2021 USBC String Pinsetter Research Report - Video Summary

#BowlTV

[kingpinrcs]

Picking up the 2-8-10 by hitting the 10? What an abomination. I don't know what that is but it is NOT bowling!

[aetd]

Haven't bowled on full size strings but have played arcade games with them, which is coincidentally exactly where they belong.

[peteg]

The string itself helping to knock down neighboring pins is definitely an issue for serious bowlers. Recreationals won't care, and this less expensive option might work for them, but I can't see any pros being excited about bowling on these.

[allanjackson]

I hadn’t bowled in years, decided I want to get back in to a sport I love, went to my local bowling alley and something didn’t feel right, it was then I noticed the strings, I couldn’t believe it, another thing ruined by a cost saving exercise, I then tried to find a bowling alley without String Pin setters, couldn’t find a single one near to me in the UK, now I don’t know if I want to get back into this fake feeling and quite frankly ludicrous idea.

[DrKevGuitar]

A technology that changes the way the pins fall and changes how the game is played seems like a horrific idea to me. No. Just no!

[kingpinrcs]

In no way should any USBC (or PBA or PWBA) sanctioned competition happen with string pinsetters. I guess they are okay for houses that don't host leagues or tournaments but frankly I just wish they would go away. Now, get off my lawn.

[shaunmcisaac]

Prior to bowling on strings, I had more 300 games than I had conversions of 6-7 and 4-10. In 4 weeks of "string league" I flipped that ratio.
This is not bowling, this is tartuffery.

[nicholasboss]

I just tried a string pinsetter at Headpinz in Fort Myers. VIP Lounge has them, regular area doesn't. It's a terrible experience. I hated it. Lower scores for sure.

[bmhedgehog]

No, No, for the love of God, No. Do not do this. String Pinsetters have absolutely no place in the bowling world. it's free fall or nothing.

[RWMunchkin]

It's unfortunate that string pinsetters represent a significant cost reduction for centers, because this just seems super wonky to me. Different string length dynamics on how people shoot spares, and the inability to go after washout strikes would change the game significantly. That, and you'll also have interactions with the usual pin-spotting inconsistencies. That and "bullshit" acceptance for sting pinsetters is much lower. If a pin kicks out of the back and knocks into another pin, it's the pin that's doing it. If a string attached to the pin does it, that feels wrong. Not saying that rules-wise they would be considered differently, but that difference in FEELING is going to turn a TON of the casual tryhards (a moniker I happily apply to myself) in leagues off.

[danielgraf]

Interesting, but in a competitive setting, this is a total joke.

[sjonesjr]

This needs to strictly be for casual open bowlers. The houses that don't wanna switch to this will probably be forced too in order to be sanctioned. If this is something that does move forward. #FreeFallForever

[arftejano]

USBC don’t cave in to string manufacturers, think of how unenjoyable strings are and most important how many jobs will be lost for AMF and Brunswick mechanics

[chadwithyman]

Leave string pins to arcades where they belong. I'm a mechanic at a bowl, we don't get paid that much and we do more duties than just fix/maintain machines. Think of the human cost when your looking at trimming your bottom line.

[PinoyBowlerGS]

Shit no. Pins gets string contact easily, no messengers/helicopter pin action, cannot set a proper out of range, and Tangled Pins that takes up minutes to fix itself. No deal for this Garbage String Pinsetter, even if I’m lucky that I live in the Philippines where there are many Standard Bowling Centers and I see some String Pinsetters inside TimeZone Arcades with Short Dry Lanes.

Also I bowled in a Cleaned Mall Bowling Center but with Poorly Maintained AMF 82-90 XL Pinspotters that breaks a lot but hey they’re free fall pinsetters sitting on Synthetic Lanes, that’s a great deal except AMF Pin Jams are killing my ears so badly. If they’re switching to Strings, I would rather wait for the mall that I bowled in the past that had GS Pinsetters before to be rebuild.

[Todulchaos]

I haven't been very enthusiastic about the idea of string machines, but i watched this in hopes it wasn't as bad as i thought it would be. It in fact is almost exactly what I thought it would be. 2-8-10 7-10 conversions by slamming the 10 and using the string? Just an abomination. Non bowlers don't even consider it real bowling. This won't help bowling, but further kill it. The irony being proprietors want this to save money, but will kill the sport side as we know it.

[ianahles]

I wonder if you could use some kind of magnetization between the top of the pins and the bottom of the strings? You could then have free fall pins with the more cost effective string setting mechanism.

[sprocket]

I think I'll just wait for virtual bowling.

[rowlffffff]

So much for messengers! This is a terrible idea!

[johnls]

Let's just hope that more bowling alleys don't consider string pinsetters. This idea will further erode bowling. Bad enough the bowling centers don't influence the non-bowler (open bowler) that this is a sport and not a recreation. Also, USBC is not helping either and need people in the office to keep the sport pure.