new usbc specs

[fordman1]

The USBC has come out with new rules on balance holes and only dry towels. Something about absorption rate on balls also. Haven't read it all yet.

[Phonetek]

You have a link? I guess this would effect the "anytime" cleaners list. Anything wet couldn't be anytime if it's dry towels only.

[Amyers]

Didn't thinl it was a big deal myself. Basically no extra unused holes period. No cleaners during bowling was what I noticed. Takes effect in 2020

https://youtu.be/1nkmk733Nbs

[Phonetek]

I found the link. https://www.bowl.com/News/NewsDetail...id=23622331019

Wow so thumbless bowlers will no longer be able to have a thumb hole. That's gonna stir up some hornets nests. According to what that says every hole must be used every delivery. So bye bye balance holes. Since I only have 3 holes and use them all I could care less about that rule. As for the dry towel, I'm okay with that too. I see these as good things but I'm sure a lot of people are gonna be less than thrilled. At least the USBC seems to be doing something.

If you are looking to buy a serious oil sucker ball you better get it now so it's grandfathered in.

[mc_runner]

Read through them, the sky isn't falling and I don't really have a problem with any of the changes. I have some issues with the USBC & how things are run, but think this isn't a bad thing for the sport... Long term something has to be done to get balls and/or lane conditions under a bit of control.

Definitely does affect no thumb/2 handers a little more, but in the sense of closing loopholes that were exploitable (triangle drill for example).

[chip82901]

So, I started thinking about this more last night about the balance hole idea. The current rule is 1oz side and 3oz finger or thumb. Basically, this new rule is saying you're allowed 3oz of side, meaning where you'd normally take 2oz out of the side of the ball to make it legal, you no longer have to. This rule was intended for the bowlers that were placing the balance holes statigically to alter the ball motion (most drillers do this anyway depending on how you roll the ball ie. more flare/less flare). It will actually give more options on drilling actually as you don't have to worry so much about static weights.

The other big thing that we as bowlers don't have to worry about so much is the absorption rate rule. This is a rule that is primarily for the manufactures. I think what USBC was getting to is that bowling balls are becoming too porous, causing the lanes to break down faster, thus losing integrity of the game when the best bowlers in the world are lofting the ball over the gutter 15 feet down lane in the world's most prestigious tournaments. I think where the new rule is going to go, is that coverstocks will become harder and less porous, meaning that the soak up less oil, and your oil patterns won't break down as fast. This is actually a good thing for bowlers as it should mean less adjustments in the long run.

Lastly, the one thing I wish they would regulate, still won't happen. What I'd like to see is a standard for normal league oil patterns to justify averages. Come up with 5 oil patterns to choose from, and report your averages to that pattern. At that point, at least your guy averaging 230 in one house but can't hit the broad side of a barn in another would be justified.

[bowl1820]

It's all a big too do about basically nothing, Yes It's a chicken Little situation.

Absorption rates? If they could've changed the absorption rate on balls secretly, Frankly I doubt anyone would have noticed. Now when someone rolls the first ball off the line with the new spec. it will be "OMG, OMG, OMG it didn't hook like the old balls!!!! It's too weak!!!!!"

Weight holes? The one that will hurt the most is Mo Pinel, he always pushed you should have a weight hole in every ball. But don't worry him and radical will come up with something new that no other company has, Radical balls will cut donuts down the lane and then do flying drop kicks on the pins as they give the USBC the stink eye!

The funny thing to read are the posts by guys that say "I have 20+ balls in the basement/Closest I've had for 20+ years and are collecting dust because I don't use them, I just pulled one out last week and it worked great!! I might want to use another one 10 years from now I can't get all those balls plugged."

Or the posts "DRY TOWEL"!!!! "WHAT CONSTITUTES A DRY TOWEL??????? Is a leather shammy a towel? What about microfiber towels are they dry towels?

[bowl1820]

It will actually give more options on drilling actually as you don't have to worry so much about static weights.

Which is what many for years had wished they'd do, get rid of the static weight rule so'd they have more options in layouts. But of course they didn't exactly do away with the the static weight rules. So they'll still complain.

The other big thing that we as bowlers don't have to worry about so much is the absorption rate rule.

Another thing is if the balls absorb less oil, they'll last longer or you'll at least not have to deoil them as often.

Lastly, the one thing I wish they would regulate, still won't happen. What I'd like to see is a standard for normal league oil patterns to justify averages. Come up with 5 oil patterns to choose from, and report your averages to that pattern. At that point, at least your guy averaging 230 in one house but can't hit the broad side of a barn in another would be justified.

They don't really need new patterns, They just need to make houses rotate through the patterns not use the same one week after week.

You could put out the hardest pattern there is, But if you bowl on it all the time the scores will go back up. The PBA found that out when they first used the animal patterns. The scores plunged, but after they bowled on them for several weeks they went right back up.

[chip82901]

They don't really need new patterns, They just need to make houses rotate through the patterns not use the same one week after week.

You could put out the hardest pattern there is, But if you bowl on it all the time the scores will go back up. The PBA found that out when they first used the animal patterns. The scores plunged, but after they bowled on them for several weeks they went right back up.

While yes, this is true, it will at least be justifiable. I was a firm believer in the Red,White and Blue patterns. If they came out with something like this and said, "Here, in order to be sanctioned you have to use at least one of these". Instead of, "I average 230+ on my house shot I bowl on every week that is a wall on the 8 board, but when I go bowl tournaments, I complain about the 190-200 average bowler who bowls in a house that lays out a tougher shot getting 15-20 sticks a game"

[vdubtx]

No problem with the changes here. I only use a dry shammy currently before every shot anyway.

The balance holes won't be an issue either and I won't have to get them plugged as they will all likely be replaced before Aug 1, 2020 comes around anyway.