In recent years string pinsetters for tenpin bowling have been featured in editorial stories and advertising pages in the bowling industry trade and consumer publications writes Paul Lane, former Director of Marketing and Marketing Services for AMF Bowling, Inc.
Not surprisingly, string pinsetters have gotten a mixed response from bowlers and proprietors. While most responses are positive, there is a small percentage of traditionalists who have not gotten on board with the new trend.
There is a new aspect to consider, as Andrew Oram, the chief operating officer of the 144-member nationInternational Bowling Federation (formerly the World Tenpin Association), issued the following announcement in a press release on November 8, 2020:
“After extensive research and consideration, the International Bowling Federation (IBF) is certifying string pinsetting technology and has approved string machines for sport, leagues, and sport competitve tournament play worldwide (sport bowling).”
Oram’s comments were a new and interesting development for the future of sport bowling. “Centers wishing to use string machines for sport bowling must comply with newly defined technical requirements,” Oram continues. “These requirements are intended to ensure consistency across approved string machine centers [making them] IBF-compliant string centers, and maximum alignment with free-fall centers.”
To read the complete article, please click here.. (reproduced by permission of International Bowling Industry Magazine).
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Paul Lane is former Director of Marketing and Marketing Services for AMF Bowling, Inc. He has been the director of 18 AMF World Cups, an officer in national and international trade associations, and a pro bowler during a career that spans more than 60 countries and 50 years.
