RealTalk#4 HOUSE SHOT pt. II

[Theo McNair]

Ok, so I am not totally sold on "the shot being easy gets more people to bowl". The recreational bowlers don't care what is on the lane. The league bowlers when they first started bowling was not expecting for it to be super easy. I believe the thing that attracts anyone to anything is the challenge (especially men, can't speak for the ladies :).
If the challenge of bowling was based on a little more difficulty, I don't think those of us that bowl would have changed our minds when we first started. I always compare bowling with golf. In golf you have to make shots. It is never easy because each shot takes the same kind of focus and execution to be successful, and no two shots are the same. I don't see where bowling has to be different, or I cant see where a lot of people will stop bowling because it has more of a challenge.
When I first started playing golf I was not expecting after a year (or even 5) that I should be shooting in the 70s like the pros, the same with bowling, bowlers shouldnt expect to average 200 or 220 like the pros after two to three years.
There is no reason in the world why part-time bowlers should avg close to the same as a pro who makes a living doing this. That is part reason why there is no money in bowling because everyday people can't see the difference in Joe the bowler at home vs. Pete Weber on TV, because they are shooting the same scores.

So, I don't agree with the concept that easy shots makes masses of people start or continue to bowl. I believe people are attracted to sports for the challenge, not the ease.
If it does than those are the same people that are helping us to kill the sport, we need to change the mindset of our sport to keep it alive.

This is RealTalk! What do you think?

[Nick Smith]

This is the thing there are so many different types of bowlers in the game right now. You have your brand new bowlers( only 1-2yrs involved ), you have bowlers that are starting to advance as bowlers putting time and money in it, you have bowlers that became good bowlers but over the years havent been able to do it as much do to other circumstances( they know how to bowl and how the game works just their score might not show it because they dont get to bowl often ), and your "real bowlers" who bowl every chance they get and study the game. Because all these different types of players exist is the reason you run into your house shot problem.

The brand new bowlers dont really care what th house shot is they just want to learn how to bowl, yes everybody wants instant success. so as long as they can score they are happy.
Your bowlers that are just beginning to put forth time and effort to learn the game they would like to see alittle more challenging shot just as your advanced bowlers do because it shows us how good we are and were we stand with our game.

[TIM MCNAIR]

Theo, i agree with your analysis.......bowling as a sport should be more difficult. Now bowling as a activity don't matter. But as a beginner to the SPORT of bowling, you shouldnt be able to buy a bowling ball, roll it up the second arrow and strike lot a PRO. No other sport allows you to master it or succeed at it as easy as bowling. If they changed the HS to play more difficult it would make bowlers work harder to get better and most of all stop all the crying and complaining.

[kevin jamison]

This is great guys. What you put into something is what you get out of it, plain and simple. Bowling is just like any other sport. You have different levels like beginners, intermediate, advanced and pro levels. The most complaints is at the advanced stage. Why, because they are in a bracket that is 200 to 220 +. The group that constantly feel pressure to stay at these averages mentioned above. Most will flock to houses that they can score. If they do not score well there they will find a house where they can score.
Every level is a mindset. In most fall leagues across the board you will see a shot that makes most bowlers happy. Not as much complaining as usual and most are happy.Summer leagues cater to more open play because they cater to the groups and open play bowlers. From a proprietors standpoint , I would want to make all the money I can in the summer months while the kids are out of school but still preserve my lanes. This is a fact people. Our real game will show the fruit of labor and cream always rises to the top. Not every time but in most cases. Pros have no choice but to make the adjustments or go back to training camp and if we as advanced bowlers can't rap our minds around what do I do to get better concept, we will settle for less and be complainers as apposed to having a winners mentality and figure out the solutions to the so called houseshots. Lets compete and enjoy the game and if you can:t go and get a very big crying towel or maybe go and get so more training. I respect everyones' game but not the crying. Time to shoe and bowl and if the heat is too hot in the kitchen then get out. I hope this doesn't rub some of us the wrong way, but if I bowl anywhere and don't score, I point the finger right at me. I didn't make the adjustments, I should have switched balls, I should have tried this or that. The point is we are responsible to make the RIGHT ADJUSTMENTS.
Come on guys and girls. Put the blame where it belongs, Its on US, PLAIN AND SIMPLE. KGJ

[Hiram Mills]

Amen Rev.

kevin jamison said:

This is great guys. What you put into something is what you get out of it, plain and simple. Bowling is just like any other sport. You have different levels like beginners, intermediate, advanced and pro levels. The most complaints is at the advanced stage. Why, because they are in a bracket that is 200 to 220 +. The group that constantly feel pressure to stay at these averages mentioned above. Most will flock to houses that they can score. If they do not score well there they will find a house where they can score.
Every level is a mindset. In most fall leagues across the board you will see a shot that makes most bowlers happy. Not as much complaining as usual and most are happy.Summer leagues cater to more open play because they cater to the groups and open play bowlers. From a proprietors standpoint , I would want to make all the money I can in the summer months while the kids are out of school but still preserve my lanes. This is a fact people. Our real game will show the fruit of labor and cream always rises to the top. Not every time but in most cases. Pros have no choice but to make the adjustments or go back to training camp and if we as advanced bowlers can't rap our minds around what do I do to get better concept, we will settle for less and be complainers as apposed to having a winners mentality and figure out the solutions to the so called houseshots. Lets compete and enjoy the game and if you can:t go and get a very big crying towel or maybe go and get so more training. I respect everyones' game but not the crying. Time to shoe and bowl and if the heat is too hot in the kitchen then get out. I hope this doesn't rub some of us the wrong way, but if I bowl anywhere and don't score, I point the finger right at me. I didn't make the adjustments, I should have switched balls, I should have tried this or that. The point is we are responsible to make the RIGHT ADJUSTMENTS.
Come on guys and girls. Put the blame where it belongs, Its on US, PLAIN AND SIMPLE. KGJ

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[Kennylaneshark]

Until USBC raises the bar and makes lane conditions more challenging then nothing will ever change. I have heard that a new system of rating houses might be adopted in which houses will be given the option of different levels of lane conditioning. Sort of the way golf courses are rated. This would be a start in the right direction. It's amazing how the modern equipment helps alot of folks score so high. I just got the new Storm Natural which is a urethane ball. Great ball for dry, short and tougher patterns. I have throw it in comparsion to a hyroad and the furious. It's sick how much more the hyroad and furious hook compared to the natural. You really have to be consisent with your speed and release even on the dry stuffwith this ball. Wish I wouldn't have had so much approach problems at the W.C. Cleveland because I had a good look with this ball on that dry shot. Maybe you guys should have a tournament where resin isn"t allowed. This would make folks have to be on their games alittle more and you could throw this righty- lefty crap out the window. Then you would truly see who makes shots and win instead of equipment dictating the outcome. There shouldn't be any complaints from anyone. Good shot making will dominate this type of event. You can throw out the crying from the righties that our shot is always changing and the lefties can stop whining about we can't keep up because the righties have blown opening the track and are scoring higher. I wish we could go back to plastic and urethane. It would put some diginity back into our game and the truly talented would always win.

[Chase]

I believe that if the shot is challenging… people will still participate. The shot I used for my tournament (The iBowlstrikes Summer Challenge) was not a THS…and people came out…and had a great time. The only criticism (not really complaints) came from a handful of 220+ bowlers.

In my opinion, the shot should always be challenging. I am not a veteran to bowling (less than 3 years), but in that time I just keep trying to improve…regardless of how hard “the shot” is. To me… I thought that’s how it was supposed to be anyway.

[Brian Dennis]

The problem is the better bowlers are going to score high on the "easy" house shot, while the lower avg bowlers can still shoot 200's. If the shot is difficult the better bowlers will still win, but will do it by making shots and making spares, while the other bowlers struggle to shoot 180 and leave scratching their heads and disappointed. The "egos" get hurt when we don't bowl well no matter what the lane conditions are. The "easy" shots allow bowlers to score well and if they don't it is because they couldn't carry!! If the shot is hard and challenging we actually have to make good shots and perform and seems nobody wants to have to do that anymore. Most bowlers would rather lose $$$ but tell everyone how they bowled a few 230 games in the process than to avg 190 and leave with the $$$$.

[Chase]

...you know what, I was recently speaking with someone who is helping me with my bowling; Dannial Cohen, and he told me exactly what you said ...
"...Most bowlers would rather lose $$$ but tell everyone how they bowled a few 230 games in the process than to avg 190 and leave with the $$$$."





Brian Dennis said:

The problem is the better bowlers are going to score high on the "easy" house shot, while the lower avg bowlers can still shoot 200's. If the shot is difficult the better bowlers will still win, but will do it by making shots and making spares, while the other bowlers struggle to shoot 180 and leave scratching their heads and disappointed. The "egos" get hurt when we don't bowl well no matter what the lane conditions are. The "easy" shots allow bowlers to score well and if they don't it is because they couldn't carry!! If the shot is hard and challenging we actually have to make good shots and perform and seems nobody wants to have to do that anymore. Most bowlers would rather lose $$$ but tell everyone how they bowled a few 230 games in the process than to avg 190 and leave with the $$$$.

[Keith Beavers]

In short, the easier the shot gets, the more boring the sport gets! It's like someone said, people have trouble distinguising between a pro bowler and an everyday bowler and that sometimes hurts the game. Well, we'd be making them right if the shot was eaiser because I WOULD be able to go out there and beat up on Pete Weber and Parker and Walter Ray because the shot is....easy. And that make it boring because those guys who make a living off of this would be broke because an average joe with a 150 average can come in at any time and get hot and win!! We have a league here in Cleveland like that. I dropped out because I was wasting my money and it wasn't fun. You would bowl a 250-260 and be sitting there wondering if you're getting paid!!! Then, after waiting, you find out you're not because 4 or 5 people shot 279's and above. I LOVE that house rating idea. That is a HUGE step in the right direction, plus now that High Schools and Colleges are adopting the sport....this will help create more scratch bowlers and bowlers who study the game!!

[Chris Green]

Too many ball companies making promises to bowlers about this ball hooks or that ball hooks which is attractive to many novice bowlers. They can buy a hook instead of learning to hook that why I use urethane and plastic from time to time especially during league and shorter patterns for control as I don't have to hook the whole lane I can but why? But this comes from knowing adjustment with hand, wrist, fingers and targets etc...what I'm saying is people nowadays have no respect for the game because they think their 280 game is the same as the pros they are dead wrong if bowlers had to use one ball be it resin, uerthane or plastic only, watch what would happen against the a true pro who would win? The pro would beat them 90% of the time as skill would come into play then they would see how not so easy it really is.

[Tawanda (Taylor) Triplet]

I miss long oil... When I started bowling in the 80's I was throwing the ball right down the middle. If I wanted to play or compete with the good bowler you had to learn the game (making adjustments, picking up spares, practicing, etc). Here comes short oil, it was good you still had to make a few adjustments, and practice just a little. Now comes the ball company......and it changed. 

[Akil Razzak]

Theo Do you still beleive in this concept?