The thing about bowling is that you can get as much out of it as you put into it, said Dave Palmberg, owner and proprietor of Astorias Lower Columbia Bowl.

Palmberg should know: hes put his life into the sport and was recently rewarded with the title of Oregons Bowling Proprietor of the Year by the states chapter of the U.S. Bowling Congress.

Palmberg, who has owned Lower Columbia Bowl, 826 Marine Drive, since 1989, was honored with a plaque at a July ceremony in Coos Bay.

Palmberg was nominated by his good friend Gene Ozzie Osborne, who runs the alleys pro shop.

What makes him a good proprietor is that hes also a bowler, Osborne said. Our bowlers arent just a number, not like the big centers.

Truth be told, hes probably the best boss you could ask for, said Casey Gray, 36, Lower Columbias manager. Thats no bull. Hed give you the shirt off his back.

And whats Palmbergs secret?

Cleanliness. Having employees that are as good as possible, the owner said. Theyre loyal to the business and to me, mostly.

Osborne, Gray and Palmberg have an easy camaraderie and a shared passion for bowling. Osborne, 75, and Palmberg, 69, met at a senior league tournament somewhere between 15 and 20 years ago when they were placed in adjacent lanes, according to Osborne.

The two hit it off and made sure to reconnect at tournaments, which they bowled in three or four weekends a month. And in their free time, Osborne and Palmberg would unwind by, of course, bowling.

Palmberg and Osborne dont bowl on the Northwest Senior Tour anymore; Palmberg cites age and injuries, Osborne these 50-year-olds who are the youngest and spriest bowlers on the senior circuit.

Lower Columbia Bowl hosts its own Northwest Senior Tour tournament every third week in October.

It is the most popular tournament of the year, Osborne said.

The rest of the year, Palmberg and his staff cater to both fellow serious bowlers and novices looking for a night out.

Its for all skill levels, said Gray, who has worked at the center for approximately 15 years. This would be a boring place if everyone averaged 220.

Gray emphasized Lower Columbia Bowls inclusiveness for those of all ages.

We offer drinks for adults and drinks for kids, Gray said. Its a family-friendly activity. And the weather doesnt matter.

Part of being a family-friendly bowling alley in 2013 means holding events like cosmic bowling, the black light-heavy, speaker-blasting weekend bowling spectacle thats become popular in recent years.

The regulars were amazed by it when it first started out, Osborne said. A lot of kids and a lot of noise.

Cosmic bowling exemplifies much of whats changed in the bowling world over the last 50 years: in an age of constant digital distraction, rolling a ball down a wooden lane at some pins can feel downright quaint. But Palmberg and Osborne, especially, have weathered the changes.

Bowling has gone through trends, said Osborne, who ran a bowling center in Canby for 31 years. In the 60s, they were like Starbucks there was one on every corner. Osborne recalled arriving at a typically bustling bowling alley and taking a number, like a visit to the DMV.

Now, bowling center proprietors like Palmberg arent contending with a rival bowling alley on every block; theyre vying for customers with all the other area entertainment options, making broader outreach efforts like cosmic bowling more necessary.

Were competing against everything else for the recreation dollar, so weve got to keep on the ball, Palmberg said.

Keeping on the ball has meant four renovations since 1989, including the installation of a computerized scoring system and a subsequent update of the system. Lower Columbia Bowl helped pioneer the use of automatic scorers on the North Coast.

Automatic scoring has ushered in a new era of bowlers, many of whom cant score their own games.

Youd be amazed, Gray said. We have league bowlers who have been bowling for 20 years who dont know how to keep score.

Bowlings technological changes run deeper than cosmetic additions like computer scoring and flashing lights: theyve affected the game itself.

The equipment and lane conditions have changed drastically, according to Osborne. The bowling balls are so different. The bowling balls we had were rubber and plastic you had to be dead accurate.

Gray, Palmberg and Osborne have each rolled perfect games one, 21 and 35, respectively. And, even as the men advance in age, the increasingly high-tech bowling equipment makes another perfect game a distinct possibility. Osborne threw a 300 last May at the age of 75.

With lane conditions and equipment, at my age its still doable, he said. You just got to have that magic night.

For information on specials, coupons or booking a private event  the alley can accommodate up to 60 people visit www.lcbowl.com