After a dark eight months, bowling back at Eastmont Lanes

By Zach Johnson
World sports writer

Nov 10, 2020

EAST WENATCHEE — The distinct sound of bowling pins clattering against one another can once again be heard inside Eastmont Lanes. The bowling alley had been closed for nearly eight months due to COVID-19 restrictions before opening up last week for club and league bowlers.

There is a limit of two bowlers per lane, no spectators or cross-lane bowling is allowed, masks are required and bowling is by reservation only for five one-hour windows. But bowling in the Wenatchee Valley, albeit with restrictions, is back.

Reservations can be made over the phone or online at eastmontlanes.net. Club bowling is free to join and open to all ages. Cost is $20 per lane, including shoe rental. Sessions include:

Sessions are timed at an hour apiece instead of by game. When the hour is up, the lane will turn off, but there are warnings that will flash on the screen to let bowlers know how much time is remaining. Bowlers arriving late for their reserved session will not be given extra time to bowl because lanes and house balls (if used) will be cleaned between sessions.

Owner Michelle Baugher announced last Friday that two doubles leagues (handicap and scratch) will start up this week and run until January 3. There is a cap of 20 teams per league, but that number could expand if there is a high response. Signups are first-come, first-serve. Anyone looking to join a league should email Baugher at eastmontlanes@msn.com.

The handicapped league is open to all bowlers, while scratch is open to bowlers 18 and older.

Bowlers will still be held to one-hour sessions, and the cost is the same, but both leagues will consist of two games as opposed to a normal set of three. Baugher said both leagues could move to three games if bowlers demonstrate they can wrap up three in an hour.

League bowlers won’t have to bowl at a specific time each week; they have to bowl one session any time Monday through Sunday and let the front desk know they are bowling for league. Bowlers will be given five minutes to warm-up and then the first two completed games will be counted as league scores. If there is time leftover, bowlers are welcome to use the rest of their session to practice.

Standings will be posted at the lanes and online each week.