DEL.ICIO.USThe Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 02/08/08
Unless you're an avid league player, bowling might have slipped your mind. If you thought of it at all, it might have been just something to pass the time on a chilly Saturday afternoon.
But now bowling strikes back —thanks to revamped lanes complete with hip music, dim lights and lanes that glow. Here's a peek at what's out there.
 Jason Getz/AJC | ||
| Don Robertson, of Alpharetta, makes a shot during the Senior Strikers league play. | ||
 Phil Skinner/AJC | ||
| Portrait of Ashley LaStrapes at 300 Atlanta, an upscale bowling alley in Dunwoody. | ||
 Phil Skinner/AJC | ||
| With music videos playing on big screens above the pins, the lanes lit up and the music pumping, bowlers enjoy the scene at the upscale 300 Atlanta bowling alley in Dunwoody. | ||
 Phil Skinner/AJC | ||
| Friday evenings at upscale 300 Atlanta. | ||
 Phil Skinner/AJC | ||
| Ashley LaStrapes, Kristal Craig and Dawn Emery share a bite between frames at 300 Atlanta. | ||
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NEW STYLE BOWLING AT 300 ATLANTA
Dunwoody's 300 Atlanta takes "Xtreme bowling" to a new level.
Even before the lights go down and the DJ cranks up old-school tunes, folks see music videos on big screens above the 32 bowling lanes.
A VIP room that fetches $500 per hour on weekends has seven bowling lanes, cozy sofas and access to a full bar.
The place can shift gears pretty easily, manager Bruce Jones said. The nightclub backdrop attracts Usher, Nelly and other hip-hop artists, but during the day local businesses often have team meetings and lunch before knocking down the pins, he said.
Parents also have children's parties on many afternoons.
We met Ken and Gwen Williams, who live in Dunwoody. They came to bowl with their three children, celebrating a tradition they call "Gotcha Day." The day marks the anniversary of the adoption seven years ago of their two youngest children, Claire and Burke, now age 9, from Russia.
"Burke came home from school today and said, 'Happy Gotcha Day,' can we go bowling?' " Gwen Williams said.
To give smaller children a competitive edge, the center provides bowling ramps to roll balls down on to the lanes. And bumper rails can be raised along the lanes to keep balls out of the gutters.
IF YOU GO
• Hours: 3 p.m.-midnight Mondays-Wednesdays; 3 p.m.-1 a.m Thursdays; 11 a.m.-3 a.m. Fridays-Saturdays; 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Sundays.
• How much: $5-$7 per game; $3.75-$4.50 shoe rental; $5-$10 admission starts at 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
• Where: 2175 Savoy Drive, Dunwoody.
• Info: 770-451-8605, www.300atlanta.com.
SENIOR STRIKERS AT GWINNETT LANES
On Thursday mornings, retirees set aside thoughts of rest and relaxation and get busy bowling.
"We're a bunch of seniors having fun trying to be young again," said Lynda Owens, 65, of Lithonia. "But it does get competitive."
After three rounds, the group's most determined bowler, Frederick Barton, 67, can be found practicing on the lanes.
He averages about 135, despite a bad eye and prosthetic leg.
"It's still an adjustment" said Barton, who lives in Snellville. "But my mind is focused on bowling a 300 game."
When Barton lost his lower left leg to diabetes in 2002, his wife, Glorious, pushed him to bowl with the Senior Strikers.
"It took years but he finally did, and he's doing so well," said Glorious, who bowled 215 the day we visited.
The Senior Strikers play from September to early May. They also have a brief summer league. The three players with the most points at the end of the season get trophies.
"It's a lot of fun," Barton said. "It got me out of the house."
Strikers' info
• Who: Players at all levels of experience are ages 55 and older. Newcomers are welcome as substitute players for the remainder of the season but must be registered with the U.S. Bowling Congress.
• When: 11 a.m. Thursdays.
• How much: $6 per week for substitute players, plus $19 USBC fee.
• Where: Gwinnett Lanes, 4990 Jimmy Carter Blvd., Norcross.
• League Info: 770-469-3107, www.amf.com.
IF YOU GO
• Hours: 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; 2-11 p.m. Tuesdays; 2 p.m.-1 a.m. Fridays; 10-1 a.m. Saturdays; noon-10 p.m. Sundays. (Xtreme bowling starts at 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays)
• How much: $2.75-$4.75 per game; $10 Xtreme unlimited bowling at 10 p.m. Fridays; $3-$4 shoe rental; $10 Xtreme unlimited bowling.
• Where: 2692 Sandy Plains Road, east Cobb.
• Info: 770-973-2695, www.amf.com
• The Show Me the Money league plays at 7 p.m. Tuesdays. The season runs until May. Members are all levels of experience from age 18 to 89. Members pay $16 per week, plus a $19 U.S. Bowling Congress fee.
MORE LOCAL LANES
• Atlanta Fun Center, 1741 Mountain Industrial Blvd., Stone Mountain. 770-414-9996. www.atlfuncenter.com
• Brunswick Zone, 6345 Spalding Drive, Norcross. 770-840-8200. For more locations, visit www.bowlbrunswick.com
• Stars and Strikes, 1700 Winder Highway, Dacula. Also 133 Merchant Square, Cumming. 678-965-5707, www.starsandstrikes.com
• Woodstock Lanes, 108 Woodpark Blvd., Woodstock. 770-926-2200, www.amf.com
• Marietta Lanes, 565 Cobb Parkway, Marietta. 770-427-4696, www.amf.com
SWEET ADVICE
Bowling coach Mike Sweet plays in the Show Me the Money league at Village Lanes in Marietta. Membership dues in the 24-team league go toward prize money at the end of the season. Last year Sweet said the highest-scoring player won $18,000. Even the lowest-scoring players took home nearly $200. Sweet even tapes bowlers' techniques to help improve their game. He gave us a few bowling tips.
1 PRACTICE: Several bowling centers have practice leagues. A bowling league is the best way to improve because you have other bowlers who can help you. Bowl at different centers so you can try different floors. And local pro shops can help you get the right ball fit for your hand.
2HAVE A BALL: A house ball is OK for weekend bowling. But if you bowl regularly, the right fit improves your bowling. If it fits correctly, you don't hurt your back or get carpal tunnel [syndrome].
3DON'T FOCUS ON THE PINS: Eye contact should be on a mark on the lane. Arrows are on the lanes. And dots are marked on the floor where you stand. Line your feet on the second or third dot from the right and throw at the second arrow, which is about 15 feet down the lane. If you follow through and hit your mark, it's a lot easier to get the pins down.
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