If you don't think bowlers are better, look at what is happening to scores on sports patterns.  They are going up a bunch too.  Second year in a row a team record is set at Nationals.

Dear avabob:

True, but with regard to the Nationals, it's only a small fraction of bowlers -- the elite and talented true shotmakers -- who exploit the conditions, but when the entire field in the Regular Division can average only about 173 year after year, most of the modern-day high rollers (with their 200+ and 220+ averages) fall far short of their league "norms."

Dear avabob:

I'm sure things (scoring-wise) were varied in different parts of the country. When I moved to Florida in 1966, there had never been an 800 series in the history of the state, and the very highest statewide average on the first season I bowled in Florida was 214 by Jacksonville's Glenn Pierce. And I'd have to check for the exact number of 200+ averagers in the entire state, but that number was certainly no higher than 20.

And while the average bowling score hasn't increased a lot as well some of that maybe do to the graying of the average bowler. I have to believe the average age of league bowler here has to be in the mid 50's.

... and certainly, in my area of Florida, where there are a lot of senior bowlers, a similar age dynamic likely holds true.

One of the biggest differences is the amount of control one has over a shot. In golf for instances, (not accounting for wind obviously), if I make a great swing and send the ball down the middle of the fairway, it should end up relatively close to the center of fairway. Even with wind, you can judge how far left(right) you need to aim to have the ball end up in the middle. However, in bowling, the less advanced players do not see transition and do not know how to move. They will make a perfect shot off their hand, (same as last shot that might have struck) and have this one hit a dry patch, hook through the face and left the greek church. That would be the equivalent of hitting a perfect 8 iron right at the pin, and all of a sudden a bunker pops up in the middle of the green and your ball plugs in it.

In my opinion, there needs to be more restrictions on lane conditioner, lane machines, oil patterns, bowling balls, ect. There was not as much guessing back in the day. Scores were not as high, but I venture to say that more people enjoyed bowling more because a 150 guy had a shot at competing with a 180. I would say that back with urathane balls and less dense oil patterns, there was a much greater difference between a 150 avg bowler and a 190 avg bowler whereas today, on today's house shots, there is not that great of a difference between a 190 avg and a 220 avg. Granted, the 220 is much more consistent, but half the time, the diff is the 190 cant make a spare to save his(her) life.

I believe bowling needs to dial things back a bit, focus more on the youth and the actual "sport" of bowling, rather than teaching everyone that in order to be great, you need 600 rpms and high speed.

As many have said relating to this issue, the horse is already out of the barn and jumped the fence!

You make valid points but going back is not going to grow the sport.  It would cause more people to leave in my opinion as they are used to the easier conditions and hook it like Tommy Jones balls they have now.  Force everyone back to urethane and a lot of bowlers I feel would quit because now instead of averaging 200 with no practice, they would average 180-190 again and that would be no fun.

I do not think bowling will ever return to the heights it achieved decades before. 

Kids have too many other things to be interested in that didn't exist in the 80s & 90s.  Atari & Intellivision were just getting started.  Now X-box and playstation rule the world.

The blue collar leagues that the big cities and lanes always had have gone away.

Also cost is a factor.  Back in the 80's and 90's my parents could unload me at the local lanes with a $20, and between bowling, arcade games and food, I'd be busy for 4-6 hours easy.

Today that same thing would take $50-100. 

And we know that the weekend lane conditions are just great for a junior bowler to work and improve their game.  (Just ignore the black lights and loud music in the background)

For my point of view, bowling was also the sport that didn't require you to be a perfect athlete.  The super thin kids and the over-weight kids seemed to be the ones who bowled.  Athletic kids played baseball and football on the weekends.

It gave them the chance to compete against anyone.  You didn't have to be blessed with god given size to be a bowler.

Those same kids today find other ways to be competitive with others.  Through video games, and other online activities, they can stay home and have fun.

It is a long hard battle ahead in my opinion.

One of the biggest differences is the amount of control one has over a shot. In golf for instances, (not accounting for wind obviously), if I make a great swing and send the ball down the middle of the fairway, it should end up relatively close to the center of fairway. Even with wind, you can judge how far left(right) you need to aim to have the ball end up in the middle. However, in bowling, the less advanced players do not see transition and do not know how to move. They will make a perfect shot off their hand, (same as last shot that might have struck) and have this one hit a dry patch, hook through the face and left the greek church. That would be the equivalent of hitting a perfect 8 iron right at the pin, and all of a sudden a bunker pops up in the middle of the green and your ball plugs in it.

In my opinion, there needs to be more restrictions on lane conditioner, lane machines, oil patterns, bowling balls, ect. There was not as much guessing back in the day. Scores were not as high, but I venture to say that more people enjoyed bowling more because a 150 guy had a shot at competing with a 180. I would say that back with urathane balls and less dense oil patterns, there was a much greater difference between a 150 avg bowler and a 190 avg bowler whereas today, on today's house shots, there is not that great of a difference between a 190 avg and a 220 avg. Granted, the 220 is much more consistent, but half the time, the diff is the 190 cant make a spare to save his(her) life.

I believe bowling needs to dial things back a bit, focus more on the youth and the actual "sport" of bowling, rather than teaching everyone that in order to be great, you need 600 rpms and high speed.