What were the good old days?

M

mickyd213

Member
I hear a lot of the older bowlers talking about the good old days... How bowling was better and how the evolution of bowling through the late 90's and the naughties has seen a dramatic decrease in numbers.

So my question's are...

What were the good old days?
How is it different to today?
Equipment aside, how have you had to adapt or adjust to modern conditions?
 
I didn't bowl in the 'old days' however I did bowl (and worked in a bowl) during the 90s and naughties.. The science and technology of bowling has changed the game dramatically.. With the aid of computers, then bowling specific software, we were able to breakdown every tiny part of the game, from a bowlers approach, swing, release to lane pattern design, breakdown, topography and in more recent times exact duplicate ball drilling.. In most part I think this is great stuff, but has taken something away from the bowlers themselves..
Obviously centre proprietors have to pay for said technology (modern lane machines, scoring systems, proshop equipment etc.) and essentially gets passed onto the bowler causing price rises. on a side note, when I first started working in the industry league bowling fees were $2.40 per game and social $5 per game at my centre (I'm sure it was cheaper at some point before my time.)
I've seen a lot of really good bowlers pull the pin because they wanted to do athletic sport, let's face it, you don't have to be fit to bowl (that's why the demographic is so broad) people have more options for recreation nowadays

Sorry for waffling on
 
Roysa said:
C'mon Dockers.... Here is your chance. :)
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Never have I posted about the good old days you cant live in the past but I dont see a good future for the sport. Just look at the State teams at the Nationals no Senior NSW women playing for NSW. No West Australian Rachuig Teams. Victoria Rachuig womens team only Four registered to play a five person team competition. So many drafts overall tells me the sport is not looking good.
 
dockers said:
Never have I posted about the good old days you cant live in the past but I dont see a good future for the sport. Just look at the State teams at the Nationals no Senior NSW women playing for NSW. No West Australian Rachuig Teams. Victoria Rachuig womens team only Four registered to play a five person team competition. So many drafts overall tells me the sport is not looking good.
Click to expand...


You don't think the location had anything to do with the lack of entry numbers??????
 
Location, no not really, it has been in Townsville before, many times, it has been everywhere many times, and to be honest, if someone wants to travel to compete in Nationals, then go for it, regardless of location, yes, most of the population is south east coast, but could it possibly be more an outdated format, not just teams events, but the whole championships, lack of prestige and general costs of attending a teams tournament with no reward? People are jack of the way things currently are?

Bowling is not in an ideal place in this country and the reasons have been regurgitated ten fold, that goes without saying, but when looking at all these things, I think an individual perspective of each event in this instance is important. So in this instance, it would be ideal to look at what worked back then, but also compare decades to decades, cost of living, people are time poor now, families etc, the list goes on. Look at the positives of now and discard the rest.
 
Good post Mick. I still think that the thought of travelling to Townsville (a great place to travel to, but can be pricey to get there & stay there) as well as having to cart gear up there, was a big turn off for many people this year. My main reason for not going this year (first time in a long time that I haven't bowled nationals) was my lack of annual leave at work. The cost was certainly a deterrent for me, but if I had the annual leave available, I likely would've attended this year as well.
 
Andy, my response is meh, with a bit of planning and organisation, cheap fares were well and truly available, I think I got mine on Jetstar out of Sydney for 190 odd return with extra baggage, so I can take 5 balls up, if I want any extras, I will just post them up through Australia Post, about 30-35 each way. Annual leave is a killer for many and as I alluded to above, that is where cost of living and families come into play, spending time with kids on school holidays or going away on trips etc.

In real terms, there are no real current group of players (as in numbers) coming through that were say around my age when I was doing all this stuff, that want to bowl in it, a lot of juniors and youth players are focusing on their own competitions and not wanting to step into the adult world early, its much easier to participate in these events when peoples personal lives can take a backseat, its just reality. And to be honest, people are sick of the bullshit that accompanies local state associations, and their teams and people in power playing favourites and what not, they just don't care for the pathetic attitudes anymore.

Edit: In regards to this nationals, the TBA has checked into getting cheaper motel rates and hire car rates too, all this adds up.
 
Lets be honest, the location is the major factor why entries are down. Let me be clear that's nothing against those running the event, I wouldn't know as I don't know them but moving it to Townsville has no doubt reduced entry numbers.
 
Roysa said:
Lets be honest, the location is the major factor why entries are down. Let me be clear that's nothing against those running the event, I wouldn't know as I don't know them but moving it to Townsville has no doubt reduced entry numbers.
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I don't think it was the one major factor, certainly is part of it no doubt. But, and a big but, is the bowlers in the south eastern states have had it too good for the last few years, spoilt in a way for not having to travel far and wide like Nationals of yesteryear and the other big thing is, I believe the sport and TBA more or less in a way has let a potentially spectacular event slip, the first two years of Nationals with the massive Masters payout were successful, but it was never built upon and the little things in essence, IMO anyway, have brought this tournament and the accompanying parts down and are now, back to being 'just' the Nationals. The wow factor has gone and it's not really at the forefront of people minds at present.
 
The Good old days !!!
Well where do we start

1. It was different
2. Bowling Centres were a second home to many, many people and you were made feel welcome, it felt like a community.
3. We had monthly house tournaments that were fun and were well supported
4. We had South Pacific qualifying in almost every Centre in Australia and it was a major event, the final at Bankstown
5. We had many legends of the game back then, a huge number of good bowlers who would also bowl in leagues every week
6. We had a Grand Prix tour around the Country that was fantastic
7. The great Bowlers did not have inflated Averages therefore it was worth going to watch them, And lots of people did
8. We did not have the difficulty in getting people to be members of the ATBC, you joined or didn't bowl. 120,000 members
9. We had Centre ATBC representatives everywhere that helped people, today we have nothing
1o. Pre Bowling did not exist
11. Lane conditions were whatever you got and you did your best, with the one ball you had.
12. AMF cared about leagues and league Bowlers were seen as important to their business model
13. Centres were full, all the time
14. Game prices were a reasonable cost
15. We had Steve Mackie who cared about the game and the Sport, AMF also had him which delivered good results
16. Adjusting today is very different forgetting bowling balls, lanes and shoes we now need to learn other skills.
17. We had our Local and State Championships and everyone wanted to Bowl in them, multiple times
18. Juniors could bowl intructomat for free with hanging pins for coaching
19. People even dressed like they were attending a sporting event
20. We had big numbers of Juniors for Shield wanting to bowl, same for Rachuig
21. Sparing was taught as a staple
22. People use to bowl lots and lots of practice games, why cause it was affordable
23. Every Friday or Saturday if you wanted a game you would ring the 3 or 4 Centres close to home and go on a 2 hour waiting list lol


I guess there is more to add but It was just different and the major players cared and now they don't
and you need 6 bowling balls and it costs too much to practice and the numbers are not there...
 
Great post Geoff but you forgot to mention the Jackpots after league finishing around midnight when people were still there and THEN sitting in front of control playing 2 up !! Oops! Going to tourns. and having to grab as many result sheets as possible to take to league for those back home - driving from Bris. to Sydney after work on Friday, bowling all the weekend, driving home and being dropped at work for a 6.00am start on Monday morning ..... those were the days !!! Probably why so many Seniors continue to bowl for the memories shared with others of the same vintage.
 
Geoff, could not have said it better, thanks for being forthright. Previously a post suggested the Nationals format needs change well the World Championships are a similar format and that has top bowlers competing. Dockers
 
dockers said:
Geoff, could not have said it better, thanks for being forthright. Previously a post suggested the Nationals format needs change well the World Championships are a similar format and that has top bowlers competing. Dockers
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The World Championships are quite different in format aside from having seperate events.

Good post Geoff, there is so much more that can be added to this, but I don't think bowling is alone with changing times, the world has changed and bowling hasn't quite adapted or kept up. The main gist is that people and businesses within and related to the industry, actually cared. Very few do these days.
 
FLOWER said:
Great post Geoff but you forgot to mention the Jackpots after league finishing around midnight when people were still there and THEN sitting in front of control playing 2 up !! Oops! Going to tourns. and having to grab as many result sheets as possible to take to league for those back home - driving from Bris. to Sydney after work on Friday, bowling all the weekend, driving home and being dropped at work for a 6.00am start on Monday morning ..... those were the days !!! Probably why so many Seniors continue to bowl for the memories shared with others of the same vintage.
Click to expand...

HAHAHAHA !!! Your not wrong
Pot bowling was huge
Daybreakers were on all the time , and they were so much fun
Grand Prix pre final night were often very entertaining particularly for those who did not make the final
Wish I was physically capable of bowling these days I just love the sport so much and I miss not
being able to throw a ball

That's life
 
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