PBA Members

[Trex]

How many PBA members are there here other than myself? I have not been around here much because I was banned years ago for annoying one of the admin. I did not annoy him on purpose, nor did he know that I am a member of the PBA. (Note: I do not expect anyone to reveal their true identity).

With that being said, how many PBA members do we have here? Anyone Know?

[Phonetek]

I'm guessing none. The majority of us are just old school league/tournament bowlers. Unless someone has been pulling off a good Clark Kent act for a long time I don't think there are any closet pros here.

I'm also guessing that many of us including myself have annoyed the mods from time to time. None that I recall were blatantly jerks though. If the site was booming like it was back in the day perhaps enough to get the boot but maybe not.

Given that there is only a handful of us that are active, as long as we are posting, being useful and not causing any crazy commotion were safe. Still gotta play nice, being annoying and being profane and a jerk are two different things.

Being a pro wouldn't give anyone a free pass to be a jerk. If anything, held to a higher standard to be a role model. The content should be good for discussion, helpful to those who want to improve and positive to the sport. Perhaps draw in some new members.

[Ryster]

It is a lot easier these days to be a PBA member than it was back in the day. Today, you just need a 200+ average after 36 games in your current league season. Pay the $99 application fee and then $180/year and voila, you have a PBA card.

Back in the day it was much more selective, required community references, letters of recommendation, sponsors, etc. It actually meant something.

Having a PBA card doesn't make anyone any better than anyone else. I bowl with several people that have their PBA cards yet never bowl in any PBA events. They do not hesitate to casually mention they are PBA members if/when the opportunity presents itself. They then expect people to bow down to them as though they are somehow elite because they have their PBA card. It doesn't impress me.

[Trex]

I'm guessing none. The majority of us are just old school league/tournament bowlers. Unless someone has been pulling off a good Clark Kent act for a long time I don't think there are any closet pros here.

I'm also guessing that many of us including myself have annoyed the mods from time to time. None that I recall were blatantly jerks though. If the site was booming like it was back in the day perhaps enough to get the boot but maybe not.

Given that there is only a handful of us that are active, as long as we are posting, being useful and not causing any crazy commotion were safe. Still gotta play nice, being annoying and being profane and a jerk are two different things.

Being a pro wouldn't give anyone a free pass to be a jerk. If anything, held to a higher standard to be a role model. The content should be good for discussion, helpful to those who want to improve and positive to the sport. Perhaps draw in some new members.

Thank you Phonetek, I appreciate your reply. I should not be surprised about this, but Back in 2010 I thought at the time that this place was booming, or it seemed that way.
As for me I got locked out. Never could figure out why as I had the correct user name and password but could not get in. Waited quite some time and finally got back in only to get locked out again. Thanks for the info.

[Trex]

It is a lot easier these days to be a PBA member than it was back in the day. Today, you just need a 200+ average after 36 games in your current league season. Pay the $99 application fee and then $180/year and voila, you have a PBA card.

Back in the day it was much more selective, required community references, letters of recommendation, sponsors, etc. It actually meant something.

Having a PBA card doesn't make anyone any better than anyone else. I bowl with several people that have their PBA cards yet never bowl in any PBA events. They do not hesitate to casually mention they are PBA members if/when the opportunity presents itself. They then expect people to bow down to them as though they are somehow elite because they have their PBA card. It doesn't impress me.

Thank you Ryster for your honesty, I do appreciate it.

Even though I have been a member for over ten years, I find that bowling in PBA events to be far more rewarding for me than bowling in any other events due to what I learn each and every time I do bowl. But like you say... No one is impressed, nor do i expect them to be. I feel like anyone who can join should join just so they can get the experience that it gives you. Meaning...Bowling in an PBA experience league will never be the same as the real thing! Not in my humble opinion anyway.

Bowling in real PBA tournaments does not in anyway compare to the so called PBA Experience leagues. Simply put, Real PBA events are much better!! But since no one has any respect for those who have some real experience then I won't go into any details about anything I have learned. I would however recommend that anyone who has the desire to bowl in a Real PBA regional, please by all means do so as you can bowl as a non member and you will learn a lot if you do. The more you bowl these events the more you learn and the more you will improve.

I hope that everyone strives to improve, and the best way for me has been to simply ignore those naysayers who claim I am not good enough. The truth is anyone can do it who puts their mind to it, those who want it bad enough find success with in five or six years. But by all means if you are happy just bowling local league & tournaments, then at least you are enjoying bowling and that is all that matters!

I wish you the best!!

[boatman37]

The guy that drilled my Altered Reality is a PBA member. He complained that he can't enter any tournaments now cause he loses his handicap being a PBA member and his average isn't high enough to compete in handicap events and too low to bowl scratch events. We have a few PBA members that bowl in tournaments at our house. Not touring pros, just card holders with about 230 averages. For me, well my average is too low anyway but I think I would want to be at least 225-230 average before I joined. Unless I misunderstood the guy?

[J Anderson]

I agree that probably no one knows how many PBA members are also on this forum. All I know is that I am not a PBA member. My friend Jeff earned his PBA card the hard way back in the early 90s by cashing in two PBA regionals in one season. When he lived in the Chicago area he used to bowl a lot of regionals and just about broke even. Another friend got his card between 15 and 20 years ago, but I'm sure he never attempted a PBA regional.

I keep thinking that I would like to try a PBA regional. I have no delusion that I could win one, and the entry fee for non members seems rather high. so I keep putting it off.

[GrumpyCatFace]

I’m at a 170, and have no business anywhere near a PBA event. But I’d love to try it.

I just need a couple nights away from the kids every week. Trying to get gud.

[Ryster]

Thank you Ryster for your honesty, I do appreciate it.

Even though I have been a member for over ten years, I find that bowling in PBA events to be far more rewarding for me than bowling in any other events due to what I learn each and every time I do bowl. But like you say... No one is impressed, nor do i expect them to be. I feel like anyone who can join should join just so they can get the experience that it gives you. Meaning...Bowling in an PBA experience league will never be the same as the real thing! Not in my humble opinion anyway.

Bowling in real PBA tournaments does not in anyway compare to the so called PBA Experience leagues. Simply put, Real PBA events are much better!! But since no one has any respect for those who have some real experience then I won't go into any details about anything I have learned. I would however recommend that anyone who has the desire to bowl in a Real PBA regional, please by all means do so as you can bowl as a non member and you will learn a lot if you do. The more you bowl these events the more you learn and the more you will improve.

I hope that everyone strives to improve, and the best way for me has been to simply ignore those naysayers who claim I am not good enough. The truth is anyone can do it who puts their mind to it, those who want it bad enough find success with in five or six years. But by all means if you are happy just bowling local league & tournaments, then at least you are enjoying bowling and that is all that matters!

I wish you the best!!

The issue isn't a lack of respect and making that kind of statement and insinuating we don't want to hear your "real experience" kind of illustrates my point. The issue is the attitude that many PBA card holders have about being a card carrying "pro". These are the bowlers ruining it for the humble PBA members that don't act that way. It almost sounds like people who bowl only local leagues and tournaments are just settling for a lesser experience...but that's okay because at least we are bowling. Interesting take on things.

I have had the good fortune of being able to bowl in pro-ams with some of the greatest bowlers and ambassadors in the sport. The majority of them were very friendly and outgoing. If people asked for pointers, they would oblige. If people just wanted to talk about the weather, they would do that. Some were a bit snobbish and only wanted to talk to the other pros and not the amateurs.

I am sure that bowling in a PBA event is an entirely different experience compared to leagues and local tournaments. However I will never pay $350+ to enter a tournament just for the "experience". If that makes my bowling experience incomplete or lesser in some way, I can live with that.

[Phonetek]

Kinda makes it sound like people get the cards just to flaunt them for bragging rights. It's one thing to get the card, do your best, fail and go nowhere. At least they have it a shot. It's like the equivalent of a baseball player making it to triple A and never getting called up.

This sounds like some bowlers are not aspiring to be pros but to make a career out of being on triple A? I don't know if I'd be quick to brag about it every chance I get. That conversation would sound like "Hi, I'm Dick. I'm a PBA pro that aspires to finish last. Or. I'm a PBA pro that does nothing with it. Either way I'm better than you." 😝

Not exactly a role model to be looked up to or someone I'd be quick to have coach my kid. I'm certainly not asking for that autograph or selfy with them. LOL Funny thing is, by being a card holder there are some tournaments and events you'd be banned from bowling in because of it. They are actual pigeon holding themselves for bragging rights? Ooookay. It takes all types I guess.

Heck, I got my AARP card in the mail when I turned 41. I have yet to whip it out and say "Hey! I'm a senior citizen! I want a discount!" Then again, I don't think at 65 I'll be very quick to do that even once I'm not a poser.