Bowling center rolls strikes with state-of-art scoring, future party room Published March 30, 2011 By Diane Betzler Staff Writer EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- From the outside High Desert Lanes looks like an ordinary bowling center, but manager Jim Williams considers it a strike or two above the rest. It seems like he would though, because in talking to him one gets the feeling the bowling center at Edwards is his baby. "We have 20 lanes of bowling with AMF pinsetters and a state-of-the-art scoring system that makes keeping scores very easy," Mr. Williams said, describing his pride and joy. The center also features a full-service snack bar that offers anything from burgers and fries to wraps and salads. The center will soon offer a party room created specifically for holding children's birthday parties, fundraisers and other special events. "When I took over, there wasn't a separate room for parents to hold a celebration. They had to fit everything at the lane where they were bowling," Mr. Williams said. The use of the party room will be free. People simply need to fill out a form to reserve the room. "When holding a party here, the only requirement is that they must purchase their food and drinks here. They can bring their special occasion cake." The center offers something for everyone. Saturday night is "Holler for a Dollar" night, Mr. Williams said. "It's a dollar per game, a dollar for shoes and a dollar for a soda. People love it." Saturday night bowling in town could run anywhere from $5 to as high as $7 a game, which makes "Holler for a Dollar" pretty inviting, he said. The center also offers 15 different open play programs for people and an assortment of party packages. Tuesday and Wednesday evenings are mixed league nights and open bowling is offered every day. On Mondays people can bowl all they want for $5. Mr. Williams said bowling has become a big scholarship sport. "Not everybody is a football player or tall enough to be a basketball player. With bowling it's all about coordination, the game has nothing to do with strength," he said. When kids work at it enough and get their scores up, they might be able to land a scholarship, he said. "There are lots of them out there specifically targeted for bowlers and just waiting to be claimed," he said. The High Desert Lanes Bowling Center had gone without a manager for a couple of years, and therefore programs the center had to offer haven't changed much until now. In addition, Mr. Williams said he is bringing the center back into tip-top shape. He hired a full-time qualified mechanic and said the equipment is now running trouble-free. The bowling center is open Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. But during league nights it may be open later. The center is open Friday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday from noon to 10 p.m.; and Sunday from noon to 7 p.m. The center is open to anyone who has base access. For more information, call 275-BOWL (275-2695)