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Author Topic: Scoring and technology  (Read 3648 times)

avabob

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Scoring and technology
« on: March 19, 2018, 12:40:48 PM »
I bowled my first adult league in the fall of 1966.  I used hard rubber balls till 1975, polyester till 1981, and resin since 1992.   Highest average ever with rubber balls, 199.  Highest average with polyester, 218.  Highest average with urethane 229.  Highest average with resin.  In my opinion lane conditions had very little to do with those average increases.

Here may be more telling statistic.  In 15 years using rubber and plastic   2 300s, both with plastic.  In 11 years with urethane 4 300s.  In 25 years with resin, 38 300s.

Not only is it clear that resin balls had a monumental impact on award scores, it is just as interesting that they had a much smaller impact on averages.  I know I am only one person, but my experience is similar to that of most other top scratch bowlers during an era that transcends ball evolution

 

Pinbuster

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Re: Scoring and technology
« Reply #31 on: March 21, 2018, 05:22:28 PM »
Resin definitely raised the carry percentage for the vast majority of bowlers. A few of the urethane power players may have been hurt by the resin revolution but if they stayed in the game most of them have adapted to resin now.

I started bowling in a small town that was a brickyard and no one averaged 190 (no one ever shot 300 in center until the resin era). I really didn't understand blocked lanes at the time but I know that every year when we went to state (usually in metro area with several centers) I would bowl at least 20 pins a game over my average.

There was one year at state in doubles and singles we were paired with a couple guys who came in with 205 averages. I figured they must be gods of bowling. Long story short I shot about 640 while they shot around 520. They thought I was one of the biggest sandbaggers they ever saw.

HackJandy

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Re: Scoring and technology
« Reply #32 on: March 22, 2018, 12:23:24 AM »
Resin definitely raised the carry percentage for the vast majority of bowlers. A few of the urethane power players may have been hurt by the resin revolution but if they stayed in the game most of them have adapted to resin now.

I started bowling in a small town that was a brickyard and no one averaged 190 (no one ever shot 300 in center until the resin era). I really didn't understand blocked lanes at the time but I know that every year when we went to state (usually in metro area with several centers) I would bowl at least 20 pins a game over my average.

There was one year at state in doubles and singles we were paired with a couple guys who came in with 205 averages. I figured they must be gods of bowling. Long story short I shot about 640 while they shot around 520. They thought I was one of the biggest sandbaggers they ever saw.

Similar story to what my parents would tell about bowling in a four lane decrepit wood bowling alley in rural Iowa (where I learned the game as a youngster) and then going to city tournaments and lighting it up.
Kind of noob when made this account so take advice with grain of salt.