It's Bowling Tournament Time!

Hello there bowlers of Lincoln, NE. Yes, you! While we do focus some of our efforts on making great burgers, pouring an excellent pint of beer and planning special events, we are first and foremost, about bowling. In this next three month stretch we play host to several tournaments for all ages and skill levels. If you click on the Tournament Time button to the right, you can get complete information on all of them. We'll try to keep this as updated as possible.

Open bowlers (open bowler = not league bowler, just bowl for fun) take note : Many of our weekend days are filled with the aforementioned tournaments. Yes, it is possible to open bowl at this time of year, but plan as far in advance as possible and think about making a lane reservation.

For those of you who like to geek-out on all things bowling (and hey, we LOVE it when you geek-out on bowling), here's our
Top 5 Things To Do When Prepping For a Tournament:

1. Know The Rules.
Every tournament has a different set of rules about valid averages, handicaps and formats. Know each tournament's rules before going in so you're not surprised when your total scores are compiled. All rules are supposed to be attached to every entry blank, but if they are not, ask for a copy from the tournament coordinator before you register.

2. Check Your Equipment.
We've heard stories about customers who have 15 bowling balls under their bed, in their basement, in the trunk of their car...that's great! But now is the time to do an inventory of your equipment. We recommend you build yourself a 3-ball arsenal. (Click to read just what we mean, or go to your favorite Pro Shop Professional & have them help you.) Once you get that done, then clean them and bag them! (Also, do not store in the trunk of your car in extreme weather conditions!)

3. Take A Brush-Up Lesson
You can find certified coaches in your area by visiting the "Find A Coach" section of bowl.com. While we don't recommend that you make drastic changes in your game before a tournament, it would be a good idea to have someone check your timing, your release and your swing plane. Also, there is a TON of great information on the web. One of our favorite articles comes from bowlingball.com on the mechanics of a great push away. If you read and follow this article, it will be about as close to magic pixie dust as you can get to instant results in your game.

4. Check-In Early
If you have the luxury of extra time and you are not the first squad of the day, check-in early (most tournaments want you there 1/2 hr to an hour ahead of time anyway). Find a bowler whose game style is close to yours. Observe where he/she is playing the lane. Make note of what equipment is having a good reaction and try to find something in your bag that matches it.

5. Use Your Warm-Up Shots Wisely
A famous coach around here always used to say (and probably still does) that he thought bowling competitions have about one of the worst warm-up practices in all of sports. We agree. Often times you get only 2-3 shots before you are asked to begin competition. Compare this to basketball where players come out shooting, performing drills and warming their muscles for at least 15 minutes. We suggest you stretch your arms, wrist, legs and back before beginning. Then, when you do get to throw a ball, have 3 shots in your mind. Use the first ball to test the pocket. Throw something around the second arrow and watch your ball reaction. Use your second shot to test the lane pattern from left to right (shooting a 10-pin) and again, watch your ball reaction & adjust your right-side spare shooting methods accordingly. On the third shot, test the lane pattern from right to left (shooting a 7-pin), and you guessed it, adjust your left-side spares accordingly. If you get more more warm-ups, then just get dialed in to the pocket!

We wish you all good luck in your bowling endeavors & please let us know if there is something we can do to help you ready your A-Game.

Have a question or comment about our centers? Just write us at askus@48bowl.com and we'll answer you!

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Bowler of the Week Results

Bowler of the Week is earned by the bowler who is most over average for series in their league for the week. Bowlers of the Week earn a 48 Bowl Koozie & drink of their choice and a chance to win the Bowler of the Month. Congratulations, Bowlers! We look forward to many more winning high scores this season!

Hollywood Bowl - 1/7/12-1/13/12 Parkway Lanes - 1/22/12-1/27/12
Darren Pang +41, Kim Holmes +92, Levi Simmons +137
Scott Keys +137,Kim Roberts +99, Brian Noonan +60,
Sandy Juricek +99, Michael Vaverka +188, Cindy Sanchez +72,
Tony Vondra +153, April Smith +52, Doug Michel +110,
Phil Ligenza +118, John Kettler +220, John Ham +75,
Bruce Sigrist +110, Thach Le +75		 Liz Reynolds +82, Shirley Hobza +107, Adam Barrickman +108
Shari Kubik +48, Sam Wismer +74, Larry Schwindt +145
Joan Huenink +93, Rich Carlie Jr. +86, Bruce Hudson +136
Sherri Smith +89, Lois Ehlers +66, Jeff Sherbeck +115
Jack Chapin +93, Julie Howard +86, Vicci Eddings +50