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PBA veteran Shafer set for Hubbard Open
HUBBARD
For a seventh year, Jim Bryant and Bell-Wick Bowl proprietor Francis Zitnik will co-host the mid-March event that draws at least 100 entries — professionals and eligible amateurs — for a two-day tournament this weekend.
The PBA Trumbull County Tourism Bureau East/Central Open presented by Radical — a.k.a. the Hubbard Open — kicked off Friday with a high school clinic and a pro-am before qualifying rounds today.
Again, the field will include a handful of national touring pros.
“Hubbard is usually the first regular regional of the new year and, generally, it gets a good turnout,” said Ryan Shafer, winner of five national titles and 30 regionals. “I like to patronize good people and Jim [Bryant] has always treated me well, so, when I have the opportunity to come, I will always do it.”
Shafer’s 30th regional title at the PBA50 StrikeZone Lanes Central Classic in Canton came on March 5.
His last national title was the Gene Carter ProShop win in Delaware in 2015.
After the Hubbard Open, Shafer is looking to bowl in a PBA50 regional at his home bowling center in Elmira, N.Y.
“Hopefully, I’ll have a couple good weeks,” he said of this weekend and next.
Shafer, who placed 11th at Bell-Wick Bowl in 2016 and has been on the national tour since the fall of 1986, says it’s time for a change of pace.
“Let’s just say that I’m looking forward to bowling on the PBA50 tour,” said Shafer, who turned 50 in August. “The last couple years on the national tour — other than winning [Gene Carter] in Delaware — has been a lot of hit-and-miss and not as consistent as I’ve been throughout my career.
“Unfortunately, it’s not a lot of fun to bowl on the national tour anymore. A lot has to do with their philosophy and how they oil lanes and the type of player who is becoming predominant out there. There’s a lot more two-handers, a lot more high-rev players and it’s hard to compete with them — not because I think they’re better than us; it’s because of how they affect the lane conditions [break down the oil] and it’s very difficult to deal with. So I’m looking forward to what I consider a little more ‘regular’ bowling — more traditional bowling — on the PBA50 tour.”
The Horseheads, N.Y. bowler wasn’t turned off by the national tour, even as he approached 50.
“I saw myself staying on the national tour, but the last couple years have opened my eyes. I’m not fooling anybody: I can bowl the best I can bowl, yet I just can’t strike enough to keep up with them. It’s a waste of my time and money and, ultimately, it makes me miserable to bowl out there, so there’s no point in it.”
Shafer said he’ll still bowl a couple events here and there because his sponsor is MOTIV bowling balls.
“They want me to bowl as many as possible, but, to follow it religiously is a waste of my time,” he said.
From here, Shafer will concentrate on PBA50.
“Other than looking for success where I think I’ll be successful, I just want to enjoy bowling again. It hasn’t been a lot of fun the last year, bowling in that other environment [PBA national tour]. It’s no fun to do something that you previously loved, and be miserable at it. I’m just looking forward to trying to enjoy the process again.”
The style of the game with higher rev rate, harsher hooking and harder throwing, favors the national tour’s environment.
“When that’s the case, whether anybody wants to admit it or not, you can’t keep up.”
Shafer gave varying examples of two well-known bowlers.
Pete Weber, he says, is an anomaly.
“He doesn’t count. He’s a freak of nature and he can keep up a lot of the times, but you’ve got guys who are great players, like Chris Barnes, who can throw the ball any way you want him to throw it. He’s one of the best players to ever pick up a ball, very versatile — knows how to read a lane and adjust to almost anything — yet it makes him look mediocre. That tells you the whole story right there. If Chris Barnes can’t compete on a regular basis, if he’s not at the top of the game where he belongs, then I don’t belong there.”
Shafer knows of what he speaks.