There will be no more awards this season for 299 of any kind and 11 in a row is going away.  I don't know when exactly it changed, but in the 2012-2013 season I had a couple of 299 games.  It made it to bowl.com achievement section under Find a Member as 11 in a row which is no big deal because they can still see what each score of my series is on the achievement section, and I was still able to purchase a 299 ring on keepsakebowling.com.  However, now when you go to keepsakebowling.com, you see 299 rings are now gone because there is no way for them to verify you actually had a 299 game.

To read more about it, go here: http://www.bowl.com/Awards/Awards_Home/2014-2015_High_Score_Awards_FAQ/

For these reasons, several leagues in my local center are considering not sanctioning this year. The only real purpose for sanctioning now is to get an established average for tournaments it seems. It's quite unfortunate. I can understand getting rid of the patches and key chains etc. to adult leagues since most adults don't want them anyway but the 300/800 rings/awards should be worth a ring every time you get one (if you want it), not just once in you life. It's getting increasingly difficult to justify that $20/year sanction fee...

I really have nothing to confirm this but I have assumed that league secretaries
will still submit honor scores and they will be listed on bowl.com.

It is just that if you have already received an honor score ring they will not give you
another one.  You can purchase the ring if you want.

Awards are now being handled by local associations from what I understand. The once in lifetime award is something I have no problem with, that just my opinion. The USBC is still there to set rules and regulations regarding equipment, lanes and tournaments. Without the rules and regulations there would be chaos......Much like golf, hunting, fishing or any other sport, there has to be a governing body, like it or not. I have no problem paying 30 bucks for such sanctioning. Im not much of a tournament bowler, mostly just a league bowler so i really dont have a reason to have a sanction card other than having to follow the rules and regulations.....

also, has anyone else seen that some golf courses in the states are creating 15" holes on the greens?!?!?!!

USBC missed it again. whats new about that anyways? Nothing, they never seem to get anything right. I was told BY a PBA Member that is very close frinds with USBC president Andrew Cain that a lot of the PBA members got together to make this new rule change for gripping holes so they could put a stop on Belmos winning a ton of tournaments, so when USBC made the new rule they said the rule would take affect Aug 1st which was just over a 3 month time line they gave people time to fix there equipment. then they make this new once in a life time ring rule mid stream of a season so if you already had a 300 or 800 series earlier in the winter season you will no longer have a chance to get 1 now in 2015.  what kind of BS is that changing something that once again benifits only the USBC.. Like i said before.. there realling good at messing things up.  gotta love the USBC

If you do choose to purchase one or upgrade, the prices from Keepsake are pretty decent. Last season I upgraded both my 300 & 800 awards and I paid $195 total and both rings look exceptional!

The once in a lifetime award thing sucks. Maybe for a ring it would be OK but they should still give the plaques. For whatever reason I kept getting rings which I never wear anymore but the plaques are cool and can be hung up in your man cave.

Instead of eliminating honor score awards, I really wish they would crack down on the reason honor scores are so common.  There was a time when having a single 300/800 made you a local hero, now it makes you just another guy.  Instead of just not issue awards, how about you regulate the lane conditions or equipment a bit more (or at all).  And before you say it, I know, I know, making the game too challenging will drive away all those people who are in love with their big averages.  Sorry.