Doper bowlers, let's hear from you!

[dwc1970]

I've gone bowling for most of my life, but my participation has been off and on over the years. My average hovers in the 130-140 range and my all-time high is 193. One time I got 5 consecutive strikes and scored 162 in that game (both of these milestones were achieved during league play).

So, let's hear from other Dopers who are bowlers. What is your all-time high, your highest number of consecutuve strikes, etc?

How many of you are league bowlers, and what have your experiences been like in leagues? I've been on a few leagues and they're pretty fun, though one time we had a really obnoxious jerk on our team and he was kicked off after 3-4 weeks, much to our pleasure. Then there was a time I joined a singles league, but most of the people on it were 40-60-ish and I was in my early twenties at the time. For the most part I prefer bowling on my own, at my own pace with a couple of friends.

How many of you have your own equipment? I've had my ball and shoes for about 12-13 years now. My ball is dark red, 12 pounds.

What's the stupidest or silliest thing you have done or seen someone else do while bowling? I once saw a guy throw two balls to nail a 7-10 split (he got it, too). I've also seen other people try this, but by the time the second ball arrives the gate (the pinsetter) has already lowered and the ball ends up slamming into it.

[UncleBeer]

I quit league bowling two or three seasons ago after 12 to 15 consecutive years of participation (and even longer non-consecutively). I was getting tired of it and the precipitously falling average didn't help. I dropped nearly twenty pins in a single year, from mid 190's to mid 170's. Held a mid-190's average for about five straight years. High game: 286 (including the first 10 strikes - twice). High (three game) series: 754. Was league secretary for a couple years in a 90-man weekly league - that sucked, too.

[Who_me?]

I gave up bowling 15 years ago. I averaged in the 185 - 190 range. High game 289 (10 strikes, then a 9/spare), high set 706.

[jackelope]

Wow, you folks are some good bowlers. I used to go once a week, but stopped about a year ago. I'm not sure what my average was, but on a typical night I'd bowl around 100-120 during the warmup game, and once a night I'd bowl 180 or 190.

My all-time high was 205 (the only time I broke 200). I had six strikes and three spares in that game, leaving a total of one pin standing. That was awesome.

[diku]

I'm a pretty serious bowling, playing an average of 20 games a week. Usually against Max Carnage, although there is loose talk of joining a league this year. I'm at about a 170 average, which is way up from my 90 or so last year. Have my own ball, a Track Mutant, and of course shoes.

[diku]

Sigh. I'm a pretty serious bowler.

[Frank #2]

I started in an Adult-Child league when I was around 7 or 8. I worked my way through the YABA levels and quit when I was around 14. I got back into bowling about 5 years ago (26 yrs old now).

My average hovers around 177, but I keep pushing to get that 180. Every time I reach 180 I get a couple bad weeks and my average drops back to the 170s. My high game is somewhere around 250.

[blakeformayor]

I started bowling in a league with some friends about a year ago. My high game is 257 (alas, not in league play) and I'm still looking for a 600 series.

I bought my own shoes last summer because I got tired of paying to rent every week for league, and I bought a ball in december. I average just over 150 now, which is up about 12 pins from before I got my ball..

[Max Carnage]

Coulda sworn diku said "blower", cause he does seriously blow. Just kidding, he kicks my ass on a steady basis these days thanks to that Mutant.

Got my own ball and shoes, average around a 160. Highest game ever was a couple of weeks ago when I rolled a 227. BTW, he appears to modest to mention it but diku's high is 234 I think.

I don't bowl as often as he, but I almost never miss 4 games after work on Monday and 4 or 5 Cosmic games on Friday night. I'll try to go at least one other day during the week, but don't always make it.

[Max Carnage]

Oh yeah, forgot the other stat you asked. I've had 7 strikes in a row...unfortunately that spans over 2 games, 5 at the end of one and 2 at the start of the next.

[I can't believe that's butter!]

I've bowled pretty much all my life, though not anywhere near a high level.

Last time I bowled (over a year ago) I was going maybe twice a week, and averaging 170. High game is 231. I have three balls (two of which are drilled for use) and alas, no shoes.

I'm interested in the smallball games such as Duckpin bowling, of which I only played three times or so.

[tanookie]

I stopped bowling a few years back. Started in the YABA leagues and did some college bowling too. Adult leagues drove me to quit as there was too much smoke and the competition was more childish than the YABA leagues ever were.

I was also a YABA certified coach for the pee wee division at our lanes for a few years. Little kids are such fun.

When I was league bowling I worked my average up to 186. I have a crate full of trophies and patches and those nifty satin jackets My high game was about 250 give or take a pin and I don't remember my consecutive strike total. My ball and shoes and other paraphenalia are gathering dust in the basement. A 16 pound nitro drilled fingertip (not common for a lady bowler to have a 16 pound ball

I do miss bowling but alas there are only candlepin lanes here and when I bowl candlepin I give new meaning to the term "lob"

[bowler girl]

I'm a bowling geek. After being serious about it for five years, I'm proud of my 187 average. I'm still chasing a 700 series but I met my husband, bowler guy, in leagues so I can't complain.

Let me brag about bowler guy. He's had 13 300 games and at one time had the record for highest series in our town. He makes it seem so easy.

[diku]

Don't you just hate that? The pro-shop guy at the lanes I frequent gives me little tips every once in a while. Makes it seem like it's nothing. Oh well, at least I got free bowling from Max Carnage tonight. Little bet on averages. I was happy with my 182 average for the evening .

[Thunder]

I'm not just a league member, I'm the President.

Shameless Plug For My League's Website

OK, so it hasn't been updated for a few (3) months, but I switched webhosting companies. Sue me, they don't look at it anyway.

167 avg. this year, trying to adapt to a more aggressive ball, and watching said ball move a good 20 boards right into the left gutter. It's been a long year... 4 weeks to go in the season.

[jk1245]

I bowled as a kid form about 5th to 8th grade, then drifted away for quite a while and then started up again about 5 years ago.

I've currently got a 191 average, shot a 708 two weeks ago (my highest ever). My average this year has gone from 168 to the 191. Apparently, it's finally clicking for me. My big problem is consistency, I can throw 2 good games, but almost always screw up the other one. I've had 2- 650's this year where one game was under 170.

High game is 279, which was a 9-open in the first, then all strikes, so I guess that's 12 in a row. I've had the first 8 in a game twice, but then choked in both cases.

Got my own good equpment finally (probably a reason I've improved so much this year). A green 16 pounder called a "gargoyle". Got if from a friend of mine who's a really good bowler. Apparently, he bought it (~$200), threw it a couple times and didn't like it, so he gave it to me for free. Can't beat that!

I live in Wisconsin, which is kind of a bowling hot spot (not much to do in the long, cold winters). It's amazing how good some people are. The guy I got the ball from carries a 225 average, another friend of mine averaged 236 a few years ago. Course, I'd rather not bowl 4-5 nights a week, which some of them do.

[jk1245]

Correction: My 279 was 9-open then 11 in a row.
12 in a row is, of course, 300.

[Persephone]

I love bowling.

Got my own ball (with my name engraved on it! I'm such a geek!), and shoes. I used to be on a league, but didn't join this year due to financial and time constraints. My average is about 130.

Most strikes in a row...I don't remember, to be honest. My high game is 213, though. I was so excited I called my mom (also an avid bowler) from the pay phone at the lanes. She wasn't home, so I left a message. By the time I got home that night, there were two congratulatory ecards in my mail--one from her, and one from my aunt (yeah, bowling is kind of a family thing).

*sigh*

I love bowling...

[MrVisible]

Okay, I'm in awe. I just bowled for the first time in probably a decade this weekend, and was thrilled with a 113.

But, we had a blast, so we're going back. And maybe, someday, I won't be wearing rented shoes.

A man can dream.

[Sublight]

I used to be in a league, and wouldn't mind getting back into one again. I had my own shoes to save on rental fees, and got my own ball as part of a 'bowling seminar' the alley I went to held for new bowlers. Playing for the first time with a personally fitted ball was incredible, it felt about three pounds lighter than it really was.

That said, I wasn't that good. My average was around 130-140, and I got the award one season for lowest game. My highs were 198 and 199, until one night I suddenly caught fire and bowled a 244. Never came close to that again.

As for most consecutive strikes, I don't know, but it was probably while bowling the 244.

[Who_me?]

Okay, to add to my previous post. I bowled from the age of 10 to the age of 30, mostly in leagues. I bowled at college (which could offer no scholarships) and was offered a scholarship at another college whose butt we had just kicked. I turned it down and kicked their ass the next year too (I think I shot about a 690 the second year against them )

I've thought about going back to bowling, but I quit because it really brought out a bad side in me.... I'm very competative.... so I haven't.

[Edward The Head]

I bowled for awhile, then quit when I just couldn't get any better and actually started to slip. I had around a 133 average, then it dropped into the 120s. My highest during league was 166, I did bowl a few in the 190s with my highest being a 198, I had a chance to make an even 200 but missed the last two easy pins.

I also bowled on a duckpin league and averaged 103 with a high game of 160. I think I bowled three strikes in duckpin once and have bowled four in ten pin a few times.

I own a good pair of shoes, the Dexter 5 I think, and three ten pin balls, one has a skull in it, and a set of duckpin balls. I don't think I have bowled but once in the last year.

[jk1245]

Update.

Just talked to the friend of mine who gave me the ball.

He bowled an 856 last night. That's 279-298-279, or about 3 strikes from a 900. I guess you'd probably quit at that point, huh? Nowhere to go but down.

[diku]

EEK!

I'd probably drop dead on the spot from that score.