Without a doubt.............Norm Duke. I'm a "Straighter is Greater" kind of bowler.........or at least trying to be.

My wife and I met Sean Rash at a clinic after we had been bowling for about a month. He is a nice guy..............didn't have a clue who he was at the time though.

I'm a fan of Mike Miller for obvious reasons, and I like WRW too, to see the end-over-end shot. (It surprises me that we don't see up-and-coming bowlers specializing in the end-over-end shot; the equipment is definitely evolving in that direction.)

Other than that, I usually wind up rooting for the underdogs, the junkballers and the late bloomers, the guys who aren't amazingly versatile and have to make difficult or creative adjustments. The other guys make it look too easy.

Chris Barnes, hands down. I notice myself emulating a bit of his approach and release. However, the line he likes to play, that outside by the 5 board shot, is not my favorite. Of course, I don't typically play on the same sport patterns he does where such a shot can be done with his type of rev rate. On my THS his line would take him past Brooklyn, probably hitting somewhere in Maine! (Sorry, bad pun) As for the line I am starting to learn better, I tend to be liking the look of Tommy Jones. I find myself unable to create as many revs as him, which I'm not overly concerned about since my style is my style, so I end up playing in between Barnes' and Jones' typical lines. Also, my ball speed tends to be a bit on the lower side due to my lower backswing, (I'm slowly working on it) and that still allows me to play a deeper shot at times whereas following Barnes' up the 5 board line takes me off the map. But I still like to watch Chris Barnes' matches more than Tommy Jones' so.

My favorite all-time PBA bowlers are Brian Voss, Danny Wiseman, Walter Ray Williams, Parker Bohn III, Patrick Allen and Brad Angelo. maybe not in that exact order. I could have a list ten times as long

That is true, every one of the PBA bowlers are amazing in their own right. There is a reason they are the pros and I am not shooting against Walter Ray or Jason Couch, that's why they get paid the big bucks (though that has also been mentioned on this forum seeing as how the poor PBA bowlers are poor compared to other athletes). I'll save that money thought for one of the other threads

I would have to say my top favs are Walter Ray, Norm Duke, Mike Wolfe, Tommy Jones, Wes Malot, And Parker Bohn. Maybe not in that order but as Rack mentiond its hard not to like them all since they are all pros and they all do things very well, i gues the biggest thing that stands out is a bowlers personality, and i totaly agree they are very under paid compared to other proffesioanl sports, and to those who say the reason for that is is because its not a real sport is because they have never bowled in a big tourny were you have to bowl six to nine games in a row and then come back for match play, These guys do it every week!

Brian Voss (for the past 20 years since I first stated bowling seriously he has been my bowling idol). His flawless, classic form as well as his matinee-idol looks turned me on to this great sport, almost single-handedly.

Tommy Jones, the future of the PBA Tour, whom, I like to compare to Roger Federer in Tennis, with $1 million in earnings so far, as well as he is the fastest player to go between 1st and 10th titles, all that, and he is barely 30 years old yet.

Norm DUUUUUUUUUUUKE. (my late mother saw him once a few years back and thought the fans were "booing" him until I told her they were chanting his name), Grand Slam Champion and 15th player ever to bowl 300 on live TV (just down the road from me over in Tacoma at The Emerald Queen Casino). his low-maintenance swing and style haven't ever failed him over the past 25+ years he has been on Tour. Also, when Cindy Margolis and I were in High School together way back when, he became the youngest ever to win a PBA National Title (18 years old, 1983, Cleveland Open)!!!

And, of course, the best of all time, "Ol' Deadeye" himself, Walter Ray Williams Jr. $4+ Million in earnings and 45 Titles (so far), by far the most under-respected athlete in all of professional sports, I mean he should be classified and/or mentioned in the same vein as Tiger Woods, or Pete Sampras, instead of being "blown off" by mainstream media outlets as non-existant.

My favorite is Pete Weber. I love his release, armswing, accuracy and ball reaction. It's effortless. I like the bowlers who don't look like they're putting all of their energy into each shot. Like they'll be worn out after one game ( Walter Ray ).

Top 5 current bowlers.

1) Pete Weber
2) Parker Bohn III
3) Norm Duke
4) Danny Wiseman
5) Michael Fagan

I like Walter Ray's intensity and focus. I just prefer the others for their bowling style. I'm into smooth.

Pretty awesome 5-some, indeed those are some of the smoothest players currently on Tour, but you should also include Dave D'Entremont and also Wes Malott and Ken Simard as well as either alternates or wild cards in there, King Kranker (my nickname for Ken Simard), Double-D, and The Big Nasty all can get a ton on the ball yet make it look easy and so effortless when it comes to generating a high rev rate.

Ken Simard is quite impressive. One of my new favorites for sure. And I have to comment on Norm Duke, in saying that he is very steady and pretty darn consistent. Definitely a fine bowler. I just seem something in his release that always makes me feel funny thinking about it...I can't quite put my finger on it but I think its the way he follows through on his shots and how his hand positions at the top of his follow through. It just looks a bit awkward to me in some ways, like I don't think it would feel very good to keep your hand that way. Like he keeps the hand and arm held up high on the follow through without letting it free fall back in the swing. I just personally think it feels better to let the hand flow off the ball and after the shot let it fall on its own volition as it may. Sort of a conclusive swing. Like loading up all the power of the ball and your release and then turning potential into kinetic and letting the arm discharge haha!