In reality, the sport of bowling has not changed at all. The basics and fundamentals of the game remain the same as 50 years (or more) ago and will continue far into the future. It is the equipment that has changed.

You still have to go out there and refine your style so that you have a balanced approach, a smooth armswing with complete follow through, and a solid posture as you release the ball. Oh, and you must also be able to make a high percentage of your spares. But, do you have the correct equipment.

The equipment, on the other hand, has undergone some rather radical changes in the past twenty years or so. The surfaces and cores of bowling balls have gone high tech, the lanes themselves are now made of synthetic substances, the oils used to dress the lanes, and the
ability of individual bowling centers to put different patterns on the lanes with their computerized lane conditioning machines, have all combined to the "changing of the game."

1) Bowling balls come in, literally, thousands of varieties and models. From hard-surfaced to soft-surfaced, from plastic to particle, and from symmetrical cores to asymmetrical cores, the modern bowler has an myriad of choices with which to "conquer" the center they will be bowling at on a regular basis.

2) Synthetic lanes have become the norm throughout the world, replacing the old wooden boards that had to be resurfaced every few years. Synthetic surfaces also do not soak in the oils like wood used to. They tend to last longer and while initial costs are a little higher than wooden ones, are more cost-effective in the long run.

3) The oils used today are "synthetic." Without getting too technical, suffice it to say that they are much more slick-feeling and believe it or not, will stay on the lane for a longer period of time than in the "olden days." ( I know some of you more experienced bowlers may disagree with this statement - just check the lane after a night of bowling and see how oily it still is.)

4) The computerized, programmable, and versatile lane conditioning machines being used by centers now have the ability to control the scoring in their houses. There are "easy" patterns where scoring will make a mediocre bowler a high average bowler; and, they can toughen them up to make it a challenging condition. Since there is no standard for individual houses with regard to how they should oil their lanes, this is probably the most dynamic variable in the changing of the game.

The governing bodies of the sport of bowling have standardized bowling lanes, bowling balls, and types of oils used for the sport of bowling. However, except for specifying the minimum units of oil that must be placed on a lane, each bowling center is left on their own to dress the lanes as they see fit.

As with any change, they have benefited many and been detrimental to some. Those who have embraced the "changing of the game," are now scoring and averaging higher; those who have not are still fighting the changes and consequently don't score high as often or average higher.
In life, everywhere you look, changes are taking place; and, as with life, you have to adapt to the changes or be left behind. The technology of our sport is advancing so rapidly, everyone, newcomers and "old-comers" alike, must continually upgrade their knowledge of the game.

You may have all the fundamentals and basics of the bowling game finely tuned to your style; but, without keeping up with the equipment changes, you will only continue to be an "above average bowler" rather than a "high average bowler."

A Hui Hou! (See You Again!)