Australian Tenpin Bowling in 2006

[Easy Tiger]

I remember walking into AMF Kedron Bowl in 2002, and the Queensland Cup was on. It was an awesome spectacle, watching Australia's best (with a couple of internationals, Andrew Fang from Singapore won it) and the atmosphere was great. It was exciting. I remember supporting the locals, such as Tony Hamilton who had made the 2nd cut, and watching him figure out how to get on top in each match. Chris Bombalas from Channel 9 Sport was on the microphone announcing the high scores after each block. That tournament was my first taste of national level competition, and I was a spectator who had only just begun bowling. 2 Months later, I was on my way to Bankstown for my first ever Australian Junior Nationals.

The Queensland Cup is now defunct, I guess you could say the K&K Classic replaced it much like the Koolfoam Classic did from 97-01. The K&K is an excellent tournament, and attracts large numbers which is fantastic. However, it was a shame to see the QLD Cup go, with a rich history dating back to 1978, when Allan Atkins won (he went on to win it 6 times - many people are probably asking Allan who?).

This highlights my point: what is bowling in Australia, what does it mean to bowlers, and where are we going? Every sport has traditions, and respects its past. Why doesn't bowling?

Then you fast forward to 2006. We take a look at tournaments this year (male entrants):
SA Cup - 82 entrants
AO - 89 entrants
K&K - 115 entrants
NSW Open - 63 entrants
Hobart Cup - 46 entrants
South Pacific Classic - 70 entrants

70 entrants for our premier tournament, our world cup qualifier?
Previous years:
2005 - 91
2004 - 112.

2004 is the last time that AMF really pushed the SPC, when we had zone qualifying and finalists who went on to compete in the tournament having won a spot, not to mention a prize fund which was $10,000 higher than this year's and World Masters Ranking Points up for grabs. It was really successful and boosted numbers. It gave the event great aura. I bowled in it this year for the first time, and to be honest, I was really quite disappointed with the lack of atmosphere.

At least they had a grandstand.

Then we look to the Nationals in Hobart, 2006, and AMF don't even want to erect a grandstand. At the same time, we are seeing regional managers go, and local tournament calendars with them, we are seeing AMF proshops close, we are seeing prices go up (2 games and shoe hire that's $19 please). We are seeing AMF support totally dry up.

Did I mention that Maquarie Leisure took over AMF Australia in late 2004?

Perhaps we see a trend there. AMF itself isn't the one doing this damage, it's the parent company. When the acquisition occured, many thought it might be a bright change for the sport, now that we weren't being given orders from America. Those that did their homework, had an idea how it would turn out. Welcome to the reality of Australian Bowling.

Now we have established where bowling in Australia is at, the question is what do we do about it. We are a consumer, we have the power to direct our business. TBA is also a consumer, but are in a tough position, as they have had an association with AMF since their inception post ATBC. Now that AMF is Maquarie, perhaps the relationship between TBA and AMF could change, given that Maquarie do not have the vested interest in the sport of bowling that AMF Australia (Worldwide) had.

A lot has changed in the last 3-4 years, and especially the last 1-2 years. Is it time to pull support away from AMF entirely, and focus exclusively on the independents? The worst that could happen is we might get treated with respect as customers (eg 2006 Nationals), and we might get some of the things we require to progress the game. But, to do this bowling needs a restructure.

We have seen a lot of tournament bowlers falling away over the last 5 years or so. My question is, why?

What makes you want to bowl in a national level tournament?
What makes you not bowl in a national level tournament?
Are entry fees too high?
Are tournaments being held in the right places?
Do people really quit competitive bowling because of the in-fighting?
Do people not bowl because they believe they cannot compete at a level comparable to Australia's best? (ie - Belmo, George, Brando, Frawlz, Terry, Carl, Little, etc).
Has the prestige of winning a national event diminished over the last decade?
Are there other factors impeding tournament growth and success in Australia? If so, what?

As a relatively new bowler to the scene, it is a little scary to see the change that has occured in bowling in just the last 6 years that I have been in the fray. It's almost like a general lack of enthusiam for tournament bowling which is contagious. It's hard to define, but can be captured in the "sad but true" comments that come up every now and again.

My aim isn't to be a doomsayer, rather to ask where has the buzz at major events gone, how do we get that atmosphere back, and how do we get the support for this sport that we require for it to grow and be prosperous long into the future?

Yours in bowling,
Tim.

 

[weggy]

I've said this before (others probably have too) but the main problem I see is that there is no real direction that newer bowlers can follow. Ok, we can say "start in a lower level tourny and work your way up", but what tournaments can be defined as 'lower level' starting blocks?

Tournaments in the right places? Yes. But as above, these need to be structured so that there's a visible progression for bowlers. No use bowling in the SPC if you can't make the cut in the Suncity or the Cairns Open, for example. Perhaps the smaller tournaments can count as a qualifying tour for the SPC? A stepladder system starting at centre level, working through regional > state > national level?

I don't say I have all the answers but as someone who is scratching their head as to which tournament to start at, this is where I'm coming from.

 

[twenban]

My suggestion would be to enter handicap events until you grow out of the events average wise. Then enter the local open events until you can consistently run top five or cash. Then enter the local national events to test your skill level and once you are happy with the results book your flights to a big event that will allow you to recoup some money.

The best practice I can suggest is the Sports Series events, they are like paid practice. If you can compete on this type of conditiojn you will find open events easy. These events teach you to grind it out, and to appreciate the good condition when you get one.

In bowling you have to creat your onw structure, it's very individual but you can have a lot of fun and meet some great people from all over the world.

 

[Easy Tiger]

Wow.. questions but no answers..

I think Mary Flower answered my questions best in the Queensland forum under "Best Bowling Centre". Our social dynamic really is just so different these days.

Thanks to those who PM'd me with answers, it's just a shame that people can't say it publicly without being shot down.

Let's hope that this year was a hickup and next year we'll have 3 squads at SPC again. Best of luck to bowling.

Cheers.

 

[Little Weed]

Good posts Easy Tiger and TWenban, I would like to mention that I think the cost factor has a lot to do with the down turn in numbers at tournaments and in bowling generally. Personally I need to bowl 3 times a week to maintain a good average, say 2 leagues and a practice session or a tournament.
I therefore need to work in order to afford to spend $100 a week on bowling. The $100 does not of course cover tournament entry fees, air fares, motel costs, eating out etc etc, which going interstate involves. Because I work a 9-5 job I dont have the opportunity to bowl during the week when practice games may be cheaper. It is now impossible to get a lane for practice on the weekend, with birthday parties being the main attraction at most centres.
This year I can only afford to bowl once a week and not travel at all, because I am still paying off my debts from travelling around to rankings tournaments last year and then representing Australia in the seniors competition in Taiwan.
There are other costs factors involved for many people, the rise in petrol prices has affected everybody, the changes in Workplace law has cost a lot of workers their jobs, or cuts in pay or hours. Bowling Centres closing has meant the loss of leagues and people having to travel further if they are keen enough to continue.
After 20 years of bowling I find it very demoralising to realise that bowling as a sport seems to be a thing of the past, it seems the proprietors of bowling centres have afterall turned their backs on the serious bowler and we are no longer welcome. Leagues are being squeezed out to make way for parties and more parties. Proshops are closing to make room for bars. We league bowlers used to be "the bread and butter" for a bowling centre, because we turned up nearly every week of the year. Macquarrie took over AMF and promised that they would support competitive bowling - words are cheap arent they?
Bowling is still in my heart and while I can still stand up, I wont give it away. There must be somebody out there who will take us seriously once again when the party people turn to laser strike (very soon I hope).

 

[Mrs P]

Little Weed...

You have hit the nail on the head........
Everything you have said is so TRUE.....I couldn't agree more

It costs for the three of us, just to bowl per week $165.00 not counting food or drinks or tournaments. (2 leagues each)

48 weeks x $30 x 2 = $2880
45 weeks x $30 x 3 = $4050
38 weeks x $15.60 x 1 = $592.80

A total of $7522.80 ---
Yes I do believe we are their bread and butter.

But we love our bowling and will support our centre.....

 

[Tiger]

Good posts Easy Tiger and TWenban, I would like to mention that I think the cost factor has a lot to do with the down turn in numbers at tournaments and in bowling generally. Personally I need to bowl 3 times a week to maintain a good average, say 2 leagues and a practice session or a tournament.
I therefore need to work in order to afford to spend $100 a week on bowling. The $100 does not of course cover tournament entry fees, air fares, motel costs, eating out etc etc, which going interstate involves. Because I work a 9-5 job I dont have the opportunity to bowl during the week when practice games may be cheaper. It is now impossible to get a lane for practice on the weekend, with birthday parties being the main attraction at most centres.
This year I can only afford to bowl once a week and not travel at all, because I am still paying off my debts from travelling around to rankings tournaments last year and then representing Australia in the seniors competition in Taiwan.
There are other costs factors involved for many people, the rise in petrol prices has affected everybody, the changes in Workplace law has cost a lot of workers their jobs, or cuts in pay or hours. Bowling Centres closing has meant the loss of leagues and people having to travel further if they are keen enough to continue.
After 20 years of bowling I find it very demoralising to realise that bowling as a sport seems to be a thing of the past, it seems the proprietors of bowling centres have afterall turned their backs on the serious bowler and we are no longer welcome. Leagues are being squeezed out to make way for parties and more parties. Proshops are closing to make room for bars. We league bowlers used to be "the bread and butter" for a bowling centre, because we turned up nearly every week of the year. Macquarrie took over AMF and promised that they would support competitive bowling - words are cheap arent they?
Bowling is still in my heart and while I can still stand up, I wont give it away. There must be somebody out there who will take us seriously once again when the party people turn to laser strike (very soon I hope).

Spot on. =D>

 

[jason_doust]

What makes you want to bowl in a national level tournament?
To play and succeed at the highest level.

What makes you not bowl in a national level tournament?
High costs. Low returns.

Are entry fees too high?
See above. Way too high if you have to travel. Game rates chew up the prize funds.

Are tournaments being held in the right places?
Well, if I never bowled in Moorabbin again, I wouldn’t feel that I had missed anything. Played there two weeks ago and 15 odd years ago. Might go back in 15 more, but not likely.

Do people really quit competitive bowling because of the in-fighting?
Not really. But it doesn’t help.

Do people not bowl because they believe they cannot compete at a level comparable to Australia's best? (ie - Belmo, George, Brando, Frawlz, Terry, Carl, Little, etc).
Sometimes. But then you’ll never reach those heights without playing at that level. It’s called paying your dues and they all did it too. I’m doing it again (bowling is so different these days) and it’s hard. Bloody hard without a mid level tournament like the Grand Prix Series to hone your new skills (like not lifting the ball) up on.

Has the prestige of winning a national event diminished over the last decade?
Possibly. When you beat 70 people, it doesn’t have the same ring as beating 250. But then, if you beat the best 70, it’s probable that you would have beat the 250.

Are there other factors impeding tournament growth and success in Australia? If so, what?
There is no middle option for tournament play in most places. The destruction of the Grand Prix series in NSW has meant that there is close to no tournament play there. Grand Prix tournaments were a lower cost option and for many folks, their only option to play in an open event. We were told on this site of the new improved schedule coming in 2006. Apparently the improvements were of a minimalist nature.

If you’re lucky enough to live in Brisbane, then the Sports Series mentioned by Terry Who is such a boon. Get into it. Blind Freddie can see that this series will make Brisbane the hub of tournament bowling in this country. Anybody who wants to be anybody should get a piece of this action. It’ll make you a better player in time and costs a lot less than $300.00. Brisbane has always had the best tournament scene. That’s why folks don’t travel much from there. They don’t have to. Even in the 80’s people would tell you that. If you live anywhere else, then start thinking about how to start your own series. Find a tame Centre Manager who will do you a good deal on a Sunday morning. AMF corporate have set inflexible game rates for “tournaments”, but if you were able to, say, book the games up under something else that’s cheaper, like a “Practice Club” that had a few “rewards” happening, you could possibly bring the game rate down and the prize fund up a little! ;-) your centre gets some trade in a dead time and y’all get something to play in. You could even sweet talk the head tech into laying down a tournament pattern. They’re good fellas too y’know. Let’s face it we can’t wait for AMF to come to us with money. They have, as the execrable saying goes, a business to run. Sometimes we have to get off our bums and make it happen. That's enough from me. I'm off to make tortillas.

Cheers,
Jason

 

[Easy Tiger]

Thankyou Jason, it's great to hear from somebody who's done awesome things in the sport, and willing to put forward their ideas.

You are right about the sports series - it's excellent. I think as more youth and junior players mature in their games they will realise how important it is to hone your skills on these patterns if you wish to suceed at a higher level, I have/am learning this the hard way.

As for paying dues, I totally agree - the problem is that many aren't willing to do that, and therefore never enter.

Our Grand Prix series in Brisbane went when Tony Goodwin left a couple of months ago as well. Part of the problem in the series was when entry fees (thanks to AMF) rose from $95 to $120, and the prize fund stayed the same. They lost numbers. Funny that. Now skins tournaments seem to be taking over as the more popular thing here, because you have a much better chance of collecting money. You can have 9 crap games and only 1 good one, and there is your money back at least. I shot 289 to win one again Carl and Terry Who a few weeks ago, so I know. I wasn't close to catching them on pinfall, but I know how to shoot a big game.

Could skins be a viable option of tournament format in the future nationally? They tend to be more exciting, and offer everybody a chance. Just an idea, be interesting to see what others think.

Thanks for your input Jason, much appreciated.

 

[allenj]

Hi
Tournament bowlers want low entry fees and high prize fund payouts, and easy conditions.
The only way to I know of how to get low entry fees and high prize funds are higher entry fees, or major sponsors.
The debate about easy conditions and tougher conditions has been going on for years. TBA has introduced a lane conditioning policy, to try and give all bowlers a range of bowling conditions that are consistent, giving all bowlers a fair condition. There is also talk about developing a tournament type bowling ball; all bowlers would then be bowling with similar, or the same type of bowling ball.
Without the business of bowling there is no sport of bowling. Bowling is like all other sports it takes practice and hard work to reach the top.
Most independent centres will go that extra step for their bowlers, arrange a meeting with your independent centre proprietor/manager, and see what you can do to help each other, you may be surprised. Managers and proprietors need to show more respect to the bowlers, bowlers also need to show some respect and loyalty to the managers and proprietors. There are more Independent centres in Australia, than there are amf centres.

Our centre has a development type programme for our bowlers; fees are either $10.00 per session or are no charge. The centre has an hp2 coach and uses the darfish video analysis system. League practice rates for the centre registered bowlers are 3 games for $12.50.

allenj

 

[Resurrection]

Now here is some food for thought. As I was discussing a few weeks ago up at Sale for the Emerson Shield. I have never seen such a rubbish tournament and this has got nothing to do with they way it was run apart from the fact that we had to bowl the 10 game in the 1 day. The lanes were oiled twice and by the 3rd frame of the 2nd game after each fresh oil the lanes were nothing short of a disgrace. There were bowlers there that in a relatively normal centre wouldn't stand and further left than 15 board but up there they were standing hard up against the ball return and trying to project the ball out but as soon as it hit the lane if went left and 75% missed the head pin to the left.

The number 1 reason oil is put on the lane is to protect the lane surface not for scoring. Techs and Managements play around with that point so they keep their bowlers in their centres ie The Boronia, Keons, And Forest Hills. I left Boronia 2 years ago averaging 225 and since then i have bowled in 3 other centres and have been able to average 190. So what does that say?

A lane condition should be put down on a lane so that it rewards the bowler that puts in a good shot and punishers the bowler that throws a bad shot. From what I have seen across centres over the last 5 years I am appalled at the areas people have to throw in and the absolute trash I seen thrown and score. I say bring the skill back into the game because in most centres speed, control and accuracy the 3 most important things in bowling have gone out the window.

And one final thing that is all relative here with no disrespect to the Belmo's and George's when they do miss, in most instances they have to miss by a good 4-5 boards eachway to get really punished for the shot they throw.

But anyway that is just my 2 bobs worth have fun bowling.

Matthew Lambrick