I know many people who know the actual game of bowling. Im talking about knowing the deep down stuff in the game, as in the actual game. From what makes a particle ball different from a normal resin ball, from being able to read a lane pattern diagram, to knowing what each mark on a ball means. And also how drilling a ball one way affects how the ball will roll. Is knowing all this really neccesary? I think a pro shop operator should know all this of course, but should just a bowler need all this information? I think the game is simple to where you dont, and all you need to know is to understand your own game, and how to adjust from there. Maybe my game is just that simple to where I do not think I need to understand all this. But is knowing the actual game part a must need?

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B-Car

In today's game it's an asset to know the basics. Decisions are made easier for the next ball, and the proshop guy isn't always right. More than a few times I have seen proshop guys make bad decisions on drillings based on what the person told them and not knowing enough about the buyer's game. You will sometimes be able to tell why a ball drilling works for one type of player and not for the next bowler with the same ball.

It sort of like going to a car dealer, based on info you tell him he will present to you a certain line of cars or trucks. However if you go in knowing what you want, then you can compare companies that fit the same nitch.

I feel that the more that I know, the more I can make reliable decisions quickly. My tournament performance has improved based on reading the lanes and knowing how to match my game and equipment to the conditions on offer.

I've seen other people who could care less about any of this still average 200-220 for a season, I guess it just depends upon the person.

Matt

Very interesting question.  I say no.

People bowl for fun.  You have fun when you enjoy bowling.  Each person is of a different makeup.  

Some people have fun no matter what happens.  They don't care if their scores are high or low, or whether their team wins or loses.  They obviously don't need to know any more than which direction the ball should roll.  

Some people care a little about whether or not they win or lose.   If you give them a little insite into how to play the current conditions, or if they can do something easy to their physical game to improve, they are happy because that's all they need to know to bowl better.  

Then there are some people who enjoy bowling more when they improve.  To improve from where they are now, they need the reasons for why they should move, why they should change balls, why they need to know things that are nescessary for a ball driller to extract the best from a certain ball.  Again, the improvement lets them have more fun, because they don't have fun just being the same old bowler.

In the end, you only need to get into bowling as far a nescessary to have fun.  So as I said before, only some people need to know all the deep down stuff.

Yes, it can be that simple!  Take it from me, bowling was a lot more "pure fun" when I wasn't so tied up in trying to figure out the game.

 Leave the complicated stuff for later, right now just get a decent ball, drill it to fit you, learn to make spares, and have fun.  If you get too wound up in the technical stuff too quick, it will take away from the fun of bowling that you were having in the first place and that was the goal, wasn't it?  To have fun?

  Leave the christmas list of technical stuff to the ball designers, it's not necessary for you to enjoy a game that is supposed to be simple at it's roots.
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Just call me Darreyl, it's much easier to say!