PLUS
with Bowlmor taking over both AMF and Brunswick bowling centers, we need more light balls than ever before. Bowlmor uses the cheapest, crappiest oils than can find and puts down far, far less oil than AMF or Brunswick did 20 years ago.
I will never say Bowlmor is the king of competitive bowling, but this is incorrect as a blanket statement. Bowlmor centers, or at least the ones I have experience with, set up their own conditions and select their own oils. This doesn't mean they aren't encouraged to "cheapen the product" for the sake of the bottom line.
I am not as doom and gloom on Bowlmor as the next person. I don't work for them or have anything to do with them other than bowl in an establishment.
As for the general case, my opinion is the same. Brunswick will need to provide a weaker ball if they want to continue in the entry market. Many centers spend less on oiling lanes in the summer. The timing of this release will mean the summer will see a lot of new bowlers with bowling balls that may not be as effective as a Tropical Breeze or perhaps even a Ride/Joy Ride.
Unfortunately, even if Brunswick agrees, they can't just release a new ball tomorrow to go where the Slingshot was.
Sorry, I should have said, in my experience.
They completely destroyed my original home house, an AMF center.
Now they are setting about destroying my other home house, Carolier Lanes in NJ. They said they wouldn't touch it, but of course that turned out to be a lie. They're already using less oil than Brunswick ever did and oiling once a day, when the volume of bowling, in this once great house, requires 2x a day on most days. Now they are also converting lanes 1-48, (Lanes 49 - 82 are downstairs) this summer, in another BOWLMOR disaster: parties and open bowling only. Leagues only will now be forced to bowl downstairs next season.
So, in my opinion, Bowlmor is a serious part of the problems that are ruining league bowling.
