Every year, some people claim that USBC Open scores are far too high, given the number of honor scores and the scores needed to win or place high in the standings.

However, even though the overall scores were a bit higher than those in recent years, only very few -- outside of the best players and shotmakers -- scored at high levels in the tournament.

This year, the entire field averaged 171.79 -- with a total pinfall of 68,401,949 over 398,179 games -- as compared to 168.3 over 461,357 games in 2013.

The Classified division -- including bowlers with entering averages of 180 or under -- averaged a composite 149.24 this year, while the composite average in the Regular Division was 178.38.

Keep in mind that the Regular Division includes bowlers with averages of 181 and higher -- and many of them average well over 200 -- so it's more than obvious that most bowlers shoot FAR LOWER scores than they do back home, but in the absence of THS conditions, that shouldn't be surprising.

Nobody assigns you a team.  If you choose to bowl with a bunch of chops that is your own fault.

"itsallaboutme" is right, maybe you should pick better friends.   

Yea, maybe you should take your own advice. 
 
To Joe Cool's point, it you truly don't have money for practice or money for balls, don't go. Unless you get your jollies from just being in the building, it's going to be a waste to make the trip.
 
Lack of Sport Leagues should never be an excuse. There's currently a nice thread going on in the Misc forum that points out how you can effectively practice on a THS. It's a good read. If you have the motivation to prepare, you'll have a fair shot, especially in singles and doubles. 

But I like my friends. 
 
We may not be very good, but we look great doing it. 

Amen 

I love how these threads always dissolve to people saying don't go with those same people not understanding that their advice would mean there's no tournament for any of them to bowl in.  If the only people that show up are the teams with a chance to win and the people looking to profit off the tournament, you won't have a tournament for long.

Could almost substitute 'league' for 'tournament'.

Quote from: Joe Cool on July 28, 2014, 06:51:15 PM

I love how these threads always dissolve to people saying don't go with those same people not understanding that their advice would mean there's no tournament for any of them to bowl in.  If the only people that show up are the teams with a chance to win and the people looking to profit off the tournament, you won't have a tournament for long.

 
I didn't say not to go. I said that if you have to money to practice, then there isn't an excuse for not being able to prepare, even on a THS. Otherwise, why go unless the objective is just the good feeling from being there?
 
Really, it doesn't take extraordinary results to cash in a few events, and even get a good chunk of your entry fee back. In team, we didn't bowl great, but we cashed and had a great time in the process. Winning an Eagle isn't the only measure of success.   

I don't disagree for the most part.  Personally I have the money to practice, but I don't have the time and if I'm being completely honest I don't have the desire to do so either.  Bowling is much more of a hobby now for me, and there's nothing wrong with that.  I go to Nationals every year to see and spend time with the people I used to bowl with - the trip is not about bowling at all for me and eventually I will act on my threat to just show up to hang out and not to bowl.

I don't make this point for my benefit; I make it for everyone's benefit.  These threads start every year and they end up in the same place every year.  Someone feels (likely rightfully so) that they have no chance to compete and someone else tells them not to go.  It happens every year.  If you want to keep having a tournament, you need those people to keep going.  Instead of telling them not to go or get better (getting better isn't an option for everybody), people should be coming up with a way to make it worth their while to keep going. 

I don't belong to any message boards for any other sports - do all sports seem to have this problem or is it just a bowling issue?  It seems that we don't band together, even when our sport/recreational activity is facing some fairly challenging times.

Guys on golf forums don't complain when the best player wins a scratch event.  They seem to understand that is the way it works.  Somehow bowlers don't get that and they want to make things "fair".

Guys on golf forums aren't relying on guys with no chance of winning to get their money either.

Quote from: itsallaboutme on July 29, 2014, 08:31:02 AM

Guys on golf forums don't complain when the best player wins a scratch event.  They seem to understand that is the way it works.  Somehow bowlers don't get that and they want to make things "fair".

Guys on golf forums aren't relying on guys with no chance of winning to get their money either.

Why do people want to compare bowling with golf? Two completely different things. And besides, if you play a tournament at your local muni course, you ARE playing for the other players money. Golf doesn't have the equivalent of the USBC Open.