What It Takes to Be a League Bowler at Premier Lanes

Premier Lanes Photo by Talbert Toole

When one thinks Malco, one thinks movies. But screenplay isn’t always the main attraction at the Malco located at the Oxford Commons.

Any given Monday or Tuesday night, one can hear the competition escalate next door. League bowlers are battling it out on the alleys of Premiere Lanes.
HottyToddy.com’s Adam Brown met with Selby LaBarre, general manager of Premier Lanes, to learn more about Oxford’s intense game of league bowling.
HottyToddy.com: How many bowling leagues and teams compete at Premier Lanes?
LaBarre: Currently we have two leagues, one on Monday and one on Tuesday. Monday has 10 teams, and Tuesday has 13 teams. We will have a summer league that will begin in late May/early June that will run 10 weeks. Last year, we had 10-12 teams. A lot of our sanctioned bowlers only bowl during USBC sanctioned leagues, so they do not participate.
HottyToddy.com: How long does a sanctioned bowling league typically last?
LaBarre: The fall/spring leagues are USBC sanctioned leagues and the summer league is a fun league, which just allows our bowlers to keep up with their practice and offer competition year-round. Both sanctioned leagues begin in the fall and end in the spring. Monday night league is a 30-week league, Tuesday is a 28-week league.
HottyToddy.com: How many league bowlers have scored perfect games at Premier Lanes?
LaBarre: Currently, during league play, we have only ever had one perfect 300 bowled. The bowler that completed it is named Zach Cobb. He has been a league bowler with us since we first started offering leagues in May 2015.
We have had a few perfect games outside of league, during open bowling, maybe two.
HottyToddy.com: Are there any bowling specials, and are these limited to league bowlers only?
LaBarre: By offering so many different activities, we definitely have something for everyone.
We have different specials available throughout the week. Our most popular special is $2 Tuesdays and Thursdays. We offer $2 games and $2 shoe rentals on those days. We just started a new promotion on Sundays called Super Sunday. For children, we offer three free games of bowling with purchase of shoe rental, adults are able to purchase games for $3 each, and shoe rentals are $3 each, as well. Also on Sundays, we have arcade specials, where you purchase two $10 arcade play cards and receive a third $10 card free.
HottyToddy.com: What makes Premier’s bowling lanes unique?
LaBarre: The main thing that sets us aside from other bowling centers is that we are not simply a bowling alley. We are a Family Entertainment Center. In addition to bowling, we offer a full service cafe, full service bar, an arcade with over 40 games where you can win tickets to redeem for prizes. We also have a VIP bowling section. The VIP has lowered lights and fewer lanes, so you feel a little more private. You are in a different room than the main bowling lanes, as well. On top of that, we have projectors and screens over the lanes, so that you can watch whatever televised event is currently airing. The VIP also has its own bar that we use for large group rentals, etc.
On top of all of that, our bowling equipment is state-of-the-art. We have the latest and greatest bowling technology available, including touchscreen control panels that will allow you to customize your game, take your picture for display and use in some mini-games, and several other mini-games that are fun for everyone.
There you have it. Whether you want to show these competitors what you’ve got as a league bowler or keep it laid back with a fun night of bowling with your best friends, memories are waiting to be made at Oxford’s Premier Lanes inside the Malco Oxford Commons Cinema.

By Adam Brown, sports editor of HottyToddy.com. He can be reached by emailing adam.brown@hottytoddy.com.