Anyone watching the US Open?

[foreverincamo]

Why in the world are these conditions so crazy? There are guys lifting the gutter cap 30 feet downlane and still the ball overhooks. When there is oil the guys are playing the first arrow. Whatever happened to a flat pattern?

[1VegasBowler]

This is a new/adjusted pattern for the US Open, which was done about a month ago.

I was at South Point on Saturday to watch the Burn & Double Burn. Needless to say, the conditions were downright brutal.

But with any USBC sponsored tournament, they only oil for the first squad each day and all 3 squads bowl 8 games/day. These conditions make any pro look like mere mortals, to say the least.

[RobLV1]

Why in the world are these conditions so crazy? There are guys lifting the gutter cap 30 feet downlane and still the ball overhooks. When there is oil the guys are playing the first arrow. Whatever happened to a flat pattern?

It is a flat pattern. Flat, that is, until modern bowling balls thrown with high rev rates rip it to shreds. I too watched some of the double burn on Saturday night, and it is indeed, brutal. Unfortunately, it's what bowling has come to with modern reactive resin bowling balls and synthetic lanes.

[Amyers]

I'm sorry I tried to watch a little of that crap that's being portrayed as bowling and just turned it off. If it requires playing the 7th arrow and lofting the ball 1/2 way or more down the lane I'm not interested in watching it.

[drlawsoniii]

I'm sorry I tried to watch a little of that crap that's being portrayed as bowling and just turned it off. If it requires playing the 7th arrow and lofting the ball 1/2 way or more down the lane I'm not interested in watching it.

That's right up the sniper's alley

[ep1977]

I tried watching but it's terrible bowling. The scores are still pretty high but what it takes to get them is garbage.

[JasonNJ]

I think you have to admire the versatility of these guys. Depending on which session you are watching, the first session on the fresh everyone is pretty much keeping their angles in front and playing straighter. On the burn and double burn is when you see the crazy lofting. So you know whoever wins this thing can really play on any conditions.

[fordman1]

Maybe they need ball restrictions. Maybe they need approaches with out of bounds with maybe outer edge of the gutter or it is a foul.

[stargell1]

I don't know what sport they are playing now, but I remember the days when bowling was actually fun to watch on tv.

[RobLV1]

Personally, I find this thread to be pretty sad due to the narrow-mindedness of most of the opinions being expressed. Just for fun, I looked at the qualifying scores of four bowlers with pretty traditional styles. Martin Larsen: +158, +233, +226. Marshall Kent: +58, +284, +221. Chris Barnes: +131, +33, +244. Walter Ray Williams Jr.: +88, +182, +96.

Note that all of these players were able to score significantly above par on all three oil conditions: fresh, burn, and double burn. The great players are the ones that figure out how to get the job done and do it, regardless of what it takes.

[Amyers]

Personally, I find this thread to be pretty sad due to the narrow-mindedness of most of the opinions being expressed. Just for fun, I looked at the qualifying scores of four bowlers with pretty traditional styles. Martin Larsen: +158, +233, +226. Marshall Kent: +58, +284, +221. Chris Barnes: +131, +33, +244. Walter Ray Williams Jr.: +88, +182, +96.

Note that all of these players were able to score significantly above par on all three oil conditions: fresh, burn, and double burn. The great players are the ones that figure out how to get the job done and do it, regardless of what it takes.

My post has nothing to do with being narrow minded. I don't dislike that because the players can't compete at it although I can be relatively certain that's why there are no females left in the field. Adaptability is fine and a good thing to have but at some point you cross a line where what you started with doesn't even resemble what you ended with. At the very least the double burn passed that point to me. I honestly don't care how good they are at standing on the opposite lane pitching the ball 35 feet down the lane. To me that's not watchable if you enjoy it then more power to you.

[billf]

Most females other than maybe Michelle Feldman don't have the ball speed and rev rate to need to loft the gutter just as WRW Jr didn't have to loft the gutter.
What I found boring about bowling as a youth was watching guys throw up second arrow game after game. Probably why I didn't even try bowling until I was 37.

[RobLV1]

Most females other than maybe Michelle Feldman don't have the ball speed and rev rate to need to loft the gutter just as WRW Jr didn't have to loft the gutter.
What I found boring about bowling as a youth was watching guys throw up second arrow game after game. Probably why I didn't even try bowling until I was 37.

I agree, except that a lot of the women today have a lot more power and speed than Michelle Feldman had years ago. Just for fun, I looked back over the U.S. Open Qualifying results and found some interesting things. First, judging by names only, it looks like there were ten women competing against 218 men. The top female finisher was Maria Jose Rodriguez who finished in 64th. Among the bowlers that she beat were last year's Champion, Ryan Ciminelli, Patrick Allen, Mike DeVaney, Bob Learn, Kyle Troup, Chris Loschetter, Jason Sterner, Bryon Smith, Ryan Shafer, and Amleto Monacelli. Interestingly, all but one of the women who competed finished in the top half of the field which is quite an accomplishment at a U.S. Open.

As Bill referenced, there is no way the Walter Ray lofted the gutter cap, any more than Martin Larsen did. Just because what some bowlers chose to do to be successful did not not resemble what we do in our weekly league does not make it less enjoyable to watch, any more than watching pro golfers hit 350 yard drives is less enjoyable because I can only hit it 210!

[RobLV1]

Just checked for an update. After 8 games of match play, Marshall Kent is leading by about 330 pins with an 8-0-0 match play record in the first round. That's impressive!

[Amyers]

I agree, except that a lot of the women today have a lot more power and speed than Michelle Feldman had years ago. Just for fun, I looked back over the U.S. Open Qualifying results and found some interesting things. First, judging by names only, it looks like there were ten women competing against 218 men. The top female finisher was Maria Jose Rodriguez who finished in 64th. Among the bowlers that she beat were last year's Champion, Ryan Ciminelli, Patrick Allen, Mike DeVaney, Bob Learn, Kyle Troup, Chris Loschetter, Jason Sterner, Bryon Smith, Ryan Shafer, and Amleto Monacelli. Interestingly, all but one of the women who competed finished in the top half of the field which is quite an accomplishment at a U.S. Open.

As Bill referenced, there is no way the Walter Ray lofted the gutter cap, any more than Martin Larsen did. Just because what some bowlers chose to do to be successful did not not resemble what we do in our weekly league does not make it less enjoyable to watch, any more than watching pro golfers hit 350 yard drives is less enjoyable because I can only hit it 210!

Correct on the women they may not have as much power/revs as the power playing men but they are much closer than they used to be and can be competitive under normal conditions. Take a look at the women's scores on the double burn and you'll see why it removed a lot of them. I know that's what knocked Liz Kulkhin (excuse me if I garbled the name)out.

If you enjoyed it that's fine it's your opinion and your welcome to it. I personally didn't watch WRW's bowling but I did see a facebook video of it and although he wasn't throwing the ball half way down the lane he was far enough left to be lofting the gutter or close enough to it anyway.

As far as the golf analogy goes that's the wrong one expect them to be better than I am that's why they are pros and I'm not. A better analogy would be a Major PGA event where the course is so difficult everyone tees off with a 5 iron on most of the holes. I'm probably not watching that either.

[fordman1]

Just watched the finals. Don't miss it.

[PocketMonster]

The finals were fantastic

[IHateTenPins]

I just saw it and I don't want to spoil it for anyone but it was one of the better telecasts in a while. Also CBS Sports finally fixed the crappy sound mics they had in all their other broadcasts.

[2handedsniper]

as happens alot more lately, 2 top handers in the top 5. Less then 4% of entries are 2 handed yet, they make the tv show at least 8 times that that

[ep1977]

as happens alot more lately, 2 top handers in the top 5. Less then 4% of entries are 2 handed yet, they make the tv show at least 8 times that that

Final 2 bowlers standing were young traditional bowlers. I watched a lot of the US Open on Xtra Frame and watched the finals last night and I didn't notice a single competitor that chest passed the ball down the lane...........

[2handedsniper]

didn't see you there either :D

[2handedsniper]

unless your Micheal Fagan, he is long island as well

[drlawsoniii]

He obviously didnt take Bowl1820's message to heart...

[JaxBowlingGuy]

He's working his way out quickly

[fortheloveofbowling]

He's working his way out quickly

Hopefully not before i schedule my lessons. My 9 lb white dot is on the way.:rolleyes:

[LOUVIT]

He obviously didnt take Bowl1820's message to heart...

a early goodbye. thanks for stopping by.

[1VegasBowler]

Final 2 bowlers standing were young traditional bowlers. I watched a lot of the US Open on Xtra Frame and watched the finals last night and I didn't notice a single competitor that chest passed the ball down the lane...........

I was at South Point to see all 3 squads over 2 days, and it was simply amazing that I never saw anybody doing the chest pass thing either.

I guess the wave of the present and future is more like the flushing of a toilet.

[fordman1]

Vegas was that you with the gray hair and beard? Looked like a Mormon? Looked out of place.

[Amyers]

Hopefully not before i schedule my lessons. My 9 lb white dot is on the way.:rolleyes:

Yeah I was really looking forward to some lessons on throwing the ball past the short oil patterns. :eek:

[1VegasBowler]

Vegas was that you with the gray hair and beard? Looked like a Mormon? Looked out of place.

My hair is still blonde and my beard is red & white.

[Mike White]

My hair is still blonde and my beard is red & white.

Come on, get some blue in that beard.

[1VegasBowler]

Come on, get some blue in that beard.

LOL No thanks! My ZZ TOP look fits better without the blue in it.

[NewToBowling]

Haywire still hanging around. John S and Marshall were using it

[LOUVIT]

I watched it last night on my DVR never seen so many 2 pins left is one thing I noticed..

[NewToBowling]

I think Marshall Holman is terrible as a commentator. He dumbed it down way too much.

[Mike White]

I think Marshall Holman is terrible as a commentator. He dumbed it down way too much.

It's the nature of the job.

Go back thru the years, you've find commentator after commentator coming across sounding bad.

[fordman1]

Holman did have a few flubs and even then he was better than Randy. Give Duke and or Barnes a chance.

[foreverincamo]

I just got to watch the finals today after work. I was bowling during the telecast and the center wouldn't change the channel from the local college game. The field sure was young in age with the oldest guy being 30, the youngest 19. The conditions favored the young who healed overnight from lofting 15 pound balls 30 feet at 24 mph for 16 games a day.
The finals were fun to watch, but those who didn't see any of the burns squads didn't get to see how crazy this tournament was! It looked like a modified THS during the broadcast. The 300 was great to see, but the bonus should be bigger during a Major. Still, congrats to the winner!

[NewToBowling]

Honestly Lavoie seemed to have a lot of hold when he shot his 300. You could see he missed his target on a handful of his shots but it held it from going brokklyn and went high flush instead.

The two other recent televised 300 games (Rash and Barrett) all their shots were spot on.