Bowlers are competitive by nature and that is something that will never change. Bowlers are used to the normal format of team bowling and that is never going to change either. Bowlers show up on league night, lace up and join their teammates to challenge another team for wins, and ultimately will share the title at seasons end. For most bowlers, this is enough, but for the highly competitive, there will always be a desire for more.

One popular league format sweeping leagues nationwide is the concept of a ghost league. This can be done in team or singles format. The idea is that a team will enter the league or an individual will and will use their weekly score for this league. A fee is involved in this league, but due to no lineage being collected for this additional league, the entire payment goes to the prize fund.

Albemarle Lanes will be taking its first shot at an Individuals Ghost League this summer as a test run for the fall leagues. The league will be a mere $6 on top of your regular weekly league fees. Now you may still be confused, so I will explain this as simply as possible and you will be amazed at how easy this is.

First of all, you need to sign up for a regular weekly league. During this league, you will bowl your normal three-game series. When you sign up for the Ghost league, you will pay your weekly fee of $6 on top of your regular league fee. This $6 goes toward the prize fund for the ghost league.

Your three games will represent your score for the week in the ghost league. As most leagues are run each week, a team is paired with another team and bowl against one another. This league will pair one bowler against another bowler and their weekly scores will be determined for points. This league will be run for 11 weeks as will the summer leagues. At the end of the league, placing will be determined by wins. First place will be guaranteed at $300 with last place making at least $25, based on 25 entries.

If this format goes over well in the summer, the fall season will offer a ghost league with a guaranteed $2000 for first place with 50 entries. Good luck to all this summer.

Before I go this week, I have to make mention of a big performance this week. Joey Winslow caught fire this week during the Martin Luther King League, capping off a phenomenal season and emphasizing why he deserves bowler of the year. Winslow nearly rolled his second perfect game of the season, coming up a little short with a 299 game on his way to a 767 set. Good bowling, Joey.