This is our view of the skittle alley's we've played on in the
Penarth & District League. The opinions expressed here are subjective,
and entirely the webmaster's view - especially the par score targets. Ultimately
of course it depends on you and your teams form and ability! If there's an
alley in the League that isn't pictured here, and you'd like your alley included,
get in touch with us and we'll do our best to get it on this page.
| Alley |
Alley Notes |
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Dinas Powys Athletic Club
This is our home alley. One of the longest alleys in the local leagues,
this tests the resilience of all comers, especially in the coldest
winter months. The pins are wooden, but newer smaller balls seem to
help the pin count. The roll off area is long enough to give those
who like a run up plenty of opportunity. It's equally generous for
right and left handers alike. It's situated right at the back of the
club, and teams can make plenty of noise to encourage (or barrack)
their team mates. The length of the alley means accuracy is paramount,
and you often see the coppers go first.
Any debris lying on the alley (drunken chums, cheese sandwiches etc)
can make the difference between getting a nasty kick and a bolter
or a big splash. Bizarrely, or maybe
not, it's one of a couple of alleys in the Leagues that's significantly
affected by the temperature - the Pilot's another one. With the heating
on the scores are good, when the heating's not on it's bloody cold
and it's a real struggle. There's also a slight channel to the right
and many a bolter has passed between the Grumble and right hand quarter.
Despite this, it's generally an above average scoring alley, and a
team should be looking to put 60+ on the board on each roll.
Par score = 60
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Cefn Mably (Penarth)
The "Cef" alley has earned a reputation for being a low
scoring strip. Many players talk themselves out of a big score before
they even set foot in the Cefn Mably in Penarth, but those in form can
hit big scores if they know what to do, but it is hard. The alley is
separate from the main bar area, so plenty of noise and encouragement
can be generated. It can also be quite chilly, so wear your thermals.
Compared to some, it’s a short alley, but not the shortest by far. It
has a distinctive dark colour, an unusual feature compared to most other
alleys. The alley has plastic pins these days, but they look deceptively
far apart, and this can put even seasoned players off. It’s tight on
the right at the roll off area, so arguably left handers might find
it a little easier, but the aim is still the same. Cut across that front
pin - and in aiming for that, remember the shorter alley length. Standing
back from the line may help. The other thing to be aware of on the “Cef”
alley, is that the left hand quarter can be brought into play of the
side cushion to assist in getting a elusive splash, but only the brave
and confident go for that.
Par score = 50
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Penarth Athletic Club
The Penarth Athletic club alley is strikingly similar to the Penarth
Conservative alley. It's open to the right (as you see Stabber surveying
the pins), shortish and with plastic pins. The comparatively heavy
balls suggest they won't deviate much on hitting the pins, and largely
that's true - you've got to make the pins do the work. There's plenty
of room on the roll-off area for those who like a run up (!) It's
away from the bar area, so plenty of noise can be made to encourage
(or slag off) your team mates. The many photo's surrounding the alley
remind of the long history of Penarth Athletic Club, even though our
own Pete "Exocet" Colley almost managed to knock a few down
with his rockets!
Par score = 56
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Penarth Conservative Club
The Cons alley is very similar to Penarth Athletic Club (see above).
Another very open alley allows supporters (or hecklers) to get right
on top of you. There's a long roll off area for the likes of Stabber
to enjoy, and the ball return must be the longest in the League -
we think the balls probably go via the "Ex's" and are used
there before returning to the top of the alley. The pins are wooden,
and although splashes are possible, you're more likely to take one
or two pins a ball, so you can't rely on the pins to do the work and
accuracy is essential.
Par score = 52
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Penarth Legion
A bit of respect is required at the Penarth Legion (and rightly
so), and the wearing of the "Top Dog" hat is frowned upon.
The alley is in the main bar with comfy seats a TV and access to the
bandit & lotto tickets (handy for Stabber and Big Sam). Being in
the bar it's a bit difficult to get the singing going (but we try).
Like the Cef, it's a right hand return alley. The plastic pins will
splash if you hit them right, and you don't need pace to floor them.
Nines are readily available, though not regular. We reckon this is a
decent alley, and if the team is playing half well, you should be aiming
for mid sixties.
Par score = 59 |
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Ex Servicemans Club (Penarth
The "Ex's" is traditionally renowned for two key
things in the skittling world. 1) cheap beer and 2) twin high scoring
alleys. 70 plus scores are a regular event on either alley, with the
right hand alleys perhaps just pipping the left as the better of the
two. Interestingly, the strategy differs. Front pin on the left hand
alley should be the target, but on the right, many say the left hand
quarter should be your target. In either case if a team has a "top
score" bonus, one of these alleys' is the most likely place to
do it in the Penarth League.
Par score = 62 |
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Llandough Legion
The alley at the Llandough Legion is in the main lounge bar
area, so not too much raucous shouting please lads! The alley holds
hidden gremlins for many who fear the perceived wide gaps and light
plastic pins. It is short, and it is tight for left handers who have
little room, to swing. The balls won't deviate on hitting to take out
extra pins, so accuracy is the key - make sure you hit and remember
5 pins a man will get you 60. Despite all that, it's not a bad alley.
Par score = 57
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Malthouse
A long alley, with thin, light plastic pins, you've got to
adjust your pace to get the best out of this alley. 70 scores are possible,
as we once showed, but we also hit 48 on the same night. The open side
makes it dangerous when the likes of Exocet are on the alley. Not our
favourite alley, but there are worse out there.
Par score = 56
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Cogan Coronation Club
The "Coro", is a nice social club set in Cogan, next
to Penarth. The alley is in the traditional style, and sits between the
two bars, suitably sound proofed that some noise can be made, and close
enough to get a quick pint before "the off". The gaps can look
big, but equally the pins will splash if you hit them right. You should
certainly be looking to hit 5 or 6 minimum per roll.
Par score = 58 |
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Pilot
The Pilot is a nice pub to visit these days. Friendly, good beer and an
alley that's deeper than some of the old mines in South Wales. Similarly
to our own alley, it can be a pig when it's cold, but when it warms up,
60 plus scores are well possible as we showed on our last visit. The pins
are thin, and the gaps can be big, but steady rolls from the very open
roll off area can be productive.
Par score = 55 (or 50 if the heating isn't on!) |
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Clive Arms
The Clive alley may be many things, but long it isn't! Comfortably
the shortest alley in the Penarth Leagues (even the photo makes it look
longer than it is!) many people hate playing on it. There's very little
space at all in fact and even finding space to watch is cramped. Then
again, if all alleys were the same, it would be boring. It's also got
a very short roll off area - so short that some people have to open
a cupboard at the back to get their swing in (I kid you not)! However,
accuracy pays off, and as we've shown 60+ scores are readily available.
The pins have a tendency to bounce of the sides and back and take others
too. The pub's worth a mention too, for it's alien paraphenalia. Plenty
of character at the Clive Arms a fun place to visit , and we reckon
Par score = 60 |
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Penarth Labour Club
This is the newer upstairs alley at the Labour Club. Both plastic and
wooden pins are available, and you can get BIG scores with the plastics.
In fact we witnessed possible the biggest ever individual score in Feb
2006 when Dimitri Shelley of the home team floored 48 including two spares
of 13! It's a right hand return alley. When we played the plastics were
standing (or rather bing knocked down). It's not a long alley, and the
gaps look big. But if you hit first time up, some big scores are possible
as our own record roll score of 81 proves - miss with your first ball
though, and the gaps start to look very big! Stabber is showing where
your first ball should go, and he should know after he once hit 31 here.
With an upstairs bar as well, you hardly have to move all night, and this
also makes for a fairly quick game. On the evidence of our games here,
using the plastic pins, we reckon:
Par score
= 64 |
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The Cogan Hotel
This is a tricky one. Historically we've never played well
at the Cogan, and consequently it has a reputation as a low scoring
alley. However, last time we played the home side racked up 306, a very
respectable score, so the pins will go if you hit them right. The pins
are big, the balls are heavy, but if you hit, the pins may not splash,
but you might get a couple bouncing around and taking a couple more
out. It's a very open alley on the roll off area, and unusually has
space on both sides for viewing and heckling. On the basis of it more
likely to be mind games than a poor alley, we reckon:
Par score =54 |
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The Swan
The Swan alley on the eastern outskirts of Dinas is home to the
Dinas Powys Legion skittlers. It's a left hand return with plenty of space
on the roll off area, and possible the widest front foot line that extends
down each side of the alley like a tennis court. The open right hand side
has an excellent shelf for standing you glass on, but room with the church
pew seating is strictly standing room only. There's also a handy hatch
so that singing can be heard by those in the bar. The pins are wooden
and skinny, so you have to make sure you hit something every time - you
won't get big splashes here, but with accurate balls you should be aiming
for at least 5 a man. Therefore, we reckon:
Par score = 56
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The Railway
Set in the centre of Penarth Town, adjacent to the railway station, the
Railway is a "happening" pub, frequented by young and old alike.
The alley's in the main bar, where it competes with mutliple TV's generally
showingfootball or music channels (or both). The alley is one of the meanest
in the league, and is adorned with pictures from the old "Western
Region" railway and has sides made from old railway trucks - or at
least it looks like that. However, it's not an easy alley. Even the home
team don't like it much, and the heavy balls ping single pins but a splash
is rare. On the evidence of our visit, you're best chance is probably
from the left slanting across to the right, but it's hard to tell from
one match. We think it's probably the lowest scoring alley in the league
(but it's the same for both sides), and purely on the basis of both ours
and our opponents score, and with a bit of optimism chucked in for good
measure, we reckon:
Par score = 50 |
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The Station Hotel (Tophouse)
The Station Hotel, known locally as the "Tophouse",
sits at the junction of Windor Road and Pill Street in Cogan. Although
a Brains pub it no longer serves Dark much to our surprise and sadness.
The alley must be the longest in our league, and you need binoculars to
see as far as the pins. Even with Exocet throwing there's time to nip
out to the bar for a pint before the ball gets to the pins. And when it
does get there, don't expect a splash. We really struggled here and hit
57 bolters on our last visit and saw 4 sunshines! We're not sure if we
were just unlucky or the alley really is as dry as it played.
It's a left hand return with a right hand viewing gallery. The alley its;ef
seemed tru enough and the balls were good. As it sits downstairs away
from the bar area, plenty of noise can be made to encourage your pals
in their endevours. Wish someone had encouraged us more...
Par
score = 52 |
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The Old Penarthians Rugby
Club
Affectionately known as the Old Pens, this club sits amidst housing estates
in Lower Penarth, which bizarrely is at a higher altitude than the rest
of Penarth!
The alley is in the main bar area, and is unusual in having a "hatch"
type arrangement for viewing on the left hand side. The alley favours
right handers who have more manouevering room. The pins we used here were
wooden, and not particualrly prone to splashing, though you can get 5
off the front, but it's not a regular occurence. It's a mid-length alley.
It's hard to judge a par score on our one recent performance here. On
the night the lowest score was 41 and the highest 70, so there's not much
of an inidication there. We therefore have to go at the moment with an
average of the lot on the night, which gives us...
Par score = 57 |
