I haven't been here of late, but am glad I haven't also been in the firing line for discussions, however this may change now with this post.
This "Broadway" pattern, who cares if it is named after a street, who cares if it has a park called bowling green in it, what we do care about is what will happen on the lanes.
This pattern has been tried in a few states with good levels of frustration all around, at our level it is a failure, and even if you want to stick your head into the sand and say you can reach the pocket from multiple angles it just takes execution, obviously hasn't been around the seniors circuit for very long. and doesn't know what the seniors want or are capable of.
There are no more crankers in senior level...age has weeded them out, this seems the best way of scoring on this pattern, you can get to the pocket and then get frustrated with an abundance of splits that should just not heppen.
With the adult circuit almost extinct, numbers dwindling like dinosaurs in an ice age, the same people are, defending the same reasoning that caused its demise..... if you put a pattern down that is going to super challenge the bowlers and they don't end up with a good experience, they won't come back, the adult circuit was destroyed by this and now if this type of mentality creeps in with the seniors, it also will start to splinter, if we are not careful.
If this pattern was posted before I booked airfares and accomodation, I would not be going, sorry but the success of this pattern is non-existent, has no credentials in the tournaments that has been laid of late.
The oil pattern in Canberra was a shocker from guys who did not know, the oil pattern in Sydney was reasonably good I felt, but what it boils down to is the senior circuit must be controlled by seniors who have the seniors as a whole, at heart, not just a selected few who want to set something down that will challenge them, haven't we been challenged enough with Rachuig, Adult tournaments etc, now is the time, not to have an "easy" pattern, but one where we can enjoy our bowling, have a good experience, a little fun as well as competition, and go away feeling good about our community, not setting stuff down which is going to cause friction and anomosity with each other.
To state anyone can discuss issues personally with the manager is fruitless, will the condition change on the day after discussions with him, no of course not, this forum is exactly where the discussions should take place, and the good thing is you will get an almost immediate feel for whether it is going the right way or not.
Those new to the seniors circuit should probably experience our culture and what we are about first, as we operate best with concensus and coming to an agreement, not having something jammed at us after we have booked and paid everything, feels like we have been scammed, sorry but the way I feel. Just put down a good house pattern like other years.
We had this pattern in our masters and only one bowler was over the card, even he was as frustrated as the rest of us.
What has happened in Sydney, I think it was laid down 2 or 3 weeks ago? how did that go.
Anyway I have paid for everything so I will be there and the proof will be in the results, I am hoping this tournament will be a success, as in previous years, I am hoping we are wrong with anticipating the outcome.