The problem with the tour patterns isn't getting the ball to hook it is keeping it from hooking too much. With that being said most power players struggle out there because they are used to reaching back and putting more on the ball to over power lane conditions and that is just not possible on tour patterns. You have to have power and finnesse sometimes at the same time along with speed control and being able to vary from going straight up the boards to jumping the gutter cap and swinging the whole lane, this is why Voss has been struggling so it's not just the power players, any one who is too one dimentional will struggle out there on tour.
Look who has had success this year, Doug Kent, Tommy Jones, Wes Mallot, Norm Duke, Chris Barnes,and PDW to mention a few, none of these guys are one dimentional. In today's game you have to be able to change your game at the drop of a hat if you want to stay competative.
Ron Clifton showed us an old video clip at the clinic he gave last month, and in this video there were two old school full roller type players using old black rubber balls playing straight up the track and they never moved, or had to and the only time they didn't strike was when they over threw the ball and it jumped out of the track. Modern synthetic lanes don't have tracks worn in them and modern equipment wouldn't probably hold a line in one either.
In order to make the tour competative for all types of bowlers, they came up with these 5 patterns which are pretty fair for all of the players, some have an advantage over others on certain patterns, but by and large they seem to play as they were intended as we see some new faces each week and some familliar ones who have learned to adjust and play each of the patterns. The only way you get to this point is competing on these patterns that is why I hope the PBA Experience leagues are a big hit.
