Editors Note: A Push Has Been Made Recently From Various Bowling Groups In The United States, And From Around The World. To Get The String Pinsetters Certified For Use In League Play And Tournaments. In An Effort To Replace The Free-Fall Pinsetter. If You Have Never Experienced Bowling With String Pinsetters, You Don't have Very Far To Travel To Try Them Out For Yourselves In Arizona. When B3 Performance Training Center First Opened Its Doors In June 2020. Owners Mike And Brandi Calderon Didn;t Need To Be Convinced That This Was The Right Decision For Them To Make VS. Free-Fall Pinsetters. We Invite You To Try Them Out For Yourselves. You Will Hardly Notice The Difference.
Pictured Is B3 Performance Of Tempe.
By Michael 'Chip' Begg - Managing Editor thetenpinexpress.com - Director Mesa Metro Association.
Tempe, AZ. - - - How many times have you heard someone say in a bowling center: 'There are no strings attached when it comes to the game of bowling'.
Or are there?
Ever since the String Pinsetter was invented in 1963, an effort has been made by various bowling organizations worldwide, to get it certified for use in league and tournament play. With the hopes of eventually replacing the free-fall automatic pinsetters, that we have come to depend on to get us through league and tournament play.
When B3 Performance Training Facility in Tempe, Arizona opened its doors, there was some buzz surrounding the use of string pinsetters instead of free-fall pinsetters. However, the Owners, Mike and Brandi Calderon, didn’t need much convincing to make this decision.
"The maintenance on string pinsetters is much easier than maintaining free-fall pinsetters. The mechanics that maintain free-fall pinsetters are so well-versed in all the moving parts - there is a true art to it!," said Brandi, on their decision to go with strings vs free-fall. "The string pinsetters operate off of computers, a small motor, and a chassis that moves the pins up and down. With the exception of keeping the machines clean and lubricated, and rotating the pins, the maintenance on it is very minimal." When asked how their customers reacted when they saw the string pins in operation for the first time, Brandi said, “Initially, most people find it interesting, and maybe even a little humorous, to watch the pins reset. It is different from what many of us are used to in our local bowling center. However, everyone adjusts to the difference very quickly. Pretty soon, it doesn't feel so unusual anymore.”
How A String Pinsetter Works:
According to Murray International:
With a string pinsetter, you have strings attached to the top of each pin. There is no interference with how the pins fall. The pins are pulled back into the rack, and the machine then resets the ones that weren’t knocked down after the roll.
If you’ve ever played mini-bowling, you’ve probably watched this in action! Nowadays, you’ll see plenty of full-size versions in large entertainment centers. Any size bowling alley can use this type of pinsetter.
They’re built using steel framing and backing. They have cushions made of solid rubber and a curtain that rivals any traditional machine. They’re built with an effective, state-of-the-art shock-absorbing system to lessen the impacts of the ball and pins.
In a full data report done by the USBC this past summer, which was published on bowl.com, they came to the following conclusion regarding certifying string pinsetters at this time:
"Based off the collective data USBC has seen from the tests to date, a certification for string pinsetters to be used alongside free-fall machines for standard American Tenpins bowling would not be reasonable at this time," the report concluded. "However, if significant changes were or would be made to string pinsetters and data supported these machines being used for standard American Tenpins bowling, USBC would consider it in the future. USBC is investigating the possibility of certifying string pinsetters and string pin bowling as an independent category of equipment and competition, separate from free-fall machines and standard American Tenpins bowling." The report notes several variables that would likely require more standardization before string pinsetters could be certified for competition. These include string length, pin consistency impact from drilling/affixing string, the curtain/backstop layout in the pit and pin deck, split-conversion percentage, and string tension. “It doesn't seem likely that they will ever be treated in exactly the same context as free-fall pins, and that is understandable," said Brandi, of the data released by the USBC. "However, perhaps there will be some type of special or tiered certification at some point that will apply to string pins. It will be interesting to see what happens!"
The USBC report goes on to acknowledge that, while the pinfall is statistically different between string pinsetters and free-fall pinsetters, the entry angle and location of the ball into the pins plays a significant role in the difference. Lower entry angles and lighter pocket shots don’t carry as well on string pins. However, there was much less difference in the pin carry when the ball was closer to the true pocket and entering the pins at a more ideal angle. "There have been some questions about the pin carry on string pins versus free-fall pins. While the string pins don't dance around as much, they still carry just fine when the ball gets into the pocket correctly," Mike and Brandi said, of the string pinsetters. "For training purposes, it really teaches the bowler how to get the ball going through the pins the proper way to carry."
Along with string pinsetters, B3 also features Specto Bowling, Torch-X, Brunswick Pro Lanes (with dark marker boards down lane), automatic scoring, and a Kegel Flex Walker.
"We have Brunswick Pro Lanes which are nice because they feature the dark marker boards down-lane to assist with targeting. The Kegel Flex Walker allows us to run any oil pattern, which is great," Brandi noted. "Oftentimes, bowlers are preparing for a tournament that will be on a pattern that they have never seen before. At our facility, bowlers can request a specific pattern for practice which gives them the opportunity to throw some games on it and develop a plan for competition. Of course, we cannot recreate lane surfaces from other bowling centers, but it is helpful to have an idea of what you are up against so you can be as prepared as possible." No matter what, they only run sport-compliant patterns at B3 Performance, so it will always make for a challenging practice session.
And speaking of Kegel, Brandi says Kegel has been instrumental in helping B3 succeed. "We have a very long way to go before we find ourselves in the same conversation as the Kegel Training Center. Everyone at Kegel has been quite gracious and helpful, and we have learned a great deal from them," she said, of their support. "We also utilize so much of the technology that they have developed (i.e. Specto Bowling, Torch-X, Arrow, Flex Walker Lane Machine), which makes for a very distinct training experience in our facility. We are excited to be able to offer all of those things under one roof to bowlers in the Western part of the country."
When B3 opened its doors, it became the third known training center in the U.S., and we are fortunate to have it right in our own back yard. The other two are: The Kegel Training Center in Sebring, Fl. And the International Training Center (ITC), on the grounds of the USBC headquarters in Dallas/Ft. Worth. B3's first anniversary was celebrated in June. Like other businesses in Arizona, it has been a challenging year for them. They had to worry about keeping themselves free of Covid-19, as well as taking the precautions to keep their customers free of Covid-19.
"We have been open for a little over a year now...a very interesting year. It was hard to have any expectations in light of the COVID pandemic and the way it shaped the world," Brandi said, of dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic. "Despite all of it, we have been very fortunate, and we have been able to keep the facility operational since June 2020. We have definitely had more out-of-state visitors than we anticipated having in the first year, so that has been awesome!"
With the first year of operation completed, and now working on year two, Mike and Brandi have high hopes for B3 Performance in the coming years. "We have so many plans for the future, and we keep developing new ideas each day. We are really excited about being able to run clinics, camps, seminars, and classes at our facility. Our overarching goal is to be an educational venue for bowlers of all skill levels, manufacturers, and pro shop operators alike," they said, of B3's five-year plan. "That could manifest in many ways. We truly want the bowling industry, collectively, to benefit from this facility and all of the amenities that we currently have to offer, as well as those that will be forthcoming. We can't wait to see what the future holds for B3."
Some of those ideas may even include small leagues and tournaments.
"We have considered running both small leagues and tournaments at our facility. With the COVID safety protocols that we had in place over the last year, it wasn't really possible," she said. "However, in the future, we will certainly revisit it because we believe it would be quite fun and a great learning experience for all bowlers."
During a PBA telecast on FOX Sports last summer, B3 got an unexpected plug from one of its out-of-town visitors.
"It definitely garnered a lot of attention. We had many people come in that talked about Belmo's comments and the B3 logo on Wesley Low's shirt," they said, of Belmo's plug. "It was really cool to hear mention of our facility on the big stage, and to see Wesley bowl so well in the Players Championship after putting in so much work at B3 leading up to that event."
Brandi, who was a member of the PWBA for several years, and Mike, who worked as a Tour Rep for both the PBA and PWBA Tours, hardly ever bowl these days, but are still happy to be in the bowling environment. "As far as practice goes...we hardly ever bowl! When the day winds down, we are usually pretty tired and ready to head home. Eventually, we will be able to spend more time on the lanes ourselves," they said, of their personal games these days. "However, for now, we are just happy to be open for business and spending our time cultivating a great.
Brandi, who was a member of the PWBA for several years, and Mike, who worked as a Tour Rep for both the PBA and PWBA Tours, hardly ever bowl these days, but are still happy to be in the bowling environment.
"As far as practice goes...we hardly ever bowl! When the day winds down, we are usually pretty tired and ready to head home. Eventually, we will be able to spend more time on the lanes ourselves," they said, of their personal games these days. "However, for now, we are just happy to be open for business and spending our time cultivating a great experience for the bowlers that come to our facility."
And we invite you to go enjoy a great experience at B3 for yourself.