Woody, Thanks to you and your staff for holding such great events! Keep up the good work and I'll od my best to bring you more entries! Sincerely, Johnny Pesch

Hello Woody... I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for your dedication to the "sport", for (at least) two decades now, that I know of. Most people do not realize how much time and effort are required to stage such events on a regular basis. ...I do. Although I have had much greater monetary success bowling in the other Megabuck associations throughout the years, I am proud to still make the trips to compete in yours in an effort to further support your cause, because I believe that YOU (unlike the others) are doing it out of a love for the game, as opposed to doing it for the money. Above all - that, is what draws me to your events. Your events, give me a reason to continue - to take my mom (& family) to Vegas, where I can enjoy a vacation from the grind of the unethical business environmen prevalent here in Michigan... (all expenses paid!) Some of the others have forgotten the very reasons they were so successful, initially. They have also forgotten the meaning of the word... "Integrity". So far, you Woody - have not. I look forward to making many more future trips with my Mom (who will soon turn 91), largely because of your continued dedication and honesty. Who knows, maybe I'll be even lucky enough to win one - someday! All the best, for the future. Arnie Goldman - Inventor/founder - Perfecta Grip Industries - ( PGI ) - PGI infosite: www.perfectagrip.com

Hi Guys, Love your approach and your website looks great. Wish you success and a great future. Sincerely, Dan Miller - B.D.S. Bowling Ball Care Products

I BOWLED YOUR TOURNEY IN VEGAS THIS PAST FEBRUARY AND WOLD LIKE TO BOWL THE GRAND BOOT HILL IN MAY.. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO SEND ME AN ENTRY FORM OR A NUMBER I CAN CALL TO RESERVE A SPOT.. THX P.S THAT WAS A GREAT TOURNEY YOU RAN IN FEBRUARY..KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK - Jeffrey Butler

Woody, I just bowled the 2006 Grand Boot Hill Open. Great tournament. You guys really do a good job. It's really great to go to a scratch tournament and not have to average 240 to get a check. My only complaint is that I wish you ran some tournaments in my area. Keep me informed on your upcoming events. Thanks - Dino Lunsford - Richmond,VA

Hey woody, although I didn't make the cut for the second round, I thought this was a great experience for me and it helped bring my ego down a bit after shooting 756 in my house league on Friday then going back to back 160's in the second round of the tourney. Plus I'm going to the ABC's later in March and it's good to get a look at some different shots. Thanks - Chuck

Hello Woody, From what I saw this past weekend, Sunday, January 23rd, at the Top Gun Tourney, some people were really voicing some complaints about the shot. I wanted to send you a note of appreciation. Every one of the Top Gun Tourneys (Boot Hill too), the shot is challenging, competitive, and it teaches someone to be a better bowler. I know that I have learned alot from your tournaments and even though I have been struggling, it's making me a better and more versatile player. Thank you - Rudy

Rudy - Thank you. I think the reason we don't get alot of entries is because Chicago does not have many bowlers like you, who want to improve their game. We use 7 differant patterns and each one is challenging. Thanks again for your support. - Woody

Hi Woody, I've been looking on the internet for different oil patterns for Gregg to practice on... I'm amazed at how much info is available about bowling! Personally, I think Gregg was appropriately humbled by his experience at the BootHill :-) He left there appreciating the challenge and full of new ideas on how to practice and improve his game...Thanks anyway about the patterns... we'll see you next year! - Karen

Karen - First of all I want to thank you for participating. Secondly, I have no way to send the oiling patterns. In fact I left my charts at the bowling center. Tell Gregg they were mostly very flat patterns, just different distances. We hope to see you in the years to come. Now that Gregg knows what to expect I'm sure he'll do better. Most bowlers don't do very well their first year here. They're not use to bowling on demanding conditions. Thanks again. - Woody

HEY WOODY MY NAME IS KEVIN CARTER, I BOWL IN THREE LEAGUES A WEEK ALL IN DIFFERENT BOWLING CENTER, MY AVERAGE IS WELL OVER 200 (WHO'S ISN'T). I TRY TO BOWL ON DIFFERENT OIL PATTERNS, BUT YOU JUST CAN'T FIND A DIFFERENT SHOT, NO MATTER WHAT HOUSE YOU GO TO. I WAS READING SOME OF THE COMMENTS ON YOUR WEBSITE AND ALL THE GUYS ARE RIGHT, THE SHOT IS TO DAMN EASY. I GUESS THE BOWLING CENTERS GIVES EVERYBODY AN EASY SHOT, BECAUSE THE HIGHER YOUR SCORE, THE MORE BOWLING BALLS A COMPANY WILL SELL. OH WELL BACK TO WHAT I WAS E-MAILING YOU FOR. I'M GOING TO ENTER YOUR TOURNAMENT ON DEC 28TH, I WANTED TO KNOW WAS THERE ANYTIME A PERSON CAN PRACTICE ON THE SHOT THAT YOU AND YOUR STAFF PUT OUT THERE. PS IF I CANT PRACTICE ON THE CONDITION THEN I'LL TAKE MAY LUMPS IN THE TOURNAMENT. YOURS TRULY - KEVIN (I'M TIRED OF BOWLING ON THE SAME CONDITION) CARTER

Kevin - We have 7 different patterns we use for our tournaments. As you can tell by the scores, none of them are easy. We give you 10 minutes of practice before each tournament. If you want to stay after the tournament, the lanes will be available for open play. If you e-mail me your address I'll send you out flyers for all our up-coming events. Thanks. - Woody

Hi, I just read your remark about Scratch Bowlers. I think you just encapsulated the problem with bowling as a sport. There are a lot of bowlers holding averages 20 to 30 pins over their ability. Down in Miami, we have the same problem and the sport is dying. I good for you and keep up the good work! Best Regards - Dan Miller, B.D.S. Bowling Ball Care Products Owner & PBA Member

Dan - There are too many young kids today who would rather tell you they shot 780 in their league than shot 640 in a tournament and made 3 or 4 hundred dollars. This is why bowling has become a recreation and is no longer a sport. Bowling in the Olympics, not in our lifetime. - Woody

Hi Woody, Sound like the facts to me! - Dan

Do You Want to Learn How to Really Bowl?
Thomas Kunath - 1/9/2003

Bowling in league one or two nights a week is only a start. Actually it is the start of many things like elevating a bowler's ego and inflating a bowler's average probably 10 to 30 pins. League play will also not lend to the versatility a bowler needs to combat tournament or sport conditions. Most league conditions are setup to be as easy as possible and give bowlers that warm fuzzy feeling inside. Showing up for league play is like a walk in the park, you arrive, see the same things, and experience the same terrain. One thing is for certain, your one or two night a week league bowlers will not be able to compete on tough tournament and sport conditions. Why?

Many factors and variables will prevent "Joe Bowler" from success on tough tournament or sport lane conditions. The obvious is bowling equipment. The market is saturated with bowling balls that will do everything a bowler can dream up. But if you don't have the knowledge when to use it or put it away your never going to be more than a league bowler who can only bowl on league conditions.

A second important factor is converting your spares. On league conditions you are agitated when leaving the occasional corner pin and it probably doesn't matter what bowling ball you use to convert the spare. On tournament and sport conditions you will throw at more spares and more pins with each spare attempt. Easy enough right? Not on tough lane conditions! Your nonchalant league approach to spare shooting will result in open frames and dramatic pin count loss. The fun is only beginning because you will not be leaving just corner pins. It gets so bad at times that the waitress comes down after your first shot and asks what kind of potato you would like with your half rack.

Woody Demma of WDTournaments has always thought tough conditions are important. If "Joe Bowler" wants to learn how to bowl, Boot Hill and Top Gun tournaments are a great training ground. Entries have been down but Demma still guarantees $1000 top prize or more every single tournament no matter what the turnout. Boot Hill Tournaments used to draw an average of 110 bowlers a tournament. If Demma could get those numbers once again, bowlers would be competing for a first place prize of somewhere between $2000 and $3000 per tournament. For the last 15 years Demma has stood by his convictions that lane conditions should be demanding but fair to all bowlers. It has cost him a lot of money to stand behind what he believes bowling was meant to be.

Bowling is relatively easy during traditional league play. If you want to learn how to bowl you must learn to bowl on all lane conditions. You must also practice and gain as much knowledge about your equipment as well as equipment available. Bowling league and carrying a big average does not establish that you are a good bowler, it simply means you're a good league bowler. I don't mean to over simplify the game of bowling on any lane condition because once you think you figured it out, here comes that damn waitress again. http://kenoshabowling.com/

Woody, Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the tournament last weekend. I plan on bowling some more, I was just wondering if you use the same pattern for every tournament or do you change it up. Just wondering. - Bryan Tyman - Hobart, IN

Bryan, Thanks for coming. I have 7 different patterns that I use. They range from 34 feet to 43 feet. All the patterns do have a blend of oil in them,although you'll never find a real easy condition, unless the oiling machine breaks down.lol. Hope to see you soon. - Woody

Hello Mr. Demma, I like the changes that have been made to the tournament. When you send out our entry forms could you please send a few hundred extra as we would like to put them out at all of the tournaments that we bowl from now until memorial day weekend. My goal is to try to have 20 plus bowlers from Nebraska there this year. Look foreward to hearing from you in the near future. Have a good holiday season. Sincerely, - Rob Gotchall - Lincoln, NE

LOL Being Human is a tough thing sometimes. You do a great job none the less. - Tom Mitchell - Milwaukee, WI

Good news! Hopefully I'll be able to finally make it to a few this year. You are doing this the right way. - Jeff Krzeminski - Aurora, IL

Woody, I hope you're right and the entries get back up there where it used to be, it sure was a lot of fun back then. I see you drew some unique PBA entries to your last Boot Hill. (McNeely???) I hope to participate in some soon, I just need to get all those projects done around the house that I put off all summer to bowl regionals. Gotta keep the peace at home you know. See you soon. Regards, - Marty Trendel - Chicago, IL

The November 11th Boot Hill Tournament had an entry count of 56 bowlers. This is the largest turnout we've had for a regular Boot Hill Tournament in probably the last six years. For those of you who don't remember, the Boot Hill Tournaments used to draw an average of 110 bowlers a tournament. If somehow we can reach that entry count again, you would be bowling for a first place prize of somewhere between $2000 and $3000 per tournament. This is without a "progressive side pot". For the last 15 years we have stood by our convictions that lane conditions should be demanding but fair to all bowlers. It has cost us a lot of money to stand behind what we believe bowling was meant to be. This year the ABC has finally come out with what they call a sport condition. If they would have done this 15 years ago, maybe the sport wouldn't be in the state it is now.