String Pinsetter Research
USBC has completed its study on certified string pinsetters after finishing its scoring research report in November 2023, with the conclusion that there is no statistically significant difference between the scoring pace of USBC-certified string pinsetters and traditional free-fall machines.
Therefore, an average conversion between the pinsetter types will not be necessary and, effective immediately, USBC will update its playing rules to allow for the averages between pinsetter types to be interchangeable provided the string pinsetter has been certified by USBC.
USBC already had published a study and certified string pinsetters and string pin bowling as an independent category of equipment and competition, separate from free-fall machines, which came into effect Aug. 1, 2023, for the 2023-2024 season.
During the summer of 2020, the United States Bowling Congress Equipment Specifications and Certifications team began a comprehensive research study on string pinsetters, specifically looking at the scoring and pinfall variables between non-approved string pinsetters and USBC-certified free-fall pinsetters.
All aspects of the pin area, including pinsetters, pins, pin deck and pit area, play a critical role in scoring.
In the United States, the overwhelming number of USBC-certified leagues and tournaments use average-based divisions or handicap systems. Therefore, equipment that impacts scoring variables must be standardized from center to center in order to compare certified averages for competition.
NOVEMBER 2023 UPDATE
Click HERE to read USBC's certified string pinsetter scoring research report.
Click HERE to read USBC's Frequently Asked Questions regarding certified string pinsetters.
Click HERE to read the full story about USBC completing its certified string pinsetter scoring research and determining there's no significant difference from traditional free-fall machines.
APRIL 2023 UPDATE
Click HERE to read USBC’s most recent research report on string pinsetters released at the USBC Annual Convention, April 2023.
Click HERE to download a copy of USBC’s string pinsetter update.
Click HERE to read the full story about USBC certifying string pinsetters.
FALL 2021 UPDATE
Click HERE to read about USBC proposing preliminary specifications to the manufacturers of string pinsetters.
Click HERE to read about the updates from USBC on research as part of a comprehensive scoring study on string pinsetters.
Click HERE for the second research report from USBC delivered in September 2021.
Click HERE to watch the video summary of USBC's second research report on string pinsetters from September 2021.
PAST UPDATES
Click HERE to read about preliminary USBC research showing string pinsetters yield a lower strike percentage and leave a higher percentage of multi-pin spare combinations, compared to traditional pinsetters.
Click HERE for the preliminary research report from USBC delivered in January 2021.
Click HERE to read about USBC affirming string pinsetters as non-approved equipment.