Are your league's lane conditions too easy?

[Mike White]

Why is it less an accomplishment if you open in the 1st frame and then strike out versus throwing 11 strikes then choking on the last ball?

I've had a lot of near "clean" games but it is ruined by just one frame…usually the 2nd. Not sure why…but I tend to strike in the first and then open in the 2nd…then do well. It's mecha-annoying.

Well get back to me after you've struck out in the 10th a few times for a 279.

You'll notice a lot less pressure than if you try to strike out in the 10th after having the front 9.

If you're feeling too much pressure just for a clean game, 11 in a row is going to crush you.

[Low Revs]

I bowl in an old wood house and the lane conditions are extremely tough.

The "dry boards" outside are extremely slick and its actually like playing a watered down version of the USBC white 2 pattern. The pattern that they are putting out is a classic house shot pattern, but there is just very little friction to be found outside because the lanes need resurfaced.

Even playing over the middle the shot goes away so fast its ridiculous. When the better teams face each other, we usually have a gentleman's agreement to limit our practice shots in an effort to save the oil. Oh did i mention that the pins are 15+ years old too?

There hasn't been a 300 game bowled there since the early 90's, and there were no 600's bowled there in any of the fall leagues this year.

Its very frustrating, and it makes you really appreciate a synthetic house that puts out an easy shot. Everybody likes to score.

[Mike White]

I bowl in an old wood house and the lane conditions are extremely tough.

The "dry boards" outside are extremely slick and its actually like playing a watered down version of the USBC white 2 pattern. The pattern that they are putting out is a classic house shot pattern, but there is just very little friction to be found outside because the lanes need resurfaced.

Even playing over the middle the shot goes away so fast its ridiculous. When the better teams face each other, we usually have a gentleman's agreement to limit our practice shots in an effort to save the oil. Oh did i mention that the pins are 15+ years old too?

There hasn't been a 300 game bowled there since the early 90's, and there were no 600's bowled there in any of the fall leagues this year.

Its very frustrating, and it makes you really appreciate a synthetic house that puts out an easy shot. Everybody likes to score.

If the lanes are that unmaintained, how do they keep business?

I grew up on wood lanes where nobody averaged 200 for many seasons, but not even a 600. That's taking bone yard to the extreme.
After 15 years, the pins would just be splinters.

[Low Revs]

Long story short, the previous owner ran it into the ground. He passed away and it sat for a few years. 2 guys came in (1 is a wheel with the USBC) and opened it up a couple of years ago and put a little money into it, but until this fall they were going broke and about to board the door up.

Finally they got to know the right people, and business started to pick up so for the time being they are here to stay.

Used to be a thriving business back in old days. I bowled YABA there and they used to host a couple big tournaments a year. It changed ownership in around 88 or 89 and then slowly but steadily went down hill from there. Until this year, I had not bowled league there since 1999.

New pins are supposed to be here in June, but I really don't expect scores to rise that much since 75% of everybody's problem is getting to the pins.

I will continue to bowl there for a while as long as they are committed to improving conditions, as will most. It's very frustrating, but it's home. If I need to roll a few good games to get some confidence back I can make a 20 minute drive and bowl on some plastic.

[rv driver]

Here's a quote from a member found in this thread that speaks will to the "save the PBA Tour" thread:

Ok. I can understand that many bowlers would stop bowling if they make the oil conditions harder.

In the PBA thread, the thought is that interest needs to be built and maintained among kids and the general public. How can interest be fostered and maintained if "many bowlers would stop bowling if they make the conditions harder?" You can't make the sport too elitist, or the interest won't spread. The game will come off as "something for Them," instead of "something for Us."
How that translates as relevant to this thread is this: The house shots may be "easy," but that's the price that may need to be paid in order to keep people interested.

[Aslan]

How that translates as relevant to this thread is this: The house shots may be "easy," but that's the price that may need to be paid in order to keep people interested.

Question: When was bowling most popular? When conditions were harder? Or when conditions were easier?

Answer: Harder.

Easier conditions have brought us casual bowlers and cosmic bowlers...and PBA matches where 2 bowlers each bowl 10 frames and the average first ball pinfall is > 9 pins. Compare that to 50 years ago when pros routinely left multi-pin spares...and splits. As a kid, I stopped watching the PBA because it was boring watching guys throw strike after strike after strike like it wasn't even a challenge.

Everyone wants to score higher. But what if you found out that your 280 average is only that high because the lanes you bowl leagues on are illegal? Would you still be proud of that 280 average? I wouldn't be. Would it be "fun"? Sure. Scoring is always fun! But a 280 is only great if it's hard to get a 280. If everyone in your league averages 290...then a 280 aint so fun anymore.

Bowling lacks "the challenge". Nowadays its like pulling teeth to get people to step outside their own center and go across town...much less enter a tournament or a scratch league. Nobody wants the "glory" of going to Reno and winning on the big stage...because they're all too afraid that if they do, and they average 165...then their little world collapses.

I have a sub on my Thursday team. I asked him to join but he initially declined. He's a bowler with 6 300 rings who used to bowl every year in the USBC open...then hurt his knee and gave up the sport because he could no longer bowl at a high level. After coming out and watching our team, he asked to be added as a sub...and now he's having as much fun as anyone on the team if not more. Why? Well, I think, because once he checked his ego at the door....he remembered what bowling is all about...the fun, the challenge. He's robbed himself of that experience for over a decade because his ego wouldn't allow him to bowl if he couldn't roll a 700 series each night. And thats sad...but thats what bowling has become.

[rv driver]

Question: When was bowling most popular? When conditions were harder? Or when conditions were easier?

Answer: Harder.

Easier conditions have brought us casual bowlers and cosmic bowlers...and PBA matches where 2 bowlers each bowl 10 frames and the average first ball pinfall is > 9 pins. Compare that to 50 years ago when pros routinely left multi-pin spares...and splits. As a kid, I stopped watching the PBA because it was boring watching guys throw strike after strike after strike like it wasn't even a challenge.

Everyone wants to score higher. But what if you found out that your 280 average is only that high because the lanes you bowl leagues on are illegal? Would you still be proud of that 280 average? I wouldn't be. Would it be "fun"? Sure. Scoring is always fun! But a 280 is only great if it's hard to get a 280. If everyone in your league averages 290...then a 280 aint so fun anymore.

Bowling lacks "the challenge". Nowadays its like pulling teeth to get people to step outside their own center and go across town...much less enter a tournament or a scratch league. Nobody wants the "glory" of going to Reno and winning on the big stage...because they're all too afraid that if they do, and they average 165...then their little world collapses.

I have a sub on my Thursday team. I asked him to join but he initially declined. He's a bowler with 6 300 rings who used to bowl every year in the USBC open...then hurt his knee and gave up the sport because he could no longer bowl at a high level. After coming out and watching our team, he asked to be added as a sub...and now he's having as much fun as anyone on the team if not more. Why? Well, I think, because once he checked his ego at the door....he remembered what bowling is all about...the fun, the challenge. He's robbed himself of that experience for over a decade because his ego wouldn't allow him to bowl if he couldn't roll a 700 series each night. And thats sad...but thats what bowling has become.

but who are the lanes "easy" for? The general public (upon whom the PBA depends for its success)? Or for the league and tournament players? Your "Joe average" roller finds the oil patterns difficult to understand and master. They're intimidated. And ultimately, the house is "for" the general public. Perhaps learning to bowl on other than the "THS" is the initiation into the more elite world of the serious bowler (who's egos are most likely the ones that need to be checked at the door)?

[rv driver]

Just another thought:
when learning to bowl (in my experience in the "old days"), one had to master one's movements. If the lanes are "too hard," not only will a beginner have to master her or his own movements, but lane conditions, as well. It's too much, too hard, too intimidating for those who just want to bowl for fun, but who still enjoy making a respectable score. For those who have already mastered their movements, the next level of challenge is to master tougher lane conditions.