USBC Lane Inspections how it's done.

[bowl1820]

USBC Lane Inspection video


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rzmjb-B8v64

[Aslan]

Interesting.

[1VegasBowler]

The one thing it did miss, was the random weighing of the pins, and the visual inspection of the pins for damage.

[RobLV1]

Having participated in many lane certifications, there is one very big problem that makes the entire process a joke. Where they talk about measuring the flatness of the lane (to a 1/40,000" variance) on three areas of the lane, here's what happens: one spot in the designated area is check and is found to have areas that are more than 1/40,000" out of spec, so another spot is chosen, either 3 or 4' further down the lane, or 3 or 4' closer to the foul line and that spot is checked. If that spot is also out of spec, then you go the 3 or 4' in the other direction and check it again. If any of the three spots is found to be in compliance, then the inspection passes! Is it any wonder why lane topography has such a huge impact on modern bowling?

[1VegasBowler]

Having participated in many lane certifications, there is one very big problem that makes the entire process a joke. Where they talk about measuring the flatness of the lane (to a 1/40,000" variance) on three areas of the lane, here's what happens: one spot in the designated area is check and is found to have areas that are more than 1/40,000" out of spec, so another spot is chosen, either 3 or 4' further down the lane, or 3 or 4' closer to the foul line and that spot is checked. If that spot is also out of spec, then you go the 3 or 4' in the other direction and check it again. If any of the three spots is found to be in compliance, then the inspection passes! Is it any wonder why lane topography has such a huge impact on modern bowling?

With all due respects, while that may have been done when you were doing this, that is not he case now.

[RobLV1]

With all due respects, while that may have been done when you were doing this, that is not he case now.

Same guy in charge. Are you sure? He also dictated that we look at the pins from 5 or 10 feet to check pins for being on spot, when any experienced bowler can see it much better from the foul line.

[1VegasBowler]

Same guy in charge. Are you sure? He also dictated that we look at the pins from 5 or 10 feet to check pins for being on spot, when any experienced bowler can see it much better from the foul line.

Absolutely sure. We look at the pins in the front and from the back at the same time. I know this because I have done it from both ends. We do it at both ends because one may see something that the other doesn't.

I have also done the lane depressions at 15, 30 & 50ft, and I assure you we don't make any moves in either direction to make anything compliant. The only time we actually move is if we end up on a dowel.

Rob, please don't take my answers as being a smart alec or any other wrong way it could be taken. I'm just relaying it as what we have been doing since I got into it last year at about the mid point and I have made each one since, including the tournament arena just before the US Open started.