Is two-handed bowling unfair?

[Amyers]

Does it occur to anyone here that bowling's main sponsors are ball manufacturers? Go back to plastic or rubber and you go back to one ball per bowler and the death of the little bit that's left of the sport.

This nailed it. The ball manufactures are the one group that is still making money in the bowling world of today. Kill the one golden goose you have left? I'm not a fan of the two hander style but I don't hate it either. I do wonder if we will reach a point where it's throw that way or don't compete at the higher ends of the sport which is really going to suck.

I liked the idea with the oil patterns and 8 week schedule Brian was referring too. I think it's kind of sad that my daughter who bowls various tournaments routinely bowls on tougher conditions than I ever do. The one place I see bowling growing is in the youth divisions they maybe less of them but they are competing in a much higher level and organized fashion than was ever available when I was younger. I have hopes that her generation that grew up competing in these tournaments on sport patterns and challenge shots will demand a change in the league scene instead of whining like my generation seems too but I'm just not sure if they there will be enough of them to really change the sport.

[fordman1]

League bowlers are the money pit. League bowlers pay for almost everything. You want to kill bowling, kill the leagues. Change the shot and within a year half will bowl in non certified leagues and the smart owners will give then the dreaded house shot. I agree the youth bowlers bowl on sports shots but mostly because that is what they are made to use. Once school is over they quit for the most part. They can not afford it with low paying entry jobs. No good paying union jobs anymore.

[Jessiewoodard57]

Two handed or one to me makes no difference each has their own challenges ...I could not imagine having to loft the left gutter cap to make it back to the pocket as Belmo does from time to time. As long as they have the same rules to follow as everyone else don't see what the deal is. You don't see the pros calling foul why should we?

[ep1977]

I wouldn't want to ban 2 handed bowling but I do think it should be a separate division. They should compete with themselves and the traditional bowlers against each other.

[foreverincamo]

My original post shows it IS the pros, albeit two of them, who are complaining about the two-handlers and the equipment. I guess what's funny is the first movement away from rubber balls were the colorful plastic balls. They didn't hook any more than rubber, but they were pretty.
Then urethane came out, and balls could hook a bit more. Everyone was buying them, amateurs and pros. Then came the newer core shapes, and with them a little more hook. And finally reactive resin and crazy cores that act like engines that create hook with very little effort.
I was a "cranker" when I was much, much younger. I threw a hook every bit as big as I do now. Except now I'm not blistering my thumb and fingers and ruining my wrist trying to put all that torque on the ball. I can either roll up the back of the ball, hit up the side of the ball, or roll my hand around the ball like tossing a football underhand and create hook with a quarter of the effort.
Sorry, but I like the new balls. Hell, I own 9 different balls now. 3 three-ball totes. And I enjoy the game just as much as I did when I was younger and wanted to go pro. And when I turn 50 in a few years, I'm going to do just that.

[vdubtx]

I wouldn't want to ban 2 handed bowling but I do think it should be a separate division. They should compete with themselves and the traditional bowlers against each other.

That would mean you need a separate division for lefties too. Since they hardly ever have to compete on burned conditions?

[Jessiewoodard57]

When Nascar went and changed the rules as to points It just was not the same Nascar anymore. Your big names like Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt would not have the championships they do under the scoring of modern racing. It's more luck then skill that wins a championship now. Many people just stopped following the side show. I think we need to learn from their mistakes and leave things alone.

When we start forming off shoot divisions 2 handed and 1 handed, Left and right, where will it end? With a lot of people just throwing their hands up and walking away. A lot of wisdom in the old saying "if it isn't broke don't fix it" or even the KISS " Keep It Simple Stupid". just my humble opinion.

[JasonNJ]

That would mean you need a separate division for lefties too. Since they hardly ever have to compete on burned conditions?

Why stop there? Guys with 500+ rev rates throwing it one handed isn't fair either. They should have their own division too.

[foreverincamo]

These responses show that there just isn't a simple solution. It seems to me that professional bowling is making a comeback. With the PWBA back, and now all their finals are televised ( not live ) it's just getting better. What bowling needs to do is recruit from the college players and get a real youth movement going and continuing. Get more sponsors and more money and make it so being a bowler can be your ONLY job and not your second job. Then bowling can truly blossom.

[jab5325]

These responses show that there just isn't a simple solution. It seems to me that professional bowling is making a comeback. With the PWBA back, and now all their finals are televised ( not live ) it's just getting better. What bowling needs to do is recruit from the college players and get a real youth movement going and continuing. Get more sponsors and more money and make it so being a bowler can be your ONLY job and not your second job. Then bowling can truly blossom.

Bingo.

League bowling is still dead in many areas.

But, there is progress being made in other areas. A strong youth program to open up a pipeline to adult leagues is crucial to the sport.