Editors Note: As the 2018 bowling season comes to a close. We thought it would be a great idea to remember a bowling center in Mesa, AZ., that is no longer around. Country Club Bowl was the bowling center to be seen in back in its day. And a bowling center in the east valley where some of Arizona's top senior bowlers began to make a name for themselves while they were working their way up through the ranks. Country Club Bowl was known for having a great owner in Jay Means. He was someone who cared about his customers and was out bowling on the lanes with them every chance he could. Paul Williams, of Surprise, a top senior bowler in his own right, shares his memories of Country Club Bowl.
Pictured: Is MMA President Mike Barrett, Left, and Paul Williams at the 2017 MMA Senior Open.
By Michael 'Chip' Begg - Managing Editor - thetenpinexpress.com - Director Mesa Metro Association.
Mesa - - - In the game of bowling we have always valued one cardinal rule. That rule is, you never know how much you missed your favorite bowling center until it is well, not here anymore.
A perfect case in point is the former Country Club Bowl in Mesa, AZ. Formerly located at 140 North Country Club Drive in Mesa. Country Club Bowl was the place to be seen, and the place where some of today's top senior bowlers in the valley began to perfect their game. On any given night it would not be uncommon to see valley legends such as: Andrew Cain, Don Caron, Chris Clerk, Warren Eales, Tony Maresca, Jim Pratt, and Johnny Wing Sr., compete in a scratch league there. And it would not be uncommon to see them stick around after the scratch league was over for additional practice. The seven guys above, are still bowling at a very high level today. It was also where 2016 Mesa Metro HOF Valerie Caron got her start in the game. As well as other top bowlers.
Bowling at Country Club Bowl back in the day, was definitely the good old days of bowling in the east valley. It had 32 synthetic lanes. It also had AMF 82-70 pinsetters, a pro shop, bar, and snack bar. Good customer service is hard to find these days, but it was good customer service that helped keep the center stay busy and successful. Their motto was always 'the friendliest center in town'. Bowling in leagues there on average cost $10 a week, depending on the league. And open play started at $1.50 per game.
"The energy level was always high there. Norm at the desk would always ask how you bowled over the weekend. Ron (Simonis), owner of the pro shop, was a PBA regional player, so he was always up on the latest info and knew where the tournaments were," said Paul Williams, of Surprise, who bowled there during the 2003-04 season. "The owner, Jay Means, would come down and ask how the lanes were playing and would bowl in leagues with everyone else. It was a lot more about the bowler and what your story was, and what new ball you were considering to buy and who was bowling well."
When you bowled at Country Club back then, you could also tell you were in a 'real' bowling center. No fancy couches or lights dotted the concourse there.
"Everyone from the owner, to the pro shop, and to the lane techs were bowlers. They were willing to share their success stories in bowling, or just help you out," remembers Williams. "Competition was always fierce, but we all shared the love for the game. As far as being an 'action' center, most of the time bowlers would stay after league, and bowl for a couple of hours. Amounts would vary, but a lot of the time guys would just bowl. My sister would also drive an hour out of her way, to come support my bowling endeavors."
When Mr. Williams started to bowl at Country Club Bowl during the 2003-04 season. He averaged 195 for 36 games in the Friday Summer Doubles League. And during the winter season, averaged 188 for 40 games in the Scratch Trios League.
"I bowled there for about three years until the center closed. I started in 2004 and that was the first time I bowled in 30 years," he said, of his return to bowling. "I saw a small sign flashing that said 'Bowl' one day I drove by there, and went in there to practice. I joined a league and my entering average was 170."
Every bowling center for as long as we can remember, also had a signature league to attract top bowlers. At Country Club Bowl, it was called the East Valley Open.
"I stayed after league one night and watched a league bowl called the East Valley Open that bowled after us," he said, on how he was also recruited by that league. "I started to sub in that league, so I was bowling back to back on Tuesday nights. When I bowled there synthetic lanes were already in use. I think the scoring pace has always been higher for me on synthetics, as modern balls are better matched for synthetics."
During the 2004-05 season, Country Club Bowls competition came from. AMF Apache, Brunswick Mesa, AMF Chandler, Kyrene Lanes, (now Brunswick), AMF Mesa, Mesa East, AMF McRay, AMF Tempe Village, and Rim Country Lanes (now Beeline Bowl). AMF Apache is no longer around either.
"If Country Club was still around I would hope it would be as busy as ever," said Williams, when asked how he thought Country Club Bowl would do if it was still in existence. "Country Club Bowl had a great owner, so it would depend on who owned it if it was still in business. I knew the owner, Jay Means well and he was a great ambassador for the sport of bowling. Country Club Bowl was where I started my bowling career. I see bowlers across the valley as I bowl, and we'll look at each other and we'll just say: 'Oh yeah, I remember Country Club Bowl."
Mr.Williams, a Fleet Sales person for Peoria Ford, has five 300 games and two 800 series under his belt. Two of his 300 games were rolled at R.H.Johnson Lanes on 9/5/16 and at Bell Lanes on 9/3/09. A third was rolled eight days later on 9/11/09 at Bell Lanes. His two 800 series were rolled on 1/23/12 and 4/11/12 at Striking Lanes and Whitmore Lanes in the Arbor Valley USBC. He was also runner-up to Ed O' Hara in the Mesa Metro USBC Senior Masters held at Brunswick Kyrene last year.
"Country Club Bowl back then would host city tournaments and the: ACBA, ABT, and Strike Force Tour," he said, of the tournaments he bowled in there. "I won two SFT and two ABT tournaments there. But, back then, I never competed in the city tournaments. This past year I was runner up in the MMA Senior Masters, and won the Senior Singles Open title."
His best memories of bowling at Country Club Bowl, will always be: bowling in the East Valley Open League, and winning two ABT tournaments there.
In 2018 the east and west valley saw two bowling centers close. They were Flipside in Gilbert, and AMF Deer Valley in Deer Valley.
Mesa Bowling News - December 10, 2018