After thinking about it for a while, I've decided that I'm not going to the PBA stop in Medford, OR, after all. Here's why...

I can't afford to take a day off work to get down there to watch Friday's competition.

If I get there on Saturday, I'll only be able to bowl the pro am.
The pro am is no tap handicap - I don't stand a chance of even getting a check...

Medford is 4 hours away, and would include 2 nights in a hotel, and fuel costs down and back, plus the entry fee.

I wanted to go for the reasons of watching the different bowlers tackle the pattern (whatever it's gonna be), and watching them adjust, etc, etc. I didn't want to go to just bowl the pro am.

And - 2 weeks until Christmas - $$ is a little tight this year.

Oh, well... Sigh. Maybe next year.

CJ - if you're passing through Portland, let me know - we'll have to get together!!!

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Bowlers are like puppies. The only difference is that someday the puppy will quit whining.
-- Found at Sam's Town Pro Shop

Mumzie – No one gets a check, or a trophy, or any thing in the Pro-Am’s. I believe it is one of the reasons why the Pro-Am entries are down so much this year. That is one of the reasons the PTQ is a pretty good deal. You can cash plus since you were an entrant in the tournament you get entry to all squads bowled except the TV show.

Sorry you can’t go I know you would have liked watching.

With the PBA taking over the Pro-Am’s entries have been pretty low. I heard a rumor (from a good source) this weekend that there is going to be changes to the Pro-Am format after the first of the year to try and boost entries. But no details were given.  

In watching the matches on Friday I was surprised in that I didn’t see any one trying to burn a shot into the lanes during practice. Most simply went out with a few balls and tried to find a good reaction and practiced a few spares. I was also surprised in how few used plastic to shoot spares particularly left side spares for the right handed bowlers.

And they had to make many adjustments during the matches. I don’t know if it is the volume of oil they put out or the type of oil or their styles or the balls or some combination of all the above, but the heads break down quickly and the oil carries down. They end up getting an early reaction with tame back ends. They are constantly tinkering with balls, releases, and lines to get the reaction they need to score.

As far as prices your comparing apples and oranges. To get seats at the ball park that let you get within 20 feet of the players would be alot more than 2 dollars.