Author Topic: The Reality of Bowling (Read 4425 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.

txbowler · « **Reply #16 on:** July 07, 2011, 08:43:50 AM »

I would disagree. Golf courses have difference tee boxes. You have a choice of what level you play at. All courses do not force you to play from the pros tips. Different courses offer harder and easier conditions. Just like bowling alleys. I heard a story from a buddy of mine that I used to golf with. He was playing in a charity scramble. His friend was a big wig at some local law firm that did some work for Fred Couples. Well, low and behold, they get ready to tee off for this scramble, and up walks Fred Couples carrying clubs. Needless to say, they won the scramble and blew away the field destroying every scramble record for the event. My buddy said every putt they had to make was within 5 foot because Fred drove the green on every par 4 on the course since they were playing from the white tees on a municipal course. It was all for charity so no one cared the Fred played with a bunch of weekend hacks.

When pros play certain courses for a PGA tournament, par is lowered on certain holes from a par 5 to a par 4 because they are that good. Lane conditions can be toughened when needed to test the bowler. Just like golf courses (US open conditions) faster greens, harder pin placements. But, when your weekly golfer plays his local muni course, he doesn't expect US Open conditions. He expects generations pin placements, low to no rough, and probably plays the white tees. Maybe once a year, he'll chose to challenge himself at Pebble Beech, but very, very few want to face that challenge every single week. But it is available if you do.

9andaWiggle wrote on 7/7/2011 8:13 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

mainzer · « **Reply #17 on:** July 07, 2011, 08:50:06 AM »

@txbowler

If older bowlers wanna save their ego and compete with younger bowlers who have power then they should work on their game not sit on their butts whine about the shot being to tough. Adjustments, accuracy and consistency will beat raw power more often than not.

I am not arguing with you to be a prick I am just debating with you opinion vs opinion

"Complexity lay within the artistry of execution"

+++Henry Zou+++

Founding FatherBR Inquisition
MainzerPower

Contude · « **Reply #18 on:** July 07, 2011, 08:58:43 AM »

I agree 100% with Mainzer. The game may have changed due to technology over the years but the premise still stays the same. That premise is being a consistent accurate shot maker who must learn to make adjustments with speed, hand positions and equipment. Until this is mastered, the sport will always continue to be tough and challenging regardless of cores, cover stocks and lane maintenance.

Sunshine n Lollipops · « **Reply #19 on:** July 07, 2011, 09:21:45 AM »

This subject comes up over and over and over. Mainzer is correct. The dirty little secret about this whole topic is that it's the older generation of bowling writer telling us how much easier the game is today. You don't hear people of my generation (early fifties) or younger bitching about how easy the game is. It's always some clown bowling writer telling us how hard it was to bowl in the 50's and 60's. Why? Tame bowling balls that had five boards of hook are a hell of a lot easier to control than today's bowling balls. Line up and toss it down the track and watch it move into the pocket with regularity. See the thread started my Mighty Fish about higher scores.......he bases his whole premise on the fact that seniors aren't bowling as much. Hell, they are quitting because to them the game is harder. Short oil, reactive balls and 9 mph balls speed do not a fun time make.

Why is it you can go into any league and see maybe three or four names with avgs over 225? Why is it as Steven pointed out that nobody is averaging 240 and people still miss single pin spares on pie lane conditions and with plastic balls that go dead straight at pins.

When are you people going to get off of this? Most people couldn't tell you the difference between a top hat pattern and a reverse christmas tree. Those that can, adjust and bowl. Those that can't shoe up, grab their cute mickey mouse/Budweiser vis-a-ball, and throw straight balls 30 mph all game long. Who cares? Those of us with the skills and desire to adapt and get better can always find tougher shot leagues, tougher house leagues, or tournaments that cater to our needs. I have a sixth man on my team who will not bowl anymore in our league (all Kegel challenge patterns, nothing else). We laugh at him and call him a house bowler. It is everybody's choice where they bowl and what they bowl on. For crying out loud, give it a rest!

Don't believe in the Uzi, it just went off in my hand. I, I believe in love.

Spider Man · « **Reply #20 on:** July 07, 2011, 10:47:23 AM »

"Short oil, reactive balls and 9 mph balls speed do not a fun time make."

Sad but true. It's painful to watch an old timer try to stand right and throw down and in. But it's worse to sit there and hear him bitch b/c guys are tearing it up - though in his day he did too. Time's a bitch, as they say.

Linger Longer™

Edited by Spider Man on 7/7/2011 at 10:48 AM

txbowler · « **Reply #21 on:** July 07, 2011, 10:52:40 AM »

Mainzer: I actually agree with you.

stc067 · « **Reply #22 on:** July 07, 2011, 07:34:36 PM »

I started bowling in the mid 80's on short oil using urethane equipment, and to be honest, I don't know that it's that much easier to hit the pocket now than it was then. The biggest difference that I see is the carry percentage now is much higher with reactive equipment.

Sometimes you're the dog, and sometimes you're the hydrant.

Author Topic: The Reality of Bowling (Read 4425 times)

txbowler

The Reality of Bowling

txbowler

Re: The Reality of Bowling

mainzer

Re: The Reality of Bowling

Contude

Re: The Reality of Bowling

Sunshine n Lollipops

Re: The Reality of Bowling

Spider Man

Re: The Reality of Bowling

txbowler

Re: The Reality of Bowling

stc067

Re: The Reality of Bowling