New PBA Ruling

[eugene02]

I don't mind them using because in my country it always comes out faster =P ;P

[The German Shepherd]

I hadn't thought of it that way. You make a good point....

Jay

[bowl1820]

The PBA announced a new rule prohibiting members from using bowling balls until they are officially released to the public. Do you agree or disagree with this new rule?

As for me, I think this is bad marketing...

Jay

As for me from a league bowler standpoint, it doesn't bother me one way or another. So the PBA guy's had the Newest and greatest before everyone else. So what?

Did I break down before just because I couldn't jump in the car and run to the pro shop five minutes after watching bowling on tv and get that new ball bowler X was using? Did I jump up and down and yell "hurray now I can!"?

Was I sitting around wringing my hands because a PBA guy on my league had a ball I couldn't get for an week or two, worrying how he's going to totally dominate the league, just because he had a ball I didn't?

Or if I'm on the tour, I'm going to start running around complaining about the how I have to use that old caveman ball that came out last month?

No.

It's just going to either help or hurt marketing some at first.

[billf]

Bowl, so if you were doing the regional last year and all the PBA guys showed up using the Nexxus, Hell Raiser Revenge, Vivid, etc that you were not afforded the opportunity to choose from, thereby making you only a donor to the prize fund, you're ok with that?

[bowl1820]

Bowl, so if you were doing the regional last year and all the PBA guys showed up using the Nexxus, Hell Raiser Revenge, Vivid, etc that you were not afforded the opportunity to choose from, thereby making you only a donor to the prize fund, you're ok with that?

If I was bowling in the regionals, I'd be a PBA guy thus would have been afforded the opportunity to choose from the newest balls.


As far as the public is concerned this rule changes basically nothing, they either just won't see the newest ball coming out a few weeks early before it hits the shelf or the ball company will just release it a little earlier.

As far as the PBA goes now they just have to wait a few weeks before using that new ball or if the company starts selling it to the public early they'll still have it. Either way Scores are not going to plummet those few weeks or go skyrocketing the the day the ball comes out. and If a bowler didn't have the money or sponsors to get the new ball before, this rule change doesn't change any of that.

[dgz924s]

Can't say I agree or disagree. Take 2 pro bowlers, one with a new unreleased ball the other with the latest release, in my experience there is a "learning curve" to a new ball. I find it hard to believe a pro can pick up a new ball and get the ball to react just as they plan which takes any advantage away, for a period of time that is until the pro figures it out so there would not be such a great advantage during this period of time IMHO. The pro however using a ball already in use and figured out would have a bit of an edge during this initial period.

Another thought is that not all balls are going to "be the ball" the pro can master regardless of the advanced technology the ball has, for some, the technology is just not suited to a particular bowlers style, again taking any advantage away.

And lastly, even if there was an advantage but the bowler is "off target" that day and the other "on target". I fail to see how a new ball can be so advanced to make up for a bad day and still overcome any pin difference there may be.

[MICHAEL]

Unethical,,,,, really? I am of the opinion personally that balls have reached a point now, that it’s all pretty much hype! I have seen, and looked at all most of the oil patterns, and the huge number of brands and ball characteristics, what can a New and Improved model actually do in the real world, that hasn’t been thought of in the last 15 years. It seems to me they come up with Cool Names, and Nanno,,, Micro, molecular guidance systems, but in the end. The equipment that’s out there now, today, with the best bowlers is as good as it gets!
I think it’s the bowler, not the magic new cover stock!
If I am wrong, what’s next? How much advantage can be expected with a ball surface that is not already there! I think two things make a huge difference in regards to a balls reaction. Number 1. The bowler, his athletic ability, and knowledge, Number 2. The driller and adapting the bowlers style into the drilling of the ball.
I would venture to say, that bowling at this point is as far as it can go with technology! Sort of like the Arrow, in hunting! The arrow that the Indian used back in the 1800’s worked fine, we have improved on it, a bunch, but where do you go from here? It boils down to New Names, and the ( “ I got to have that ball Pete Weber is throwing, did you see the score he got using that baby!!!”)
It’s a good ball, I am sure, but will you bowl like Pete using it!! Nota going to happen!!
I am sure there are guidelines that a ball must have, and rules governing the manufacturing, but I am convinced that there is no magic ball that’s going to be coming out that does anything better then what’s out there now.
Being a GREAT BOWLER, like many sports, is a GIFT! You either have the gift, or not! Sure you can improve on your game a bunch, with good equipment, knowledge, and practice…. But I see no EDGE that can be acquired by a ball, (NOW DAYs), that has not already been addressed, other than a COOL NAME! Soon I fear they will run out of names, and go to naming them with numbers: “ Wow Dude,,, did you see that ball Pete Weber the IX used the other day,,,, the X2235272,,,,, wow…. I got to get one!!”
This all about Hype!!!! IMHA! lol (

[abishai]

I don't see a problem with PBA bowlers getting balls before they're released. They're part of the marketing behind these balls and should be the first to be out there using them.

[MICHAEL]

Each year the golf ball industry comes out with the new improved version of the same thing! I remember one that had a computer designed dimple system, that corrected hooks, and slices, automatically! I gave it a try, and guess what? No difference, spin,,,, SPIN! The art of making golf balls and bowling balls has reached a point where you have all it takes to bowl some great games! Most of what it takes, is knowledge, practice, focus, and more practice!! It doesn’t hurt to just have plane good rhythm, balance, endurance, and strength! Maybe even a network in your brain that gives you the ability to do many of the things mentioned above! What makes a golfer great, the best equipment money can buy? Or is it a combination of all the things I have mentioned above! The best bat in the world is not going to give you a home run record ect..ect…ect!!
What I am trying to say is the lanes out there now have been around for some time! Technology has built itself around it! Choose what works for you, I see no advantage of a new ball coming out that would make it a huge advantage! Sure equipment is important, but new technology is just a game of semantics! IMHA
Its all about selling balls! I look at the charts of balls made in the last 5 years, and guess what??? They all pretty much do the same thing, just depends on which ball you are looking at! I see no advantage at this point in time of a new ball being used before it is approved! Its all about sells!!! Nothing wrong with that!! Its what makes the world go round!!

In conclusion, YES golf balls have come a long way since the early models, but have they really gotten better in the last 5 years, maybe even 10??? I don’t think so, maybe bowling balls fall into that same slot! So, Who Cares,,,, let the pro’s use the balls,,, its not like there is really a huge new technology that has come along that I know of,,,, but ,,, then what the heck do I know!! I am a newbe!!

[billf]

Mike, if ball technology hasn't gotten any better in the last 5 years as you say, then why has bowlingball.com had to increase their perfect scale during that time? It's because the balls can handle the oil better reacting like their ancestors did on dry lanes. So if I paid my entry fee for the Regional last year it's totally fair and ok with most here that not only do I have to compete with TOURING pros but they also get to use equipment that's not even available to me?!?! We are not talking about events that get televised seeing as how the rule states that the balls have to be available to any bowler on the truck for regular PBA tour stops/tournaments. The people that disagree with me, I'm sure they wouldn't if it was THEM that spent the money to bowl a regional just to see a touring pro come in with a ball he has been practicing with for a month or more designed for that pattern and you were stuck using a used Virtual Gravity.


*only used myself as an example. I've yet to bowl a Regional.