I bowled my first adult league in the fall of 1966.  I used hard rubber balls till 1975, polyester till 1981, and resin since 1992.   Highest average ever with rubber balls, 199.  Highest average with polyester, 218.  Highest average with urethane 229.  Highest average with resin.  In my opinion lane conditions had very little to do with those average increases.

Here may be more telling statistic.  In 15 years using rubber and plastic   2 300s, both with plastic.  In 11 years with urethane 4 300s.  In 25 years with resin, 38 300s.

Not only is it clear that resin balls had a monumental impact on award scores, it is just as interesting that they had a much smaller impact on averages.  I know I am only one person, but my experience is similar to that of most other top scratch bowlers during an era that transcends ball evolution

Lane conditions can be used to control scoring with plastic and urethane.  Not so much with resin. Sport patterns have been around for 20 years now, and good scratch bowlers are shooting decent scores on them with resin.. 

Uh, you're 45, in the early 80's you were 10.  You quit 25 years ago and returned 4 years ago, but you bowled during the beginning of the resin era.  Looks like you need a math lesson.

Well in the interest of brevity I was incorrect should have said I started bowling in the early 80's. I can see where that could cause some confusion

By the beginning of the resin area I meant when I first started seeing them in proshops was in the late 80's early 90's mainly the Hammer Red Hammer resin ball as it was the first one I seen sell in appreciable numbers there may have been some Xcalibur and others before that but I don't remember seeing them much.

If were exate dating stuff I guess I was out 22 years as I quit in 1996 and returned in 2012 which also means I've been back for closer to 5-6 years now

Sorry if my inprecise dates were confusing you

You are absolutely correct that you can cut oil down enough to negate the power of resin balls.  However given normal volumes necessary to protect the lane surface from high friction resin, the edge to edge pattern can be over powered quickly with resin.  Not so much with plastic or urethane.  Example.  I recently bowled for the championship in a local tourney against a PBA tour player with national championships.  Qualifying was tough.  I made match play with 10 over for 5 games.  By the championship match, my opponent and I both had a great shot to the pocket.  Unfortunately for me my carry was not do good as I had to move deeper with my slow ball speed.  He shot 258, 279 at me in a 2 game match.  With anything other than resin the pattern would not have opened up as quickly, and carry potential would not have been close.

Carry potential with resin astronomically better with resin, but it is also more volatile if your speed and rev rate don't match up.  More speed had become necessary because of the extreme friction created by dry off the end of the oil.  Stripping the back ends isn't the issue.  Shot my last 300 playing fall back at 17 board on  47 foot pattern.  For you young guys fall back is what we call keeping the break point inside of 10-12 board when playing  inside of 3rd arrow.

The first time I realized the impact of resin was bowling the last night of a singles league 25 years ago.  I had just gotten an excaliber.  During the step ladder the carrydown was killing everyone with their blue hammers  Nobody cracked 170.  Carrydown was killing me too on the warmup pair.  Then I got out the excaliber and coasted in my match as the resin ball cut through the carry down.

Quote from: bowler851 on March 19, 2018, 05:18:21 PM

Before resin 300 was an accomplishment, and 200 average was something, now anyone can shoot 300 and average 200

I'm so tired of hearing this. As such a horrible generalization of bowling and does nothing to help the sport. I know people who put their heart and soul into bowling and do not average 200 and do not have  a 300 game.

Is it easier to average 200? Yes. Is it easier to bowl a 300 game? Yes. But NO, everyone is not doing it.

I hear ya.  I'm an 80's kid and loved that era but I have no problem saying just about everything has improved since then.  Cars are faster, equipment for all sports is better (golf, baseball, football, tennis, etc..) computers, appliances, damn near everything.  But bowling is ruined.....whatever.

But the one thing I do miss is hot chicks with big hair.

Quote from: bowler851 on March 19, 2018, 05:18:21 PM

Before resin 300 was an accomplishment, and 200 average was something, now anyone can shoot 300 and average 200

I'm so tired of hearing this. As such a horrible generalization of bowling and does nothing to help the sport. I know people who put their heart and soul into bowling and do not average 200 and do not have  a 300 game.

Is it easier to average 200? Yes. Is it easier to bowl a 300 game? Yes. But NO, everyone is not doing it.

Don't let him pull your chain.  Throwing monkey poop is what he does.

And lanes used to be conditioned with a bug sprayer and a mop and now are conditioned with a machine that costs as much as a well equipped Honda Accord.  Scores would be higher in every era if the ability to oil lanes with the consistency that is available today was available then. 

And lanes used to be conditioned with a bug sprayer and a mop and now are conditioned with a machine that costs as much as a well equipped Honda Accord.  Scores would be higher in every era if the ability to oil lanes with the consistency that is available today was available then. 

Agree about lane conditions.  I have seen guys come back to bowling from quitting back in the 90's.  They pull out their old 90's equipment and average 220 - 230 on a house shot.  They were averaging at most 210 back in the 90's.