24 Comments on “RUMOR: PBA TO BAN URETHANE BOWLING BALLS! | AGE LIMIT ON BALLS USED???”

  1. Interesting. I wonder how they will police that? Run the serial # and start that 2 year based on the date that serial # states the ball was manufactured? That’s gonna be a messy thing to work through.

  2. Other questions to ask.
    1. Will this go off of Manufacturer’s date, URD, or Approved List date? That will make a difference, especially if it is a rolling two years.
    2. If this is based on hardness, what happens if balls made prior to 2020 still pass the hardness test? I’m looking at old school Fab Hammers, original Rhinos, U2, U-Dots, etc.
    3. Will the USBC end up adopting this change? If so, then the potential exists that overseas balls may also get banned.
    4. This is currently for the main tour. What about PBA50, PBA60, or PBA Juniors?

    This change could be a NASTY slippery slope that could affect the USBC (if it gets that far), as this limits everyone to catalog balls and nothing OEM/overseas/limited stock.

  3. Sounds like it’s a decision to help manufacturers sell new equipment. Most bowling balls are discontinued after 2 years.

    1. @athlonen I didn’t say all balls I said most. Some people go buy a bowling ball because a pro throws it them throwing old equipment doesn’t help the bottom line in sales unless they keep producing balls like the gamebreaker as you mentioned. Plus it maybe a hardness over time issue I’m not to familar with urethane as I don’t throw it.

    2. @Polarbear (THE Chad) It is definitely a hardness issue with urethane, as that has been the issue since Buttruff had the issue with his Hopkinsville Purple Pearl Urethane Hammer. That ball sold so much that they had to update and remake it in Reynosa.

      I’ve been throwing urethane since 1989, with the Fab Blue and Blue Pearl Hammers. Those kept getting better and better that they sold through the reactive resin era and were re-released with the last Fab balls in 1999/2000. If anything that tells you that “because a pro throws it” doesn’t mean it is better. Sometimes newer != better.

      Case in point: Urethane. If all of the solid/hybrid/pearl/core technology is the newest and best, why are we going back to using 35+ year old technology? Could it be because the older technology is better, and people are complaining about it because they don’t know how to handle/use it?

    3. It’s because urethane balls get softer over time as you use it. So they want to have fresher covers on tour to get rid of a possible soft urethane being used in competition. This is based on a study usbc started at the 2020 us open in Lincoln, Nebraska.

  4. urethane balls have been success in pba tours in recent years. so pro bowlers prefer having a urethane ball over reactive rasin due to efficient in lane pattern.

  5. Great stuff Beans, shared your link to the page. Why not just ban all gear on tour older than 2 years regardless the cover? I mean if they are worried about integrity thats the only way to be fair about it.

  6. Im a little confused on these rumours.

    Are we sure that the rule “can not use balls made before 2020” is what we think it means? I initially thought that it meant that they won’t be allowed to use balls MANUFACTURED before 2020, not when they were first released. For instance, Storm staffers could still throw Pitch Blacks etc, just not ones made before 2020.

  7. First no plugged bowling balls now no urethane over 2 yrs old might as well throw plastic I’m not really a golfer but if someone was golfing really well with only a certain club or gold ball would the pga ban that to it’s just frustrating now if I were to ever compete on tour I would have to buy new urethane ball cuz all my mine r over 2 except bw pink and uc3 but I’m not throwing my spares with those

  8. If any ball is not meeting all criteria within the specification guidelines, yes get rid of it. This is no different than the Motiv Jackal getting bounced a few years ago.
    This announcement only impacts about .1% of bowlers.. calm down

  9. I bowled urethane the way back in the 1980’s and not one person complained. The only thing bowler’s complained about was cigarette smoking in the bowling establishment. Pro bowlers have a right to complain today because the playing field (balls and oil patterns) change almost weekly. And it Is their livelihood. Myself I’ve purchased 4 balls in the past couple of years and each one has been have been retired. I am an old senior bowler, not a professional. I just bowl recreationally. I don’t want to purchase the latest and greatest.

  10. If it’s a hardness/softness issue, enforce the rules currently in effect, if a ball passes, what’s the difference if it was made 2 days, 2 years, or 10 years ago? Why single out urethane? Should be very interesting to hear the “official” explanation if and when it comes.

  11. I mean it is a great way for the PBA to force people into spending additional money to buy new bowling balls.

  12. A urethane ball gets softer with use over time… at some point ( 2 years ) they can be too soft and illegal is what testing has shown. So this means no more old balls on tour. So for the league player… no worries yet… but I am sure the USBC will change the rules eventually.

  13. I’m glad i can still use my Motiv Tank Rampage, such an underutilized urethane piece ! i would recommend it to anyone !

  14. Let’s restrict the sport of bowling to the point where no one can enjoy it. Go ahead, ban all urethane, but what about hybrid urethane? What about all balls that contain urethane? While we are at it, let’s ban high rev bowling because it not only tears up lanes, but high rev allows better pin carry. Let’s ban plastic balls or the concept of a spare ball altogether as that increases your chance of higher scoring. Banning wrist devices, urethane, and who knows what else severely damages a dying sport.

  15. So, will this spread to older reactives eventually? Will USBC adopt this crap-rule, too? Will sometime in the future I no longer be able to throw by older equipment? This is not a good thing. The PBA has lost any support it had left from me.

    P.S. Steve Martin tried to get urethane banned in 1985, and it almost happened on the PBA. Until the manufacturers put a stop to it. You got your wish, Steve (but they can still be two years old).

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