Tom Hess: Six Time PBA/PBA50 Champion

Bowling One-On-One with Tom Hess: Six Time PBA/PBA50 Champion

53 years young, Tom Hess is enjoying his most successful run in his twenty year career as a professional bowler. He has won five titles in the last three years since joining the PBA50 Tour. Hess joined Dave Soutar and Walter Ray Williams Jr. as the only players in history to win both the USBC Masters (2011) and USBC Senior Masters (2021) in a career. His exemplary confidence, determination, physical and mental approach is on display with every shot he takes. I had the pleasure of catching up with Tom and asked him about his bowling journey.

You first started bowling at the age of 5 back in your hometown of Indianola, IA. Your mom, dad, and your whole family bowled, so early on the love for the game was all around you. You were athletic and competitive in many sports as a youth, but bowling had a special place with you.

“From an early age I fell in love with the sport. The fact that all of my family members (on my Dad’s side) bowled I’m sure had a huge impact on that. Growing up in such a small town most of the kids competed in multiple sports together. I was always good at most sports and considered myself to be one of the best on every team I was on, but bowling was just different. When it came to bowling early on, I felt I was the best. I believe the first time I won ‘high average’ in my league I was 7 years old.”

You began your PBA career in 2003 as a Regional player. It was a very successful start as you earned the 2003 PBA Midwest Region Rookie of the Year honors. You won your first Regional title at the Midwest Region RPI Qualifier in 2004. Overall, you’ve won 12 Regional titles. You remained mostly a regional player bowling just a handful of National stops over the next several years. In 2010, because you earned a full PBA exemption in December, you bowled the remaining six events that season and ended up winning the coveted major title – PBA 2011 USBC Masters. While you had some successes early in your PBA career, due to circumstances, it was not exactly what you had hoped it could have been. Talk about the early going in your PBA career, about some of the successes and challenges.

“By most standards I got a late start to my professional career, not bowling any events in the PBA until 2002. I didn’t join the PBA until 2003 at the age of 33. I would say I had some quick success at the regional level winning the Rookie of the Year that year, and as you stated, my first title came in 2004. The victory at the Midwest Region RPI Qualifier also got me a spot on the coveted PBA National RPI team. I was able to make the NRPI in the Midwest every year until that tournament went away. I pretty much remained a regional player, bowling just a handful of National stops over the next several years. I was having some success, but never really having the opportunity to bowl for extended periods of time.”

“Winning the 2011 USBC Masters was supposed to give me two full years of exemption. However, the PBA decided to do away with the exempt tour before the 2011 season. Huge Bummer!! However, with the start of 2011 I did bowl almost all the National events. I would consider myself a part-time/full-time player at the time, LOL. What I mean by that is I bowled most of the events, but every chance I got I went home to work due to my situation.”

2021 was your rookie season on the PBA50 Tour and you stormed onto the scene winning two Major titles and took home the PBA50 ‘Rookie of the Year’ and PBA50 ‘Player of the Year’ honors. You are just the third player in history to win both awards in the same season (Tom Baker and Norm Duke). You didn’t stop there and won another title in 2022 and two more titles this season in 2023 – the last of which made you eligible for the PBA Hall of Fame. With all the incredible talent on the PBA50 Tour, it’s tough enough to win a single title. Talk about your success since joining the PBA50 Tour, how special it is winning these titles and what it would mean to you to one day be elected to the PBA Hall of Fame. 

“When I turned 50 it was almost a new life. The last 5 or 6 years on the PBA TOUR I hadn’t had much success. I would say it was bordering on a failure as several times I contemplated stopping on the National level. What makes the last three years so special is that it has happened against most of the players that were on tour 20 years ago. It kind of validates that had I been able to take the chance back then, that maybe I could have been successful. The PBA50 Tour is not easy. I can’t think of a stepladder finals since I started competing in 2021 that hasn’t had at least one PBA Hall of Fame member in those finals. Most times there are multiple. To take the lanes each week against the best of the best and be able to come away victorious 5 times in just three years is pretty surreal.”

“I have been thinking about the PBA Hall of Fame since I turned 50. I would say I’m going to ‘Ron Mohr them’ (I should also add Lennie Boresch Jr.) and get into the Hall of Fame strictly on PBA50 Tour accomplishments. As a bowler, to me, the PBA Hall of Fame is the highest honor a bowler can achieve. To be inducted would be a lifelong dream fulfilled.”

Watching you compete this past season in match play and in TV stepladder finals, you seemed to have taken your game to an even higher level this season – proven alone by winning two titles and very close to several more. In 12 events on the PBA50 Tour this year, you finished in the top 5 (8) times. At the PBA50 World Series of Bowling events in July you made the championship final round in each event. The success and consistency you exhibited throughout the season was extremely impressive. How have you been able to take your game to perhaps the highest level it has ever been?

“I would say that right now I am bowling the best I ever have in my life. I think physically I’m in control of what I want my body to do. Mentally, I’m in the best place I’ve ever been. Every time I show up at a PBA50 event I feel I’m the guy to beat and confidence can take you a long way. Also, the fact that I’m still bowling on both tours and bowling a lot keeps me sharp.”

The PBA50 tour is full of extremely talented and historically great players. Talk about the competition level on the PBA50 Tour. I know you have great respect for all the players on tour but if you had to name a few, are there certain players that you might especially admire and why?

“There are so many great players on the PBA50 Tour. The all-time winningest player is Walter Ray Williams Jr. In my opinion the most physically gifted to ever throw a ball is Pete Weber. The best ambassador, Parker Bohn. Guys like Lennie Boresch Jr. and Tom Adcock that never bowled full time on the PBA Tour. Not to mention all the other PBA Hall of Fame members and PBA Tour titlists that bowl on this tour.”

“But the guy that I think I most get up to bowl is Chris Barnes. He and I have had some epic matches in just three years on this tour. We had a few on the regular tour, with most of those coming in the Masters, where for the most part he came out on top. Chris and I never bowled each other on a tv show on the regular PBA Tour, however, we have bowled each other for the title 5 times in our short careers on the PBA50 Tour. The reason that I get up to bowl him is I believe if you had to name one person as the best on the PBA50 Tour right now it would be him. He is the most complete bowler when it comes to knowing the equipment, how to play the lanes, his immense knowledge of the centers and his physical ability. The best of my generation!!”

What are your goals and expectations for 2024?

“My main goal for 2024 is to win PBA50 Player of the Year. I also plan on bowling the PBA Tour full time again for at least one more year. Of course, I would love to win another title on PBA Tour, but a more realistic goal is to make my fifth show and be in the top 25 in points.”

Congratulations are in order as just a few weeks ago you were inducted into the Iowa State USBC Hall of Fame. Talk about what this induction means to you.

“Induction into any Hall of Fame means you were the best of the best in terms of qualifications into that Hall of Fame. To be included as one of the best to ever bowl in the state of Iowa is a great accomplishment. To be included with several of the bowlers that I looked up to growing up is just surreal. This induction opens up the opportunity for induction to the USBC Hall of Fame which is one of the two highest honors for bowling!”

I understand your daughter Megan was a 1^st Team All American in collegiate bowling. Collegiate bowling is thriving across the nation with so many talented young adults. Talk about the value and importance of collegiate bowling and what it provides young adults competing at this level today.

“Collegiate Bowling for young men and women is huge! As an NCAA and NAIA sport it legitimizes our sport, in my opinion. The many opportunities for young men and women to get financial help to continue their education though bowling is just phenomenal. Collegiate bowling was a very large part of my daughter’s collegiate experience, and I am glad she had that opportunity. Some of her best friends today would not be in her life if not for college bowling. Not all will end up 1st Team All Americans like Megan did, but the opportunities are there and almost limitless.”

Are there other hobbies you enjoy that fans and readers may not know about you?

“Not really anything that I’m fully committed to. I enjoy playing golf with the guys on the PBA50 Tour. I also enjoy watching sprint car racing.”

With the love and passion for the sport of bowling humming along with increased involvement from youth to seniors, both recreationally and competitively, what advice might you give to those looking to improve their game?

“I would say get as much information as you can, but don’t overload yourself. That sounds kind of funny doesn’t it. I think there are several great resources for improving your game today. From your pro shop to coaches to online video lessons to YouTube videos. However, I think that some people get confused by seeing/using too many of these opportunities. Find the person that works the best for you and be committed to them. Bowling is an awesome sport and there is no ‘perfect’ way to do it. All coaches see things differently and both may be correct, but their different views can confuse you. I see it often where people are changing things because so and so says so and then they change again shortly after because someone else says do it this way. Find what works best for you and learn to repeat it to the best of your ability!”

Thank you, Tom, for taking time to share your incredible bowling career and journey. You’ve proven again and again that with dedication, focus and great confidence that one can continue to improve their game with age. As one of the best in the world, one of the most competitive, supportive and dedicated ambassadors the sport has today, I know the bowling community world-wide will be cheering you on this upcoming season. Best of luck to you and your continued success in 2024!

“Your very welcome. It was a pleasure to be included. And remember, Bowl Up A Storm!!!”

PBA Titles

• 2011 USBC Masters (Reno, NV)

PBA50 Titles

• 2023 PBA50 Fort Myers Lightning Strikes Classic (Fort Myers, FL)
• 2023 PBA50 WSOB Petraglia Championship (Jackson, MI)
• 2022 PBA50 Highland Park Lanes Open (Greeley, CO)
• 2021 USBC Senior Masters (Las Vegas, NV)
• 2021 PBA50 Senior U.S. Open (Brentwood, CA)

Other Accomplishments

• 12 PBA Regional Tour titles
• 1 PBA50 Regional Tour title
• Four-time Iowa Open champion
• Three-time Iowa State USBC Open champion
• Inducted into Greater Des Moines Bowling Association Hall of Fame
• Inducted into Iowa State USBC Hall of Fame

Social Media

• Tom Hess – Facebook