Bowling Terms and Glossary

Asian Bowling Federation - ABF
The governing body that embraces all national FIQ member federations bounded in the North by the Arctic, in the South by Australia and New Zealand, in the East by the West Coast of American Continent, with the exception of Hawaii, which shall be in the American Zone, in the North West by the Continent of Europe and in the South West by the East Coast of the Continent of Africa and Madagascar. The Asian Bowling Federation currently consists of 35 member federations.

Ambient Temperature:
Temperature of the surrounding area; same as room temperature.

Approach
The area immediately in front of the lane before the foul line measuring at least 15 feet in length and not less than the width of the lane.

Approved by USBC
Used to describe equipment that has been sent in, reviewed, tested and found to meet all current specifications at the time of approval by the USBC. The WTBA recognizes the USBC as the only approved testing facility for the sport of tenpins.

ASQ
American Society for Quality.

ASTM
American Society of Testing Materials.

Asymmetrical Core (undrilled)
A ball where the RG (radius of gyration) values of the Y (high RG) and Z(intermediate RG) axes of the ball differ by more than 5% of the total differential of the ball.

Axis migration
Path of which the axis point travels across the surface of a ball as the ball travels down the lane; this path will always have the approximate same RG measurement as the ball travels.

Axis rotation
The measurement of horizontal angle through which a ball rotates; rotation is synonymous with the amount of “side roll” a bowler has.

Axis tilt
The measurement of the vertical angle through which a ball rotates; tilt is synonymous with the amount of “spin” a bowler has.

Backend
Portion of the lane after the lane conditioner ends up until the pins.

Ball track
The area on which a ball makes contact with a lane.

Bifilar
The use of two cords or wires to support the test cradle in testing the radius of gyration of a bowling pin.

Breakpoint
The apex (peak) of the hook phase curve.

Center of gravity - CG
The imaginary point inside a body of matter where the total weight of the body is thought to be concentrated.

Certified by USBC
Any competition, bowler, league, center or coach that is registered with USBC.

Coefficient of friction - COF
The ratio of the force opposing the relative motion of two surfaces and the normal force acting perpendicular opposing force. In bowling, this term usually defines the interaction between the coverstock, lane conditioner and lane.

Coefficient of restitution - COR
The ratio of the energy of two objects after impact to the energy before impact. In the case of a ball striking a pin, this is the percentage of energy transfer from the ball to the pin.

Conventional Grip
The method of drilling in which the fingers are inserted to the second knuckle.

Core
The interior of the bowling ball; depending upon the construction of the ball, the core may consist of the inner core (weight block) and/or the outer core (light filler material).

Coverstock
The exterior or outer shell of the bowling ball.

Crack
A partial break or split, slight or narrow, which appears on the surface of the ball. Also referred to as “stress fractures” which often occur around thumb or finger inserts or through the bridge area between the finger holes; a cracked bowling ball is not automatically disallowed from use in certified competition. See Fissure.

Drift
The different in location between a bowler’s starting position and ending position at the foul line.

Durometer
A device to check hardness of bowling balls and bowling pins.

Edge board
The last board on each side of a pin deck or lane.

Entry angle
This is the angle at which the bowling ball enters the pins relative to the longitude of the lane.

Equator
The High RG plane of a bowling ball in symmetrical balls.

European Tenpin Bowling Federation - ETBF
The governing body that embraces all FIQ national federations with tenpins on the Continent of Europe, North Africa, British Isles and the islands of the North Atlantic. The European Tenpin Bowling Federation currently consists of 50 member federations.

Fingertip Grip
Method of drilling where only the tips of the fingers are inserted into the ball. Normally to the first joint nearest the finger tips of the middle and ring finger.

Fissure
A crack of considerable length and depth usually occurring from some breaking or parting. If the fissure reaches the ball track at any point, it is not permitted for use in USBC certified competition as it may damage the lane surface. See
Crack.

Flare
The ball track progression due to axis migration. Flare, also known as Track Flare, is what enables the bowling ball to track over a fresh portion of the surface which increases friction between the ball and the lane.

Friction
The force which opposes the relative motion of two surfaces which are in contact with each other.

Hardness
Resistance to plastic (permanent) deformation due to a constant load from a sharp object.

Heads
This is in reference to the area from the foul line to 20 feet.

Hook Phase
Described as a curve, this is the second phase of ball motion where the ball has encountered enough friction to change direction.

Initial Installation
The first installation of a surface in a brand new center.

Intermediate differential
The difference in radius of gyration between the Y (high RG) and Z (intermediate RG) axes on the bowling ball.

Kickback
The partitions that enclose the pin deck area located on the outside of the flat gutters which are also used to support the pin setting device.

Kickback plate
A plate (3/16” max. thickness) made of USBC approved materials that is used to protect the wood kickback.

Lane and approach markings
Symmetrical graphics on the playing surface as well as any targets meeting USBC specifications.

Launch Angle
The angle in which the ball exits your hand initially at the point of release.

Mass Bias
Y axis or high RG spot on the ball. See PSA.

Midlane
Area past the heads to the end of applied lane conditioner.

Modulus of Compression
Ratio of the unit stress to unit strain within the proportioned limit of material in compression.

Mohs’ Hardness
A scale for classifying a material based on relative hardness determined by the ability of a harder material to scratch a softer one.

Moment of Inertia
Resistance to change in rotation.

Nanometer
A unit of measure used for measuring the wavelength of light. One nanometer equals 1x10-9 meters or 10 angstroms.

Natural pair of lanes
This refers to a pair of lanes used in certified competition. Usually natural pairs of lanes have a common ball return and are numbered 1 and 2, 3 and 4, etc.

Non-approved/Non-conforming
This term is used to describe equipment that has been sent in, reviewed, tested and found to not meet one or more of the current specifications.

Pan American Bowling Confederation - PABCON
The governing body that embraces all FIQ national member organizations sponsoring tenpins from the Americas and adjacent waters otherwise known as Western Hemisphere. The American Zone currently consists of 27 member federations.

Particle
Any additive mixed into the coverstock to change the interaction between the bowling ball, lane conditioner and the lane.

Professional Bowlers Association - PBA
The professional association of competitive bowlings in the United States.

Phenolic
A plastic-like material derived from the chemical “phenol”.

Pin (in reference to a bowling ball)
This is used to indicate where the top of the weight block is located in the ball.

Pin base flat diameter
The diameter of the base of the pin which will contact a surface when a pin is stood upright.

Pin deck
The area of the lane on which the pins are spotted.

Pitch
Angle at which holes in the bowling ball are drilled in relation to the exact center of the bowling ball.

Positive Axis Point - PAP
This is the point on a ball which the ball rotates initially upon release. A bowler’s Axis Point is unique to them and has the potential to change depending on how that bowler releases the bowling ball. The Axis Point includes both a horizontal and vertical measurement from the center of grip.

Preferred Spin Axis - PSA
The axis around which a ball will migrate to and spin around when energy is added to the bowling ball; this will always be the high RG axis of the ball. This term applies to all asymmetrical and drilled symmetrical balls.

Ra – see Surface Roughness – Ra.

Radius of gyration - RG
Measured in inches, radius of gyration is the distance from the axis of rotation at which the total mass of a body might be concentrated without changing its moment of inertia.

Refinish
To put a new protective coating on lanes or pins.

Refurbish
To renew the life of an approved bowling pin by the use of plastic coatings and Nylon reinforcing over the entire pin.

Re-release
A reproduction and subsequent release of an existing (previously approved) product. Re-released products must meet all current specifications and are no longer considered grand-fathered beyond their original approval under previous
specifications.

Roll Phase
The third phase of ball motion where the ball is traveling on a linear path towards the pins.

Roundness
Being such that every part of the surface or the circumference is equidistant from the center.

RS – see Surface Roughness – RS.

Runout
States how far the actual surface is permitted to vary from the dimensions implied.

Scleroscope
An instrument which measures the hardness of work in terms of elasticity.

Serial number
An identifying series of numbers and/or letters in order to identify a specific ball; if a serial number is no longer identifiable then a new one can be engraved in order to give it a unique identifying series.

Skid Phase
The first phase of ball motion; the ball path is in a straight line and has not encountered enough friction to begin it’s hook phase.

Slabbing
The separation of glue joints in a wood core pin or separation of materials in a synthetic lane.

Span
The distance between the thumb and finger holes on a bowling ball.

Surface Roughness – Ra
The arithmetic mean of the peak to valley distances over an evaluation distance.

Surface Roughness – RS
The arithmetic mean of peak to peak distances of the local peaks in the evaluation distance.

Sward hardness
A measurement of surface hardness.

Symmetrical Core (undrilled)
A ball where the RG (radius of gyration) values of the Y (high RG) and Z (intermediate RG) axes of the ball do not differ by more than 5% of the total differential of the ball.

Synthetic
In bowling terms, any pin or lane product not made of wood.

Tail plank
The board on the rear edge of the pin deck to protect and prolong the life of a pin deck. Technically, this is not part of the lane

Thermoplastic
A plastic material which when heated will melt but after cooling will return to a solid shape.

Total differential
The difference between the X (low RG) and Y (high RG) axes values of any bowling ball.

Traction
The friction between an object and the surface on which it moves.

Two-handed approach
Both hands are placed on the ball and are left on the ball throughout the swing until release. At the point of release, a dominant hand releases the ball thereby being a one-handed delivery. Additionally, the dominant hand is determined by the side of the body about which the ball swings.

Two-handed delivery
Both hands impart force on the ball to get it down the lane. Normally done by swinging the ball between one’s legs and is more commonly used when youth start to learn how to bowl. Individuals who deliver the ball from the chest using both hands would be considered to be using a two-handed delivery and therefore must remain with this style throughout competition.

Ultraviolet
The region of the electromagnetic spectrum just below that of visible light generally ranging from 10-400 nanometers.

United States Bowling Congress - USBC
The governing body of the sport of tenpins in the USA.

Vent hole
Any non gripping hole that intersects with a gripping hole at any depth. Any hole intended for use as a balance hole that intersects with a gripping hole will instantly be considered a vent hole.

Void
A manufactured cavity with purposeful size, dimension and/or location within an object.

Vulcanized
Rubber that has been treated with sulfur to make it harder and stronger.

World Tenpin Bowling Association - WTBA
The world governing body for the sport of tenpins.

USBC portions reprinted with permission from Steve Kloempken of the USBC

Is bowling a test or a contest?

There are many debates on what makes up the game of bowling on bowling forums and in bowling circles. These discussions usually revolve around scoring pace, high tech balls, blocked lanes and even styles of players. But it seems to me, everyone, including sportswriters, tournament organizers, proprietors and even the leaders of bowling are confusing the issues when the real question we need to be asking and answering is, “what is bowling supposed to be, a test or a contest?”

It’s the same as taking a trip and asking “where are we going?” When that question can be answered, only then can a proper direction be decided upon. But even when the direction is known, the route can still be a debate. Do we take the slow route with lovely scenery or the quick highway? In bowling terms, do we take the show route or the sport route? Of course there is a time and place for both as long as we reach our destination and don’t get lost along the way.

When talking about scoring pace, we are referring to a test where the results should be an indicator of how a player did on any given day against a given set of difficulties. It should be a linear relationship; play better, score better. If the test does not work this way, it would not be fair, let alone valid.¹

When discussing the overall environment and saying "no matter what, good players will always come out on top,” we are referring to a contest where players are trying to solve a problem (take a test), but doing it better than at least one other similarly committed person (win a contest).²

In competitions when winners are decided, bowling for sure is a contest. But if we read the reporting of these contests, the stories are proliferated with average numbers, high games and record scores. Add to the fact that during these events many tournament organizers and proprietors request a certain scoring pace or cut score to those providing the challenge. And last, but not least, the US governing body has been awarding high score awards to its membership since the cows came home.

Therefore, on those fronts, instead of a contest, bowling is definitely perceived as a test. But is it a test for the center/proprietors, industry factions or the players?

If we read advertisements from the equipment manufacturers, it’s all about promoting their product by way of higher scores. Buy our product and your scores will be higher. It’s been this way since the early 1930’s during the pin war days. That era produced scores not seen again until the early 1990’s.

 On the league front, for many years now it seems to be all about this center scoring higher than the center across town, at least for those bowlers who scream the loudest. So over the year’s proprietors have been investing in a myriad of bowling equipment from pins, lane machines, lane conditioners and synthetic lanes all to provide their sporting customers with the highest scoring environment they can.

As more and more centers obtain these items, equalization will set in but you can be sure there will be something else around the corner to fuel the fire so they can score higher on “the test” than the center down the street.

While the industry and proprietors continue to test themselves by providing a higher scoring and easier environment, they are also making “the test” for the players much easier, on every level.

During the recent PBA King of Bowling, Wes Malott averaged over 276 for his five games shooting two 300 games in the process, on USBC Sport Conditions. And on a recent string of four tournaments on the PBA Senior Tour, in two of the events, the winners averaged 250 for the entire tournament. In another event there were 11 players that averaged over 240. By providing such a high scoring environment, some are concerned that the Senior Pro Tour is following down the path of everyday league bowling.  And we all know how much respect that "test" gets these days.

The increased scoring pace trend is not limited to the PBA Tours either. At a recent European Bowling Tour event utilizing dual oil patterns, which were both USBC Sport Compliant, three players cracked the 1500 barrier during the six game qualifying rounds. At the 2009 USBC Championships which also utilizes USBC Sport Conditions, the all events record was shattered with another 250 average performance and the singles record was broken with an 862 series.

Because there is an upper limit to the scoring system in bowling, when 300 games, 800 series’ and 250 plus tournament averages become common place, the test becomes invalid. So as much as some players, proprietors, tournament organizers and industry factions may like and wish high scores, high scores are only exciting, and therefore valid, when they are not common place and can be directly correlated to performance.

Of course there are ways to lower scores but that can swing the pendulum of sport performance too far into the other direction. The goal in sport is to provide a test that challenges the players but at the same time allows extraordinary performances to shine through. That critical balance however seems to be more and more difficult to achieve which is essential so the game of bowling remains a valid test in the eyes of the media, spectators and in the minds of the players. When the test becomes invalid, so can the contest. When the contest becomes invalid, we have lost the sport.

It could be said what most people like best about the game of bowling are the challenges against the environment more so than just against other people. In a study by Frank Thomas about the reasons people play and quit golf called ‘Growing the Game,’ for the great majority of golfers the personal challenge far outweighed competing against fellow golfers. Basically, the test is more important than the contest. I would believe this human nature trait would be the same for a similar game like bowling. But when a given set of difficulties are compromised as often as they seem to be in today’s game, then the game of bowling needs to take a hard look at the challenge it is providing.

Fair or not, and knowing the monetary pressures that can be put upon them, the leaders of the sport must ensure the test, as well as the contest, remains fair and valid. It is the task they have chosen and their responsibility to the game. More importantly it is their responsibility to the people taking the test, the players, so the challenge is preserved.

After all, when was the last time you played tic-tac-toe?

Bibliographies
¹Kretchmar, R. Scott. Ethics and Sport.  London, U.K. Published by Taylor & Francis, 1998. pp.27, 28
¹Kretchmar, R. Scott. Ethics and Sport.  London, U.K. Published by Taylor & Francis, 1998. pp.28

I've Been Thinking too...

While surfing the World Wide Web recently, I came across a March 2007 Golf Digest Feature article by golfing great Jack Nicklaus and his “state of the game” thoughts about golf. Although many in the world of bowling may be tiring of the constant golf to bowling comparisons, while reading Nicklaus’ commentary I could not help but realize the similarities and challenges the two activities have in common.

Just like the game of bowling has the bowling ball versus the bowling pins versus the bowling lane condition debates, golf has the golf ball versus the golf club versus the golf course debates.

However, the question and debate in my mind is should a sport follow technology and let the activity develop from those new findings or should a sport lead technology so the activity is enhanced and not damaged by those new findings?

Allowing a sport to evolve out of whatever technological advancements come about is a philosophy any five year old kid can administer. Leading and limiting technology so it is by and large beneficial to the sport takes historical perspective of the activity, knowledge the current activity, and extreme foresight of what might become of the activity.

“Should a sport follow technology and let the activity develop from those new findings or should a sport lead technology so the activity is enhanced and not damaged by those new findings?”

I’ve been thinking...

Jack Nicklaus; “Removed from the competition, my life is very full. My business has never been more brisk, but I pay attention to the issues in golf. From a greater distance, I look at the game a bit differently and probably more accurately than when I was a competitor. Even though I don’t enjoy playing as much, I love the game, and I care about it. I’ve been thinking on a variety of the topics and issues in today’s game.”

In bowling we have had strong personalities like Bill Taylor, Len Nicholson, John Davis as well as great players like Brian Voss, Mark Roth, and Marshall Holman who have kept a discriminating eye on bowling throughout the years. These personalities have at times spoken out publicly because they also deeply care about the state of their game.

In the early 1980’s during the beginning of the urethane bowling ball days, the entire PBA Tournament Committee had the foresight of what might become when they unanimously voted to prohibit the use of these bowling balls on the PBA Tour. Their decision was overturned by the PBA Executive board, which was of course primarily made up of businessmen.

Like the PBA Tournament Committee, many of the warnings from these men in bowling were never heeded and many of their dire predictions have come true. Much like the game of golf should probably listen more to high level players such as Nicklaus and Palmer, maybe bowling should listen a little more closely to our sports people. After all they have been thinking, studying, and devoting their entire life to the game.

The modern professional game...

Jack Nicklaus; “The best golfers should be better today than the best golfers of yesterday. At the moment, I’m not sure that’s the case. I realize I’m an old fuddy-duddy, and that previous generations always say that their game was better. I guess I’d plead guilty—in part. But here’s the difference. The game in terms of equipment barely changed for 60 years. Then with the equipment revolution that began with metal club-heads in the ’80s and accelerated with dramatic ball technology in the late ’90s, the game changed radically.

The best players suddenly found themselves able to hit shots more easily and consistently, as well as pull off shots they never would have tried in the past. It made the game for elite players simpler and easier. As a result, I don’t care as much for today’s game as I did for the one played for most of my career. I like the old game of moving the ball both ways and using strategy with angles, and hitting all the clubs in the bag.”

How true the time-lines and thoughts Nicklaus states about golf are the same in bowling. The bowling ball was also essentially the same for almost 60 years! The equipment revolution started in the early 70’s with the advent of the soaker which launched the introduction of soft polyester and soft rubber bowling balls into the mix.

It was accelerated in 1980 with the introduction of the AMF Angle and urethane cover bowling balls. In 1991 the equipment revolution was shot to the moon with the advent of Reactive Resin™ additives into those urethane shells. Soon after came the widespread introduction of high differential cores creating this new phenomenon called track flare.

A few years later came the addition of particles added into the shell of the bowling ball which acted like metal spikes in motorcycle tires used in ice racing. The game of bowling changed radically.

Are the best bowlers today better than their predecessors? I am not so sure on a whole they are better, although they should be. With these new high tech balls, players suddenly found themselves able to throw shots with consistent and great amounts of back-end hook not even the most talented bowlers were able to do before.

Power players began to find they were always able to hook the ball which eliminated the need for finesse. Lower revolution players suddenly had the power of the great Mark Roth with these new type bowling balls. The pocket became wider and pins began toppling over on pocket hits that would have not had any chance to strike before the advent of this new type bowling ball.

Like Nicklaus, bowling players like Brian Voss and Marshal Holman also state they do not care as much for today’s bowling game. Many would be surprised at the length of the “off the record” list that feel the same. The game they grew up with, learned to love and played during most of their careers required much more finesse and physical manipulation of the bowling ball. For them using different hand positions, ball speed changes, and leverage variations to combat the bowling variables was much more rewarding.

Today, a player’s first choice of adjustment is trying a different bowling ball which more often than not, works better than using a different physical attribute.

Before bowling's equipment revolution, PBA Hall of Famer and long time PBA ball driller Larry Lichstein said that then “it was easy to see who the great players were since everyone was basically using the same type ball.”

Jack Nicklaus; “My greatest concern, because I believe it has the most effect on the most parts of the game, is the golf ball. I’d very much like to see the U.S. Golf Association and the R&A institute at least a 10-percent rollback in the distance the golf ball travels. I know the ruling bodies are looking at limits on equipment, including possibly reducing the size of driver club-heads and eliminating square grooves, but that’s treating an effect more than a cause. The desired results from such moves could be taken care of by a rollback in the ball. In fact, there would be much less need to limit equipment innovations that help amateurs play if the ball were rolled back.”

Just like Nicklaus believes the golf ball has the greatest effect on most parts of the golf game, many in bowling feel the same about the bowling ball. The bowling ball hits the pins, rolls across the lane surface, and rolls across the oil pattern. We know the ruling bodies of bowling are looking into such things like lane conditions and have instituted Sport Bowling along with the PBA Experience league option. They are also looking at the pins, the kickbacks, the oils, the cleaners, and the lane surfaces.

Many however feel those are just treating an effect more than the cause and the desired results could also be taken care of by further restricting the bowling ball. The rollback comparison in bowling balls would be eliminating track flare (minimizing Differential Rg) and eliminating porous and particle coverstock bowling balls.

In fact, if the bowling ball was not so absorbent, internally dynamic, or responsive to minute differences in friction, there would be much less need to limit oil patterns or pins.

Jack Nicklaus; “I don’t think a rollback should restrict an elite player’s options in customizing the golf ball he or she would play. It’s OK with me for, say, a player with a low ball flight to get some help by using a model of ball with a dimple pattern that creates a higher launch, or a guy whose angle into the ball generates an excess of spin getting a ball that spins less. In other words, I wouldn’t want to see every player having to use the same exact “tournament ball” picked out of a jar on the first tee. As long as players could keep the ball characteristics that best suit their games, I honestly believe it would take them only a few rounds to completely adjust to a rolled-back ball that doesn’t fly quite as far.”

This simply applies to bowling balls as well. A rollback bowling ball specification does not need to be one for all. A specification that makes it easier for the ball to spin a little sooner or later (low Rg versus high Rg) and a coverstock specification that allows slight surface adjustments without excessively changing an oil pattern so fast could easily give different styles of play options while keeping the equipment everyone uses similar.

Jack Nicklaus; “Although my main problem with the modern golf ball is what it’s doing to the game at the highest level of competition, I still don’t believe in instituting two sets of equipment rules: one for the elite player, and another for everyone else. From a practical perspective, such a structure would be very difficult to administrate. Perhaps more important, the notion that the rules are the same no matter what the skill level is as old as golf. It might be an illusion—the difference between the equipment pros use and what’s best for amateurs is increasing all the time—but it would be dangerous to tinker with such a fundamental tradition."

Employing one set of equipment specifications has been a fundamental part of the game of golf’s mandate. Bowling however has tinkered with different specifications for different levels of play for many years.

The USBC has a hardness rule of 72 on the durometer scale while the PBA for many years had a hardness rule of 75. The PBA now follows the USBC 72 hardness rule. Interesting to note is that all bowling balls the manufactures made with regard to hardness followed the PBA specification.

Another difference between the PBA and the USBC for many years was the extra hole specification. While the USBC has a maximum diameter size of 1 1/4”, the PBA for many years followed an unlimited extra hole size. Like the hardness rule, the PBA now follows the extra hole rule of the USBC.

Before adopting the USBC specifications, it does make one wonder why the PBA would have a tighter tolerance in hardness but have a looser tolerance in the extra hole specification.

Although I would personally prefer more similarity in the game of bowling from the recreational player to the elite player, bowling has already tinkered with such specification differences. Having different specifications for different levels of play (sport versus recreation) might be considered, but I only envision one bowling entity capable of doing this and that is the PBA.

Jack Nicklaus; “I have faith in the USGA and the R&A to get this thing right, but they need some prodding. A generation has gotten away from them already.”

Not much to be added here towards the USBC other than, isn’t that the truth! The USBC is bowling's only accredited and recognized testing facility so whatever specifications they decide, the other worldly organizations and federations will follow.

As far as generations getting away from bowling, one only has to look at the many high level bowling events throughout the world, and especially in the USA. The overall age of the participants is astoundingly high.

Jack Nicklaus; “What’s ironic is that nobody benefited more from the technology revolution than I did. I continued to play credible golf well into my 50s in large part because advancements in the ball and high-tech drivers allowed me to keep my distance. That wouldn’t have happened in the era of persimmon heads, heavy steel shafts and soft balata covers—I would have lost so much distance off the tee that I would have stopped playing much sooner.

Even today, when I barely play, I realize that the challenge of hitting the ball solid and straight—especially with a driver—is not what it was. I can go weeks and even months without hitting a ball—that’s often the case—and then after a few driver shots on the range, I’m hitting the ball fairly straight and far. I’ll play and might not miss many fairways. If I’d had that kind of a layoff 20 years ago, it would have taken me a month to get my golf game back.”

While I am far from a Jack Nicklaus or Earl Anthony caliber, last month I played 4 games with a group of friends after not bowling for almost a year. Using a Hammer Pearl Big Blue, I averaged over 250 with no practice balls. It was sick. When I was playing a lot and sharp I could release it many different ways to combat the playing field variables. Because of not playing and being as dull as a butter knife, I still release it many different ways, albeit not on purpose. The sad part is today when I hit the pocket using these high tech balls, it has a good chance of striking.

Jack Nicklaus; “So why do I think this is bad for the professional or competitive game? Because modern players don’t have to develop the skills they used to and are not as well-rounded as they should be.”

This one really only needs a “yea what he said!”

Jack Nicklaus; “But from what I see, the pro game has switched to where it’s about 80 percent power and 20 percent shot making. This is not an assault on the modern player. They’re playing the cards they were dealt, just like every generation before them. These guys are talented, and they work hard. They’re doing what works best with the equipment they’ve been given. But they don’t bend the ball very much because the modern golf ball is harder to curve and much easier to hit straight. They don’t have as many shots from the rough because square grooves allow them much more control from bad lies. They hit driver much harder because the ball goes so much straighter and because they’re not as worried about the rough, especially with a short iron or wedge in hand. Long-iron approach play has become almost a thing of the past."

Just replace “the modern golf ball is harder to curve and much easier to hit straight” with “the modern bowling ball is easier to curve and much harder to throw straight.” I guess that’s why most players of today need another relatively new term in bowling, a spare ball.

Golf course design… (Oil pattern design…)

Jack Nicklaus; “We have about 16,000 courses in the United States. Almost all of them are obsolete for tournament play. For them to become relevant, we need to roll back the ball about 40 yards. That or rebuild all the fairway bunkers at 300 yards. Which is what we’re doing, and it costs a fortune.

Instead of changing equipment, we’re changing golf courses. It’s great for my business. I’m making a living redoing my old courses. But the game should be able to go back to the classic courses just as they are. Why should we be changing all those golf courses? It’s ridiculous.”

This one is for the lanemen of the world. To quote a saying from John Davis and Len Nicholson, “You don’t need to be a laneman to know there are problems; you just need to be a laneman to know how big the problems are.”

Luckily for bowling we don’t have to retool the lanes all over the world, but just like most house patterns being used today, those oil patterns are now obsolete for tournament play. They once were not that much different. The patterns the PBA Tour and World Championships were very similar, or even the same, as what the weekly league bowler played on.

Much like the USBC Sport Bowling and the PBA Experience league idea, we’re changing the course too much instead of changing the equipment.

For house patterns to become relevant again, the ball must not react to a minimal amount of oil as it does today. Three units of oil on the lane is no match for the balls of today.

We could change the specification to ten units, until another breakthrough in ball technology makes that specification irrelevant. Then we could change it to seventeen units, until another technological breakthrough makes that specification irrelevant. I just wonder how long the “dog must keep chasing it's tail.”

Of course for companies that make and sell the chemicals that condition the lanes, the equipment revolution is great for their business. Stronger balls equal more oil needed on the lane, more oil equals more change in the condition, and more change equals more conditioning's for any competition or bowling center.

For the competitive bowler however playing on non-blocked lane conditions, equipment becomes much more of a factor in their success or failure. This is the reason during my tenure as PBA Player Services Director we drilled an average of 6,700 bowling balls per year.

This equipment factor will prove to be the biggest challenge for the PBA Experience league idea. Like the saying of today goes, “you can’t out bowl bad ball reaction”, so you either drill, or go home.

Of course for companies that make bowling balls, this is good for their business. Sport bowling players need a large arsenal to ensure competitiveness.

Jack Nicklaus; “Trying to build great courses today is more complicated than ever. I’ve decided it’s best to basically design for the enjoyment of the average golfer. That’s what works best for the owners, who are selling memberships and selling their land. I was once accused of designing courses that were too severe. A lot of that was because I was designing a lot of tournament courses. Creating a true challenge for the best professional players for one week of golf makes it too tough for the average player who is going to play it the rest of the year.”

Because of the highly responsive nature of today’s bowling balls, trying to build competitive oil patterns today is also more complicated than ever. This is the main reason proprietors all over the world began blocking their lanes for their weekly recreational customers in the first place.

By creating a definite oil line in the pattern, not only does this allow the weekly customers to stand in a consistent spot (the big dot) and allow them to play to the same area from week to week (the second arrow), it also does not require them to have the perfect ball setup to enjoy the game.

The issue to me has never been the blocked lanes on the league level. Those participants have worked all day at their job and the last thing most want to do is work hard again during their recreation time. The issue is bowling’s sanctioning body recognizes scoring achievements in this environment and rewards those high scores with gifts. This in turn legitimizes those playing conditions.

The health of the game ...

Jack Nicklaus; “I hope we’re not running people out of the game. As it has become an easier game to play for the pros, the trend toward more severe courses has made it harder for the amateur. In most cases, the farther the amateur is able to hit the ball, the farther the ball goes off line. The old average drive was in the 190-yard range, but now it’s more like 210 to 220. And on many of the newer courses, off line means searching for golf balls. It’s making the game slower, and a lot less fun."

Nicklaus’ observations of how the modern high tech golf equipment helps the golf professional much more than the amateur might be viewed as a slight contradiction for bowling. While the modern equipment does help the bowling professional greatly, it could be argued it helps the recreational player much more, at least on conditions that greatly guide the ball into the pocket.

Even Jeff Sluman, who is the best bowler on the PGA Tour and a standout youth bowling player, states “high-tech advancements have helped the average bowler a lot more than the average golfer.”

While I do think the PBA Experience idea is a good idea on the surface, I hope we are not running participants out of the game as well. It is quite clear that USBC’s Sport Bowling phase one was not a success. In fact, I predicted in its past 2:1 ratio structure it would become a failure. When the PBA Tour announced they were going to use the standard in 2001, I warned the PBA leaders as well to no avail. Sport Bowling 2:1 ratio parameters lasted three weeks on the PBA tour.

This is however where Nicklaus’ course comparison comes back full circle to bowling. From observing countless events all over the world, as oil patterns get flatter, the less skilled actually score worse with today’s high tech balls than they would with balanced balls. Because of the highly responsive nature of today’s bowling balls, mistakes are magnified and spare leaves become more difficult, which make the less skilled bowler become confused and dejected.

The Steve Miller quote that always stuck in my mind was “the game of bowling must be understandable and palatable to the consumer.” The consumer here is not just the spectator, it’s also the participant.

While in time the PBA Experience and USBC Sport Bowling might become understandable to the consumer, they must also become palatable to be a success.

Jack Nicklaus; “The game is more popular than ever among avid golfers with the income and leisure to play a lot, but most people have less free time than ever. The current generation of younger parents spends a lot more time supervising their kids than previous generations, and it means they find it harder to justify a weekend round of golf. Leaving for the course at 7 in the morning and coming back at 3 in the afternoon is a hard sell for a family man. But getting back in time for lunch wouldn’t be.

That’s why we should consider the possibility of making 12 holes a standard round. It might mean breaking up 18-hole facilities into three segments of six holes. Of course it would meet resistance, but eventually it would be accepted because it would make sense in people’s lives.”

Can we make a comparison to Nicklaus’ observations about leisure time and his proposes 12-hole round to 12-week leagues? You bet we can! Organized league play seasons have been way too long for most for a very long time.

While short term leagues and some outside of the box organized play may take more efforts by the bowling proprietors, it is something that must be done to preserve and rejuvenate the league aspect of bowling.

Jack Nicklaus; “Those who say that my comments are intended to help my course-design business are wrong. As a designer, I benefit financially from more land used, more renovations and more penal features. As for people thinking I favor a rollback in equipment because I don’t want Tiger to break my record, going back to older-style equipment would help, not hurt, Tiger because his skill level would make a bigger difference. If we took equipment back today, he might win 30 majors instead of 20. I’m more interested in the game of golf than in my records. I did what I could do in my time, and it was the best I could do. Now I just want what’s best for the game.”

Like many of the aforementioned people in this article, they are past their prime in earnings, titles, and accolades. Now they just want what is best for the game.

Golf and bowling; our activities are closer than you may want to believe...or want to admit.

Jack Nicklaus excerpts reprinted from the March 2007 Golf Digest Jack Nicklaus article by Jamie Diaz "I've been thinking…"

Original "I've been thinking too..." Column at Bowling Digital

www.juniorbowling.co.uk Interview with Ted Thompson

The following is a February 2007 interview of Ted Thompson republished from the Junior Bowling website in England.

Ted, firstly can you explain to use your role in Kegel?

For the past three years my main role has been supporting the Kegel distribution network throughout Europe. Just recently however we are shifting that responsibility to Kegel Master Technician Don Agent. I have also been the liaison for Kegel with the European Ten Pin Federation and their highly successful European Bowling Tour which I will continue to do as well as some other sporting responsibilities.

As a company you are at the forefront of lane development with your special test lanes, do you have any plans to build something similar in UK?

The Kegel Training and Tournament Center (KTC) in Lake Wales Florida is very unique because of the special 12 adjustable lanes. Not only can we perform a lot of research about the role topography has on ball reaction, which is much more than people are aware of, but we can also offer this tool and environment to players that train at the KTC. The lanes at the KTC cost over $17,000 each to build with this adjustable foundation so I believe it is cost prohibitive at this time for Kegel to bring this technology anywhere else in the world.

What have you got in the pipeline for the near future?

Kegel’s philosophy is to continue the research and development of products that enhance the sport of bowling and therefore the business of bowling. Kegel will always continue to develop products that are better for the bowling proprietor and make the mechanics job more efficient without sacrificing performance.

Do you intend on going into ball production?

Producing bowling balls is not on the radar screen. Kegel’s main focus is lane maintenance and all associated products.

The CATS system is the best one around by far but there is a lack of systems in the UK. Why do you think that is?

CATS is a wonderful tool to help players develop consistency in their game. It can also help players “learn the feel” of the bowling delivery by focusing on errant shot pattern data that CATS can capture and what felt different about those deliveries. I believe the reasons for the lack of systems in the UK may the same reason there are not many of these systems anywhere in the world; along with being a significant investment, proper practice takes hard work and dedication. Society today seems to want the quick fix instead.

How can we attract more juniors into the sport?

Great question. We all know that that open play is the rising trend with activities like Rock n Bowl, Glow Bowling, etc… and the majority of these participants are the youth. It’s up to the proprietors to have long term vision to create and support instructional and competitive programs that will create lasting bowling customers out of these youth players. Proprietors should really support the people who dedicate their time and efforts to these programs. At the end of the day, increased long term participation increases the business for the bowling center.

Bowling also has to be a cost-effective viable alternative and have an aspiring outlet for these youth players to persuade them to continue in the game. The successful European Bowling Tour in my opinion is doing just that in Europe.

Have you any plans for having interviews with European bowlers on the Phantom Radio Show?

Len Nicholson (a.k.a The Phantom) is the host of the Phantom Radio Show. Your idea is a great one and one that we will work on. I think I will suggest the reigning EBT Champion Paul Moor to begin this European interview string!

Who do you consider the best bowler in the world at this moment? Also the best ever?

In the world at this moment…tough question. I have been a part of the PBA since 1980. I won my first of five PBA Regional titles at the age of 19 and went on to become Rookie of the Year in the Southern Region. After that I played on the PBA National Tour against Earl Anthony, Mark Roth and even Walter Ray in his early years.

I worked for the PBA Tour managing the Ball Drilling Operation from 1997 until 2002 so I witnessed every event during that time. There is no doubt the American PBA Tour throughout history has the best players. However in my opinion, players like Lasse Lintilä, Jason Belmonte, Paul Moor and Osku Palermaa amongst other world wide players would be very successful on the PBA Tour if they chose to bowl there full time.

Unfortunately the monetary rewards at this time do not make travelling around in a foreign country and living out of a suitcase that appealing. This is why some version of a World Tour is so needed. Is there a player somewhere in world as good as a Walter Ray William Jr. or Norm Duke? Probably not yet, but as more high level events are played throughout the world, someone may surface that is better than the best the PBA Tour has to offer.

Best of all time? In my opinion it’s Earl Anthony. Earl won more titles in a shorter time span than anyone in PBA history and performed this feat when the PBA entries were at an all time high per event and arguably during the best competition times.

During my tenure with the PBA, I had the privilege of getting to know Earl during his last events on the Senior Tour and we had many discussions about the game and how he played the game. Earl actually mastered delivering the ball 27 different ways and what made him so great is he understood why and knew when to use each delivery. He was simply the best bowler of all time in my opinion. As a side note, I was at the event working for the PBA when Earl retired and have the actual bowling ball (autographed) he threw his last shot ever in PBA competition!

Is there any advice you can give to a junior when they first take up the sport?

The way the technology is in the game today, I am starting to believe the two-handed delivery may be the best option. The way the opposite hand can assist in varying the axis of rotation, the powerful and fluid movement of the shoulders through delivery, the revolutions a player can create with ball speed and the lack of hitting up or grabbing the ball at the bottom of the swing plane all create the components necessary to succeed physically in the game of bowling at this moment in history.

The way technology was when I began bowling, my answer would simply be to make sure to have a bowling ball that fits your hand (which is still most important) and practice the solid physical fundamentals of the time.

One thing that holds true no matter what time in history is a solid spare game must be developed, a positive mental outlook must be created and setting personal goals that are challenging, measurable and attainable.

Is it important today for juniors to learn about the ever-developing technology in today’s game?

There is a new saying in bowling, “you can’t out bowl bad ball reaction” so learning about all technologies is very important in the game today, especially with regard to the bowling ball. I believe bowling as a whole has not done the best of jobs educating the participants.

The variables in the game of bowling are vast and many are unseen and for too many years the language we used to describe such variables was inconsistent between all the entities. Now with entities like IBPSIA being created and becoming a stronger force, with companies like Kegel, Ebonite, Storm and Brunswick performing seminars at more and more events and internet websites like yours being created, the ways to get high-quality knowledge out to the public is helping tremendously.

We (bowling) need to continue to educate our participants and put away that long time fear of “a little education is a dangerous thing” if we are going to grow as a sport. 

Who do you sponsor?

Kegel does not sponsor any PBA or EBT players since we perform lane maintenance at so many international events. I think you can surmise the backlash that would be created if a Kegel sponsored player won an event we performed lane maintenance at.

Kegel does however sponsor a Junior Team that is associated with our Kegel Training Center called the “Kegel Junior Elite Team.” John and Linda Davis, Owners and CEO's of the Kegel Company, had a vision in January of 2005. They wanted to create an elite team of junior bowlers and provide them training, uniforms and transportation to enable them to compete in world-class events.

The vision took off after a call into the staff at the Kegel Training Center with the question, "What do we have to do to create a program that will result in the best team of junior bowlers on the planet?" After some weeks of training the coaching staff decided on the six junior bowlers based on ability, attitude and love of the game. These six bowlers became the Kegel Junior Elite Team.

What do you think of Brian Voss’ comments about the importance of limiting equipment (balls) over the importance of controlling conditioning?

This topic amongst the sporting enthusiasts is the most debated at the moment. There is no question all aspects of the sport need to be continually looked at and at times adjusted to protect the integrity of the sport. The challenge is there are two different subjects that relate to the question and the argument.  One is the related to scoring pace in the game today and the other is related to the philosophical way the game of bowling is or was meant to be played.

With regard to scoring, in bowling the maximum score is 300 and when the participants can achieve perfection in such often numbers as today, all things have to be severely scrutinized and some have to be adjusted.

By conditioning you mean “oil patterns” and that can be controlled now with the advent of the modern lane machine. If controlling conditioning means by whom and how they use that highly accurate lane machine, that is the challenge. Until we get a system where there are specifications that are followed and verified by multiple people, we can’t even think about controlling lane conditioning.

Equipment/bowling balls used by the players however could be limited and controlled fairly easily during the manufacturing process. Of course we have limits in the current specifications but many think those specifications are not tight enough for the sport of bowling.

There is also a relatively new practice of setting up the playing field (oil pattern) in a minimal number of balls thrown. In short, a player or a small group of players bowling on one pair can take a very demanding oil pattern and make it a very easy oil pattern in a short amount of time. Another group can take a relatively easy pattern and make it very difficult in a short amount of time. We see how squad to squad scoring pace is affected all the time on the PBA Tour and the EBT just by how that squad’s group of players break down the oil patterns. Kegel has so many tape reading records to confirm this it is staggering.

When applying competitive oil patterns our technicians have proven and say it all the time to players, “the oil pattern that was just applied on the lane is not the same after practice and one game of play.”

So with all that said and at this moment in history, I don’t believe we can honestly set meaningful parameters on oil patterns until we minimize the rapid changes in those oil patterns whether it be with new conditioner technology, new bowling ball technology, new lane surface technology, a combination of all or something else on the horizon that may be invented.

Where do you think the sport is headed in the future and what impact do you think oil application will have on it?

The first part of your question really relies on the strength of the sanctioning bodies of the sport itself to control technology so it is of positive value to the sport and not damaging to the sport. I am very optimistic on the direction of the ETBF and the path they are choosing.

Of course there is also the definition of the sport itself and what it takes to succeed in the sport. The WTBA has defined what it takes to make a world class player in VPARK; Versatility, Power, Accuracy, Repeatability and Knowledge. Every skill should be recognized as equally valuable, although it will not always be the case that all skills are rewarded equally. Players will acquire or develop skills in varying levels and will therefore be “balanced differently”. One player may win over another player because they could have a better developed skill, for instance versatility, to overcome the better developed skill, for instance accuracy, of the other player. How our sanctioning bodies define and protect the definition of the sport will determine where the sport is headed.

As far as the impact oil application has on the future of the sport; as long as there is an object that rolls across a surface that can wear, there will need to be a substance applied to that surface to minimize wear and a method to apply that substance. Whether that substance continues to be oil based or something else remains to be seen. With conditioner in its current form, there has been much advancement in recent years. Conditioners today hold up much better than those from the past and this is an example of technology having a positive impact. Much like Formula One does for street car technology, Kegel performing tournaments and dissecting that data has also done the same for conditioner technology.

Currently Kegel has the most accurate and measurable lane machine on the market and this is another example of technology in a positive manner. Prior to 1987 and John Davis’ invention of Sanction Technology, conditioning a lane across an entire bowling center day after day was more hit and miss at best, not anymore. Kegel technicians take tapes after every conditioning at all events and those readings are the same all the time and that is documented and proven. Now whether the lanes play the same or not is a different story but we can be sure it’s not because the machine did not apply the same condition.

What is the goal of a lane maintenance person using conditioner? Use as little conditioner as possible to protect the lane surface and have the oil pattern hold its integrity for the given number of games before conditioning again. That unfortunately has been an almost impossible task for lane maintenance people for many years.

At the same time however, oil is only one part of the total environment that makes up the bowling playing field. I applaud the ETBF and their new Premier Certification Program which addresses and rewards good lane surface installations and maintenance as well as proprietors that care about such things. As the program gains in numbers, bowlers should seek out those ETBF Premier Certified centers and support them.

You have travelled to tournaments all over the world, what destinations have you enjoyed the most?

While playing and working with the PBA I travelled all over the USA. Some of my favorite places to visit was Reno (Lake Tahoe), Seattle and San Diego. Of course my home state of Florida is a favourite because I love and grew up on the water.

In 1999, I was contracted by Brunswick along with Art Mckee to run the ball service operations in Abu Dhabi for the WTBA World Championships. We spent over three weeks there and that was very interesting to see and an experience I will never forget.

Europe of course has so many nice places but one in particular that has a soft spot in my heart is the country and people of San Marino.

Finally, Kegel is the Official Lane Maintenance Partner for the European Bowling Tour, would you encourage the Juniors here in the UK & Ireland to play events on the tour as well as their home events to gain experience & learn more about their game?

I would encourage any bowling player that is interested in playing the game at a higher level to compete in tournaments whenever they can and especially the European Bowling Tour. I always found what areas of my bowling game needed the most attention when competing in tournaments. Tournament play is when you’re mental and physical faults will show up and instead of making excuses for poor performances we should open our minds and try to figure out what went wrong.

It’s not any different for manufactures of bowling balls, pinsetters, scoring systems, lane machines or conditioners; tournament play will show the faults of their products as well. Along with trying to support the sport of bowling, this is a reason Kegel performs so many international events.

If a product or player can perform under the demands of a high level bowling event, there is a very good chance they can perform in everyday bowling life as well.

Ted, we would like to thank you and the team at Kegel for taking time out to do this interview and wish all at Kegel the very best in the future!

The Netherlands' Keepers of the Game

Lane’s men and ladies have a saying, “you really don’t know the challenges and problems unless you’re a lanes person.” Few people in the world, let alone a formalized group of individuals, know the many delicacies, variables and yes, even unknowns of conditioning bowling lanes.

That is where the Netherlands Lane Maintenance Team comes into play. The BOT, as they are know in The Netherlands, is a team of individuals from the Netherlands Bowling Federation dedicated to the fine art of lane maintenance and the betterment of the sport of bowling in The Netherlands and surrounding areas.

The BOT meets regularly for continuing education and practicing their lane conditioning art. They travel and perform lane maintenance at tournaments, country championships and help proprietors in maintaining their lanes for the sport and their investment. The members do all this by volunteering their spare and holiday time to help bowling and its playing field.

The group consists of a total of eight gentlemen and one gentle woman. The leader of the team isJack Edelaar, the Sports Manager of the Netherlands Bowling Federation. It was his vision four years ago, with the help of KEGEL founder and CEO John Davis, to create a technical team to assist in the overall development of the sport of bowling in The Netherlands.

From left to right: Wilbert Anthonisse, Frank Broeseliske, Axel Frehde (ETBF Technical Delegate), Onno van der Linden,
Ted Thompson (Kegel), Guus Wigleven, Jack Edelaar (NBF Sports Manager)
(Not pictured: Peter van Zijp, Gerard Schröder, Charley Blom, Betsie van Oudheusden)

Charlie Blom (deceased) is a Pro Shop owner/operator with 30 years experience in the industry. His wife Farida Pascoal was on the Women’s National Team for many years and is now competing and winning her share of Senior Bowling Events.

Peter van Zijp works in the industry of cutting tools for laminated and natural wood. His experience in floors and laminates helps a lot in understanding the facts of the lanes. He has also a very keen eye for ball reaction and is a licensed bowling coach!

Wilbert Anthonisse has recently changed his job from mechanic and lanes men in the National Bowling Center to that of tending bar and hosting guests. His fierce appearance scares off any bowler of discussing lane conditions with him.

Frank Broeselisk is working for years as a mechanic and lanes men. Currently he is employed in the bowling center of Tilburg; home of a very successful European Bowling Tour stop the Hammer Bronzen Schietspoel Tournament. In 2007 this event will be the world's first Dual Condition tournament from start to finish. In this event all pairs will be conditioned with the left lane being a long oil pattern and the right lane being a short oil pattern.

Gerard Schröder has somewhat of a reputation through as a fine craftsman in resurfacing lanes. He used to do this for years before he stopped touring the road and became a mechanic and lanes men for a conglomerate of bowling centers in The Netherlands.

Onno van der Linden is an employee at CDS Electronics' R&D department. He also is a licensed bowling coach.

Betsie van Oudheusden is a licensed bowling coach as well and for a few years ago set up two pro shops together with her husband. She gives her views particularly on the educational factor involved with this project.

Guus Wigleven is the lane inspector of the team. Many years of experience in that field makes him the right person to measure and read topography and tapes of the oil pattern

To make sure that the future of the team is guaranteed and all the work can be done, there are currently three new apprentices. Peter van Beek, René Wieling and Henny van den Bosch. They will have to prove themselves worthy of the task to become a BOT member.

All together, this team makes a great effort to make themselves obsolete. The main goal of the team is to help proper lane maintenance and fair conditions set foot in The Netherlands. If they succeed in doing so, there will be no longer need for this team. For now however, it will still be a few years to come before they can devote their interest in the game in other ways as they will continue to help educate and share their knowledge to the bowling centers and players around The Netherlands.

Special thanks to NBF’s Jack Edelaar for his contribution to this story.

PBA TECH TALK - Norm Duke

PBA TECH TALK by Ted Thompson
BOWLING Magazine July 2002
Reprinted with permission from the USBC

Sticking to established Ball Layout Parameters helps Duke Maximize his Natural Abilities

In the last “PBA Tech Talk", we featured Walter Ray Williams Jr., a player who doesn’t really concern himself with the technical “mumbo jumbo” of bowling ball dynamics. This time, we’re featuring Norm Duke as another player who drills a lot of balls throughout the year, but also remains pretty conservative in his choice of layouts.

There are a lot of bowling fans who believe the professionals use every ball-drilling trick in the book to knock down pins. While that may be true for a handful of players, most of the Professional Bowlers Association’s top players use pretty basic layouts and make adjustments using their talent. Duke is one of the latter types of players and his credentials speak loudly.

Norm Duke has been PBA Player of the Year twice. The first time, in 1994, he predominately used a ball (Columbia Beast) that had fairly low differential and, therefore, was a ball that he could manipulate using physical adjustments to get the reactions he wanted. When he won Player of the Year honors again in 2000, Duke predominately used the AMF Menace Tour (actually a dark-colored Columbia Pulse). This was also a low flare ball and he again used his physical talents to make lane adjustments.

Unfortunately for Duke, technology changes so fast these days that this type of ball did not work very well with the new “slicker” oils that came into use on the PBA Tour during the 2001-02 season. Basically, the cover stock was not strong enough to grip the lane and Duke had to search for “another look.” Duke experimented more during the 2001 season with different layouts and types of balls than he had in years, but he also stayed within his philosophies. One thing that Duke does not change is his grip. Most of the top players don’t change grip very often. Duke uses a standard fingertip grip with a couple of idiosyncrasies that separate him from others.

The first thing you might notice when looking at one of Duke’s balls is the shape of his thumbhole. He begins by drilling a 15/16 or 61/64 size pilot hole, depending on the swelling of his thumb at the time, and then “notches” it out with a 23/32 end mill to a side-to-side measurement of .986" at 38 1⁄2 degrees. Duke uses the sharp edge created by the notch to hang onto the ball during his swing. He will also use a cork insert in the front of the thumbhole for added texture to ensure a solid grip in the ball. Duke also places white tape behind the cork insert and adds and removes pieces of tape to adjust the size of the hole during competition. He places small strips of white tape into and out of the notch to adjust the size of the hole. If you ever see Duke on TV “fiddling” with his thumbhole, this is what he is doing. A professional is always trying to get that perfect feel and some players are more sensitive than others. Duke is one of the more sensitive players on the PBA Tour.

Duke uses very little bevel in all of his gripping holes. This lack of bevel keeps the ball hanging onto his hand with minimal grip pressure. I would say his finger holes are some of the least-beveled on the tour today. He also uses zero lateral (left or right) pitch in his thumbhole. This “zero pitch” in his thumbhole enables him to either release the ball in a “thumb down or thumb out” position. If the lanes call for a delayed reaction, Duke will spin the ball or lower his roll, by rotating his thumb down at the release point. If he is trying to roll the ball end over end, Duke will keep his “thumb out” or right of 12 o’clock at the release point. This release will enable the ball to read the lane sooner.

If Duke were to use either right or left pitch in his thumbhole, it would limit his release options to the characteristics produced by right and left pitches. In theory, right pitch promotes a “thumb down” release where left pitch promotes a “thumb out” release.

 When Duke is in the PBA Mobile Service Center drilling balls for a particular block or condition, he will lay out all of his balls in a way he describes as “inside the box.” Duke has a limit on how strong or how weak he will lay out a ball and he won’t go “outside this box.” Why? Because he wants to be able to throw the ball any way he sees fit not only during the course of a tournament, but also during the course of a block or even a game at times. By using layouts that stay within these limits, Duke feels he is not limited in his choices of deliveries with any particular ball.

 Duke’s limit for a weak layout or when he wants to “minimize a weight block’s imbalance” is on the vertical centerline of his grip, usually above the finger holes. This would place the pin about 6 1⁄2" from his positive axis point.

His limit for a strong layout is “shorter and stronger” or maximum leverage which puts the pin 3 3⁄8" from his positive axis point. Duke will lay out all of his equipment between these two parameters. If Duke is looking for a stronger or weaker reaction, he would rather make adjustments with cover stocks than with excessive pin placements, especially if he is trying to weaken his reaction.

Another constant in Duke’s choice of layouts is that he will almost exclusively use an extra hole. Usually he will place the extra hole on his PAP. The extra hole, Duke says, “livens up the overall ball reaction for him” and gives him a look he can read and use to make adjustments.

Norm Duke has built his game, grip and layout philosophy around one premise: versatility. He is arguably the most versatile player in bowling history. He has won 19 PBA titles plus the 1993 ABC Masters by “hooking the whole lane", "piping it to the pocket", "playing the twig” and everywhere in between.

Even though he failed to win a PBA title during the extended 2001-02 PBA season, he did cash in 26 of 30 events and ranked ninth in average. A testament to his ability was his induction into the ABC Hall of Fame in 2002.

By keeping his layouts within known constants, Duke can make the necessary adjustments the way that works best for him — with his physical talent. ■ Bowling July 2002

PBA TECH TALK - Walter Ray Williams Jr.

PBA TECH TALK with Ted Thompson
BOWLING Magazine May 2002
Reprinted with permission from the USBC

Basic grip, cover stock management are keys to Williams’ 15 years of PBA dominance

Walter Ray Williams Jr. arguably has been the most dominant bowler over the last 15 years. Over that span of years, Williams has found a way to be victorious despite a multitude of technological advances. His rise to stardom began at the end of the low to no-flare urethane era, continued into the low-flare reactive era and today he’s a consistent threat in the high-flare reactive and particle era.

He has endured changes in not only equipment, but also in formats. He clearly dominated in the PBA’s old “marathon” 42 and 56 game formats, winning 33 times from 1986 to 2001. More recently, Williams also conquered the PBA’s new match play “sprint” format. When the PBA went to the match play format in the fall of 2001, he made the TV finals a tour-best seven times including a remarkable five straight. Some thought the new format would make it impossible for anyone to dominate, let alone have a TV streak like Williams put together. But his accomplishments again confirmed his greatness.

With all of Williams’ titles and the fact that he earned a degree in physics at Cal Poly-Pomona, you might think he’s an expert in taking advantage of today’s technologically-advanced bowling balls. Well, the opposite is actually true. Williams doesn’t really concern himself with exacting pin placements, extra holes, mass bias positions and CG placements.

Using either a ball company representative’s recommendations or a PBA player services rep’s input, Williams will simply drill a new ball and see what it does in relation to his other equipment. Because of his naturally straight type of shot, he normally uses layouts that will maximize a particular ball’s flare potential. He’ll then vary the cover stock by either sanding or polishing it to get the amount of friction that looks good to his eye and gives him the kind of carry he’s after.

Keep in mind that the number one influence in ball reaction is the aggressiveness and preparation of the cover stock. Therefore, all of today’s weight block technology and layouts can be wasted unless the cover stock matches up with a person’s particular style on a particular lane condition at a particular time.

During the fall of 2001, Williams used balls that had highly aggressive cover stocks with strong pin placements. The layout we saw him use most was one that placed the pin 3 3⁄4" from his positive axis point and positioned up toward his vertical axis line. For Williams, this layout produced a high amount of flare early and more of an “end over end” roll type reaction on the backend.

The oil patterns at the time were fairly flat and relatively on the short side. This layout gave Williams “a look” that for him was very readable and controllable on the backend, and therefore allowed him to put up some impressive numbers.

Like most of the top PBA players, Williams has a very basic grip. He uses a standard fingertip grip with Contour soft oval grips in both fingers. He uses no forward or reverse pitch in any of his gripping holes. The soft finger grips he uses “give me a tacky feel” for comfort. His thumbhole is a “Custom Thumb” mold which has an extreme amount of bevel; also done for comfort because of a pinched nerve he developed in his thumb in the early 1990s.

 When a lot of bevel is used, it can make it difficult to hang onto the ball because there is less of a pressure point at the base of the thumb. Without these pressure points, excessive grip pressure would have to be used to simply hang onto the ball.

At the suggestion of ball rep Rick Benoit, Williams began using a cork thumb insert to provide a textured surface to solve that problem. The cork insert enables him to maintain a relaxed grip pressure which is essential to good bowling.

 If your grip pressure is too excessive, it’s impossible to have a loose arm swing. Without a relatively loose arm swing, it’s very difficult to repeat shots because muscle tension is hard to repeat. Too much muscle in your swing also makes you lose “feel."

 Gravity is a constant so work with gravity more and muscle less. If you use gravity as your friend, you’ll have a better chance of repeating your shots and increasing your scores and finishing better in your tournaments. If you’ve ever wondered how professional bowlers’ bowl 16 or more games per day, day after day, it’s because of good technique, being relaxed and letting the ball swing.

Williams’ record proves that no matter how unorthodox his style may look, one thing is certain: He knows how to repeat. And his repetition involves winning, and winning, and winning... ■BOWLING May 2002

PBA TECH TALK - Mika Koivuniemi

PBA TECH TALK with Ted Thompson
BOWLING Magazine March 2002
Reprinted with permission from the USBC

Koivuniemi combines International experience and American grip adjustments to compete on PBA Tour

When Mika Koivuniemi wins a tournament in the world of bowling, he wins big. In 1991 while still an amateur, Koivuniemi won the Federation Internationale des Quilleurs World Grand Masters. In 1997 he won the Super Hoinke for $100,000. After Koivuniemi turned professional in 1999, his first victory was in the 2000 American Bowling Congress Masters. In December, he added another of bowling’s most coveted crowns, the 2001 U.S. Open for another $100,000 first place check.

Those are good reasons to look at the tools Koivuniemi uses to conquer the tough conditions usually found in these major events. Koivuniemi grew up in Finland and therefore learned to bowl mostly in his homeland and Western Europe early in his career. There his game developed, like most of us, a style that enabled him to excel in the environment in which he was competing. The conditions over there, he said, “were one of extremes.” Either the lanes had very dry heads and tight back ends, or short oil patterns that made the ball hook almost uncontrollably. Koivuniemi therefore developed a style that had an excessive amount of loft built into his game.

This excessive lofting of the ball enabled his ball reaction (the hook) to be delayed, which worked well on both types of conditions that were prevalent in Europe. “It was normal for me to loft it as far as eight to 10 feet on a consistent basis,” Koivuniemi said. He also possesses the intangibles shared by most champions in all sports — excellent concentration and the ability to keep his emotions on an even keel, never getting overly excited or dejected. With strong physical and mental games, it’s no wonder Koivuniemi achieved world-class status in bowling before he joined the PBA Tour.

But the PBA Tour is a different animal. To continue the status he enjoyed worldwide, Koivuniemi soon realized a couple of adjustments were necessary to continue his road to success against “the world’s greatest bowlers.” On tour, one of the major challenges for most players is getting the ball to read the mid-lane and then continue its motion into the pocket with no violent reactions. This makes for a very readable ball reaction that is a necessity for consistency from pair to pair.

To achieve a more predictable ball reaction, Koivuniemi increased the reverse pitches in his finger holes to one-inch reverse. This is the most reverse pitch in the finger holes anyone on the PBA Tour uses today. It’s an attempt to get the ball off his fingers as fast as possible and onto the lane as quickly as possible. With this adjustment, Koivuniemi achieved a ball motion that reads the lane sooner with a less violent hook on the backend which is exactly the type of reaction a player needs to be consistent on the PBA Tour.

To continue the status he enjoyed worldwide, Koivuniemi soon realized a couple of adjustments were necessary to continue his road to success against ‘the world’s greatest bowlers.

Koivuniemi has a very high, loose arm swing which makes for fast ball speed. Again, that’s a product of the environment he grew up in and a challenge for him on heavily-oiled conditions. This is where specific ball choices and layouts come into play.

When the lane conditions are more on the higher friction side of the spectrum, Koivuniemi will use a ball that is reactive in nature only and stay away from the particle balls. He will use a layout that puts the pin 5 1/2" from his positive axis point and not use an extra hole. Both of these types of layouts help Koivuniemi keep the ball on line the majority of the time.

Koivuniemi would be considered a “Tweener” in today’s environment, someone who doesn’t go completely up the lane, but also prefers not to hook the ball across a lot of boards. With these changes combined with his natural game developed in Finland, Koivuniemi has proven himself to be a threat every week on the PBA Tour. ■ Bowling March 2002