Tenpin Bowling

[dk168]

Any fans of tenpin bowling?

I love it and is probably the only "sport" that I can do nowadays at my old age!

My late partner and I each had our own balls when we planned to play regularly at a bowling ally in a nearby town nearly 20 years ago.

We decided to get our own balls and shoes. I have small hands yet chubby fleshy fingers and have difficulties finding house balls that suited my hand.

My ball was a very colourful 11lb one. It is now too heavy for me and the finger holes too small as my hand had grown fleshier.

I recently imported a 8lb ball with a specific design (can't post pic for personal security reason) and had it drilled at a pro shop about 1.5h's drive away.

Even though I play regularly at least once a month after my monthly haircut as the bowling ally is just a short drive from my hair salon, I am still no good at it.

So I decided to take some lessons with the gentleman who drilled my ball which is also a coach (I saw him coaching a couple when I practiced with my newly drilled ball).

Unbeknown to me, he turned out to be the head coach for the British Tenpin Bowling Association, DOH!!!

I spent an hour with him, and the first thing he did was to change my approach. I had to undo what I was used to, and learnt a new approach, throwing as many balls as I could in that hour.

Needless to say, I was completely knackered after that! He advised for me to play more often than once a month, and to book another lesson with him in late April 2024 providing I put in more practice sessions.

He was very encouraging in that he said I had the potential to be 100+ score per game, which is a huge improvement when I am stuck in the 60s on a good day!

I shall play this weekend with friends after a meal in another part of the town with the bowling ally. I am hoping to be able to play/practice twice a month.

I have already forewarned my brother that we shall go bowling when we are at the West Edmonton Mall in April 2024.

If you are a fan of tenpin bowling, how often do you play and what is your highest score for a game please? TIA.

DK

 

[Austina]

Good for you @dk168. I haven’t played for a few years, and I was absolutely hopeless at it.

 

[Lookinagain]

I haven't played for years either. My mom was on a bowling league when I was young and I did play some then, and occasionally at a work function at a bowling alley that was also a party place. Where I live now, in Massachusetts, 10 pin isn't as common as Candle pin (which I don't like as much) but you can find 10 pin. I did enjoy it when I did it but never kept it up. Enjoy your bowling. Having an activity like that can be a lot of fun.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

I had to look this up because I wasn’t sure if ten pin was the same as duckpin, and it’s not. I haven’t played ten pin but we go duckpin bowling regularly with the kids. My dad was on a bowling league so I should be better than I am.

Here is a reference for anyone unfamiliar with duckpin.

Account Suspended

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Love bowling: both 5 and 10 pin. We used to bowl a fair amount until I wrecked my shoulder golfing. My Mom bowled in a ( 5 pin) league--300 club. Our downstairs closet was jammed packed with her trophies. Me, not a chance. But it is fun nonetheless.

cheers--Sharon

 

[Karl_K]

I worked in a bowling alley as a teen for 6 months.
I dont recall which type they had
Didn't play a lot because I could not get consistent at it.
I will never forget the first time, 5 strikes in a row, I said hey this is easy! then gutter balls and splits and not another strike the whole visit.
Actually I was like that nearly every time I played had good streaks, just could not get consistent even with training help.
It didn't help that I was and am a klutz LOL

 

[kenny]

I worked in a bowling alley as a teen for 6 months.
I dont recall which type they had
Didn't play a lot because I could not get consistent at it.
I will never forget the first time, 5 strikes in a row, I said hey this is easy! then gutter balls and splits and not another strike the whole visit.
Actually I was like that nearly every time I played had good streaks, just could not get consistent even with training help.
It didn't help that I was and am a klutz LOL

I'm that way playing pool, standard 8-ball pocket pool ... if that's even what it's called.

When I stared playing I was effortlessly nailing extremely difficult shots, which others couldn't believe.
Then as I got used to "being good", I started missing even easy shots.
It was confounding.

IMO, these are games challenge not only the body and mind, but also the subconscious & ego itself.
Maybe that's why I play so much better after a few drinks.
Surprising, but true.

I've often been accused of being a hustler ....
But how could that be? I've never played for money.
I'm just spectacularly inconsistent.

Maybe my $300+ McDermott cue stick was to blame.
I just spring for good tools, when I can afford them.
It's not my problem if others think only highly-skilled players buy nice cues.
People with more money than brains, or ability, sometimes do that too.

..................

I've never heard the term ten-pin bowling.
I didn't even know there was bowling that didn't use ten pins.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

this sounds so much fun DK
good luck

but im not really a fan, i get bored after two games

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I'm that way playing pool, standard 8-ball pocket pool ... if that's even what it's called.

When I stared playing I was effortlessly nailing extremely difficult shots, which others couldn't believe.
Then as I got used to "being good", I started missing even easy shots.
It was confounding.

IMO, these are games challenge not only the body and mind, but also the subconscious & ego itself.
Maybe that's why I play so much better after a few drinks.
Surprising, but true.

I've often been accused of being a hustler ....
But how could that be? I've never played for money.
I'm just spectacularly inconsistent.

Maybe my $300+ McDermott cue stick was to blame.
I just spring for good tools, when I can afford them.
It's not my problem if others think only highly-skilled players buy nice cues.
People with more money than brains, or ability, sometimes do that too.

..................

I've never heard the term ten-pin bowling.
I didn't even know there was bowling that didn't use ten pins.

well in the UK and the commonwealth bowling is done on a green, lawn bowls (there is also an indoor version done in the club house)
with good commontry it can be very entertaining to watch durring the commonwealth games as little places like the Falkland islands send a team


its not just played by old people, but it is very social

 

[ShinyPink]

I just thought bowling was bowling. I didn't know there were such things as duckpin or candlepin. Anyhow, I love to bowl, but am only successful at bumper bowling, aka bowling for children.

 

[kenny]

One time when I was bowling I knocked a pin down.

It never happened again ... but boy ... I was really bowled over!

 

[dk168]

I had to look this up because I wasn’t sure if ten pin was the same as duckpin, and it’s not. I haven’t played ten pin but we go duckpin bowling regularly with the kids. My dad was on a bowling league so I should be better than I am.

Here is a reference for anyone unfamiliar with duckpin.

Account Suspended

Ooo, learnt something new as I did not realise Duckpin existed until now!

DK

 

[dk168]

HI:

Love bowling: both 5 and 10 pin. We used to bowl a fair amount until I wrecked my shoulder golfing. My Mom bowled in a ( 5 pin) league--300 club. Our downstairs closet was jammed packed with her trophies. Me, not a chance. But it is fun nonetheless.

cheers--Sharon

Another new thing I have learnt today 5-pin bowling!

DK

 

[dk168]

@kenny having my own ball has given others the impression that I am good at bowling, not my fault!

I am taking lessons as I want to improve my score and be more consistent.

Like @Karl_K I could have a strike then nothing for ages.

I hate to waste the next ball after a strike or a spare by throwing a gutter ball, and I frequently do that at present and get annoyed with myself, DOH!

DK

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

 

[MissGotRocks]

One time when I was bowling I knocked a pin down.

It never happened again ... but boy ... I was really bowled over!

Haha! Ten pin generally refers to larger pins, and what we would all consider a standard bowling ball with three finger holes. Duckpin refers to smaller, lighter pins and is done with smaller balls that have no finger holes in them. Just hold them in your hand and throw/roll them down the alley.

I bowled in a ten pin league many years ago. I was average. Went a couple of years ago and pulled a muscle in the back of my leg that was sore for months! Decided it was no longer the sport for me!

 

[ShinyPink]

I'm in Canada right now. We just went bowling tonight and were surprised to learn it was 5-pin! I was so glad we have this thread, otherwise I wouldn't have known it existed! It was really fun, but much harder than I thought it would be.