the constant change of scenery and the travel make the tour much more difficult.

if you took the same pba tour and played in one house for 4 months, they'd average 10 pins higher or more.

once you've been competing for awhile, nerves play less of a part.  sure you're nervous, but you have learned how to channel that feeling into positive energy, or at least learned to not let it effect your shot too much.

was pete nervous this past weekend? . . . sure.  did it effect his bowling? . . . probably very little.

just my opinion.
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That which does not kill me makes me stronger . . .

CC Bowler,

Like Mike Cimba says, it is very many things that you mentioned.

Competition:  The regular tour players are the BEST bowlers in the world, period.  They don't miss spares, hardly ever!!

Lane condition: Yes the lanes are tougher than any league condition and most sport conditions.  But, experience has alot to do with it.  When those guys bowl on pattern B, they mostly ALL play the lanes the same way.  When they bowl in pattern E, the play the lanes the same way, different than B, but the same as each other.  Each pattern has it's own personality and a correct way to play it.  They kinda work together to break the lane down and increase the scoring pace.  IMO, that is one reason the leftys have been struggling some, there aren't enough of them to do what the rightys do.

The lanes don't transition the same way in regionals as the tour.  You have too many "lesser" bowlers in regionals, that don't play the lanes correctly, so they are gonna break down in a different fashion.

Nerves: that has something to do with it for guys like me, I have been a PBA Member since 1987, so I have seen alot, but I haven't bowled but about 10 tour stops, so I have trouble getting comfortable.  Then I show up in Dallas last year and my first cross is with Tom Baker, Ryan Shafer, and Rudy Revs.  I have met each one individually, and they are all nice guys.  But, they are all from New York, are all trying to bowl for a living, and have that "we play the lanes a certain way out here" thing going.  They didn't say much to me while bowling, by PBA rules they aren't supposed to either, but it happens.  I'm the toe trying to steal some of their pie, they aren't going to help me do it.  I didn't play the lanes correctly, shot 50 under.

I'm not gonna elaborate on the travel thing, it is just plain harder.

I'm bowling the Dallas Tour stop next week, as it will likely be the last time I get a chance to due to the exempt tour next year.

Hope this helped ya....

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Mike Austin
Mike Austin's Precision Pro Shop
Houston, TX
strikes4days@sbcglobal.net
Storm Pro Shop Staff Member
Vise Grips Staff Member


Onward through the Storm!!!!

Check out my web site - www.BirdDogBowling.com

I agree with what everyone has said for the most part. But talking to some regional players that bowl some national stops they say two things kill them. First are the fresh patterns, trust me when I say you have not seen backends like this ever, in league or the local association tourney etc. Secondly is the transition most regional players are very good on the house pattern partly because their speed and rev-rate allow them to play certain areas of the foreign to the average league player. But when you so many high rev players on one pair across the house the lanes breakdown fast and very ugly. Truly early hook in the heads and very and I mean very tight backends. It is vital that you have all the tools if you decide to venture out to the national or even the regional tour. Or else you will paying for very expensive practice.