String bowling

String bowling (sometimes called string pin bowling) is a category of bowling in which the bowling pins are tethered to a pinsetter by cords that retract the pins after a roll. String pinsetters (SPs) are distinguished from traditional freefall pinsetters (FFPs) that have a more complex mechanism for gathering pins, sequentially lifting them, and then depositing them into a rack for lowering.[1]

String pinsetter operation, from a patent[2] issued in 2024
1) Ball approaches pins that strings 3 have lowered into place on lane 1.
2) Pins are knocked into pit 25; ball exits to the ball return mechanism.
3) Strings 3 retract pins from pit so they can be lowered into place.

Background

The USBC's 2023 certification of string bowling came after a long decline in league membership.[3]
An early (2021) USBC study[4] found measurable differences in strike percentages between string pinsetters and freefall pinsetters.
A 2023 USBC study concluded that there was no statistically significant difference in the scoring pace in SPs versus FFPs.[5]

Mechanical freefall pinsetters (FFPs) that arose after World War II are complex mechanisms that use large amounts of electricity, have expensive replacement parts, and require full-time mechanics in attendance.[1] For a time, the popularity of the sport made costs manageable, but most of the 11,500 US bowling alleys in the 1960s have closed, leaving about 3,000 by the mid-2020s.[1] The COVID-19 pandemic had brought lockdowns after declining popularity and rising costs.[6] Though string pinsetter US patents have been issued at least as early as the 1960s[7] and European bowling alleys have used string pinsetters for decades, such pinsetters have faced a stigma in the US as being "gimmicky".[1]

An early (2020–2021) United States Bowling Congress (USBC) study of 86,000 shots found that pinfall counts for string pinsetters (SPs) were statistically and significantly different than for freefall pinsetters (FFPs), and SPs had strikes less frequently and counts of eight or lower more frequently than FFPs.[8] The strike percentage with SPs was 7.1% lower than with FFPs, possibly reducing averages as much as 10 pins or more.[9] Accordingly, the USBC concluded that a certification for string pinsetters to be used alongside freefall machines "would not be reasonable at this current time" (2021), pending "significant changes" being made to SPs.[8] These measurements caused the USBC to plan additional testing to determine whether a scoring conversion should be created between bowling categories.[9]

Effective 1 August 2023, the USBC certified tenpin string pinsetters and string pin bowling as an independent category of equipment and competition.[9]

A USBC controlled study published in November 2023 concluded that there was no statistically significant difference in the scoring pace in SPs versus FFPs.[5][9] Accordingly, the USBC stated that average adjustment between SPs and FFPs was not needed, and would allow for the averages between the pinsetter types to be interchangeable.[5] Scores from either type would be used to calculate handicaps for competitions, but for reporting purposes, scores are marked as being SP or FFP to allow further USBC monitoring.[10]

By November 2025, about 100 of 3500 US bowling centers had installed USBC-certified string pinsetters.[11] By August 2026, there were twelve certified SP designs from eleven manufacturers.[12]

Characteristics

External video
video icon YouTube short: String pinsetter operation

String pins exhibit a relatively muted sound compared to freefall pins, and a partition conceals the process of clearing and resetting pins.[1] Some string pinsetters (SPs) have 75 working parts, significantly less than freefall pinsetters (FFPs).[1] Unlike FFPs, when a standing pin has been moved off-spot, SPs reset the pin on-spot.[10] SPs' elimination of deadwood and out-of-range issues avoids the need for a full-time mechanic, though someone must be on-site to handle tangles.[13] A 2024 Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) study found only five re-racks in over 1,350 games, suggesting improved speed of play over FFPs.[13]

A 2025 USBC review of 2023- and 2024- seasons found that the scoring deficit using string pinsetters versus freefall pinsetters was larger for higher-average bowlers.[11]

In the 2021 USBC study, SP strike and/or spare conversion percentages varied with string length, string tightness, string type, pit dimensions, and manufacturer.[8] In a scenario called "string assist",[8] it is possible for the string of one pin to contact the string of another, converting a spare that would not have occurred with freefall pins.[1] A 2024 study by the PBA found that the strike percentage on a QubicaAMF Edge SP was 48.52% compared to 57.62% on FFPs, with higher rev-rate players noting fewer "messenger" pins on string machines.[13]

A USBC review of league scores in the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 seasons found SP averages were 3.4 pins lower than with FFPs; bowlers averaging over 210 experienced a seven-pin decrease—equivalent to about two less strikes per three-game set.[11] Researchers explained this average-dependent deficit as being due to the SPs' reduced pin scatter when the pocket is hit, recognizing that higher-average bowlers hit the pocket more often than lower-average bowlers.[11]

The 2023 USBC specification requires a minimum string length of 54 inches to be certified.[5][9] This length was chosen to simulate freefall pin action, while minimizing tangles that would cause equipment breakdowns.[13] A separate "recreational mode" with shorter strings (46 inches) was found to result in more unique pinfall scenarios.[13]

The pit depth specification is the same for SPs and FFPs (4.75" minimum), but the minimum distance from lane to the rear ball cushion is 35 inches—larger than the 25-inch minimum when FFPs are used.[10]

Critical response

String pinsetters are less expensive and are more economical to maintain, motivating bowling centers to phase them in.[14]

Among longtime bowlers, the changeover is controversial as the sound and pin action are different.[1] In a 2024 PBA study, 68% of participating PBA bowlers said that achieving strikes was more challenging on SPs.[13] The PBA concluded that players need to adjust to differences in pin action, but 91% of bowlers said they would be willing to compete in PBA events on USBC-certified string pinsetters.[13]

More Perfect Union cited string pinsetters and industry consolidation as contributing to the "enshittification" of the US bowling industry.[15]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wharton, David (21 November 2023). "Bowling, that simple game of our youth, is being turned upside-down by technology". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 14 November 2025.
  2. ^ Fig. 4, 5 and 1 of US issued patent US-12138527-B2, Roberto Vaioli, "Bowling Center System", published 2 May 2024, issued 12 November 2024, assigned to QubicaAMF Worldwide, LLC 
  3. ^ Data: Wayback Machine archives of USBC's bowl.com website. Links provided on Wikimedia's image page (archive thereof). Figures do not include members of leagues that are not USBC-certified.
  4. ^ Figure 5 of "String Pinsetter Research Report 2021" (PDF). United States Bowling Congress. 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d "2023 String Pinsetter Scoring Research Report" (PDF). United States Bowling Congress. 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 July 2026.
  6. ^ Kesling, Ben (10 January 2023). "American Bowling Is in a Knock-Down Fight Over New High-Tech Pins". The Wall Street Journal.
  7. ^ US issued patent 3,458,191, Colin D. Murdoch et al., "Tethered Pin Status Sensing Arrangement", issued 29 July 1969, assigned to National Bowling Corporation .
  8. ^ a b c d "String Pinsetter Research Report 2021" (PDF). USBC. 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2021. ● The USBC Research Report is discussed in detail by Hoenig, Joe (December 2021). "Pin perspective: With strings attached". Bowling This Month. Archived from the original on 22 April 2026.
  9. ^ a b c d e Schroeder, Dave (27 April 2023). "USBC Certifies String Pin Bowling as Independent Competition Effective August 1, 2023". Bowl.com. United States Bowling Congress (USBC). Archived from the original on 8 February 2026.
  10. ^ a b c "String Pinsetters / Frequently Asked Questions" (PDF). United States Bowling Congress. 9 November 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 August 2026.
  11. ^ a b c d "String Pinsetter Scoring Report / November 2025" (PDF). United States Bowling Congress. November 2025. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 August 2026.
  12. ^ "Equipment Specifications / String Pinsetters (list)". United States Bowling Congress. Archived from the original on 15 August 2026. Retrieved 15 August 2026. (subject to update as more pinsetter designs are certified)
  13. ^ a b c d e f g Stremmel, Neil (22 November 2024). "Executive Summary: 2024 PBA String Pin Report". Professional Bowlers Association (PBA). Archived from the original on 31 May 2025.
  14. ^ Johnson, John (22 January 2023). "New 'String Pin' Technology May Change Bowling". Newser. Archived from the original on 28 April 2023.
  15. ^ We Went Bowling. What Bowlero Did to Every Lane in America Will Shock You. More Perfect Union. 21 July 2026. Retrieved 15 August 2026 – via YouTube.

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