ASK BOB #11
Q. The PBA exempt tour is part way thru the first year. What do you think of it so far?
A. I like the way the tour has gone so far. It creates more excitement every day of the tournament. I did wonder about beginning with
match play right from the start with no actual qualifier. I felt that in this format there is more emphasis on luck of the draw. I see now that the PBA is going to move away from all match play. As of the 1st of the year the 64 will now start out with a 14 game qualifier to pare the field down to 32. Then the 32 will go into match play. I believe this will make the tournament more of a test of skill.
Q. Do you think the PBA will expand the exempt field from the 64 to 96 or more?
A. I have received this question from a number of readers in the past few months. The PBA just held a tournament in our town and I got the chance to go to the top for an answer. I discussed this with Chris Peters the owner of the PBA. Chris told me they would love to expand the field and it is not out of the question in the future. It will depend on getting more sponsors. Mr. Peters said ideally they would like to pay a much higher first place as well as more spots. The feeling is however that the entire field should get a check each week. So until such time as more money becomes available the field will have to stay at 64.
Q. I've been bowling in league for the past 4 years after not bowling for
40 years. I have been using a 14lb ball but at times find it tiring by the 3rd
game. I am in my 60's and carry a 180 average. I've been told by a younger,
better bowler to get myself a 13lb ball as he is using. I thought I might get
more rev's for one thing, and would not find the ball as tiring. I was always
under the impression that a lighter ball would not drive the pins as a heavier
ball. But watching this young fellow bowl, that is not the case.
What are your feelings on this?
A. If you are tiring out then the drop to 13 will help. As for carry 13 might leave you some weight related spares. But the new balls hit so hard that weight is not as important as it once was. My take on this is you can't score if you can't get the ball in the pocket. So if you have to go lighter to hit the pocket so be it. Having more control should make up for the lighter weight.
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