A lot of bowlers walk up to the approach, muscle the ball back like they’re trying to win a heavyweight bout, and wonder why their shots are wildly inconsistent. They look down at the pins like it’s a strength contest, gripping the ball tight and trying to hurl it down the lane with pure bicep.… Read more: The Four-Step Delivery: Finding Your Rhythm and Perfecting the Slide

I see people spend $200 on a brand-new ball and then walk up to the approach in a pair of house rentals that have been worn by three thousand other people. Or worse, they try to bowl in street sneakers because they forgot their bag. Your shoes are the only part of your equipment that… Read more: The Only Gear That Actually Touches the Floor: Why Your Shoes Matter

I’ve watched enough of you stare at a single 7-pin or 10-pin like it’s a math problem you can’t solve. You stand in the middle of the lane, chuck it hard, and hope for the best. Usually, the best involves the ball falling into the gutter or missing the pin by three boards. Picking up… Read more: Spare Geometry: Stop Guessing and Start Using Your Brain

I see it every single night. You come out in the first frame, hit the pocket, and look at your buddies like you finally figured out the secret to the universe. Then, by the second game, you’re hitting the head pin dead on or missing the pocket entirely. You start blaming the lanes, the pins,… Read more: The Invisible Transition: Why Your Shot Disappeared

I spend a lot of time leaning over this bar watching you guys, and honestly, some of you look like you’re trying to walk across a greased floor in a hurricane. Last week, I told you to stop strangling the ball. This week, we’re talking about your feet… specifically, why you can’t seem to stay… Read more: The 7-10 Split of Life: Why You Keep Falling Over Like a Drunk Sailor

I’ve spent decades watching people walk up to my counter, grab a house ball like they’re trying to choke a chicken, and then wonder why their shoulder hurts by the third frame. If you’re going to spend your Monday nights here at Bob-E-Lanes Still, you might as well learn how to hold the equipment without… Read more: Stop Squeezing the Life Out of the Ball: The Grip

I get asked once a shift: “Where’s the tap handle?” Look, people have been conditioned to think a forest of brass handles is the only way to drink a beer. They think if it doesn’t come out of a faucet, it’s not “fresh.” Those people are usually the same ones who don’t notice when a… Read more: The Can Truth (And a Cold Reality)

People walk in here and ask why we didn’t just strip the facade and start fresh. They think a new coat of paint and a name change is how you “rebrand” a business. Those people usually don’t understand how deep the roots go in this city. The “Bob-E-Lanes” part stays because it’s part of the… Read more: What’s in a Name? (And Why the “Still”)

It was ’74, maybe ’75. I was out in Vegas, supposedly for a bowling tournament, but I spent more time at the poker tables than on the lanes. Vegas back then wasn’t like it is now. It was grittier, and the gamblers were serious. I found myself in this high-stakes game at The Dunes. This… Read more: Better count your money

The contest is over. Stop asking. I fed all the names into the computer. It made a grinding noise that I didn’t like, the screen flickered green, and then it spit out a name. Aiden Paxton. Congratulations, Aiden. You are the new Resident Bowler of Bob-E-Lanes Still. I don’t know if you’re good at bowling.… Read more: THE COMPUTER PICKED A GUY