If you've been paying any attention at all over the last couple of months, you're likely already aware of the recent USBC rule modifications affecting how bowling balls can be drilled. Just to recap, here are the relevant changes.

Balance holes will become illegal effective August 1, 2020. If you have any bowling balls with balance holes that you wish to use in USBC-sanctioned competition on or after that date, you must have the balance hole plugged.

As I have said in the past I'm very much not a fan of the balance hole elimination rule change. I think it's quite pointless, and I believe that it will prove to be completely ineffective in producing the outcomes outlined by the USBC2.

In most cases, for balls that already have balance holes, plugging them isn't going to make much of a difference in terms of on-lane performance. And, when you go to drill your next new ball, the fact that you can't use a balance hole just isn't going to significantly change the maximum amount of performance you can get out of it.

Many bowling shop owners say the USBC modifications simply don't make a compelling case in support of their narrative that eliminating balance holes will help maintain the playing environment by reducing overall hook by approximately two boards.

But, this is not to say that balance holes—in general—do nothing to the performance of bowling balls. That's not what I'm saying at all. In some cases, balance holes do make balls hook significantly more than they did without the hole. And, in some other cases, balance holes do make balls hook significantly less than they did without the hole. But, in a lot of situations, they just don't have as significant an effect as many bowlers seem to believe.

It will be interesting to watch how this new USBC rule works.

Ed's Outlook

Sweden's Jesper Svensson and fellow two-hander Kyle Troup of Taylorsville, North Carolina, defeated EJ Tackett of Bluffton, Indiana and Marshall Kent of Yakima, Washington, 234-205, in the Baker format title match to win the Mark Roth-Marshall Holman PBA Doubles Championship which aired last Sunday on FS1 from Royal Pin Woodland.

For both Svensson and Troup it was their second title of the 2020 Go Bowling PBA Tour season, but for the 25-year-old Svensson, his 10th career title made him title-eligible for eventual election to the PBA Hall of Fame. He is the third youngest player to achieve that feat, behind Anthony Simonsen and Tackett who reached the PBA Hall of Fame minimum titles eligibility criteria at ages 22 and 24, respectively. All three have a lengthy wait ahead in reaching the 20-year PBA membership criteria, however. Tackett will be eligible for the Hall of Fame ballot for induction in 2032, Simonsen in 2033 and Svensson, the first Swedish player to earn HOF eligibility, in 2034.

Svensson won the Go Bowling PBA Indianapolis Open for back-to-back titles while Troup earned his fifth career title after winning the Jonesboro Open earlier this season.

The 2020 Go Bowling PBA Tour season continues with the PBA World Series of Bowling which began Sunday at the South Point Bowling Plaza in Las Vegas. The finals of all four PBA Tour title events that are part of WSOB XI will air live on FS1 - the Go Bowling PBA Cheetah Championship, March 15 (1:30 p.m. ET); Chameleon Championship, March 16 (8 p.m. ET), Scorpion Championship, March 17 (8 p.m. ET), PBA World Championship, March 18 (8 p.m. ET). The USA vs. The World special team event will conclude the World Series on March 19 (8 p.m. ET).

Bowling Tip

By Mike Luongo

Why are we seeing a resurgence of

urethane bowling balls?

Over the last few years we have started to see a resurgence of urethane bowling balls in all types of league and professional bowling competition.

Credit the Storm Bowling Ball Company with their introduction to the sport of bowling with the “Storm Natural.” Storm created this ball and it began lapping the field...soon other manufacturers started introducing their brand of urethane bowling balls

This arguably started the urethane craze in the US.

Nowadays, if you don't have at least one urethane ball in your bowling bag, you're likely making a mistake.

But, the question is why?

Why, all of a sudden, with all of these incredible bowling balls on the market, has an outdated technology become a staple in many bowling bags?

Bowling ball manufacturers with many requests from pro shop operators made the decision to bring back urethane because of the emergence of tougher lane patterns which require a more controlled, predictable ball motion.

The reactive bowling balls are continuing to be made stronger than the last one, and they can be unpredictable on tougher lane patterns if you can't easily manipulate your ball roll.

The third factor is that rev rates are at an all-time high, particularly with the evolution of the two-handed style of bowling.

So our tip this week is very simple, if your having a control problem with your present bowling ball, talk to your pro shop manager about what a urethane bowling ball can do for your game.

Mike Luongo is a Certified IBPSIA Pro Shop Operator, Master Instructor, USBC Silver Level Coach and an Advisor-Special Events Assistant with the Storm and Roto Grip Bowling Ball Company. Have a question, email him at mike.luongo@stormbowling.com.

BOWLING SCORES

BEECHWOOD LANES

Villa Roma Mon. Ladies

Pat Peters 152, Lindsey Bauer 157, Danielle Meyer 176, 153, 193, 522, Jaclyn Kimmes 155, Beth Schumacher 170, Tracy Puerschner 204, 149, 154, 507, Barbara Cady 157, Sue Naughton 159, Pam Wayne 172, Lillian Zieres 162.

PORT JERVIS BOWL

Thursday Ladies

Carol Flynn 189, 234, 232, 655, Celeste Fitzpatrick 189, 180, 162, 531, Josephine Zych 160, 168, 180, 508, Jeanne Steuhl 126, 177, 160, 463, Sis Leeper 165, 125, 168, 463, Pamela Peterson 179.

FOX BOWLING CENTER

Wednesday Men's Independent

Scott Wormuth 230, 209, 205, 644, Zuke Wormuth 268, 634, Bob Sobas 225, 204, 230, 659, Dan Keesler 225, 245, 256, 726, Rob Johnson 259, 235, 686, Pete Green 222, 203, 211, 636, Bill Gleim 233, 201, 627, Al Bullis Sr. 205, 219, 234, 658.

Thursday Night 3

Rick Mills 202, 224, 608, Dennis Leonard 203, 215, 610, Dan Keesler 213, 234, 637, Bill Gleim 232, 622, Shane Dirig 226, 223, 642.

Friday Couples

Jeremy Wormuth 237, 207, 631, Dan Wormuth 234, 220, 653, Jen Smith 183, 181, 204, 568, Tia Robinson 191, 189, 534, Brianna Meres 217, 563, Lisa Koch 190, 196, 561, Shane Dirig 200, 225, 615, Andy Bullis 202, 235, 217, 654.

Sat. Youth Mixed

Landon Fuller 125, 329, Davis Herzog 122, 213, Olivia Johnston 113, 310, Alex Mosher 132, 231, Luke Prescott 132, 218, Landyn Robinson 130, 328, Livian Robinson 100, 208.

Sunday Mixed

Marty Haeussler 512, Donnie Marino 205, 587, Dick Layton 544, Wilbur McAdams 540.

KIAMESHA LANES

Monday Men's

Pedro Agapito III a 278, 290, 194, 762, David Graham 237, 200, 245, 682, Ryan Lepke 246, 240, 214, 700, Bill VanAken 216, 247, 254, 717, Jon Wilhelm Sr. 207, 204, 251, 662, Tom Belgiovene 215, 238, 200, 653, Serifin Rodriguez III a 234, 212, 250, 696, John Jashembowski III a 280, 226, 178, 684, Tom Skiff III a 221, 259, 214, 694.

Tues. Mixed Firefighter

Karen Martin 175, 186, 167, 528, Pedro Agapito III a 217, 289, 247, 753, Shane Cunningham 191, 266, 203, 660, Carena Collura 171, 187, 162, 520, Mary Lee Williams 175, 179, 148, 502, George Severnak 220, 214, 210, 644, Kyle Giordano 248, 213, 237, 698, Jon Wilhelm 196, 244, 207, 647.

Friday Mixed

Mary Lee Williams 192, 182, 143, 517, Loretta VanAken 189, 171, 179, 539, Michele Macedonio 175, 157, 170, 502, Mikayla DeGraw 213, 177, 178, 568, Bill VanAken 246, 199, 223, 668, David Sawall 268, 204, 201, 673, Charlie Meier 226, 268, 258, 752, Eddie Lake 194, 257, 224, 675, David Graham 222, 238, 196, 656, Harry Dennis III a 211, 197, 238, 646, Pedro Agapito III a 226, 230, 288, 744.

Ed Townsend is a Public Relations Consultant to the Sport of Bowling and brings over 60-years of sports journalism experience in writing and compiling the information for this column. If you have league or tournament information, bowl a 300 game or an 800 series, let Ed know at 845-439-8177, email to edwardctownsend@hotmail.com or fax to 845-205, 4474. View this column and Ed's photos at http://bght.blogspot.com We are also on Facebook and Twitter.