Why isn't open bowling available all day, every day?
T&C is a bowling center that offers league bowling seven days/nights a week. The majority of our leagues take place at night and are large enough to fill all 18 lanes.
Because of this, we offer specific open bowling hours daily, which revolve around the start time of our leagues.  Open play is cut off an hour before the start time of the leagues, so that we may have the time available to prep the bowling area and lanes for the leagues. The same holds true on the weekends when we host tournaments or fundraisers.
Although our schedule from Monday-Friday remains constant for the most part, our schedule will vary every weekend. We hold everything from birthday parties , to tournaments, to fundraisers on the weekends and although we try our best to accomodate for open bowling on Saturdays & Sundays, we aren't always able to offer open bowling during the day on the weekends.
That's why we encourage our customers to call ahead to see what availability is like.

I called ahead for open bowling hours, so why aren't there any lanes available now that I'm here?
Open bowling is on a First-Come, First-Served basis and is difficult to predict. Even if you called to see what was available for the day, and at the exact moment you called there may have been lanes open, there's always the chance that between the time you called and the time you arrive, the lanes may have been rented.

Do I have to rent and wear bowling shoes?
Yes! Bowling shoes have a different type of sole which allows you to slide when you go to release the ball. Street shoes of any kind are not made for bowling. If you attempt to bowl while wearing street shoes, there is the possibility you could injure yourself. Additionally, street shoes have been found to cause damage to the approach surface on the lane.

Why are we told to keep our street shoes out of the bowlers area when it's raining or snowing?
For your safety. Should you step in a puddle of water with your bowling shoes on and then attempt to bowl, you could come to a sudden stop at the foul line, thus causing you to fall down or go forward out onto the lane surface. This is why we always tell our customers to remove their street shoes on the carpeted area of the floor before walking onto the tiled bowling area. This is also why we have signage posted at the control counter where you rent your shoes, as a friendly reminder.

Why can't I walk outside in my rental shoes?
Same answer as above, for your safety. Bowling shoes are NOT meant to be worn outside. They are specifically made for the sport of bowling., not for everyday use. If an employee should see you in our parking lot or at any door (i.e. smoking), they will ask you to please step back inside and will get you a fresh pair of shoes to wear. Also, if an employee should see you start to walk outside with the rental shoes on, they will stop you and ask you to take them off before going outside. Again, this is done for your safety.
Please keep in mind that shoes damaged by walking outside may be the customer's responsibility if they are damaged beyond repair.

Why can we no longer smoke in the building?
As of July 5, 2010, Towne & Country Lanes, along with every other public building in Wisconsin, became non-smoking. Bowlers that smoke are not permitted to step outside to smoke while wearing their bowling shoes. We ask customers to change shoes before going outside to smoke. This policy is in effect at all times.

Why don't you put up the bumpers for everyone?
We have an age limit as to who can use the bumpers for no-gutter bowling. Any group over the age of 10 years old will not have bumpers put up for them. Bumpers are made to keep the bowling ball from going into the gutter for the younger kids. They are teaching tools for these young bowlers; they are NOT made for trick shots. They cannot withstand the ball purposely being thrown hard at them so that the ball bounces back and forth across the lane and off the bumper multiple times towards the pins.
Bumpers are not indestructible, nor are they inexpensive. This action could cause the bumper to break, thus resulting in loss of equipment for T&C. We will hold all parties financially responsible for any willful damage (bumpers, scoring equipment/scoring cameras, and other property).