I need a new hobby

[mcanadiens]

18 minutes ago, Fourputt said:

What's wrong with bowling? It's one of the least frustrating sports there is.

Bowling is the sort of thing where it isn't too difficult to get competent, but increasingly difficult to be much better than that.

I never did much better than a 180 average. Just my natural-born clumsiness (that kills me in golf as well), never allowed for much better.

[Fourputt]

3 minutes ago, mcanadiens said:

Bowling is the sort of thing where it isn't too difficult to get competent, but increasingly difficult to be much better than that.

I never did much better than a 180 average. Just my natural-born clumsiness (that kills me in golf as well), never allowed for much better.

I'm not sure how you managed that quote, but that wasn't me who said that.  I was quoting it to comment on it.

[mcanadiens]

3 minutes ago, Fourputt said:

I'm not sure how you managed that quote, but that wasn't me who said that.  I was quoting it to comment on it.

Don't know. I saw it and swiped it. Oh well.

[Golfingdad]

8 minutes ago, pumaAttack said:

 

Really??

That is awful and I hope that never happens.  You are rewarded for stringing strikes together, not for getting one.

http://news.pba.com/post/2016/2/21/Dom-Barrett-Danielle-McEwan-Win-World-Bowling-Tour-Finals-Championships.aspx

Quote

Various versions of bowling’s traditional scoring system have been tested by World Bowling, the international governing body for tenpin bowling in the eyes of the International Olympic Committee, in an effort to create a scoring system that will be more easily understood by those who aren’t familiar with the traditional bowling system. An experimental “best frame” system – similar to the system golf uses in Ryder Cup competition – was showcased in last year’s WBT Finals held in Las Vegas.

I can see how this might make it a little more appealing to non-bowlers, but at the same time have the reverse effect on bowlers.  Kind of like what Fox did with their "comet puck" when they first attempted to broadcast hockey several years ago, or CBS' coverage of the Pebble Beach Pro-Am. :)

I would probably be indifferent to the change.  The fact is that regardless of the actual score, you still have to get more than the other person, and they're bowling with the same rules.  Sure, you get rewarded NOW for stringing strikes together, but if they changed the scoring, the other way to look at it is that you don't get unfairly punished for a ringing 10 on a "perfect" shot.

[pumaAttack]

2 minutes ago, Golfingdad said:

http://news.pba.com/post/2016/2/21/Dom-Barrett-Danielle-McEwan-Win-World-Bowling-Tour-Finals-Championships.aspx

I can see how this might make it a little more appealing to non-bowlers, but at the same time have the reverse effect on bowlers.  Kind of like what Fox did with their "comet puck" when they first attempted to broadcast hockey several years ago, or CBS' coverage of the Pebble Beach Pro-Am. :)

I would probably be indifferent to the change.  The fact is that regardless of the actual score, you still have to get more than the other person, and they're bowling with the same rules.  Sure, you get rewarded NOW for stringing strikes together, but if they changed the scoring, the other way to look at it is that you don't get unfairly punished for a ringing 10 on a "perfect" shot.

 

Interesting.  I have never found the scoring in bowling to be difficult but I know a lot of people do.  

A perfect game would result in the same scored, so no lose there.  And for pro bowlers who routinely string strikes together, they won't see much change either.  

This scoring would really see the average score of a beginner sky rocket.  Which would be good for the game, I guess.  But I really like the added importance of following up your strike or spare with another good shot.  

[ppine]

Backpacking. Your world is small and simple and you will see the most beautiful places in the world.

There is no stress and no competition.

[dave s]

If you are really serious about ditching golf in favor of a new hobby, by all means, try photography. When on vacation I take my camera to the course all the time.  So many great shots of eagles, Ibis, Herons, landscapes, sunsets ... you name it, there are so many great shots on the golf course to be had.

Photography makes sense since you have a young family. It's a great way to document a child growing up.  Sure beats iPhone to facebook 'snaps' most people take and post.

For the price of a full bag of clubs and what you'd spend in a year playing golf, that money would buy some really nice camera gear!

dave

[Golfingdad]

1 hour ago, pumaAttack said:

Interesting.  I have never found the scoring in bowling to be difficult but I know a lot of people do.

It is and it isn't.  It's easy to keep score if you know the game, but from a standpoint of following it closely, it's hard (for everybody) to figure out what needs to happen as it gets near the end.  You watch bowling on TV and a player leaves a split in the 9th frame.  You often times see them looking at the scoreboard intently and trying to do math to try and figure out what is required of their next shot.  Do they just need the count, or do they have to try and pick it up?  Even the announcer, who is an ex-pro, frequently makes a mistake when telling us what somebody needs to do in the 10th to shut out the other guy.  It's not laid out in front of you like other sports.  This change would allow it to be.  (I'm not arguing in favor of it - I'm fine with scoring how it is - but I certainly can understand why they are experimenting)

[Gator Hazard]

1 hour ago, ppine said:

Backpacking. Your world is small and simple and you will see the most beautiful places in the world.

There is no stress and no competition.

Until you see that you forgot your tent, or your stove, or matches and a lighter.  Or that you fooled around and it got dark before you could pitch a tent, or.................  

I agree that backpacking is a lot of fun however, but one must prepare and plan accordingly before venturing out or too far away.  I recommend start hiking first and then car camping before backpacking.  And of course:

DO NOT FORGET THE TEN ESSENTIALS!  Ever, even for a hike.  Most deaths and serious injuries requiring rescue happen as a result of a day hike gone wrong and not having things that can keep you alive.  Also, don't take Bear Grylls advice unless you are a former military person with years of experience doing that stuff.  Think more Les Stroud (Survivorman), good ol Bear, he is dangerous.  I once saw him climb a mountain (and use ropes you weren't supposed to see) rather than take a day to go around it.  I also once saw him recommend going into a mountain cave in hopes of going through the mountain instead of around it an using tree sap torches.  Because that's a good idea.  I did however enjoy the episode where I saw him squeeze elephant dung juice into his mouth and the other one where he skinned the snake and then used the skin as a piss canteen where he drank his own pee out of a snake's skin.  You can't beat that for entertainment.

Oh yeah, and BTW, unless you captured a very clear pee from when fully hydrated the stuff you have decided to drink by the time you decided to drink it is so full of salts and waste that it will more likely dehydrate you and cause kidney failure than help you.   Drinking your own dehydrated piss ("Its okay to drink your pee if in the desert or at sea") is a myth.  People shouldn't do things because you can make a rhyme out of them.  

 

And I apologize for yelling, but the ten essentials are important.  

 

Additional edit:  I need to go camping, have all the gear, now that my boy is barely old enough, need to dust it all off and go for just an easy two nighter that is more car camping than backpacking. Connecting with nature is so beneficial to ones physical and mental health.

Edited February 24, 2016 by Gator Hazard

[Fourputt]

26 minutes ago, Golfingdad said:

It is and it isn't.  It's easy to keep score if you know the game, but from a standpoint of following it closely, it's hard (for everybody) to figure out what needs to happen as it gets near the end.  You watch bowling on TV and a player leaves a split in the 9th frame.  You often times see them looking at the scoreboard intently and trying to do math to try and figure out what is required of their next shot.  Do they just need the count, or do they have to try and pick it up?  Even the announcer, who is an ex-pro, frequently makes a mistake when telling us what somebody needs to do in the 10th to shut out the other guy.  It's not laid out in front of you like other sports.  This change would allow it to be.  (I'm not arguing in favor of it - I'm fine with scoring how it is - but I certainly can understand why they are experimenting)

Who has to keep their own score anyway these days?  I thought they all had automatic scoring systems now.  Despite the simplicity of keeping score, every bowling alley I've seen in the last 20 years had computerized scoring.

[Golfingdad]

1 minute ago, Fourputt said:

Who has to keep their own score anyway these days?  I thought they all had automatic scoring systems now.  Despite the simplicity of keeping score, every bowling alley I've seen in the last 20 years had computerized scoring.

Yeah, nobody has to, but if you're in a league it's nice to be able to understand how to do it so you can know where you stand most of the time.

[Wally Fairway]

Play 9 holes - I've done this when things at work/home were too busy to practice & play enough to really enjoy it.

[inthehole]

18 hours ago, Smidd4 said:

I throughly enjoy woodworking as it is also a great escape. Plus you end up with awesome custom pieces. 

me too - back when I was single, I had a full woodworking shop - one of the most rewarding hobby's I've ever had.   It is a mental challenge to design and build out of nice hardwoods.   Very tactile experience.  

 Check out some of the woodworking magazines to see what it's all about (American Woodworker is a good one).   

[pumaAttack]

2 minutes ago, inthehole said:

me too - back when I was single, I had a full woodworking shop - one of the most rewarding hobby's I've ever had.   It is a mental challenge to design and build out of nice hardwoods.   Very tactile experience.  

 Check out some of the woodworking magazines to see what it's all about (American Woodworker is a good one).   

I'll agree with this.

I have recently started to create some of my own furniture and it's a fun and challenging hobby.  

Plus it's cool to have something tangible once you are done.

[uitar9]

Man, if it's causing that much grief either stop playing or stop keeping score. Having a three year old at home is a full time job and stressful-that's life

During the past winter I started alternating: walking around my subdivision-for me that's a 1 hr 15 minute walk-starting a yoga routine and swinging a wedge (because its short) 100 times three times a week, indoors, no ball.

When I finish I'm beat but have no stress.

 

Will that translate to a few strokes-I hope so, but as another poster asked-what's low enough? What does success look like?

For me, walking around a manicured course on a sunny day shouldn't be a stressful experience

 

 

 

[stealthhwk]

1 hour ago, Wally Fairway said:

Play 9 holes - I've done this when things at work/home were too busy to practice & play enough to really enjoy it.

This is great advice. Starting to see more 9 hole tee times in my area so if the wife approves may do that from time to time! Thanks

[vangator]

Never thought I'd read about pee drinking in a "need a new hobby thread"

I'm a woodworker and it is a great hobby.  I'm taking Easter week off this year and making a bunk bed for my grand daughter.  Wife want some nice Adirondack chairs.  I'd make them from cypress.  Beautiful wood when planed.

Plus, keeping score for bowling isn't hard unless you failed 3rd grade math.

[dennyjones]

I ride mountain bikes and it is a stress reliever.  It allows you to get in a great cardio and physical workout and an adrenaline rush at the same time.  

 

Another activity that will create a rush is radio control toys.   I also have a couple airplanes and a drone.