I don't how old most of you guys are but I've been bowling leagues since the early 70s. I don't believe in nearly 40 years of bowling the game was ever meant to be tough. Challenging maybe, tough no. In the 70s we used rubber or plastic balls on lacquer and then urethane lane surfaces. There were times the lanes were very easy in those days and then urethane (harder) finishes came along and made the game much straighter. Ball companies then after seeing (pros soaking their bowling balls in solvents to get some friction on the lanes), started to make softer balls such as the Shor D. This started to increase the scores because of more hook. The equipment then morphed to urethane and the ABC in their stupidity went to short oiled lanes. This sent bowling out of whack in a big way.
Enter resin, particle, dynamic cores, etc. and the game agained changed. This very high friction equipment created the need for more oil and led eventually to walled shots. The predicament bowling is in was not created by proprietors putting out easy shots. It started with pro soaking balls in solvents in order to create higher scores. It followed with ball companies making softer ewuipment in order to create higher scores. It led to more oil on the lanes to keep the balls from hooking off the lanes which in turn made ball companies create wild weight blocks in which smart ball drillers set up balls to over power the lanes no matter what condition was laid out. Then bowlers started leaving the game in droves for reasons that were not bowling related and everybody got on their soap boxes giving varying reasons why this was happening. The proprietors then trying to save their business started making it easier to score and in many cases too easy. Scores went nuts and some bowlers carried averages higher than their ability should allow. This hacked off guys who had put in time honing their games for higher levels of competition. They never quit chirping and want the game toughened up to bring these high scoring clowns back to earth. This, if it happens, will cause a further loss of bowlers. WHAT A VICIOUS CIRCLE.
The walled shot did not cause any of the problems bowling is in. The bowlers who put in their time becoming expert bowlers still win the lion's share of of all tournament money but they still aren't happy. They want those damn THS bowler's averages down where they belong. This would give the THS bowlers higher handicaps and a better chance to win more tournament money which would really pizz off the expert bowlers and make them wish for a new change that would eliminate those hack bowlers entirely. Oh what a tangled web we weave!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
