Just a few days ago I remarked on the fact that I was a bit surprised that none of my local bowling centers (and there are about fifteen within 15-45 min from my residence) had started a PBA experience league. It was to the point that I thought I might have to drive all the way to Tarzana or Canoga Park to bowl in one.

Well, lo and behold, I walk into the house where my Pro Shop is (about 15 min from me) to get my equipment cleaned up and pick up the new spare ball I had drilled and I see a big banner hanging from the ceiling with the chameleon, cheetah, scorpion, shark and viper on it. Yes, Lord, the PBA Experience is coming to Cal Bowl in Lakewood/Long Beach on April 27, 2007. It's going to be made up of 3-man teams, which means it won't take all night also. Now I just gotta find some teammates that aren't afraid to take on the challenge of the PBA experience...LOL.

Happy, happy, joy, joy...

Thats, great that'll save you from driving to Northridge or Tarzana, good luck finding a team.
And Have Fun.

Definitely saves a bit of gas, which means more bowling and some long nights driving back down from that area. Thanks, House...I couldn't remember who I was talking to about the league up there.

How's it going for you in the league? I'm really looking forward to it.

I really do hope these leagues take off...

I do too. I think they'll struggle a bit, though, just because they are more difficult, but for some people who like to "match themselves up against Tommy Jones or Brian Voss, et al", it might be something that sticks around. Plus, it's semi-tangible, because people can see the pros bowling on similar shots, er, well, as similar as the house wants them to be, anyhow.

I just hope they (individual houses) don't pull the same junk they did with the sport shot and make it into a half-assed lazy man's sport shot. It took whatever credibility the sport shot was supposed to bring to bowling right out the window.

Whenever I get good enough left-handed, I want to bowl on this shot. Of course, if I get good enough, I'll take another crack at the Southern Regionals again.

I wish they offered them around here. The one place that does it offers it during the week and I just can't get there in time. Hopefully it expands to the weekends or to more houses.

Good luck, let us know how it goes.

My House offers it on Monday Nights @ 610. I'm not ready for Sports or PBA League yet, but would like to try out the lane condition for the fun of it was thinking if they would let me bowl when they oil the lanes or after the league to see how it is.

Just as an FYI, there's a big difference between bowling on these conditions after they've been bowled on, and an even bigger change if you wait until the next day. Not that it won't be good to practice on them, but don't think that it's the same thing that they start out on.

For your sake, I hope it works out and you have enough teams to run the league, if not you'll have to make the drive out here or deal with the house shots in your area.

Are you sure you're not ready, Brandon? I don't think anyone can truly say they are. Different oil patterns in different houses...it's just like the tour players. The shark pattern in Medford might play completely different from the shark pattern in Cleveland. You should give it a shot, you may surprise yourself. At the very least it's a $22 or so (isn't that the going rate for league fees?) practice session.

My main reasoning for wanting to bowl the PBA experience is just that...experience. You can't become a better bowler without experience...good and bad. I figure if I can even halfway hit some of the PBA patterns, I have a chance on any given night on my regular league shots.

I'm sure it will only help to improve your game...staying focused, repeating shots, developing consistency. You shouldn't look at it as something you're not ready for, rather look at it as something that will get you ready for anything you might face at any house.

Just my thoughts...

Show300,
Well your right i'm not sure if im ready or not for them. I just said that cause i took a 10 year lay off and just came back in August and finally comming out of my slump. Not in the Average range as some of other on here in the 200's yet. So i still have some aspect to work on.

But you are right. I should try it out. I get more experience on differnt oil pattern and make my game better. Yeah i think its $17-20 is the league fee.

I think bowlers who go into a league such as the PBA Experience should be honest with themselves, and perhaps Brandon is being honest with himself. Two months ago I would've jumped at the chance to bowl in a PBA Experience league to see if I could average 190 or above. Now? Heh...nah, don't think so. I'll save them for later.

I didn't bowl in PBA Regionals or the Masters 250 because of a lack of confidence. Sure, I averaged 200 for the past 3 years on a somewhat tough shot, but I didn't want to look like an idiot, even at the expense of experience. But that's just me. My wife kept prodding me and begging me to bowl in another regional but I wasn't comfortable with my own game.

If the league is hdcp and you understand that your avg is going to go down at first (15-20 pins is the norm), then there's no reason to wait IMO. I joined the sport shot league, and while most of the bowlers are higher avg than me, it has helped my game more than most of my regular practice sessions.

For one, all of the bowlers are higher avg, and since I'm observant and have a few nice guys I learn a lot from them. I also have a coach for a doubles partner (by luck), so that helps as well. But even with those factors aside, the pattern gives me nowhere to hide, so to speak. When my timing is off, I won't hit the pocket. Period. Same for when I miss my mark. I've learned to make better adjustments on the lane, how to deal with identifying old habits, how to narrow my focus with a smaller margin for error. And after Monday night I know exactly what's still on the list of things to work on at practice. As a result, after 16 or so weeks I'm currently the most improved in both leagues I bowl in, by a fair margin.

Sure, there is some mental prep you have to do, and sometimes it can test your confidence, but if you go into the league knowing you'll struggle more than on a house shot, it can be a great tool, and a great experience (yuk yuk).

I understand what you're saying Brian...but we're not talking about a PBA Regional or Masters Tournament. I've averaged 200+ for 2 seasons in a house that if you mention it to 90% of the bowlers in my area you'll hear nothing but bad about. It is truly one of the two toughest houses in L.A.

I know guys who won't even try go there to bowl a tournament, much less carry a league. I'm not saying I'm ready for the PBA experience just because I have been able to average 200+ for 2 seasons in such a house, but what I am saying is that I also won't allow myself to shy away from a challenge without ever putting forth at least an effort.

I'm certain I won't be the only one 'looking like an idiot' on certain patterns...on others I might look genius. I agree with Chris wholeheartedly, it's about making proper adjustments, minimizing errors and not hiding behind a shot you already know how to play. I figure if I can have even moderate success on the PBA patterns, then I will excel at the local 'house shot' tournaments and regular league nights...but that's just me.

Well, I used to bowl in a tough house when I first moved here, and I carried a 195 average in it the year I bowled in one regional. It was by far the toughest house around and I worked my tail of to carry tat 195. Nobody with an average over 170 ever came to our house to bowl in a tournament because they knew they couldn't hit it. I could go to another house and easily hit my average without even trying.

I now bowl in a house that has a little bit of area, but not a lot. There is an out of bounds beyond 5 board so that keeps everyone from playing bumper bowling. If you don't have hand, you need to stay in the Track area which is from 8-14 at the heads and 4-9 at 40'. Those with some hand can play further inside but nothing past 20 unless you're playing tight with a lot of revs.

I don't have aversions to tougher shots or PBA shots because I don't want to carry a 220 average just because I can hit between the gutter and 15 board. On those easy shots, you cannot possibly know if you're making quality shots on those conditions unless you are really tuned into your ball reaction and targeting to tell you what's happening. On a flatter shot, you know when you goofed and you might have a 5% chance of being around the pocket if you missed your mark or came out of the ball wrong.

Fireside Lanes in Sacramento will be starting a PBA Experience League next week; 2/15. It will be on Thur. evenings, 6:45pm, open to youth and adults and a 1/2 season long.

Erin

Darn, I run brackets for the Travel league on Thursday nights at 9 PM whereever they are. I would have liked to join that league and test my skills against the PBA shot.

Mike

Last I heard Mike it was going to be a singles league, no prize fund. That's so the Jrs can participate too. I know the scratch travel league bowls late on Thurs, so I guess none of those bowlers (which would be more interested in such a league then your basic handicap bowler) will be able to participate. Maybe if this one goes well they'll run a summer league too.

One of the concerns I heard discussed was that more open play bowlers complained about the open play lane conditions after the last sport league was attempted, then wanted to try them out. But if anyone can pull this off, Jack at Fireside can.

Erin

If it is a singles league and starts at 6:45, what are the chances of it being done by 8 or 8:15?

That would depend on whether it's 3 games or 4, if they switch games every game (or after two), and on how many they put on each lanes. Sounds like a call to the center for specifics.

For example, our sport shot league is trios, four games, and they switch after two games. We start at 7:30 pm and they finish between 10 and 10:15.

I bowled on a PBA league last summer and really enjoyed the challenge. As far as looking like an idiot, yeh, I guess I did at times. But actually I think most of us did on that league. We all were "rookies " on the patterns we bowled on. I tried the PBA league to gain experience, and improve my game, and I think it accomplished that. I have only been at this game seriously since 2003-2004 and felt the harder patterns would kind of expidite my progress so to speak. Although not completely satisfied with the results from week to week, I did'nt think walking out of that league coming in 2cnd, with a 174 average was too bad.

Our PBA Experience league is going to be 3-person teams...I'm assuming the start is going to be about 7:00. And I think it's 3 games...so it shouldn't take longer than 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

I'm really looking forward to it...April 27, 2007...embarking on unchartered territory.

I'm not sue Mike. I think they are still drumming up participants so they don't know how many will be participating and therefore how many per lane. But I do know they are expecting to oil 8 lanes.

On the weeks that the travel league is more centralized I don't think it would be a problem; if they bowl 3 games. But if you had to run to Capitol, Alpine or Landpark, you'd probably not have time. But if its run as a singles league then on those weeks where the Travel league is too far away you could skip the PBA league or vis versa.

Erin

One thing you want to make sure of when joining these leagues. It will be a learning experience. It will be frustrating and it will test your skill and understanding of the game. Hopefully after the league is finished you will have a new respect for what some people can achieve on these patterns. If there is one thing i've learned from my PBA experience league it is that spare conversion is an absolute necessity for decent scoring, and it is also alot more difficult to string 3-4 in a row to make up for a mistake. It may sound cliche, however these patterns do different things to the ball, even when shooting at a spare. Good Luck With your PBA experience.

Yeah, one of our Jrs averaged over 212 on it last night first night out, Shark pattern I think. Several 200+ games were bowled. I wasn't there, but that's what I heard.

One problem that came up was that the tape reader that the center owns (and I think its the only center of 12 in the associatino that owns their own reader) is outdated and doesn't talk to the computer that puts out the graph etc...... New tape reader is over $1500.

The league has no prize fund, about 32 bowlers they pay for lineage only. Don't know where the $1500 is going to come from for the new reader. They also had to order tape to read the lanes, but that's not much.

Erin

One of the league memmber in my thursday league was talking about the PBA Experience League. He is a 203 aerage bowler on my thursday league, but in the PBA Experience League he says he struggling he averaging 170 ish he like last monday was his worse showing he ball wouldnt hook at on the shark pattern. He told me he bowled awful he only average 108 on it. So sure going to be learning experience for those who are in the league.

It is definately an experience. People will find that they have more success on one pattern than another. The thing is it changes every week so so basically have about 15 min of practice to find something that works. I try to take notes on a specific pattern so i know how to play them next time around. I did score pretty well on the shark pattern last week. I shot 658, front 9 in the second game solid four pin in the tenth...missed it to shoot 267. Oh well. I'm still only averaging 179 in the league. I can't wait to bowl in a sport shot league this summer. From what i hear that should be fun.

BRIAN LONGO WROTE: I just hope they (individual houses) don't pull the same junk they did with the sport shot and make it into a half-assed lazy man's sport shot. It took whatever credibility the sport shot was supposed to bring to bowling right out the window.

I work at a bowling center and have been researching the PBA Experience "requirements" in hopes of starting a league in our house. Let's just say there are a lot of hoops to jump thru just to get approved to have the league. Between all the checklists and measurements of the lane conditions you must send in, I don't think it will become half-assed.

.....just my opinion.....Jim

I hope not, Jim. But you know what I'm saying. The "Sport Condition" wasn't very well regulated and some centers were taking a little "liberty" in the ratios and producing shots that probably weren't so, umm, "sporting". The main thing was the lack of solid regulation, which I knew would be somewhat of a problem due to the novelty of the idea and lack of preparation on USBC's part.

Don't get me wrong, though. Actually having the league in the first place takes a lot of effort, but I'd hate to see centers getting lax with the ratios and patterns. I hope this program sticks, and it just might. A lot of people want to see if they can "hang with the pros".

Brian.. I don't think they can get lax with the ratios and still be a sanctioned sport league. They have to graph the pattern every week.

I'm sure for all but a few exceptions, the limits were being adhered to, but I'm also sure that a small handful of places took some liberties. It's the way it always works. This is how our "normal" shots came to be so loose today - ABC/WIBC quit following up on checking patterns when honor scores came around, or houses were blocking shots and re-oiling afterwards. I'm not accusing every house of pushing the gray area, but there's always that possibility, just like there was that possibility years ago.

"Integrity" sometimes only lasts for the length of time it's "in vogue". I just hope it never loses its novelty with the PBA Experience league.

This is what I saw too Brian. First year of the Sport League we bowled one that was pure H..... We had several PBA players in the league and no one averaged over 190 and no one shot over a 650 series. That's how tough it was.

Next year, they changed the shot and the high average was around 240. Still Sport compliant (so they said), quite a few of the same players involved.

Why do you think one house in the mid west had the most Sport awards given out for both men and women? They must have had better bowlers....yeah right.

Erin

It all comes back to the integrity of the league officers and the bowlers.

Tapes have to be sent in every week, which means if they're not compliant, they're going to be excluded from awards and recognition. If someone is calling their league a "tough shot" then buyer beware. The lanes CAN be tough, but they may be a house shot, and there's no verification.

If someone is doctoring the tapes, then that's against the whole point for most people. It's about adapting and bowling better. When NoMoreHouseShots had our first sanctioned sport shot 300 we were all waiting for a week until they read the tapes. And when we got confirmation, it was worth all the work.

We do laugh at some of the leagues out there--there's one in Wisconsin that bowled on the same shot for like 20-some weeks and so they really just learned how to dial in on that shot. And their scores reflected it. In our league, we choose to switch pairs after two games and bowl two more. Often you get some interesting reactions depending on whom you follow. And we change patterns every eight weeks. We've chosen to stick with true Sport patterns of 2.5 to 1 for our lane condition. And in June when we start up again, I don't see how we'll ever go for the easiest shots out there. It's not what these bowlers want or pay for.

That's exactly my point, Angel. People would look at me like I had three heads when I would beat my chest for averaging 195 at the bowling center I used to work at. Why? Because it was about 20-25 pins lower than some of the averages from the easier houses. Yet when I'd go over there for sweepers, I'd clean up. I took pride in that 195 knowing how tough our shot was. Only 2 people averaged above 190 for a full season in the first 3 years I was there and I was one of those 2. The next highest average was in the mid 180's and everyone else was below that. Nobody came close to an 800. The highest series was 735. High game was a 298.

I'm not saying we had a crop of good bowlers, because we didn't. Our shot was brutal, the carry was tough, and you had to be accurate. Most of the "good bowlers" went on off to those easier houses. Me? I wanted that tough shot. I was asked to bowl at some of the easier houses and refused. I bowled on an easy shot for a long time and when I'd go out of town I'd come back with my tail between my legs. I wanted to learn how to be accurate and my 2 board shot gave me that "dose of reality" I needed and the weekly practice of bowling on a hard shot.

Sure, the honor scores are nice, but man, when they're almost handed out to you when you walk in the door in some places, what fun is that? Might as well be playing a video game.

Hey, my House is going to have a PBA Experience league. They just posted a banner Wednesday night. They are looking for a good amount of bowlers to make a commitment. A few of us signed up last night. I hope it flies.

I've always thought the PBA Experience leagues were a great idea. I just found out that my local center is starting one in the summer.

I'm slowly approaching a 150 average on my Wed Night league; I have a 164 in the Monday night Practice Plus league. I'd love to be a good enough bowler to consider joining. But I think I should get better on the house shot and maybe get another ball for heavier oil before I consider trying my luck on a PBA pattern. Maybe next year.

There's no shortage of good bowlers in the area. I'm sure they'll love it.

Just found out tonight that our house is hosting the PBA Experience starting in May. I just rejoined bowling this past winter league with an average of 191 with swings into the 150's on bad nights, I've learned to focus alot on my control and approach lately and cared little for the pin count in hopes of seeing something like this league to come along. I just want to have just that... the experience. Either way, idiot or not, I'll learn and come back for more.

See you all there

No PBA leagues around here just yet but I'm keeping my eyes open. Figures they'd offer it there Richard lol I desperately want to get into a PBA Exp. League, why would I not want to bowl on the same conditions as the pros and have my scores looked at as legit? I don't expect to do well in the beginning but I know how serious I am about the sport and I expect to get better. That's what it's all about.

One of the few local scratch leagues is talking about switching to a sport shot next year. Turns out that over half the teams are over the cap because the THS shot has been getting easier and easier as the lanes were upgraded and a new lane machine brought in. I'm thinking about joining and if they switched to a PBA Experience league that would be even better.

Signed up for PBA Experience league last night. 12 weeks over the Summer. Different pattern every 2 weeks. One stint being our heavy league oil, followed by Scorpion, shark etc.
House says they have had very good response, and could be half the House, 16 lanes.

After much hemming and hawing I decided to grow a... spine and sign up for my local PBA Experience League. I finished up league night last night with a season high game of 213 and I was flush with overconfidence. What the heck, I'm sure I'll have fun, and it will be interesting to see some of the better bowlers in the area go to work on the PBA patterns.

At the one center I bowl at, there will be 3 PBA leagues over the summer (adult, juniors and adult/junior) and at least one, and up to three PBA leagues next year.

They need to get something like that by me. Every place by me is too worried about everyone's ego.

It seems the good start to sign up for this league was the total sign up. All who signed up the first night is all the house got. The house pro will hold the sign up open for a while, and he is going around to all of the teams during league to drum up support. He has asked that those who have signed up try to get others to do so.

We entered a 3-man team. He asked us to break up and each get 2 more bowlers. We may do that just to bowl.

He has now also added a ball purchase to induce bowlers. Buy a Brunswick ball at the House price. $75+- is the estimate for a new Fury.

Hope this flies.