How THS has ruined bowling, and why we should all quit and play Bocce ball instead !

[Amyers]

I think we have finally been able to pin point the problem, you live in the land of delusional bowlers.
If I had a nickel for every 200 avg bowler locally I know who thinks they are as good as the pro's you know what I would have...... 0.00

You can go ahead and raise that up as high as you want, even the guys I know who avg in the 230's don't think that, it appears the bowlers you know are not very bright, have been out in the sun too long, or are on drugs.....This revelation actually explains a great deal about your posts.

Seriously the people in the Midwest do not think if they shoot par they can be on the tour or if they sink 10 free throws they can play in the NBA.....

Unfortunately I do see some of that here mostly among the younger crowd it's a lot of the same group that joins our travel league that bowls on challenge and sport patterns and then quits after two weeks because they can't cut it or talk the league down because they've already tried it and quit.

[foreverincamo]

Just have the USBC change the maximum oil ratio allowed on the THS and make the outside boards OOB, and get accuracy back into the game.

[bowl1820]

They don't have to change oil ratio's, just have the leagues rotate patterns every week. There's more than enough patterns to have a different one every week of the season.

[rocky61201]

They don't have to change oil ratio's, just have the leagues rotate patterns every week. There's more than enough patterns to have a different one every week of the season.

I would love to bowl in a league like this.

[fordman1]

They don't have to change oil ratio's, just have the leagues rotate patterns every week. There's more than enough patterns to have a different one every week of the season.

Our shot changes from week to week. Not on purpose but because of weather, and the fact that there are doors on both ends of the house. Humidity and temperature are big factors.
I find it amazing that so many of the bowlers who want tougher shots are not the higher average bowlers. Do they think if the guys kicking their a$$ now won't do it on a tougher shot? If you still have a nice place to bowl you should be grateful and quit crying.

[DMS]

"I find it amazing that so many of the bowlers who want tougher shots are not the higher average bowlers."

Why? The lower average players reading this forum are obviously interested in bettering their skills and versatility, and want to see what it's like to play a tougher shot.

"Do they think if the guys kicking their a$$ now won't do it on a tougher shot?"

No... We know they'll probably still kick our a$$. That's okay... Our self esteem doesn't revolve around our bowling. Not going to set ourselves on fire in the basement because we get beat by a better bowler.

Time, practice, coaching... We'll get there eventually and become as cynical as you, Fordman! <g>

Personally, I play the toughest house in our area as my home house because I want it to be harder, and will play better at most other joints because of it. Nothing strange about that, is there?

I aspire to transition from the a$$ kickee to the a$$ kicker. Won't get there playing pushover shots at centers across the street from the old folk's home.

[1VegasBowler]

Until the USBC changes it's rules concerning the THS, anything other than a THS ends up being a sport shot. Even the Red, White & Blue USBC patterns are considered a sport shot.

The only thing that can be done, as said earlier in this discussion, would be for the USBC to re-define the THS as far as length and volume goes.

[fordman1]

Vegas what length would you recommend? What ratio? 3 to 1, 5 to 1 or 10 to 1?

DMS you can bowl on anything you want. But making all shots hard sport or PBA would do nothing but kill bowling. If you really want to make the shot harder for the "elite" good bowlers just don't oil the lanes for a week. Then the novices can throw right down the middle and the newbies can hook the shi* out of the ball.

[Aslan]

Until the USBC changes it's rules concerning the THS, anything other than a THS ends up being a sport shot. Even the Red, White & Blue USBC patterns are considered a sport shot.

The only thing that can be done, as said earlier in this discussion, would be for the USBC to re-define the THS as far as length and volume goes.

What would be the problem with getting rid of the "THS"?

In essence, if you think about it, the "THS" created the "need" for a "sport shot". If there were no "THS"...everyone would simply be bowling on, essentially, a "sport shot"...and nobody would even realize it. The PBA could still vary their (sport) shots as they see fit...animal patterns, etc... But every league would be on the same pattern...there would be no "sport vs THS"...because the THS = sport.

And, keep in mind the other factor to consider...that if the USBC mandated the use of the USBC Red, White, or Blue...the USBC could always change those patterns according to their needs. For example, what if the USBC Red was weakened to the point that it was simply a slightly harder version of a standard THS? The USBC could even adopt the THS...call it the USBC Red...then standardize it's use. On of the MAJOR advantages of this recommendation...is it gives the USBC control over the patterns and allows the USBC to change those patterns (UNIFORMLY) as they see fit. If the USBC Red becomes too much like a THS...maybe too easy...the USBC simply mandates a change in oil volumes, oil types, and/or oil ratios...and redefines the "USBC Red".

And the USBC already does this for the USBC Open...so it's not some drastically outside-the-box idea.

The "trick" comes in three ways:
1) How do you convince the BPAA to give up a little control over their oil patterns?
2) How do you ensure an equal playing field when centers use different types of oil....without putting oil manufacturers out of business?
3) What system do you use to "check/verify" the use of these patterns during league play?

I listened to a center owner talk on one of the XTraFrame telecasts...and I agreed with him on some points...but disagreed on others. Specifically, he was talking about how he liked the idea of making the shots at his centers as easy as possible because he felt that people participating in leagues didn't want to work all day and then beat themselves up trying to bowl in the evening.

He was essentially making the argument (unintentionally) that sanctioned league bowling isn't really a "sport"...it's just something to do while getting drunk and eating food. He also talked about how bowling is now about 53% "casual/open play" and 47% league play...thus more proprietors are catering to open/casual bowlers. This is a slippery slope. As centers start to treat bowling more and more like an "activity"...and leagues become less and less of the business...then the sport starts to die. As the sport dies, there is less incentive to take it seriously. As less and less people take it seriously...less people become league bowlers...and casual/open bowling becomes a greater % of the business....then the circle starts again.

I don't think this is as big a problem in the Southern Nevada USBC...because league play isn't as much of a necessity in the Las Vegas area. Casinos can afford to keep their lanes open...even with sparse usage....the same way they can keep their movie theatres open...even if they aren't packed with people. Casinos make millions of dollars a day in gaming profits and Vegas has an almost unlimited number of tourists. It's a "destination city" that is always starving for non-gaming entertainment.

For most centers (non-Vegas)...there is a "tipping point"....where once a center gets to a low enough league participation rate....the center gets a reputation as "not league friendly", they lose their remaining league bowlers, and the casual/open play can't sustain the center. It's a tricky "tipping point"....because the center doesn't really see it coming...until they've crossed the threshold. Many centers see the expanded open/casual play as great business...."never did better"...right up until that "tipping point"...then within a year they are empty.

Thats why, in some ways, the USBC has to protect centers from themselves. Centers get lured into the idea that leagues are unnecessary...and that the sport is unnecessary. They cite studies of Bowlmor centers in upscale locations and industry trends over the last 40 years. But those studies never seem to include the data regarding centers that lost their leagues...in non-upscale areas...that very quickly went under.

[RobLV1]

The problem is not defining or changing the THS. The problem is monitoring it. If the USBC sets tougher standards, they have to monitor them. If they don't monitor them, then they are meaningless.