Should THS bowlers get less credit then sport or PBA pattern bowlers?

[Hammer]

Sure, sport and PBA oil pattern bowlers have it harder then THS bowlers to score well. But I don't think that we should take credit away from THS folks because it all comes down to this. You still have to know what you are doing. You still have to have the right technique as far as your approach, your swing and your release to make the ball work consistently. You still have to control your speed and your hook to the pocket to score well. Just because you are bowling on a THS pattern doesn't mean that you will be bowling all of your games over 200 and racking up scratch series of 600 or more. You have to still practice and work at your game to be good. So sure THS bowling is easier to maybe keep a high average but these folks still have to work at their game. They also need to find the right equipment for their style. So you have to know how to bowl and something about bowling balls. THS bowling isn't always that easy. An example is that I have been bowling for 26 consecutive years on THS pattern and I can tell you that sometimes I bowl el stinko. Two weeks ago on league night I bowled a 185, 197 and a 121. What! A 121 game? That can't be because I have been bowling for 26 years and I know how to bowl. But it did happen. No matter how I adjusted that THS pattern wouldn't let me get a strike and I was getting lousy splits. And I missed easy spares that made me want to scream. So THS lanes do not mean strings of wonderful games. So just like THS folks your sport and PBA pattern bowlers have to practice their games and have the right approach for that pattern and the correct release and the correct equipment for those oil patterns. It all boils down to the fact that THS, sport and PBA pattern bowlers have to know what they are doing to be good at it. So folks should be given the credit they deserve no matter what level they are at. I wonder if PBA pattern bowlers look down on the sport pattern bowlers saying those folks have it easy. You have to know what you are doing no matter what level you are at. They just don't hand you good games. You have to earn it.

[swingset]

No different than golf, IMHO. Your local 9-hole course is a cakewalk for a touring pro....and us high-handicap folks would struggle on the greens and conditions of Sawgrass or Muirfield's pro courses. Yes, IMHO, they deserve tremendous credit for scoring so well on very difficult conditions that would be brutal for your average house bowler.

Not to mention, they often play under pressure and at the highest levels. Many guys try to make a living doing it. How good would you bowl if you knew your paycheck depended on it? I wouldn't want to bank my income on my bowling game, I can tell ya that. They also have constant eyes on their game. How many of us would bowl that well even on a house shot if every swing was being filmed and commented on?

They're pros for a reason, and house guys are house guys for a reason.

[billf]

At first I thought, yes they deserve less credit, a THS is easier. But is it really? I thought about it for a few minutes and came to this conclusion. Easier does not necessarily mean easy. See, I know a lot of collegiate bowlers and regional pro's who constantly say how easy a THS is. If it (THS) was truly easy then how come these people are not averaging over 250 on a THS? Even if they were, how much work went into getting there?
In conclusion, after some thought, I do agree with you. No matter what level the player, to be good and keep improving takes work. Not just practice at the lanes but obtaining the needed knowledge to maximize potential. Not everyone can be like PDW who just throws what the company tells him on the line they tell him. That's not meant to take away a thing from the man's physical game, he's on a level all his own there but his knowledge of his equipment is very limited (he admitted so in a Facebook chat last year).

[Rdmonster]

I dont think anyone will ever give me much credit for my bowling or my golf game....but they should give me props for having a professional level of fun having!!

[EboniteKid299]

Simple answer is yes, honestly because there are plenty of guys out there that can average 240, 250 on house patterns that go bowl sport patterns events, PBA events, or the US open and average way under 200 sport patterns and PBA patterns are just that much tougher. Sport patterns also require you to be more versatile.. sometimes you need to play the gutter and sometimes you need to play 4th or 5th arrow all while hitting the same target every shot

[ArtVandelay]

I think the average THS bowler SHOULD get less credit, but my bowling team (on THS) deserves MORE credit.

Sure, the pros have tougher lane conditions, but my team drinks so much our shot seems to change every couple of frames! THATS talent!

[Davec13]

Its hard to say one way or another, which one is the better bowler. I mean if you are able to be consistent you should be able to score well on anything. I think the better bowler would be able to read the lane and find the best shot on any pattern/lane.

[J Anderson]

I bowl in a sport league on Monday nights, and a recreational/social league on Wednesday night and occasionally sub in Thursday afternoon recreational/social league. Here are my views on the THS vs Sport:

Sport is harder because:
The patterns are less forgiving. I see a lot more washouts and odd splits like the 2-8-10 on Mondays than I ever have on the house shot.

We move to a different pair after each game. Not only does this mean finding the line on the new pair with no practice, It often means waiting for other bowlers to finish before starting the next game. This can break one's rhythm, cause a lapse in focus, and with us in the over 50 crowd can even cause muscles to stiffen up.

The pattern changes every week, causing us to play different areas of the lane, sometimes far outside our comfort zones.

Sport is easier because:
We always start with fresh oil. My Wednesday night league only sees fresh oil once in a blue moon. Some of our higher average bowlers are completely lost when this happens.

Better bowlers can break the lane condition down more predictably. When I sub on Thursdays there can be six bowlers on a pair playing 6 different lines throwing 6 different kinds of balls. By the third game you might not have a clue where to throw.

The bowlers are more focused on finding the line and executing good shots. No ones getting drunk. There's not a lot of social chit-chat that winds up delaying the games. In all its easier to get and remain focused on bowling well.

[Zothen]

My views are simple! Most THS high average bowlers will not bowl a sport league for the simple fact they don't want to constantly adjust to ever changing lane conditions and most don't want to lug around 4 or more bowling balls unless they do tournaments. THS is much easier since the conditions we bowl on are more predictable and easier to figure out then a sport shot. I would rather bowl on Wed nites where the lanes are already broken down(THS),because I don't have to work so hard and the adjustments are easier. On the other hand even though I have a low avg in Sport League(147),I enjoy Sport League bowling becuase it will in long run make me a better bowler,especially when I start to bowl tournaments or early leagues with fresh oil.

So do I think THS bowlers deserve less credit then Sport or PBA leagues bowlers? YES! How do you give credit to THS bowlers? Make everyone bowl with fresh oil! We know that wont happen due to cost of oiling the lanes and trying to get the non serious bowler to bowl on easy lanes where they can get decent scores.

Zothen

[austin]

My thoughts on this are a little mixed. Where as yes sport, PBA patterns are a lot harder to bowl on, to bowl a high league average still rquires you to be able to be consistent with hand, line, rotation etc. A THS is more forgiving absolutely, but I can tell you when I bowl my first 300 in my THS league it will still mean the world to me.