Following three years of research on how technology has affected the sport of tenpin bowling, the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) released a statement in April 2018 regarding proposed new ball drilling and bowling ball cover stock specifications. The new specifications were designed to sustain the playing field both currently and in the future.

In December 2018, TBASA received communication from International Bowling Federation (previously World Bowling), regarding the changes to the rules for drilling specifications. Following this communication, our TBASA rules were revised to define the current balance rules, with the new rules taking effect from September 2019 and the final rules that will apply after August 1, 2020.

As a bowler you should have heard by now about the changes coming to bowling ball specifications.

If not, please note that from August 1, 2020, no balance holes will be permitted.

All balance holes will be eliminated and deemed illegal for use from the 1^st August 2020.

The 1^st of August 2020 will see a “phasing in” period conclude, that gave bowlers time to adjust to the new rules and start moving their arsenals in the direction of the future rules.

By now, it is hoped bowlers followed the forecast of the changes and have made the necessary changes. You have until the 1^st of August 2020 to plug any additional non-gripping holes (this includes drilled thumb holes for no-thumb bowlers, as that is technically not a gripping hole used each delivery). After August 1^st, any hole drilled for gripping purposes that is not used when making a delivery will make that delivery illegal.

Don’t have balance holes drilled in your ball? Then there’s no need to worry! Just keep up the great bowling! Your ball will still be legal.

If you still have any questions about the ball specification changes on the 1^st August 2020, contact the Tenpin Bowling Association of South Africa (TBASA) directly or your Provincial Bodies representatives.