First of all, personally I don't care.  If it's legal, I'll bowl with it, if it's not, I won't, don't care.  I think USBC is missing a chance to differentiate recreation from sport though.  The average bowler doesn't get patterns.  Yeah the blue oil looks cool on the PBA shows, but there's no blue oil at league, so they have no basis for comparison.  You can show them lane graphs and pictures, but until they actually see it AND bowl on it, they're not going to get it or understand.  HOWEVER, it's really easy to understand the difference between college baseball players using aluminum bats and the pros using wood, and it's nothing that has to be explained to be understood.  All you have to say is that the pros have equipment restrictions, they can't use the balls that make it "easier" to score like league bowlers can, because when people see pros using the same balls they do bowling on lanes that look the same as theirs, they see no difference. 

Now the issue for the manufacturers becomes that they lose advertisement for balls that aren't legal for use on the PBA, but I really don't think the PBA has much influence on ball purchases anymore.  Literally not once in the last three years have I had anyone come into the shop and say, "I want the ball -insert random pro- won with the other day."  I could be wrong, but 10-15 years ago, that happened all the time.  Somebody would win with a ball on a Sunday, and Monday I'd have people in there wanting one.  Now it seems to be primarily consumer and manufacturer driven. 

This idea makes sense to me, continue with the current specs, but put spec restrictions on equipment for use in higher level competition.  The funny thing is it doesn't even matter, most people I know use equipment that's inside the new rumored specs anyway, not going to hurt my feelings, but it could hurt manufacturers who all the sudden lose maybe a couple ball lines, and more limited specs means more limited reactions which means more limited choices which means less revenue most likely.  There NEEDS to be a bolder line between recreation and sport, and it needs to be achieved without adjusting the recreation side. 

I'm in the group of not really caring. I'm not a low rev guy but definitely not in the "power player" category. At the same time, I don't believe this is a necessary fix

The only time bigger cores and higher diff come into play for me is on oil at tournaments. On a medium oil house shot my most success has come from using smoother balls with diff in the .035-045 range (Blue Vibe, Ride, Blur Pearl, Ascent Apex, Brute Strength).

Regardless of any new ball dynamic rules, the end result for the league bowler will be the same as it is today.  Oil patterns will change to accommodate the low rev bowlers (majority of league bowlers) who will no longer have the help the same way they are set up today for low rev bowlers to use 0.060 inch cores.

I can foresee this rule actually putting some higher rev bowlers at a disadvantage if oil volumes decrease to a point where the strongest core used by the average bowler is something weaker than the HyRoad core. 

I am still a fan of using this moment (if implemented) as a chance to eliminate the static rule that most feel isn't necessary.  Make cores weaker while allowing bowlers (and manufacturers) a means of drilling any ball any way they want; bad or good... their ball.

You are assuming the USBC doesn't USBC the roll out.  Agree though on THS big diffs aren't that critical but just resent after buying so many ball in the last few years they are suddenly only now changing the rules on me.

Quote from: LookingForALeftyWall on December 18, 2017, 02:32:10 PM

Whatever until whatever this is becomes.

And not to sound overconfident but give me any ball and I will figure out how to score with it.  It may not be 300 every night but I will be able to keep pace with the rest of the house hacks.

You say that until the first time you can't get use one of your top shelf balls because its now outlawed.  You might not need to of course but not going to cause a warm and fuzzy feeling towards paying those USBC dues I imagine.  Honestly this might drive even more leagues to go non USBC sanctioned and may kill USBC for good.  On second thought this is a great idea.

I do not use "top shelf" balls on a regular basis.  On house shots my arsenal is as follows:

Kinetic Emerald .038 diff
DDD .041 diff
IQ Tour Solid .029 diff
Tundra .029 diff

I just shot a 300 yesterday with the Dare Devil Trick on USBC White #2 (which is slightly flatter than a THS) - which of course has the same core as the DDD.  In terms of diff, that core may have the highest diff of any of the 300s I've thrown. 

I will admit, I would be affected on heavier volume sport shots.  However, that's what surface is for.  Instead of 2000 grit, I may have to go 500-1000 if I can't use a big diff asymmetric.  Whatever happens, I will adjust.  I'm not going to quit because the specs of the ball may or may not change. 

Agree with below, specifically in that if this is instituted I don't see the benefit to the mass majority of USBC members? I see need for standards and rules but attempts to move backwards in the end will only hurt the USBC. I don't need to bowl in anything the USBC sanctions and it will just drive membership numbers lower. Agree with Luke feel free to put new rules for higher level competitions but again I see the Tournament they hold every year on the tough shot that few house hacks can score on drawing fewer numbers every year.

And lastly the USGA and RGA considered doing this for 460 drivers and then learned that the coffers of the manufacturers was considerably higher than them and decided they didn't want to face off in courts. Who has more $? Storm or USBC? And I think Storm may even team up with EBI and Brunswick with legal actions to prevent any rules that would hurt business....

Just my 0.02.... Oh and that idiot Chad is really in charge of the USBC? And he thinks these are good ideas? 

And if they are enacted I'll just use HOOK JUICE as it will make any ball hook!
C'mon Man it's HOOK JUICE!

Quote from: HankScorpio on December 18, 2017, 02:36:17 PM

Power players are already using balls within the rumored changes. Strokers would be losing the big cores that help them keep up with the power players.

I think the rule changes will be effective in reducing the overall number of 300s, because the majority of bowlers are still low rev, low speed. However, I think the big picture isn’t the scores themselves, but the ability for the skilled stroker to keep up with the scores power players are posting. This moves us even further away from an equitable playing field. Strokers are about to lose some hit, and the power players will never even notice.

Yep this may even hasten the demise of 1 handers at the top level.  Who cares about strokers anyway when they only make up the majority of dwindling market?  This is going to fix everything.

Bowlers are without a doubt the whiniest poops I've ever seen.

95% of the balls drilled do not use the maximum differential. Once you get past separation of each track line additional separation doesn't matter.

On house shots there is always enough dry regardless of oil absorption rates of the cover stock. The same ones complaining about this have been lauding the attributes of regular urethane that absorb little oil.

OMG I might have to change my line slightly to get into the dry faster. And if you don't think the proprietors won't change the shot to get you more dry you are delusional.

If the manufactures came out with a ball that would allow anyone to throw at least one 300 a night you would all end up in line paying $500 a ball to get it and destroy the game. But if something happens to take away one strike a night so many will cry foul.

The one handed game is not going to disappear. There are many good young one handed bowlers out there who have won majors in the last couple years.

>95% of the balls drilled do not use the maximum differential.

Maybe you own.  Have a More Cash with a .075 diff after drilling.  One of the rare bowlers than needs the flare because unlike vast majority on here the bowling centers here make enough money to put out decent volumes of oil.

>lauding the attributes of regular urethane that absorb little oil.

No just pointing out urethane doesn't ruin the shot.  I throw it for fun but my urethane is not what I score with.

>But if something happens to take away one strike a night so many will cry foul.

If they want to change the rules on balls going forward fine.  Still wouldn't be happy with it but whatever rules are the rules and move on.  But this bullshit that balls I bought in good faith that were perfectly legal at the time are now going to be illegal in a few years time just shows what a raging dumpster fire the USBC is.  What's next?  Are they going to change the rules again when dumbass Chad learns you actually do need conditioner on the lane after another joke USBC Open where he hands the winner a check smaller than my usual paycheck?  Are they going to say oh that IQ Tour made my Open a joke like me so its banned now?  Yeah because pissing off the few people left actually spending money on this dying sport is the way to save it.  The hell of it is I don't even really bowl that much competitively and bowling is much more a game to me than sport which is why I am confused as to why I am getting punished.  This just pretty much guarantees I won't bowl USBC leagues or tournaments going forward.  Fine by me.  Really shouldn't even care but watching the USBC "fix" bowling is what it must be like to be life long Cleveland Browns fan watching their front office.

I have a migraine processing all of this non sense. 

If Chad makes a rule that bans the Hyroad . . actually I kind of want to see him try because that would be hilarious.  Of course if the Black Widow/Gas Mask gets banned, might be a similar revolt. 

Inverted FE2 .046, Storms on our side haha.