USBC leadership has decided to postpone testing the concept of using Professional Lane Inspectors (PLI) to handle lane inspections in four states during the 2014-2015 season. USBC local associations in Wisconsin, Idaho, Wyoming and Montana will be asked to proceed with the current inspection process until further notice.

USBC received a great deal of feedback from proprietors and associations about the PLI concept. There is near unanimous industry support for a better and more consistent lane inspection process, but USBC has determined it needs to conduct additional research to be certain the program design does not unintentionally harm any of its stakeholders.

The bowling industry has started great dialogue on this topic and USBC now will look to perform additional due diligence regarding cost structure and execution of the program. USBC also wants more data to better understand the potential financial impact for proprietors.

USBC remains committed to the development of a new lane inspection process and will continue research and discovery. Anyone with questions should contact the Equipment Specifications and Lane Certifications team at 817-385-8407 or specs@bowl.com

From Bowl.com


The Section-

USBC received a great deal of feedback from proprietors and associations about the PLI concept. There is near unanimous industry support for a better and more consistent lane inspection process, but USBC has determined it needs to conduct additional research to be certain the program design does not unintentionally harm any of its stakeholders

That almost nicely says to me that they don't want to shine the light on just how "non-typical" some house shots are, and that some places don't even put out enough oil for plastic?

Please, would someone explain the purpose of this, as opposed to what is done now, by the local association's lane man?

Our local guy is quite frustrated by what he has to do, mostly because after he tells the center oil man or the manager that what is being put down does not agree with the pattern that they say they are putting down. So he watches the center change the machine to meet the supposed specs.

Then 3 seconds after he leaves the building, they change the machine back to the 3 units, the local bowlers love and require, from boards 1 - 10, to make their balls hook, and the 60 units from 10 to 20 to make sure when they pull the ball 10 boards inside their target, they still hit the pocket.

I don't see where the PLI will change that scenario. Could someone explain that to me?

USBC should NOT regulate oil patterns.  It is a waste of time.  If a house wants to put 3 drops of oil on the lane or 60 feet of oil, who cares.  With todays equipment, having 3 units of oil on every board means nothing.  What, are scores going to go up more if we don't have oil on every board?

In addition, we have a house that regularly has lanes out of compliance (not the oil pattern).  Lanes not level, things like that.  They get wrote up and that's it.  The proprietor does not want to spend the money to fix them.  There are no penalties, so why bother.  We had one house with wood lanes that had lanes missing arrows. Some lanes had to be closed when it rained due to all the leaks in the roof.  USBC certified them lanes every year.

USBC has no leverage on the proprietors to make them do anything.

USBC has no leverage on the proprietors to make them do anything.

+1

That about says it all.

I have seen alot of talk about the 3 units of oil.Heck 3 units of oil was urethane days.With these balls now it should be triple that.As far as lane inspectors that is a joke.Our centers have a program to run when they know they are coming.They leave its right back to 10 torched boards.I been bowling 40 years and this is the worst its ever been.Afraid to see whats down the road for bowling.Ball manufacturers and Proprietors will be the new USBC.They practically are running the show now.New balls every 3 months Geez.

My feeling, they should have random, unannounced checks throughout the year.  Show up just before a league, run your tests and be on your way.