APRIL COULD BE A BUSY MONTH

We have several tournament and Monte Carlo options in April and there's a fair amount of overlapping. Sharon and I will be bowling in the senior doubles tournament at Paddock Bowl but we haven't decided on the date and time. The rest of the schedule should become clearer once we make that decision.

April 6th (Saturday)
11:00 AM - Paddock Bowl - Senior Doubles
 3:00 PM - Paddock Bowl - Senior Doubles
 6:00 PM - Bel Mateo Bowl - Monte Carlo
 6:30 PM - Dublin Bowl - Pot 'O' Gold
 7:00 PM - Paddock Bowl - Monte Carlo
 7:30 PM - Clayton Valley Bowl - Monte Carlo

April 7th (Sunday)
11:00 AM - Paddock Bowl - Senior Doubles
12:00 PM - Pinole Valley Lanes - County USBC Mixed Teams of 4
 3:00 PM - Paddock Bowl - Senior Doubles
 7:00 PM - Danville Bowl - Monte Carlo


April 13th (Saturday)
11:00 AM - Paddock Bowl - Senior Doubles
 3:00 PM - Paddock Bowl - Senior Doubles
 6:30 PM - Dublin Bowl - Pot 'O' Gold
 7:00 PM - Paddock Bowl - Monte Carlo

April 14th (Sunday)
11:00 AM - Paddock Bowl - Senior Doubles
 3:00 PM - Paddock Bowl - Senior Doubles
 7:00 PM - Danville Bowl - Monte Carlo


April 20th (Saturday)
 6:30 PM - Dublin Bowl - Pot 'O' Gold
 7:00 PM - Paddock Bowl - Monte Carlo

April 21st (Sunday)
 7:00 PM - Danville Bowl - Monte Carlo


April 27th (Saturday)
10:00 AM - Granada Bowl - Doubles, 4-Gamer
10:00 AM - Dublin Bowl - USBC Warm-up (Team)
 6:30 PM - Dublin Bowl - Pot 'O' Gold
 7:00 PM - Paddock Bowl - Monte Carlo

April 28th (Sunday)
10:00 AM - Dublin Bowl - USBC Warm-up - Singles & Doubles
 7:00 PM - Danville Bowl - Monte Carlo

POT 'O' GOLD IN DUBLIN COMPLETES AN OUTSTANDING DAY OF BOWLING

Earl Anthony's Dublin Bowl

We had a scintillating day of bowling on Saturday. It started with the Livermore Valley Tournament (LVT) at Granada Bowl. After we wrapped up the LVT, we drove westward for some dinner at the Outback Steakhouse in Dublin. The Outback Steakhouse is a minute away from Earl Anthony's Dublin Bowl which would be our next stop for their Pot 'O' Gold (Monte Carlo) game. My salad and grilled chicken with vegetables were quite good and the meal energized me for a few more hours of bowling.

Outback Steakhouse near Dublin Bowl

The highlight of the night was when Peter's ticket was drawn for the strike pot in the second game. The pot was worth $708.00 if Peter could bowl three strikes. A single strike would win 10% of the pot ($71.00) while a second strike would earn 40% of the post ($283.00). Peter was able to shoot two strikes for $283.00 but his third shot hung up on his thumb and he came up light, leaving the 4 and 5 pins. Still, $283.00 is a nice prize.

In a contest requiring the participants to turn their backs to the pins and bowl the ball through their legs (like a center in football snapping the ball back to the punter), The Coach won a prize that I believe included a free entry in a future Pot 'O' Gold night. Olivia finished second in that one for a prize of $5.00. All of us hit multiple money shots for prizes ranging from 50 cents to $4.00.  This video will show you some of the highlights.



By the time we reached the third game, I think we were pretty tired. It was a long day starting in Livermore at 1:00 and finishing in Dublin around 10:00. I was certainly ready to go home and get some sleep. Even though I was tired and feeling worn out, I must say the past few days with the Holiday Cash Doubles Tournament at Bel Mateo Bowl followed by LVT and Pot 'O' Gold on Saturday were the most fun I've had in quite awhile.

UPCOMING EVENTS FOR THE BLOCKHEADS

Olivia and I are bowling tonight in the Holiday Cash Doubles Tournament at Bel Mateo Bowl in San Mateo.

Saturday we're bowling in the team event of the Livermore Valley Tournament (LVT) at Granada Bowl in Livermore. We start at 1:00 PM. I strongly suggest that everyone arrive by noon at the latest.

Peter suggested that we might play Pot 'O' Gold at Dublin Bowl after the LVT. I figure we'll finish at the LVT by 4:00. Check in for Pot 'O' Gold is 6:00. We could stop somewhere nearby for a bite to eat between events.

Our league meeting and opening night for Over The Wall II is on Monday, January 7th at Diablo Valley Bowl. The meeting will be held at 6:00 with bowling to commence after the meeting at 6:30. I hear they have found four additional teams for the league and they're still working to add more. If true, that's great news.

Finally, we have several options for bowling on New Year's Eve. I'm leaning towards the New Year's Eve Monte Carlo at Clayton Valley Bowl. Is anyone else interested? Or do you have something else you'd like to try?

BOWLING FOR DOLLARS IN DANVILLE & DUBLIN

Monte Carlo pins at Danville Bowl

The Coach and I participated in Danville Bowl's Monte Carlo event Thursday night with moderate success. The price to play is only $12.00 there so you needn't hit too many money shots to earn it back.

Pot 'O' Gold pins at Dublin Bowl

Earl Anthony's Dublin Bowl is hosting their Pot 'O' Gold game tonight. A couple of the jackpots are getting pretty high. Peter and I bowled in it last Saturday and we'll be back for more. When I asked a few days ago, nobody responded so I assume there won't be anybody else will be joining us.

MONTE CARLO

Pot 'O' Gold at Dublin Bowl

Last Saturday night's Monte Carlo event at Clayton Valley Bowl was a lot of fun. I'd like to do it again but Clayton Valley hosts it only on the first Saturday of each month (except for their special New Year's Eve Monte Carlo).

Monte Carlo at Paddock Bowl

Our choices for this weekend are Paddock Bowl and Earl Anthony's Dublin Bowl. Both places have their strong and weak points. Paddock Bowl is a shorter trip for most of us and Kate livens things up with extra contests and prizes. But on some nights the game has almost been called off for lack of bowlers.

Dublin is a longer trip (for everyone but me) but there are lots of bowlers and lots of action with higher prize money. But with a lot of extra contests, it takes longer to play. If one doesn't want to be out too late, Paddock's game is probably the better option. If one seeks a bigger prize potential and doesn't mind a longer ride, Dublin is probably the better choice.

Monte Carlo at Danville Bowl

Peter, Brett, and I have decided to try Pot 'O' Gold in Dublin Saturday night. Who else is in?