only to go home frustrated even though they did everything right. Would you go golfing if they said you can only pay in the sandtrap? How about tennis if they said you have to use ping pong rackets? There should be 2 parts to every center. Sport and Leisure. Bowling it the #1 participated sporting activity in the US and yet they treat it like a joke. Way to go USBC.

I'm not quite sure what your trying to say. It sounds like you're complaining about a non sanctioned league and blaming the USBC. And, honestly, there's nothing easier than a house shot, even if it is broken down. That is the leisure part of the sport.

And now I'm sure that when you plan a tournament you try to get the first squad. Most higher average bowlers do so because they learned exactly what you learned at that ABT tournament.

Early in my tournament bowling experience I too got a rude awakening. I was on the first squad, someone had already taught me that little tid bit. But the oiling machine broke. They used the old bug sprayer technique of oiling the lanes, and didn't really know how to do that well either. Since we own an old oiling machine and it was in storage, we got it out for them for the second day of the tournament. But the bug sprayer condition was BRUTAL.

Erin

Matty, I'm sorry you are disappointed in the conditions you will be on for this league. But its a c rap shoot no matter what league you bowl in. You picked a non sanctioned 9 pin no tap summer league. If any league under the sun or moon were to have poor lane conditions it would be this one.

My suggestion would be to quit now and get into a regular sanctioned summer league. Make sure you read the league rules on quitting. you might be liable for two weeks paid and a written notice. Ask first if there will be fresh oil for that league.

Erin

Just called another Center to ask about leagues and lane conditions. Here is the answer that I got and that I wanted. "oil costs pennies. We oil everyday at 3pm for practice and again at 6 before the leagues." To save pennies you are willing to lose hundreds of dollars a month? I am going to finish my summer leagues out with the exception of the NoTap. I will be quitting that league after next week. I have a team that I made a commitment to and I will let them know my intentions and give them time to find a replacement. It is the right thing to do. There is no way I can prove what volume they put out so there is no reason I should get into a fight I cannot win. Thanks for the advice!

I prefer bowling the 2nd squad, but arriving early enough to watch at least 1 game from the early squad. This not only helps with lining up, but gives you an idea of the scoring pace, and determining whether to use a conservative or aggressive approach. Also, when the lanes are flooded, it helps to have a squad bowl first to break down the lanes a bit.

Does this approach work? Not to brag, but before the ABT folded in the Washington, DC area, I bowled in several events in 2008, won 5 titles, had 7 second place finishes, earned over $8,000 for the year, and earned the title WDC Bowler of the Year. With some of the conditions they put down, I would have been happy for the BUG SPRAYER.

League conditions are another thing, and I believe you have every right to expect a reasonable, playable condition, i.e., adequate oil. Dropping out of the league is the best way to express your dissatisfaction, and if enough people do the same, the bowling center should get the message.

You are right on! Not worth getting worked up over a NoTap league. Just a let down when in the fall they had a great condition and even the first week they teased us with it. Will be giving my money to the other center, that's all. This forum is the best. You guys, and girls, understand.

If it's a no tap ,non sanctioned league, all I would want is a consistent shot. Whether it was scorched or flooded, that is the least they could do. I wouldn't expect perfect house shot for that kind of league. If you wanted a certain shot, get in a PBAX league, so the shot is guaranteed.

Not to make any enemies here because I really like this site, but alot of the post here are driving me nuts. All the posts here about only wanting a perfect house pattern that is exactly the same week to week are people I hate listening to. All they care about is high scores and not improving their game. I love when I show up and the lanes are fried, this allows me to work on throwing a straigher ball. Or when the machine breaks down and puts 40ft of heavy sauce, I have to work on playing more down the middle. It may just be your perspective. One person gets mad becuase he won't bowl a 200 every game, I get excited becuase I get to work on a part of my game that I don't normally get to work on. Remember, versatility will make you a better bowler.

Handful, you actually have two points.

First, you are right that a bowler has to learn how to play what the lanes give you. That does make you more accomplished and versatile.

Second, when you are paying the league lane fees, you expect the lanes to be properly maintained, and oiled. That's what you are paying for. One league, a Sport league, actually has oiling requirements weekly. And, we should expect the House to stand up to their side of the deal and really put one down. The other being a House league, it is hit or miss weekly.

I do see your point. I think the last PBAx league I had, we actually had to pay more just because the league had to submit sample tapes of the oiled lanes to prove they were oiled correctly. I would suggest to all that at the first meeting for a league, the issue of lane oiling should be addressed and put in writing so the center and league bowlers know what is expected. But I could see the center expecting a higher lane fee for this.

Actually, the expected oil pattern is specified in our contract with the House. Most bowlers know what to expect, and when it isn't there, they have a right to complain.

I like to practice on varied shots, it is good, it is enjoyable, but when you hit league, you expect the same conditions (whether good or bad) on a weekly basis. You aren't paying the house to have a mechanic around when they need to fix a machine or pin, you are paying for the lanes too. I do like testing my ability, but I want some idea of where to play to be predetermined in my head and just have to make minor adjustments, not having to make giant moves based on if the house felt like oiling. My house is very good with my league. They oil right before league, no one bowls on the lanes after they are dressed, it is nice.