100ft lane in Australia, does it exist?

[GeorgeF]

I heard today from a more experienced bowler that at Soveriegn Hill, Victoria exists a 100ft lane. A novelty from the 60's can anyone tell me if it is still around and if not what happen to it?

 

[milkman]

Its there alright.

It has a real heavy ball, smaller in size than a bowling ball, and the pins are harder to knock down. There is no oil on the lane

Also, scoring is done in the reverse. If you have 10 pins on the deck (i think its 10 pins), and you knock down 9, you get a score of 1. Lowest score wins

I think thats the rules anyway.

 

[Pedro]

Hey Guys,

You've nearly got it right. It still there and was built in the 1850s.

It's actually 9-pin and there were 2 lanes built. The pins are a little different to how we know them today (top heavy).

I found this picture on the net. Fairly poor quality photo but I'm sure you get the idea. Note the width of the lane itself - about half of what we bowl on today.

 

[GeorgeF]

Thanks Milkman and Pedro, I guess on those conditions you don't have to worry about ditches, lol. Thanks for the reply and the photo, I thought my friend was having me on.

G

 

[bean]

Hi George,

David and I have been there and it's real hard to hit pins......

You know how they talk about the 'ditch' here in Qld. Well this lane is actually curved in the middle so that the ball rolls from side to side down the lane.

It used to be free to play the only thing is that you are the 'pin-boy' and have to restand the pins after each go (and it's a long walk)

 

[turtleturtle360]

George, the lane in question is actually a replica from the goldrush era. Back then the game was known as '9 pins', they were set up in a diamond pattern and the centre pin was known as the 'kingpin'.The object of the game was to leave the kingpin standing!The ball has no holes in it & is a block of wood shaped & then smoothed to oval.The lane itself is actually concave.You throw the ball down with 2 hands & it rolls from side 2 side all the way.It is quite difficult 2 throw it in the ditch 'cos the edges of the lane rise quite sharply.When I was there I had a go, my 1st shot was a strike and I thought I was sooooooo good until the guy running it explained the scoring! Bowlers think it's tough at times to strike, imagine how much harder it would be if the pins were odd shaped blocks of wood & you had 2 leave the middle 1 standing! I had a couple more goes with no success,the 'kingpin' fell over EVERY time! As someone already said, you have 2 go get the ball yourself.When you get 2 the pindeck,you put the ball on a ramp that is sloped back towards the front of the lane & while it's rolling back, you reset your own pins then walk back to'throw'again.(mighty long time to complete a game)The 100ft lane & equipment is how our game of tenpins originated & i have 2 say,I am glad for the changes.I hope I haven't only waffled on,& that I've given you the bigger picture. null

 

[Hippy??]

Hey George, a bowling game where you have LEAVE the 5 pin..........you should be a natural........

 

[BELMO]

u have to use 2 hands u say?????
sounds like fun!!

peace

 

[Tiger]

Just looking at the photo it seems a bit different to when I visited when I was 7 way back in 1982. From what I remember of it was that it was very poorly lit and you had to stand the pins up yourself when you knocked them over and the balls were bloody heavy.
I also seem to remember that it was burnt down not long after I went there, I can remember seeing it on the TV being a charred wreck - this possibly explains why it seems lighter and more airey than the original.

 

[Jay_212]

I remember going there 2 years ago with my school. I wouldnt really call it "bowling" no finger holes, damn heavy ball, a sort of trench for a lane, i dunno what the pins were made of! Anyways bit of fun i spose.

 

[sqeaks]

Hey ppls
Well being a local there is some things you are missing!
girl This is our bowling centre!!! :lol: Thats why everyone struggles when they come here!! hahahahaha Ive been bowling there for years and years
I even get to dress up as well in those cool dresses!!
Have fun!!