Why is inflation hitting bowling so hard?

[Roysa]

Not sure, when i was bowling in an AMF centre i was returning to the game so i was only interested in bowling in blocks of 3 or 4, not to mention i didnt have the time to bowl everyday.

It raises some questions though...

what is a current AMF centre offering for 10 games of league practise?

Is there a time frame limitation (3pm-6pm?)

Is there an hour block option?

The last question is an interesting option, i did that once but i found myself trying to fit in as many games as possible, i then started to use it to shoot at different spares not worrying about the score.

 

[magpi17]

At Taree we pay $4 for practice games, it was $3.50 for the last couple of years we get a practice card and thist gives you 3 free games after 12. I consider this to be fair as when I bowl my leagues I pay the league price and if I get high enough in the standings I win a bit back.
I would like to give Campbelltown City Bowl a plug but as even though I don't bowl a league there I travel to Campbelltown often and stay there, the bowl gives me games at a reduced price and this is very much appreciated and shows that they care about the bowlers that not only bowl there but visit often. Thanks guys
Just a thought but would it be worth a bowl giving a membership of say $30.00 a month and allowing you to bowl practice
games for that?

 

[~Mrs STORM~]

For AMF league bowlers it is $5.50 per game or 4 for $15.
Some places may even do perfect attendance where you could possibly receive 10 free games.

Staff members bowl for $3 per game...which I won't complain about, though I certainly miss the days of free practice.

I also believe that a TBA member can get some kind of practice rate at accredited centres across the country, providing they show their current TBA registration card...

 

[lordofthepins]

I'm moving to Lismore!! Great idea... I struggle to find the money at times to bowl perhaps that little bit extra for practise..Even though I have been bowling 2 league a week for a few years now. Love to practise half an hour every day.. You are on a good wicket there mate..

 

[Upriser]

For AMF league bowlers it is $5.50 per game or 4 for $15.
Some places may even do perfect attendance where you could possibly receive 10 free games.

Staff members bowl for $3 per game...which I won't complain about, though I certainly miss the days of free practice.

I also believe that a TBA member can get some kind of practice rate at accredited centres across the country, providing they show their current TBA registration card...

i have flashed my tba card at three different centres for no discount at all, at Elizabeth Bowland it cost me $51 for me and my two kids to have just 2 games each! wont be doing that again. at my local centre we get $5 practice games, or 3 for $12. wish all centres gave some sort of discount for tba members, i wouldnt even be a tba member except for the fact you need to be to compete in the state championships.

 

[Roysa]

i have flashed my tba card at three different centres for no discount at all, at Elizabeth Bowland it cost me $51 for me and my two kids to have just 2 games each! wont be doing that again. at my local centre we get $5 practice games, or 3 for $12. wish all centres gave some sort of discount for tba members, i wouldnt even be a tba member except for the fact you need to be to compete in the state championships.

Really??

This is a whole other thread but the insurance value of the $30 or $60 membership pays for itself. The sport needs more members if it is to grow, not less.

 

[jimcross]

Originally Posted by Upriser
i have flashed my tba card at three different centres for no discount at all, at Elizabeth Bowland it cost me $51 for me and my two kids to have just 2 games each! wont be doing that again. at my local centre we get $5 practice games, or 3 for $12. wish all centres gave some sort of discount for tba members, i wouldnt even be a tba member except for the fact you need to be to compete in the state championships.

ROYSA.
Really??

This is a whole other thread but the insurance value of the $30 or $60 membership pays for itself. The sport needs more members if it is to grow, not less.

Yes, fully agree, Roy - but it would be better still if the centres where he " flashed his card" did their bit as well, would'nt it? We all need to pull in, at least roughly, in the same direction, methinks.

 

[becka_girl]

Maybe you just need to sit down with your local manager and come to an agreement?
Like I know we get a really good deal to train for two hours at our local centre, we only pay like $5, because we worked out an agreement with the centre manager.

 

[Roysa]

Dont disagree Jim.

Were the 'flashed' centres accredited?

That hasnt been proved yet, and if they were then surely its something that needs to be communicated by the powers that be at the TBA that the centres must abide by the rule.

Seems to be lots of grey surrounding where the 'accredited' centres are. Id have thought all major centres are accredited or atleast 95%?

 

[bowlrig]

Why is inflation hitting bowling so hard?

I thought everyhting was continually going up. Every ones power bills are about to go up another 9%.

Do you ask for a discount on you bread, milk, smokes, petrol, alcohol etc. ? I don't. When was the last time you asked for a discount on your cinema ticket?

In answer to the original question...I don't think the prices for bowling are increasing any more than anything else.
In some centres I don't think the prices even go close to the annual CPI increases that many other things do.

Rob

 

[Down the Road]

I found this newsletter cover from November 2010. stating 4 free practice games & 1 free coaching session in AMF centres. (attached) but i think this might have only been for 2011.



But on the TBA website it states that discounted game rates for members at TBA registered centres.
Tenpin Bowling Australia: Membership Benefits


Membership Benefits:

• Membership card, with a lifetime membership number associated with continuous membership

• Discounted practice-game rates for members at all TBA registered bowling centres *conditions apply

• A comprehensive accident and injury insurance scheme for all TBA members

• A bi-monthly newsletter from Tenpin Bowling Australia Ltd, distributed by email and available on the TBA website

• Award recognition including header badge and award bars, recognition of high performance awards such as 300 Game award (free plaque once per lifetime), along with subsequent 300 Game plaques, watches and rings (all available for purchase)

• Access to Accor’s “Away On Business” Plan which provides up to a 10% discount on the best unrestricted rate of the day for all TBA members

• Europcar’s fixed discounted Car, Commercial vehicle and Truck rates with lower damage liability fees 365 days of the year for personal and business usage Australia wide

*TBA members will receive the centre League Practice Rate and therefore prices will vary. Other conditions may apply. Please contact centre for additional conditions.




link to registered centres
Tenpin Bowling Australia: All States

 

[steve jones]

Nicely put Rob - for the sake of underscoring your points even more here are just a few percentage increases [rounded out] impacting the CPI in the September QUARTER 2011..........Electricity UP 8%.......Water & Sewage up 9%.......Rates [aahhh don't you just love local Government - what is IT exactly they do again?!]...UP 5%. By the way - NOTHING of any real impact came down - except of course interest rates....marginally.

All I can say is - in light of this data - and a lot more like it - don't expect any cost decreases in too many centres in the near term - they are swimming against the tide right now [as all business is] and from what I read here most appear to be doing their darnedest to help regulars with reasonable and intelligent pricing for practice rates [very notably off peak, quantity game buys].

My suggestion - support them - so their doors remain open for you and others to enjoy for a some considerable time.

 

[RobbieB]

League bowlers get $3 practise and 10% cafe discount at Kirwan. We extend this to any TBA member, and it was my understanding that all accredited centres were supposed to offer their standard practise rate to any TBA cardholder?

 

[caboolture bowl]

Any TBA league bowler and their family members who comes to Caboolture will pay $4.20 for 1 or 2 games, $3.80 for 3 or 4 games and $3.50 for more than 5 practice games per person, we also offer all of our league bowlers who have bowled here for over 10 years free practice when they flash their 10 year members badge. We also offer all of our Gold and Silver Caboolture League members 1/2 price extra leagues (only pay full price for your 1st league).

Batesy

 

[jason_doust]

Wow. Queensland has always been an impressive place to bowl (in no small part because of it's high proportion of independent ownership.) Good to see that great tradition alive and well with the independents showing just how much they really do value a player's subscription business.

 

[Scuzz]

Lets say social bowling throughout the day takes priority, if the centre is a bit quite can it really hurt to chuck some aspiring bowlers on for some cheap practice? Considering the lanes arent really being used for anything at the time anyway?

 

[androooo]

I'm moving to Caboolture! Might actually make me keen to bowl properly again.

Only thing is though, freight to send Boags Premium would probably be too expensive. Couldn't lower myself to drink XXXX ****

 

[allenj]

Our leagues had a free game for every league they bowled in, the take up was very poor so was discontinued through lack of interest. We now have a monthly tournament where bowlers can win their lineage for their next months bowling. All monthly winners then go into a tournament to win their bowling lineage for the following league season.
Allenj Kelmscott WA

 

[jimcross]

Our leagues had a free game for every league they bowled in, the take up was very poor so was discontinued through lack of interest. We now have a monthly tournament where bowlers can win their lineage for their next months bowling. All monthly winners then go into a tournament to win their bowling lineage for the following league season.
Allenj Kelmscott WA

That monthly tournament idea is a good/great one. Very innovative. At Ballina now, anyone bowling two or more leagues can bowl 3 free practice games a day. It's great ! There are some time exclusions for normally busy periods - but not at all overly restrictive. Move to Ballina !!! Great lifestyle - Good weather(mostly) Good shopping - Close to all those Queensland Tourneys - Do it NOW !!!!

 

[Brendan S]

Thats cool i didnt know Ballina did that but just up the road in Lismore, if you bowl 2 leagues you can bowl a 3rd for free and a 4th for $10 a week, then every practice game no matter what is free but if the centre is booked out obviously you get booted lol, then also 10% off at the cafe and cheap as chips new bowling balls. Little wonder i spend most of my time at bowling now lol!