YOUR thoughts on the Ease of Bowling 300 Games

[swingset]

That's my point. It should be one heck of a challenge. I know a good number of people around here with over a dozen,,,, How many people in baseball have over a 400 average in a season? Do people quit because it hard,,NO! Do they change golf courses to make them easier, No most are the same if not more difficult then when they were created. Oil machines that don't put down a good pattern are one thing, but good sports patterns should be the norm, not the exception.
Lets do away with house blocked patterns, and every week a different sports pattern,,, good for the bowler, and good for the sport!! I know lots of great house pattern bowlers, that cant bowl worth a darn on Sports, like the PBA'er!!

HOw many times have I heard,,, wow my average is better then that PRO's on any given Sunday!!! (( DIFFERENT level of bowling, on SPORTS patterns))) lol

The average bowler isn't interested in the game being harder. That's a fact. Many of us might not like it, but it's a fact.

Houses know it, the USBC knows it, most league bowlers (if they're not in ultra-competitive scratch leagues) know it too.

If you suddenly could snap your fingers and all shots are difficult sport shots do you honestly believe that it would increase the number of bowlers as opposed to decrease them?

If you think it's a benefit, then try to talk your local house into abandoning its THS and going to a harder sport shot for all leagues and tournaments. See how far that gets you....or worse, see how long the house lasts before league bowlers go elsewhere.

[MICHAEL]

To me its almost like hitting golf balls form the women's tee's!! When I watch a Pro, I know that there is NO WAY to compare our House average, or even spare shooting to that he is bowling on. When I go to a golf course that a pro plays on, ( I have no advantage). I guess I look at it a lot different then most. Making something easy takes away from a good score. I know, just speaking for myself, I would gladly bowl sports patterns, regardless of the scores, I know it would put me on a level playing field with what I see on TV! If my average was not 230,,, so be it! I bet I would be a much better bowler, and could stand tall and say,,, Yes,,, I bowled that turnpike,,,, and had a 274 on it last year! Good enough that day, at the moment in time, to compete with any PRO!! Can we really say, or FEEL GOOD about the easy oil we shoot on???? YES,,, AND I am KEEP THAT FRICKEN RING that will be HERE IN TWO WEEKS!!! LOL
I would like to find a sports league here in Kansas city this summer!! Anyone know of any?? I think it would make me a better Person, and bowler!! LOL

[swingset]

To me its almost like hitting golf balls form the women's tee's!! When I watch a Pro, I know that there is NO WAY to compare our House average, or even spare shooting to that he is bowling on. When I go to a golf course that a pro plays on, ( I have no advantage). I guess I look at it a lot different then most. Making something easy takes away from a good score. I know, just speaking for myself, I would gladly bowl sports patterns, regardless of the scores, I know it would put me on a level playing field with what I see on TV! If my average was not 230,,, so be it! I bet I would be a much better bowler, and could stand tall and say,,, Yes,,, I bowled that turnpike,,,, and had a 274 on it last year! Good enough that day, at the moment in time, to compete with any PRO!! Can we really say, or FEEL GOOD about the easy oil we shoot on???? YES,,, AND I am KEEP THAT FRICKEN RING that will be HERE IN TWO WEEKS!!! LOL
I would like to find a sports league here in Kansas city this summer!! Anyone know of any?? I think it would make me a better Person, and bowler!! LOL

Who are you competing with during your leagues, during tournaments, etc? The pros? Nope. It's other bowlers. The shot is irrelevant. The supposed ease is irrelevant. The scores relative to the pros are irrelevant.

If you're not dominating every league and tourney, why is that? Because your competition is on the same field - and it's level. How easy an individual shot plays really just doesn't matter - unless as you say you measure yourself by how the pros do. And, why would any of us do that? Seriously - in any given league does your weekly score become more important or less important because Sean Rash shot 249 last Sunday? I don't even give them a thought when I'm bowling.

Ok, let's pretend that every house has a PBA pattern and all of us play on the hardest imaginable patterns. Does that enhance leagues, or tournaments? Why would it? If you're averaging 215 on a THS, or 179 on the PBA pattern, it only matters with regards to the rest of the league or tournament.

We are playing each other, not the lane, and not the scoreboard, and not against the pros.

[aussiedave]

i still think that shooting a 300 isn't easy by any means. yes, there are a lot more than what used to be but not everyone can shoot one. i sometimes think that its made easier to shoot one so that you "league only" bowlers keep coming back. but that's just it. they will only bowl league. they wont shoot a sport shot. our house offers a sport league and ive thought about getting into it just to help better myself.

its kind of like mens softball. modern technology is allowing guys to buy bats that allow them to hit farther than the old school metal ones. it makes them feel good about themselves and want to continue playing. i think if you made leagues a sport shot only there would be far less teams bowling. you kind of have to look at it as a business stand point, too. just like life, now-a-days, anything that is hard to do will be given up on just because that is what our society has become. LAZY! i think your TRUE bowlers would stick around, but you would lose far more of you rec bowlers.

At our local alley, the THS varies little from week to week - this allows one to get used to THS, but not any other shot. It would be kinda nice to get some real variation occasionally and offer a bit of a challenge for the better bowlers.
ad.

[Greenday]

Ok, let's pretend that every house has a PBA pattern and all of us play on the hardest imaginable patterns. Does that enhance leagues, or tournaments? Why would it? If you're averaging 215 on a THS, or 179 on the PBA pattern, it only matters with regards to the rest of the league or tournament.

Ok, what about someone whose THS average and sports shot average are very close? It's the difference between someone who is just really good at abusing the easiness of the THS and being really good. If your sports shot average is drastically lower, then the THS is basically an extra handicap for the weaker bowler.

Look, there are people in my league that consistently bowl around their mark within a few boards in each direction and the ease of the shot allows their balls to hold or recover. This allows them to bowl around my average. If it was a sports shot, these people would be dropping 40+ pins a game. Meanwhile, I've for some unknown unexplainable reason, I've bowled exceptionally well every time I've ever been on a sports shot. Make it a scratch game and these people have a chance against me on the THS but I'd gladly put money down against any of the people I'm thinking of if we were on a sports shot.

[MICHAEL]

Ok, what about someone whose THS average and sports shot average are very close? It's the difference between someone who is just really good at abusing the easiness of the THS and being really good. If your sports shot average is drastically lower, then the THS is basically an extra handicap for the weaker bowler.

Look, there are people in my league that consistently bowl around their mark within a few boards in each direction and the ease of the shot allows their balls to hold or recover. This allows them to bowl around my average. If it was a sports shot, these people would be dropping 40+ pins a game. Meanwhile, I've for some unknown unexplainable reason, I've bowled exceptionally well every time I've ever been on a sports shot. Make it a scratch game and these people have a chance against me on the THS but I'd gladly put money down against any of the people I'm thinking of if we were on a sports shot.

Good point!! I know guys that can, on easy block house patterns throw strike after strike, but if they leave a 10, or even many times a 7 pin, they miss it 50 percent of the time. Some of them have 220 averages, but terrible when it comes to all other facets of bowling!! Are they good bowlers with 220 averages simple because on easy house oil they can whip out 7 or eight strikes in a role? I know Many many bowls that fit this category! Can't really bowl, but have that one easy house strike figured out!

I guess I am different,,, thinking that to be really good, you need to play like the College/Pro's in order to have a true barometer of just how good YOU REALLY ARE.
Like I have mentioned, isn't Golf that way????,,,,, isn't basketball that way, (do they lower the hoops for lay people),,, Baseball,,, with the exception of metal bats in college, which I think is wrong also!
My final words on this subject is this: Its not that its HARDER to bowl sports patterns, it just that many of use are to darn lazy to want to take up the challenge! I have my whole life lived for challenges,,,, I was told with all my injuries, as an Iron worker, plus RA, that I would be luck to walk at this point in my life,,, guess what ,,, on a house pattern I bowled a 300! LOL,,,,,
Sports pattern leagues are hard to find, but that's one area I want to look into, and will welcome the challenge!
I might be wrong, what do I know, I just started bowling a few years ago after retirement, but nothing that is worth having, ever comes easy!

[Greenday]

Like I have mentioned, isn't Golf that way????,,,,, isn't basketball that way, (do they lower the hoops for lay people),,, Baseball,,, with the exception of metal bats in college, which I think is wrong also!

That's another great way of putting it. It's like dunking on a lowered basketball hoop and claiming you are good at dunking. It's just not that impressive when you are being given a physical handicap along with a score handicap.

[MICHAEL]

We live in a society of QUICK, EASY everything! Quaker Oats use to take a full 5 minutes to cook,,, then they destroyed the nutritional value of the product, so that it only takes 1 minute now!! LoL Processed foods I could go ON,,, and ON!
I know millions of bowlers that can only throw a Strike ball..... If it doesn't' strike,,, they are up the proverbial creek.... LOST.... cant pick up the spares,,, esp the 10 and 7 pin!

It might take longer,,, Like the Quaker Oats, but much more rewarding having a 300 game,,, or NICE average on the REAL DEAL!! On a golf course for example, are all NINE HOLES the same!! Answer: NO...... do people quit golfing because some holes are tougher then others? answer: NO!

Then why don't bowlers toughen up, and demand more of a CHALLANGE!! I want it,,,,, you want it,,,, its GOOD FOR AMERICA!! Don't give bowlers a choice, they will always go for the ONE MINUTE Quaker Oats..... Let make it a RULE,,,,, RULE number what ever,,: Bowling Establishment will change on a weekly bases its oil patterns in order to make the experience of bowling much more realistic, and challenging,,, ONLY REAL MEN and WOMEN need to enter these DOORS!!

[MICHAEL]

Put that sign at the entrance to all bowling establishments,,,, and THEY WILL COME!!

[J Anderson]

Ok, what about someone whose THS average and sports shot average are very close? It's the difference between someone who is just really good at abusing the easiness of the THS and being really good. If your sports shot average is drastically lower, then the THS is basically an extra handicap for the weaker bowler.

Look, there are people in my league that consistently bowl around their mark within a few boards in each direction and the ease of the shot allows their balls to hold or recover. This allows them to bowl around my average. If it was a sports shot, these people would be dropping 40+ pins a game. Meanwhile, I've for some unknown unexplainable reason, I've bowled exceptionally well every time I've ever been on a sports shot. Make it a scratch game and these people have a chance against me on the THS but I'd gladly put money down against any of the people I'm thinking of if we were on a sports shot.

Its hard to tell with me since I bowl right handed in the sport league and left-handed on the house shot so that this season my sport and THS averages are almost the same. In fact, lately I've been in a slump lefty and on a roll in the sport league.

I'm not sure why, but I find it easier to stay focused in the sport league. In my other league it seems much harder to throw a solid game. It may be because I have the responsibility of being treasurer, the fact that its strictly a social league with only trophies on the line, or that can only throw three or four balls in a row without screwing up.