Has it been 5 years already?

My Profile

Walter

Gender: Male

Location: New York

Relationship: Single

Orientation: Straight

Children: Maybe Someday

Body Type: Average

Height: 6'0"

Religion: Atheist

Ethnicity: White / Caucasian

About Me: I started bowling back in 2003. Before then I had never given thought to this sport until I dated someone who liked to bowl. We bowled on every date we had and then I got addicted. I purchased my own gear and joined a league in May of that year. I don't have any 300s or 800s, just alot of 600s and a handful of 700s. I bowl mainly to get away from the grind that is everyday life. Its not pretty to watch me bowl, so I'd love to work with a good and patient coach to improve on my game. I'm thankful for all the progress I've made and friends who I've picked up along the way. I don't like how the price of bowling is steadily rising. Balls, games, leagues, services, etc. Therefore I've been a bit of a slacker lately and haven't practiced in a while. Slowly I feel the fire that I once had for the game coming back. That is why I am here....

Music: Classic rock and roll, heavy metal, 80s hair bands... you get the idea. I like rock and roll but I'm not against anything with a good beat and sound.

Movies: Forest Gump, Pan's Labyrinth, any good horror, action, thrillers....I'm game.

TV: TV ! Whats that? Internet > TV

Books: The Harry Potter series, Da Vinci code. Not many books can hold my interest cover to cover.

Likes: Brand new balls, strikes, Travel, Cars, Computers, Internet, swimming, hiking, mountain biking, Music, Movies, Women, Friends, Family, Italian food, Beer, Buddies Pro Shop, etc.

Dislikes: Leaving ten pins, wooden lanes, traffic, cold weather, The cost of bowling, slumps, etc.

Hobbies: Bowling, World of Warcraft, Travel, Movies, Biking.

Vices: I'm a sucker for a new ball. I just bought a Roto Grip CELL today. Thinking about the Storm Gravity next, or the Spit Fire. I spend too much money on balls. What I really need are some good lessons.

My Blog

A pair of fives. 2/29

Sunday, March 2, 2008, 06:31 AM [General]

I shot a pair of 500 series this Friday night. I was pretty bummed out since it took me a while to get used to my new ball, the Roto Grip CELL. My first league I shot 169-228-177= 574. The CELL stayed in the bag for this league. I wasn't too comfortable with the grip being that I was not yet warmed up and tend to throw the ball slower. I need some decent speed for the CELL to work properly. During the second game and into the third game, my Lane#1 Cobalt was the go to ball and it gave me a good move on the lanes.

The second league was a bit more rough. Spotty lanes and sticking on the approach was not alot of fun. I shot 180-217-158= 555. I started the first game with a spare followed by four open frames. I switched to my CELL and salvaged the game from total embarassment with 180. The CELL worked well during the second game and became too unpredictable during the third game. I should have switched balls earlier but leaving a split in the tenth gave me only a 158.

Alas, my storm shift has stayed in the bag most of the night. After two attempts to restore the ball to its former glory, I've fallen short once again. Its time to take that ball to the storm surface factory over at Buddies. If that doesn't work, I'm pretty much stuck with an expensive paperweight destined to be left on a rack at a bowling alley. -PEACE-

-Walter-

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The cost of bowling. Are you feeling it yet?

Wednesday, February 20, 2008, 09:10 PM [General]

Five years ago I started bowling. That was back in the day of 2 dollar games, and 12 dollar leagues. So much has changed today and I can't help but notice the price of everything going up. Balls, shoes, and various other equipment have gone up in price.

I bowl my leagues on wood lanes which track up my balls rather quick leading to more maintenance. Open bowling there is about $3.50 per game. The other day I went to Connecticut to get a new ball and bowl a few games on synthetic lanes. I bowled four games and it cost me $20. Thats 5 dollars per game. It is the most I've ever paid for open bowling. When I practiced regularly on my wooden lanes at my league house, I'd throw 6-8 games. If I did that on the synthetic lanes, I'm looking at close to 40 dollars spent. Thats a full tank of gas for me.

Anyone else feeling the pinch? Next year I'll only be bowling one league instead. Its a shame that we all have to watch prices rise in our blue collar sport/hobby that is bowling.

-Walter-