An idea that has been floated in the past is this:
The PBA, Euro Tour, and top-flight amateur competition (Team USA, etc.) could go to using slightly heavier, harder-carry pins. Put a black diamond on them or something, to make them easily identifiable. Plus, you still have the more difficult patterns found in these tournaments.
Most houses will still put up the lighter, "original" pins, plus whatever lane condition they want (most likely their version of a THS). Entry level bowlers plus those who "just want fun"/"don't want the challenge" can use these.
However, say an aspiring tenpin star kid walks into a house. On the "normal" lanes, he strikes all day, carrying light hits, throwing messengers, etc. So the proprietor walks over to him and says, "hey, kid, why don't you try your hand on what the pros use." And the kid, who thinks this is a great idea, goes over to lanes 1 and 2 (where they have the heavier, black diamond pins set up), and he proceeds to struggle a little more -- he can't always carry the five, or he can't just dig out the corner pins. Thus, he realizes he still has a hell of a lot to learn about the game -- after all, the guys on TV carry, whereas he does not.
In effect, this might right the ship, so to speak. Pins don't change who can get to the pocket like lane conditions might (basically, consider that pins will never shut the left side or the strokers out, whereas a lane condition could) -- they change who can carry. And if you only allow the best to score (i.e., carry) the best, you will have a resurgence of what is known as "the bowling sport."
I forget who originally wrote about this, so I apologize for not mentioning any names or citing anything. But I do know that this was the general point, and that I agreed with it most strongly.
Thoughts?
