What is your reason for not bowling tournaments?

Why DON"T you bowl tournaments?

  • I don't consider myself good enough to be competitive

    Votes: 21 15.1%
  • Can't get the time off work / school

    Votes: 11 7.9%
  • Can't afford the entry fee / travel / accomodation costs

    Votes: 59 42.4%
  • The prize fund versus cost just isn't worth the risk.

    Votes: 48 34.5%
  • I really don't know, I've never entered a tournament.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    139
  • Poll closed .

wchester

Bowling Tragic
A new poll and along with my last poll, this could go a long way in determining the future of Tournament Bowling here in Australia.

Please submit your answer in the poll and share your reasons for that answer here in the thread.
 
Well maybe I would bowl more tournaments if they even thought to have the occasional one closer than 2 1/2hrs away from me.
If I wish to bowl tournies its not only entry fee but the bigger expence of staying overnight petrol etc.
The last time we had a tournie down this way was Sale Cup 2-3 years ago as for Morwell they do absoloutly nothing to promote there centre in the way of tournies and enticing bowlers into the area. As for Sale, well maybe they take too many lessons from Morwell.
If you dont promote the sport of Tenpin Bowling how can you expect a return from the league bowler.
Fair enough social bowlers pay more and give better profit but they dont come in 44 - 48 weeks year in year out.
So in all I'll try to get to the Seniors once a month if the finances allow.
Believe me if there was worthwhile tournies and conditions in the area I would bowl a lot more!!!!

After reading this back it is a very sad state of affairs in this corner of the world as far as bowling is.

There are some good compedative bowlers in this part of the world but if they are not encouraged by the bowling propritors we tend to bowl very few tournies and as for the local associations who seem to only promote country cup etc, I find this as not totally comitted to promoting all aspects of the sport.

Gunther
 
My other reason for not going in tournaments is due to the fact the last one i went in i'm still waiting on prize money 16months later, so i have given up on tournaments and AMF.
 
The only reason I dont go to bowl more events is because I cant afford to.
As many of you all know the AMF wage doesnt pay very much at all so its kinda hard to go to everything.
I just need to select one event per month for most of the year and settle on that.
The costs for accommodation are usually no worries because its not very often I need to pay for it [ah the benefits of knowing people all over the country lol] but its usually the other expenses that are just not in my budget.
 
I voted for the Not enough money option but issues including getting time off work along with the prize fund not being worth the risk are also big factors.

Its just not practical for me to travel interstate when i know that i have to finish in the top 3 or so to recover my costs.

I try and do a tournament or 2 a year but getting the weekends off work whilst working for AMF is problematic.
 
If there was a Payout of $1 million Dollars, I'd start practising now, and I have'nt bowled in a Tournament for 4 years. IT doe'snt matter where the Tournament was in Australia I'd be there.

willey
 
Come on guys,if you don't compete against the best players, you will not improve. Sure it is expensive to travel & compete.You must pay your dues first.I remember when I first started back in 1932!!!!,it feels like that,I didn't make a cut for the first 10 -12 tournaments.I went out and practiced hard, because I wanted to get to the top.If you have the drive and dedication, trust me, you will make it. I hope this helps some of our young up and comers,the sport needs you guys.
Cheers Lovey
 
Come on guys,if you don't compete against the best players, you will not improve. Sure it is expensive to travel & compete.You must pay your dues first.I remember when I first started back in 1932!!!!,it feels like that,I didn't make a cut for the first 10 -12 tournaments.I went out and practiced hard, because I wanted to get to the top.If you have the drive and dedication, trust me, you will make it. I hope this helps some of our young up and comers,the sport needs you guys.
Cheers Lovey


.....OMG some one said some thing smart u dont start at the top u need to make it thair first :) if u dont try u will never be thair.
 
Money is my main problem... but with me just finishing school and i could only work weekends while i was in school... i might be a tad better off now with me working mon-fri

problem was travelling.. i couldnt really afford to travel and still go out etc...

but i try and go into as much tournaments as possible for experience... its the only way you are going to learn to adjust to some of the oil conditions out there
 
Just started looking at tournaments but to travel interstate to gain experience at $200+ per game it a bit too expensive. Have entered a couple of local tournaments this year for the first time (got totally run over but never mind) but add airfares, accommodation (2 nights) hire car etc. I'll just stick to the few locals a year that I can get to at reasonable cost. Besides my first tournament was a disappointing experience (attitude of other bowlers) and I need to toughen up first. Then again maybe I dont need all of their crap....
 
Tournaments that involve week days would pretty much be out of reach because they are held at the perfect time when someone else at work is on holidays so i cant get it off.
 
I voted for the prizemoney in relation to the cost risk but I suppose it is another way of saying I'm not good enough. When I see tournaments advertised on this site it appears that I am supposed to know when it is on , e.g. Recliffe Open. A couple of sentences on cost and number of games would not go astray'
 
Cost vs risk/reward. Given the reduction in entries and subsequent drop in prize funds, to break even at a National tournament that you have to travel to get to, you pretty much have to finish in the top 8 to 10 spots. Top 3 or 4 generally always go to the elites (Belmo, Walshy, Loader, Frilingos) so that leaves about a half dozen places for the travellers to break even or better. :) Gain sponsorships, increase prize-funds and incentives and people will bowl again. I think there should be more regional one-day tournaments too. Not everyone wants to bowl all weekend and have to stay overnight. I used to bowl a lot of regional scratch tournaments in the US that were all one day sprints and they were competitive and very well attended. Of course, they had the shoot out boards and pot games to keep you interested as well, even if you weren't doing so well in the main tourney. :)

Jan
 
Further to my last post, after lying awake last night thinking about it :cool:
another couple of reasons came up.
1. You can't wear shorts. Not a big deal for most people, but I'm a big guy that feels the heat and I'm far more comfortable in shorts. Make me bowl in trousers and I'm already at a disadvantage. I raised a poll earlier this year to ask people whether shorts should be allowed for tournament play and I think it ended up being around 80% said they would prefer shorts. It's about the the tournament committees took notice and changed their rules.
2. Bowling isn't as much fun anymore. Stricter rules on gamesmanship, sledging, exuberance on the lanes have basically killed the fun factor. Watching a tournament these days is like watching a snail race. There just isn't much life out there and you get shut down if you try to inject some spark into the event. Oh sure, the old Bruce Peel temper tantrums used to be a bit embarrassing for the sport, but they also livened the game up. Tennis was never more popular than when people were waiting for the next McEnroe outburst. Bowling Rachuig last year, while it was competitive, it had no where near the enjoyment of years past when friendly sledging was part of everyones armoury and gamesmanship was at the forefront. No wonder we only had 10 people standing around watching. They were probably having a hard time staying awake.

To sum up, bring some life back into the game, and let people be comfortable while they bowl and who knows, you may see entries increase again.

Jan
 
jan,
you are bowling in the wrong state,jason pearson and kelli hart run one of the best tournys up here in brissy and yes we wear shorts.i have never made a cut i bowl to better myself and the atmosphere is great.
so getting back to the question, i select what tournaments i want to bowl in and i bowl to better myself, and if worried too much about money i wouldn't be bowling.
save your pennies and have a weekend up here next year bowl wide bay circuit you'll enjoy it.
miffy(sudsy)
 
2. Bowling isn't as much fun anymore. Stricter rules on gamesmanship, sledging, exuberance on the lanes have basically killed the fun factor. Watching a tournament these days is like watching a snail race. There just isn't much life out there and you get shut down if you try to inject some spark into the event. Oh sure, the old Bruce Peel temper tantrums used to be a bit embarrassing for the sport, but they also livened the game up. Tennis was never more popular than when people were waiting for the next McEnroe outburst. Bowling Rachuig last year, while it was competitive, it had no where near the enjoyment of years past when friendly sledging was part of everyones armoury and gamesmanship was at the forefront. No wonder we only had 10 people standing around watching. They were probably having a hard time staying awake.
That exactly what the problem has been. I'm starting to prefer league, mainly due to the fact that there's no restrictions on what you can and can't morally do. If we choose to sledge some one, we do and more times then not, we get sledged back, that's just the fun of it. Tournaments need to be livened up. Paying a heap just to walk up, throw a ball then sit back down again shouldn't be the future of our sport.
 
I voted the top choice.. dont consider myself good enough to be competitive..

Me to but Iam persisting & practicing just got my own ball and shoes and I play league 1 day a week I only play 4-5 games a week. 50km round trip from home to nearest centre and with 3 year old, day care sure eats into my budget. Would love to be able to play more often and lift my average. Cheers Julie ;)
 
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