I recently started watch as much bowling as I can find, on TV, and I can't understand why everyone claps when someone leaves a split, or an open frame.  It almost sounds like they are cheering for the opponent, although I doubt that.

I used to watch bowling years ago and I don't remember anything like this.

There is certainly more and more of the heads buried in phones these days. I have to watch out for that myself since I track my stats on my phone. Still, I make it a point to enter in that frame's data and then put the phone down. Part of the fun of bowling is being around the other bowlers. That goes away if you're on the phone the whole time.

When I was much younger (like 20 years ago), when in match play, I would slap off every strike no matter what.  If I got in your head because of it, bonus for me.  I remember in one final, my opponent who "never" showed emotion decided to mimic me and started slapping off every strike and saying a loud "yeah" after every one as well after a buddy of his suggested it. 

And it worked.  He totally got in my head just as I used it to get in my opponents head usually. 

I think in today's world, I don't care what my opponents do.  I no longer do.  The only thing that bothers me is something unexpected.  A flash from a camera for example.  The only noise that might startle me, is a gun shot.  Screaming kids, babies, they happen so often during league play, I am used to hearing those.  Most of the time I try to get so locked in on the approach I have had people shout my name and I don't hear them trying to get my attention that I am missing a pin or something.

I even had the case where several years ago I had the chance to win a little over $6800 in the house strike pot.  No one had won it in over a year.  56 lane house full of league bowlers.  Whole house stops, dead quiet and in the middle of my 4th step, 2 aholes, yell at the top of their lungs "Miss F_ck Wad".  High flush for the cash.