None of these rules bother me one bit. I always used a dry towel except when I was done or before I started. I never had a ball with any balance holes and always used all 3 finger holes. To me everything will be status quo. From a heated discussion with someone at work who switches between thumbless and using his thumb isn't happy. He feels the USBC is making a mistake. He says this is going to make more bowlers go find non-sanctioned leagues and leave the USBC's reach. Apparently if you don't like following rules and feel the need to cheat then sure non-sanctioned is the way to go. Good riddance, I wouldn't want to bowl with them then anyway if they can't follow rules. LOL
Talk about making a big deal over nothing. How difficult is this? Plug the extra hole or get a second ball drilled without a thumb and move on with your day. They can still throw without the thumb and chuck it over gutters 40 feet all that want. No rules against that. Instead lets cry about it and call foul? The only mistake the USBC made is not making these rules eons ago when thumbless started becoming a thing.
Bowling Center Manager
Arsenal consists of mainly 15# Motiv balls, I have several now and they are the bomb! Too many to list and carry. Still have a couple Hammer balls and my AMF RPM Swirl (old reliable) & 25+yr old Linds worth a mention
Currently 535+ Rev Rate @ 19 MPH (This probably needs to be updated, I think I've toned each down a click or two these days. I'm letting the ball do more of the work as I get older.)
What is the balance hole for? Can't the pro shop drill a ball without having to add an extra hole? Or is it the manufacturer who can't make a ball that is balanced? Can't the bowler hook the ball without a ball that has all the weight on the side?
Explain your self you experts!
I agree. If I get a ball that can't be balanced within spec without the need for an extra hole then I'll tell them not to drill it and find a different ball. Fortunately I have not run into this scenario as of yet. It appears it won't be a concern much longer.Originally Posted by fordman1
Bowling Center Manager
Arsenal consists of mainly 15# Motiv balls, I have several now and they are the bomb! Too many to list and carry. Still have a couple Hammer balls and my AMF RPM Swirl (old reliable) & 25+yr old Linds worth a mention
Currently 535+ Rev Rate @ 19 MPH (This probably needs to be updated, I think I've toned each down a click or two these days. I'm letting the ball do more of the work as I get older.)
I like your idea of making leagues report the scores to a pattern. It's not fair to have two bowlers of equal skill levels have different handicaps only because one bowls on a harder pattern in league than the other.
It's not the manufacturer who makes a ball balanced. It's the ball driller and how he/she decides to drill the bowling ball for a particular bowler. With the current side weight max of 1 oz (pick up five quarters = one ounce), the balance hole is needed for many popular drillings to keep the side weight from going over one ounce. Raising the static weight requirement to three ounces will allow most drillings to be used with no balance hole. They ones that can't be used without a balance hole will go away.
By the way, the side weight has minimal effect on how much the ball hooks (watch the video - 2 boards), but the way the ball is drilled and the resulting imbalance determines the shape of the hook and where the ball hooks on the lane.
As long as the USBC and BPAA are both headquartered in the same building, nothing will EVER be done that requires proprietors to do anything to monitor their oil patterns... it's just not fiscally feasible!
You mention USBC and proprietors. How much hold does the USBC have on the centers? I know where I work we get the lanes and equipment certified I believe once or twice a year. What if the center told the USBC to go pound sand and didn't invite them in to certify anything? Given how it is where I'm at we aren't required to have any certified leagues or tournaments as it is and we don't. What happens if we didn't follow their rules on the lanes? Does the USBC have the power to shut down a center or can they still operate without following guidelines? I know this is a tad off topic but since Rob opened the door I figured it would be a valid question and I'm curious.
Bowling Center Manager
Arsenal consists of mainly 15# Motiv balls, I have several now and they are the bomb! Too many to list and carry. Still have a couple Hammer balls and my AMF RPM Swirl (old reliable) & 25+yr old Linds worth a mention
Currently 535+ Rev Rate @ 19 MPH (This probably needs to be updated, I think I've toned each down a click or two these days. I'm letting the ball do more of the work as I get older.)
The USBC has no hold on bowling centers to my knowledge. They are charged with growing and upholding the integrity of the game; something at which they have failed miserably in my opinion. It would not surprise me at all if the USBC does not continue to lose membership and fades away altogether in the not-to-distant future. This all started when they decided to walk away from their "old" headquarters in Wisconsin and moved into the Arlington facility that they share with the BPAA. As a matter of nature, the USBC and the BPAA are at crossed purposes. They USBC is supposed to support the bowlers. The BPAA supports the profits of the proprietors. If this is not a "no win" situation for the bowlers, I don't know what is. Please keep in mind that this is just my opinion based on what I have seen and experienced.
Understood on it being your opinion. For what it's worth given your experience I lean toward it being pretty accurate. Given my love of the game I sorta wish the USBC did have some hold. It bothers me seeing all this non-certified competition going on and I want no part of it. However it seems that the certified events and leagues are going away at an alarming rate and eventually I'll be forced to join them unless all I want to do is open bowl. Pretty sad in my opinion.
Bowling Center Manager
Arsenal consists of mainly 15# Motiv balls, I have several now and they are the bomb! Too many to list and carry. Still have a couple Hammer balls and my AMF RPM Swirl (old reliable) & 25+yr old Linds worth a mention
Currently 535+ Rev Rate @ 19 MPH (This probably needs to be updated, I think I've toned each down a click or two these days. I'm letting the ball do more of the work as I get older.)
Truer words couldn't have been spoken about this. The BPAA is the one driving the non-monitoring aspect of this statement. Heck, I think BPAA is driving more of what USBC does than the USBC would care to admit. LOL
High Sanctioned Scratch Game - 300(12) Hi Sanctioned Scratch Series - 822(3)
2016/17 Book Average=221, 2017/18 Composite Average=223
Equipment in the bag - Storm Crux Prime, Storm Physix, Roto Grip Idol, Roto Grip Idol Pearl, Roto Grip Hyper Cell Fused, Storm Sure Lock, Storm Drive, Roto Grip Winner Solid, Roto Grip Haywire, Storm Fever Pitch, Roto Grip Red ball spare.
Rev Rate 400. Speed 18 at heads, 16.5-17 at pins. Axis tilt 10, Axis Rotation 55. PAP 5 5/8 x 5/8 up
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