Author Topic: The Reality of Bowling (Read 4287 times)

txbowler · « **on:** July 06, 2011, 05:34:37 AM »

I'm my opinion...

The reality of bowling is: Less than 1% of the total bowling population want tougher shots as their weekly house shot.

If there are 3,000,000 total sanctioned bowlers, that means 30,000 nationwide want tougher shots.

But in reality, I bet, 2,000,000 don't really care or notice what the shot is or can really take advantage of a THS anyway.

The other 970,000 want it as easy as possible and will probably quit if you make it harder. Why? Because they are young or started bowling in this era. They think and believe this is what bowling is.

Now, you are in charge of a business, or you are in charge of usbc. Who are you going to cater to? The 30,000 or the 970,000? Looks like a easy decision to me.

You cater to the 970,000 while providing programs and opportunities (tournaments, sport bowling) for the 30,000 who want it. You will never mandate it, because, if you do, the bulk of the 970,000 will quit. If the 30,000 number ever grows, then the program grows with it.

You can argue that ABC/USBC should have never allowed this to happen. Too late. Pandora's box is open. It will not ever be closed. It will be too costly to the bottom line of businesses for too many years to built it back.

This is bowling's reality in my opinion. Embrace it. Do what you can to improve it. But complaining about what they did wrong will not improve it now. I do not believe turning back the clock is the answer. No sport/game I know of has ever thought that was the answer. Bowling needs to look forward not back.

At least in my opinion.

9andaWiggle · « **Reply #1 on:** July 06, 2011, 01:41:22 PM »

So what are you suggesting? Adding another row of pins to make it more difficult? Heavier pins? Or just let it go as is, never make any adjustments to it, and allow ball, lane, pin, and establishment owners to gradually tweak everything to the point where eventually every bowler will be practically guaranteed at least one 300 every season? Where does it end, and who decides where that end should be?

9~ Internet Tough Guy and
Cyberspace Sheep Lover

Steven · « **Reply #2 on:** July 06, 2011, 02:05:42 PM »

9~ Do you average 240+ in your local league(s)? Don't remember the last time you missed a makable spare? If so, congratulations. You've mastered the game and any complaints you might have are valid.

In my case, I haven't reached the top of the mountain on the THS, so I'll keep plugging along. I'd say that 99.9% of those who complain about how 'easy' things are still have a lot to be desired in their respective games. Imagine how much better they could be if they focused on improvement instead of whining?

txbowler · « **Reply #3 on:** July 06, 2011, 02:19:29 PM »

Bowling is one of the few sports/games that I know of that wants to take away already allowed technology improvements. Swimming is the one exception that just came to mind. They have banned the rubber based suits that a few years ago allowed every world record to be shattered. Most every other sport adapts technology to make the sport easier. Softball came out with the Demarini bats in the 80's and 90's that allowed people to hit the ball much farther than ever before. Golf is constantantly redesigning golf balls within their rules to give them an extra 5 yards. Tennis rackets are constantly made from new materials to make it easier to play.

My point is, you could make it as easy as possible where a person can go to house X and with it STP'd to the pocket and you cannot miss and they might shoot 90-300's in a 108 game season. But so what? We all know, as soon as that same person sets foot onto the USBC open pattern, they will probably struggle to break 1800.

I've had discussion with people at work who found out I bowl. They ask what I average. I tell them around 210. One time someone said, wow you must not be any good. I usually shoot 450 and I only bowl once a year.

Scores are just scores. Unless you bowl that exact same league in that same house, you cannot compare bowler A vs Bowler B. And that is the true issue. BRAGGING RIGHTS. EGO!!!! You meet up with bowler X and they ask what do you average? How many 300's do you have etc. We do not all bowl on the same conditions. THS is not the same across town, never mind, across the state or across the country.

In most other sports, you can compare yourself against others. If you have a 10 HDCP in golf, you can compare yourself against other golfers. Because every course has a rating, and it is calculated. Bowling centers are not. Center x is not rated easier or harder than center y. For that matter, I have bowled at centers that have different shots for different leagues. An easier THS for couples leagues, a slightly tougher shot for the competitive league.

In my opinion, some of the people calling to go back to older standards is so they can compare themselves better and to compare the stars of yesteryear to today.

kidlost2000 · « **Reply #4 on:** July 06, 2011, 03:17:37 PM »

Bowling is not the only industry to try and cap the technology advances. Baseball(youth) has started making the aluminum bates heavier and with smaller sweet spots. When I finished playing ball in 2000 bats were still -5, 34" bat weighed 29 ozs, 33" weighed 28ox ect. That has been lessened. At the time manufactures were still trying to go the other way and had the technology to do so. I remember some -7 in smaller bats that could have been done for the larger ones as well.

Golf started with some limitations on there equipment as well. Similar to bowling to some degree in that it was maybe too little too late. Still they took some of the same steps, other wise some Golf clubs may have had Easton, or Lousiville on the logos.

I'm sure there are other sports as well. Bowling is great, and I really enjoy it. I do agree the equipment continues to go a little too far and makes the game cheapened to some extant, but that is what we are left with.

USBC deserves a lot of criticism for the condition of the game. As a governing body combined of other bodies to better the sport they have failed. Like any businesses/government they seem to be very wasteful and unsure of any true course of action. The rules they make are not enforced. Most centers are certified and shouldn't be because they do not reach the lax standards of USBC ,but because USBC is so desperate for money they would like certify a parking lot of it had enough bowlers.

I say criticize USBC as much as possible, and maybe they will listen to something. There is no going back. It is a desperate money driven association with an approval stamp for anyone that has the money.

Be good, or be good at it.

Effybowler · « **Reply #5 on:** July 06, 2011, 03:31:38 PM »

Your whole post is based on a FALSE number that you made up with no proof or evidence. So therefore I pretty much don't care what you have to say in that regard. Other sports are limiting technology/conditions to make the game a little tougher and reward skill and practice. College baseball imposed new bat regulations this year limiting the size of the sweet spot in the metal bats, and if I remember, they are trying to outlaw the high technology composite bats and get back to the aluminum alloys. What do golf courses do for a competitive tournament? Let the rough grow out a little, and make tough hole locations. What does that do? Rewards good shots and punishes bad ones. What do flatter oil patterns do in our sport? Reward good shots and punish bad ones. Don't try and tell me other sports want their games to be easy.

If you don't like sport conditions, don't bowl on them. Don't come on some internet forum citing FALSE numbers with no sources.

kidlost2000 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 06, 2011, 03:33:26 PM »

The numbers

900s

On July 1, 1982, Glenn Allison bowled the first 900 series in sanctioned league play. Wasn't sanctioned

Ones that were:

Jeremy Sonnenfeld (R), Lincoln, Neb., Feb. 2, 1997

Tony Roventini (L), Greenfield, Wis., Nov. 9, 1998

Vince Wood (R), Moreno Valley, Calif., Sept, 29, 1999

Robby Portalatin (L), Jackson, Mich., Dec. 28, 2000

James Hylton (R), Salem, Ore., May 2, 2001

Jeff Campbell II (R), New Castle, Pa., June 12, 2004

Darin Pomije (R), New Prague, Minn., Dec. 9, 2004

Robert Mushtare (R), Fort Drum, N.Y., Dec. 5, 2005 and Feb. 19, 2006

Lonnie Billiter Jr. (R), Fairfield, Ohio, Feb. 13, 2006

Mark Wukoman (R), Greenfield, Wis., April 22, 2006

P.J. Giesfeldt (R), Milwaukee, Wis., Dec. 23, 2006

Rich Jerome Jr. (R), Baltimore, Dec. 22, 2008

Chris Aker (L), Winnemucca, Nev., Oct. 30, 2009

Andrew Teall (R), Medford, N.J., Nov. 2, 2009

Andrew Mank (R), Bellevue, Ill., March 18, 2010

William Howell III (L), Middletown, N.Y., Oct. 21, 2010

Matt Latarski (R), Medina, Ohio, Nov. 28, 2010

Bob Kammer Jr (R). Crown Point, Ind., Jan. 8, 2011

Fewer bowlers more scores. Would post on 300s and 800s but USBC site is not working

Be good, or be good at it.

mainzer · « **Reply #7 on:** July 06, 2011, 03:34:10 PM »

" Because they are young or started bowling in this era. They think and believe this is what bowling is. "

For your info most of the guys my age or younger around here don't mind getting challenged with tougher shots. I here and see more older bowlers whining about having to move their feet two boards to the left than I hear younger guys. I hear older whining that the THS is to tough one week and the next week when they are knocking the snot out of them the THS is all of a sudden great. I see older bowlers refusing to learn or understand how the sport has changed in the last twenty years. Older bowlers are lazy, don't want to think don't want to adjust they want 750 handed to them on a platter every night in league so they can feel good about what they did. IMO that is the problem with the game.

It is not just younger bowlers that are the evil of the sport, I am 27 I grew up with reactive resin and I would much rather have the challenge than not have the challenge of tougher shots. My friends are all the same. If the challenge is their we will take it. So don't throw this the young dumb crowd look a little harder before you make the accusation.

Just staing my opinion.

"Complexity lay within the artistry of execution"

+++Henry Zou+++

Founding FatherBR Inquisition
MainzerPower

txbowler · « **Reply #8 on:** July 06, 2011, 04:07:19 PM »

Effybowler Tournaments put out tougher shots for the USBC open.

The baseball example for kids, I believe is for safety reasons. Injuries were occuring due to the speed of the baseball coming off the bat.

As for me making up numbers, I started my post with "in my opinion". Yes, I made educated guesses because I do not work for USBC. But I have been bowling in ABC/USBC for the past 30 years. I have averaged 190-227 during that time bowling in major metropolian cities that whole span. So I have experience talking with various bowlers of various skill levels. I also worked in a pro shop for 5 years and talked with bowlers of various abilities from pros to bowlers who thought the lanes were coated with wax.

It is my opinion only based on what I have read about sanctioning numbers nationwide recently that I rounded up for simple math. If that offended people, I'm sorry.

As for the age comments, if you are under the age of 30 and you want tough conditions, I commend you. You are a rare bowler. And probably are a dying breed. And yes, a lot of older bowlers want it easy. Why, so their egos can compete with youth who can score with power.

Again, just my opinion.

Edited by txbowler on 7/6/2011 at 4:08 PM

txbowler · « **Reply #9 on:** July 06, 2011, 04:13:23 PM »

Look at it another way:

If this game is so easy....

Out of all sanctioned bowlers, what ever that number is 1,000,000...2,000,000...
How many unique bowlers had a 300 game last year? Not how many 300 games were there. Bowler X shots 15 - 300 games only counts as 1 bowler.

You realize that even if that number is 50,000 of 1 million, that is only 5% of the bowlers. Doesn't seem that easy to me.

DON DRAPER · « **Reply #10 on:** July 06, 2011, 06:52:08 PM »

I started bowling relatively late in life( 35 years old ) and learned to bowl with urethane and then reactive resin. As a result I have no experience of bowling with rubber or plastic. I have bowled with plastic on todays lane conditions and it is MUCH harder than using a reactive ball so I do have some sense of how bowling "USED" to be. I'll be 51 in October and my average has improved from 155 to 236 in those years. Yes, the balls helped but my desire to practice and improve was the overwhelming factor in me getting better.

Pole vaulters used to use poles of bamboo, steel, and then fiberglass and the heights they have achieved have risen dramatically.

Golfers used to use irons with iron heads and woods with small wood heads, first with wood shafts, then various metals. The clubs today have larger heads and the woods aren't made of wood anymore. And the shafts are light years ahead. The golf ball itself is a far cry from what it was in 1900. Golf has certainly changed.

Tennis rackets used to be wood with gut strings. Then they went to steel and aluminum frames with nylon strings. Now the rackets are fiberglass or carbon fiber/kevlar ? Tennis has become a power game as a result.

Isn't it obvious that bowling and the bowling balls themselves would change over time like other sports have ?

Edited by LBHS1979 on 7/7/2011 at 3:47 AM

nospareball · « **Reply #11 on:** July 06, 2011, 08:32:47 PM »

I tend to agree with txbowler, bowling isn't losing member because of scoring pace, or easy THS shots, or supped up balls. I've personally never seen anyone or heard of anyone who left the game because it was too easy. Most of the time it's because it's too expensive to be in a weekly league, or the season is too long, or they just don't have 1 night a week to spare, or would rather spend that night doing something else. So you end up losing a few guys, or a few teams a season. And the next crop of guys just isn't there to replace them.

Why? Because bowling is a recreational activity now. Kids have plenty of other things to do, and plenty of other sports to play. The next generation isn't there to replace the ones that are leaving.

-Clint

r534me · « **Reply #12 on:** July 07, 2011, 12:04:27 AM »

Junior programs are needed to bring up the next group of bowlers. They have the kids bowl free program but I don't know how well that works if their intention is to draw in bowlers.

9andaWiggle · « **Reply #13 on:** July 07, 2011, 08:13:43 AM »

I think the difference is that in bowling, the best you can do score-wise is capped - and it's been achieved 18 or so times. Golf is capped to, but I've not heard of anyone shooting 18 yet for a round. Golf has lengthened courses as a result of the club/ball advancements to keep a par 4 a par 4. Tennis is not a good comparison, IMO, since you are directly affecting your opponent with every shot as opposed to two opponents trying to outperform each other individually on the same course. So, in RE to the golf comparison, bowling has made the balls more powerful and the lane conditions easier and more consistent, did they lengthen the lane, change the pins, etc... (similar to golf lengthening courses) to counter these advancements? No.

LBHS1979 wrote on 7/6/2011 6:52 PM:
I started bowling relatively late in life( 35 years old ) and learned to bowl with urethane and then reactive resin. As a result I have no experience of bowling with rubber or plastic. I have bowled with plastic on todays lane conditions and it is MUCH harder than using a reactive ball so I do have some sense of how bowling "USED" to be. I'll be 51 in October and my average has improved from 155 to 236 in those years. Yes, the balls helped but my desire to practice and improve was the overwhelming factor in me getting better.

Pole vaulters used to use poles of bamboo, steel, and then fiberglass and the heights they have achieved have risen dramatically.

Golfers used to use irons with iron heads and woods with small wood heads, first with wood shafts, then various metals. The clubs today have larger heads and the woods aren't made of wood anymore. And the shafts are light years ahead. The golf ball itself is a far cry from what it was in 1900. Golf has certainly changed.

Tennis rackets used to be wood with gut strings. Then they went to steel and aluminum frames with nylon strings. Now the rackets are fiberglass or carbon fiber/kevlar ? Tennis has become a power game as a result.

Isn't it obvious that bowling and the bowling balls themselves would change over time like other sports have ?

Edited by LBHS1979 on 7/7/2011 at 3:47 AM

9~ Internet Tough Guy and
Cyberspace Sheep Lover

kidlost2000 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 07, 2011, 08:30:53 AM »

Bowling has more difficult lane conditions, but most people rarely see them. Just like golf has different tee boxes to choose from. In bowling everyone wants to play from the womens tees to keep the scores inflated.

Be good, or be good at it.

Author Topic: The Reality of Bowling (Read 4287 times)

txbowler

The Reality of Bowling

9andaWiggle

Re: The Reality of Bowling

Steven

Re: The Reality of Bowling

txbowler

Re: The Reality of Bowling

kidlost2000

Re: The Reality of Bowling

Effybowler

Re: The Reality of Bowling

kidlost2000

Re: The Reality of Bowling

mainzer

Re: The Reality of Bowling

txbowler

Re: The Reality of Bowling

txbowler

Re: The Reality of Bowling

DON DRAPER

Re: The Reality of Bowling

nospareball

Re: The Reality of Bowling

r534me

Re: The Reality of Bowling

9andaWiggle

Re: The Reality of Bowling

kidlost2000

Re: The Reality of Bowling