I find this to be the best description of bowling, that I've ever read:

"Bowling is one of the most difficult sports in the world to master. Your primary objective is to knock down ten pins; unfortunately, the path your ball must travel is comprised of many hazards most of which are not readily detectable. Your adversaries are not impressed by your size, strength, or intelligence. They never ask any quarter, and, most certainly, never give any. Moreover, they will accept your dedication to perfection by intermittently rewarding you with the ulitimate in imperfection. Your great shots will not always strike; and your bad shots will normally result in nothing short of disaster. Bowling is hard to live with; yet, for most of us, it is impossible to live without. Consequently, the love affair with this terribly demanding and increasingly frustrating game may last forever!"

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Duke Harding

Take Duke''s Surveys

"Bowling is one of the easiest games in the world to master. Your primary objective is to gripe and complain until the laneman puts out an easier shot.  Fortunately, USBC has no teeth with which to enforce any kind of lane pattern or equipment requirements, so the path your hookmonster ball must travel can be walled up without limit. Your adversaries are resentful of your superior skill. They never ask for less than 90% of 250 handicap, and, most certainly, are never going to admit they're sandbaggers despite shooting 400+ pins over average at every tournament they go to. Moreover, they will resent your dedication to perfection by intermittently rewarding you with sneers about how anyone can shoot 300 today. Your great sets will always be beaten by some fluffer with 90 pins handicap who catches fire and carries every off hit he makes and your bad sets will normally result in nothing short of losing every point for the night. Bowlers are hard to live with yet, for most of us, they are impossible to live without. Consequently, the love affair with these terribly conniving, whining, increasingly frustrating creatures may last forever!"




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9~

Handicap... The Bowler's Heroin.