Practice without pins
- Thread starter Porto
- Start date
Deadman Inc
1990 − 2011. Retired 2012 − 2013. Back Again 2014
Nobody knows better. If a 20 lane league with four to a pair practiced for 5mins with pins, that would be 20 unpaid games. If you want pins during practice I'm sure AMF would charge you extra for practiceFunny how everyone is dissin AMF when I know a few of you actually work for AMF!
~Mrs STORM~
Revless Wonder...
Im an unfortunate soul who works for AMF and Id gladly sit here dissing them...
We're lucky enough to have pins whilst practising at all times.
I hate going to places that have no pins for practise, but these things cannot be helped.
I feel privileged when an AMF centre (besides ours haha) offers pins for practise.
We're lucky enough to have pins whilst practising at all times.
I hate going to places that have no pins for practise, but these things cannot be helped.
I feel privileged when an AMF centre (besides ours haha) offers pins for practise.
Street Racer
Active Member
i would perfer pins. but it doesnt really bother me if there are pins or not
i only know of 1 amf centre that gives you pins in prastice...
Brett
i only know of 1 amf centre that gives you pins in prastice...
Brett
As many people have said, if AMF want to try and save the most money possible by using instruca-mat during practice then they can do so, by having 5 minutes of practice for everyone to warm up and then a few minutes after with pins. I have only seen this happen once or twice but I think it is very effective. Doing this gives bowlers the desirable time needed to warm up plus also gives them a chance to accurately measure where they need to hit and what reaction they need to carry. The biggest problem I have had with practice without pins is not only carry but as George said being able to accurately tell where the pocket is after all it is quite far away and hard to tell without a head pin there.
You will find that only some AMF centre's will do this and not all of them. I believe that only centre’s that have AMF 82-70 / AMF 82-30 machines have the instruca-mat system but newer AMF centre’s are using new machines which are unable to use it. Maybe this is something to look at for all tournament directors while organising a tournament and planning what to do for practice.
Craigy.
You will find that only some AMF centre's will do this and not all of them. I believe that only centre’s that have AMF 82-70 / AMF 82-30 machines have the instruca-mat system but newer AMF centre’s are using new machines which are unable to use it. Maybe this is something to look at for all tournament directors while organising a tournament and planning what to do for practice.
Craigy.
BMW+BOWLING
New Member
As an 'old fart' who started in the game back in the 70's (yes ... rubber bowling balls on lacquered wood lanes!), it was always an option that you could go down to your home centre (i.e. where you bowled league) and get a lane on 'Instruct-a-mat' for pretty much as long as you liked ... as long as the house wasn't full, and there were lanes available.
And ... Instruct-a-mat was FREE!
I remember in those days, a lot of bowlers taking advantage of the Instruct-a-mat option ... usually on weekends ... and taking a lane for an hour or so, and practicing their shot ... different speeds, different targets, different angles, different lines ... merely practicing and honing their game.
It was often something that a lot of coaches used in those days as well ... get their 'students' onto Instruct-a-mat ... and practice. It was good for 'repetition' ... for 'consistency' ... something almost lost in today's game, where reactive/particle resin balls have a much wider strike-zone than the older urethane/rubber bowling balls.
However, even with such high scores these days, competitive difference can still be acquired by being a better spare shooter (and there ain't anywhere near as many 'good' spare shooters now as there used to be ... believe me).
I don't believe that Instruct-a-mat (er, no pins) should be the option for leagues and/or tournaments; however, I reckon it should be brought back as an option for 'practice'.
I realise that the new AMF and Brunswick machines don't have the Instruct-a-mat options any more; that is purely a money issue (neither company wants to potentially lose revenue ... as was stated earlier before ... metered games Vs paid games. I know, I used to work for AMF!).
But, Instruct-a-mat should be brought back.
Let me ask you all ... if you had the option to spend an hour (or two) at your local centre to PRACTICE .. on Instruct-a-mat (no pins) .. for free (or even for just a cupla bucks) .. just to hone your game; as opposed to paying between $10-$14 a game (for your 1st game anyway); wouldn't you take the Instruct-a-mat option.
I know I would.
And ... Instruct-a-mat was FREE!
I remember in those days, a lot of bowlers taking advantage of the Instruct-a-mat option ... usually on weekends ... and taking a lane for an hour or so, and practicing their shot ... different speeds, different targets, different angles, different lines ... merely practicing and honing their game.
It was often something that a lot of coaches used in those days as well ... get their 'students' onto Instruct-a-mat ... and practice. It was good for 'repetition' ... for 'consistency' ... something almost lost in today's game, where reactive/particle resin balls have a much wider strike-zone than the older urethane/rubber bowling balls.
However, even with such high scores these days, competitive difference can still be acquired by being a better spare shooter (and there ain't anywhere near as many 'good' spare shooters now as there used to be ... believe me).
I don't believe that Instruct-a-mat (er, no pins) should be the option for leagues and/or tournaments; however, I reckon it should be brought back as an option for 'practice'.
I realise that the new AMF and Brunswick machines don't have the Instruct-a-mat options any more; that is purely a money issue (neither company wants to potentially lose revenue ... as was stated earlier before ... metered games Vs paid games. I know, I used to work for AMF!).
But, Instruct-a-mat should be brought back.
Let me ask you all ... if you had the option to spend an hour (or two) at your local centre to PRACTICE .. on Instruct-a-mat (no pins) .. for free (or even for just a cupla bucks) .. just to hone your game; as opposed to paying between $10-$14 a game (for your 1st game anyway); wouldn't you take the Instruct-a-mat option.
I know I would.
Deadman Inc
1990 − 2011. Retired 2012 − 2013. Back Again 2014
Yes but if you are practicing just to work on you technique you don't need pins. If you are practicing before bowling league or a tourniment, its good to know where the pocket is. I agree with 5 mins Instruct-a-mat for warming up, 5 mins with pins to find a line to the pocket
P
_pinkgl0w
I find it very hard to visualise the pins falling if l'm aiming at nothing. Its good to get used to the lanes, yes, but l like seeing pin action.
Deadman Inc
1990 − 2011. Retired 2012 − 2013. Back Again 2014
Do you aim at the pins??
P
_pinkgl0w
They probably aim at the Arrows or the Dots which are located 15 feet and 8 feet from the foul line respectively. It's much much easier to hit a target 15 feet away then 60 feet away.
Practicing without pins when your simply practicing is fine. I've never really had a chance to do it, due the machines at the bowling alleys I've bowled in. But when I have, it's never phased me. If anything it made me try to improve my game by just hitting your targets, it becomes the only way to know if you threw it how you wanted to.
However, in warm-up for a Tournament or League. It has to be with pins. Your never sure exactly if your hitting the pocket, and if you are, is it the right ball? I may have potentially wrapped a 10 every shot, but I wouldn't have had a clue. Might have been leaving 2-8-10's but the ball looked like it was hitting the pocket.
I guess it just comes down to how stingey the centres that have the choice are.
Later Da Cowman!
Practicing without pins when your simply practicing is fine. I've never really had a chance to do it, due the machines at the bowling alleys I've bowled in. But when I have, it's never phased me. If anything it made me try to improve my game by just hitting your targets, it becomes the only way to know if you threw it how you wanted to.
However, in warm-up for a Tournament or League. It has to be with pins. Your never sure exactly if your hitting the pocket, and if you are, is it the right ball? I may have potentially wrapped a 10 every shot, but I wouldn't have had a clue. Might have been leaving 2-8-10's but the ball looked like it was hitting the pocket.
I guess it just comes down to how stingey the centres that have the choice are.
Later Da Cowman!
Deadman Inc
1990 − 2011. Retired 2012 − 2013. Back Again 2014
I aim at my target on the lane. But hey...whatever works for ya
trev the lefty
Member
Boronia experimented tonight we practised with pins . Good stuff I think. At least you can work with pin pract. for a couple of min. Instead of no pins .So good on you Boronia :thumbup:
:thumbup:
trev the lefty
Member
Saturday night had pract. with pins at Knox for 5 min. Well done Knox, Thats 2 that I know of ,is there anyone else now pract. with pins during league..
R
ratter
Twwety
Whatever!!
We have always had pins at Dandenong on a Thursday night for practice & last week they started having the pins set up for practice at Moorabbin on a Wednesday night.
I definately prefer having pins during practice, it helps me line up a shot, whereas having no pins, I usually think I have found a shot, but then I start bowling & realise that wasn't the pocket i was hitting!!
Good on AMF for deciding to give us pins for practice!!
Jenny
I definately prefer having pins during practice, it helps me line up a shot, whereas having no pins, I usually think I have found a shot, but then I start bowling & realise that wasn't the pocket i was hitting!!
Good on AMF for deciding to give us pins for practice!!
Jenny
