We all know that scores have gone up because of ball technology and/or lane conditions, but everyone bowls on the same conditions and most have access to all the new equipment.  My question is for those of you that have either been around enough to recall the earlier years of the PBA, or have studied the game enough to know what the PBA was like 30 years ago.

Is it harder to succeed (win) on the PBA tour than it was years ago?  Has the combination of new equipment and oil patterns given a major advantage to a particular style of play that wasn't there before?

I'm too young to have followed the PBA 30 years ago, and I'm curious how technology has changed the pro game.
--------------------
Idiot Quote of the Century: Rosie O'Donnell speaking about the WTC Attacks, "There had to be bombs planted in WTC Building 7, because fire can't melt steel.  This has got to be the first case in history where fire melted steel."