It would be interesting to see the percentage breakdown by average range (i.e. 140-149, 150-159, 160-169….. 220-229, etc) and compare that to past tournament results. Based on my own experience and observations in Reno this year, it appeared the lower ability bowlers struggled just as much as ever, but the more elite bowlers feasted a little more. 
 
Looking at just one number for the entire field doesn't tell enough. Others might have a different perspective.

The overall avg isn't the issue ... I would like to know what the avg's for people that practice on the condition for months with a companion team are vs those that just show up and bowl? As long as they keep giving people access to the pattern ahead of time and allowing companion teams to bowl together the gap between the have's and the have nots is going to get greater and greater ... that's the real issue with the USBC tournament.

Everyone has access to the information.  Those that make the choice not to take advantage of the information are not have nots.

Really?? So everyone has access to lanes with a machine and oil?? Over 98% of the field does not have "access".

The numbers above don't lie ... why are the higher scores going up but overall avg not going up??

Its not about having access to the pattern the USBC uses.  Rather about having access to flatter patterns in general, and having the time and inclination to build your game around those patterns.  Most high average bowlers who struggle on the USBC shot don't suffer from lack of accuracy and consistent execution.  Rather they have built their game around having more swing area than is generally available on flatter patterns that have 5 or 6  loads of oil out to 2 board.  Bowling is a feedback game.  Can't blame bowlers for honing their game on the environment they most often encounter. 

Quote from: avabob on July 25, 2014, 10:53:06 AM

Its not about having access to the pattern the USBC uses.  Rather about having access to flatter patterns in general, and having the time and inclination to build your game around those patterns.  Most high average bowlers who struggle on the USBC shot don't suffer from lack of accuracy and consistent execution.  Rather they have built their game around having more swing area than is generally available on flatter patterns that have 5 or 6  loads of oil out to 2 board.  Bowling is a feedback game.  Can't blame bowlers for honing their game on the environment they most often encounter. 

Ok ... say you and I are equal golfers, you go practice 36 holes a day at Augusta and I practice 36 holes a day at my local community course and then you and I play each other for $$$ on my local course. Who has the advantage? I do. It doesn't matter that you played a tougher course every day, i'll know the exact yardages, i'll know the nuances of the greens. 9 times out of 10 you wouldn't have a chance.

Same thing with the pattern ... if you get to practice on the actual pattern you're going to get to learn the nuances of it including ball reactions and breakdown patterns. That's going to be an advantage. Just look at the top 100 every year, it's the same people over and over. You read the message boards and every time they talk about how they've been practicing on it for weeks at a time. It's not a coincidence.

So no chance those guys are just better bowlers?


Using your golf example, are you telling us you can beat an actual pro golfer if only you could play him on your home course?

If you don't have access to bowl on the pattern prior to going to Nationals, there are always other ways to get information on how to play the pattern.  This was my first Nationals and the opportunity was presented to me to have the pattern put down at my local house, but the timing never matched and I was never able use it.  Instead I watched the broadcasts on Youtube, studied the oil pattern documents, read forum threads from people who had bowled and talked with my pro shop about ball/surface recommendations.  Another thing that helped was bowling the Bowlers Journal tournament before the team event, it helped with my nerves and also gave me a look at the S/D pattern and approaches.

As far as my teammates, I don't know how much prep work they did, but I did all of the stuff stated above and I was the only one to cash out of 10 people.  Do I think I could have done better if I had bowled on the pattern ahead of time...yes, will I try and do that next year...yes.  The argument that not everyone has the same access is weak, there are plenty of other sources to get information and help you to prepare.  Just because someone can't practice on the pattern doesn't mean they can't succeed at Nationals.

I use golf bowling comparisons myself, but this is where the analogy breaks down.  The only advantage of playing your home course in golf is the greens, which is an important factor, but it will not level the playing field against a superior putter.  The entire game of bowling is played on a surface.  The reaction from a surface conditioned flatter compared to one loaded up in the middle is significantly different.  In golf a dog leg left is a dog leg left.  A 150 yard approach is s 150 yard approach.   Repeating your swing, knowing your own distances, and having  a short game will suit you well against a comparable caliber player no matter what course you go to.  If there is a bunch of local course knowledge necessary, one round should suit you well because you don't need to be nearly as versatile in  your swing on different golf courses as you do with your release and ball selection on different lane conditions. 

If you think bowling on a pattern in a local house that is set up like nationals is anything more than a rough approximation you are mistaken.  The best thing is to get every opportunity possible to bowl on flatter patterns of varying lengths.  It takes time, but you learn some characteristics of those distances that show up to your game, and allow you to make better reads, and better educated guesses of the adjustments.  Bowling on any flat pattern is much more about the transitions and what you do with them, than it is about getting lined up out of the gate.

No substitute for bowling lots of tournaments, and paying your dues.