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Author Topic: PBA Experience league, need help filling out arsenal  (Read 1838 times)

HamPster

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PBA Experience league, need help filling out arsenal
« on: February 18, 2007, 10:09:01 PM »
Ok, here's what I got after weeding through things today.  

Red Zone - 4.5x4.5, small weight hole on axis, box surface.  This ball can do about anything and everything, so it's really the only ball I use on house patterns.  I can see it eating the Cheetah pattern alive, doing ok on the Scorpion and Viper pattern, being a little too snappy for the Chameleon, and really struggling on the Shark.  

Depth Charge - 4x4, small weight hole 2 inches south of axis on VAL.  It's earlier and smoother than my Red Zone, so I can see it still doing well and giving me a bit more control on the Cheetah and Chameleon, and doing average on the other three patterns.

Smokin Inferno - 4x4.5, no weight hole (believe it or not, it's legal!).  I think it'll be my surprise ball, I think it'll nail the Scorpion and Viper patterns just due to how it rolls.  It starts up early and has a very even arc to it, but it keeps coming, so I'll be able to minimize mistakes with it, if not maximize carry, lol.  

Radical Inferno - 4x4.5, no weight hole (also legal!).  This is another wild card ball.  It hooks less and is smoother even than my Smokin, but I think I can bump it off track burn when the lanes start wearing down, because it's stronger off early burn, whereas early burn tends to kill my Smokin.  

Carbide LRG - 4x4, weight hole on axis.  Haven't thrown this one very much, but I think it'll be my Shark pattern ball.  I need to get it and the Smokin re-slugged, but even though it's longer and sharper than my first LRG, the longer and heavier the oil, the better it does.  


I need a plastic ball, this much is certain, but I'm looking to add two more balls, as I'm not sure about a couple of mine.  I highly doubt I'll have any problem with burn, I'm used to dry lanes, so my concern is the increased volume of oil we'll be seeing and how drastically different it's going to make some of my balls roll.  I can see the Radical possibly coming alive, and the Smokin not doing as well as I'd expect, I can see my Red Zone getting a little over/under, and I'm not sure about my Carbide since I haven't thrown it much.  The only ball I'm really confident will work like I think it will is my Depth, as it's the only ball I've thrown on a heavier volume sport condition.  I'm thinking strong solid, strong pearl to compliment each other . .  I want a Fury, but the strong pearl is up in the air.  Talk to me!
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Overdose, lethal metal level in my blood, it freely flows, embrace the pain, crush the suffering and cleanse it with the river surging through your veins.

 

HamPster

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Re: PBA Experience league, need help filling out arsenal
« Reply #1 on: February 19, 2007, 06:28:52 AM »
I've got an Ambush, two actually, but I'm not sure about either one.  I'll take at least one along with me though, thanks.

quote:
particle pearl, i wouldn't go anywhere without one

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Overdose, lethal metal level in my blood, it freely flows, embrace the pain, crush the suffering and cleanse it with the river surging through your veins.

DP3

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Re: PBA Experience league, need help filling out arsenal
« Reply #2 on: February 19, 2007, 11:19:49 AM »
That's not enough stuff unless you're deadeye accurate lol.  The one thing I've noticed 7 weeks into my league is that Transitions come lightning quick.  And it's not always the best adjustment to make big moves with your feet and eyes.  Most of the time your adjustments will be slight footing adjustments and a ball change to something that's going to give you the shape you need down the lane.  We've only hit Chameleon/Cheetah/Scorpion so far.  Here's what I can say for those.

On Chameleon, I had a decent look on the fresh with a low r.g. pearlized ball that was pretty aggressive.  As the breakdown came, my adjustments would be moving a board or two right with my feet and eyes.  The ball change I went to would be a Sanded Shell resin and I found a great shot on the 2 and 3 board staying under the ball.  For the heavier handed players, they're adjustments came to a move inside 3rd-4th arrow with a polished assymetrical ball.  Breakpoint was around 10-11.

On Cheetah, my best look was the first came with a high polished reactive for the first game(which is usually pretty big) playing 7(at 15 feet) to 3 at the breakpoint.  After the oil pushed down, I would stay in the same zone and switch to a light/medium load particle ball with a light polish on it and throw it a bit harder in the same zone.  If I had to make a move, if any for the rest of the night, it would be using the same ball and making a hand adjustment to come dead up the back of the ball to cut down the angle on the backend.

Scorpion has been a problem for me so far.  We were 1 week in.  The first game I had a decent look playing straight up 12-13 with a low R.G. Reactive Solid, but halfway through that game we saw a bit of carrydown as there were a multitude of different shells going down the lanes in many different areas.  My next adjustment came with a move 4 boards right of that and a light load particle ball.  It was a good enough move to keep me around the headpin but not the right move to strike.  As they transitioned a bit more, all of my moves were going right.  The fill ball  of the 3rd game I took a gamble and took out a Med R.G./Med Diff Solid reactive and tried to play the 1 board.  As long as I fed the ball up 2-1 I got a huge move downlane that was like a homing device on the pocket from that angle.  I had a good last game with 7 strikes from that line, but that was due mostly to how we broke the pair down.  That shot definately wasn't there at the start of the session.

I would also check out bowl.com and watch the pro videos, they will tell you what to use and play based on your style.  It's really a help.  As far as the balls go, be ready for anything.  Out of these three patterns, I've already went through 9-10 balls looking for "that look".  Sometimes I've found it in a matter of 2-3 shots, sometimes I didn't find it until 3rd game.  The surface you're on is also going to dictate alot of the characteristics of the pattern as my Thursday night league seems to play these patterns a bit tighter down the lane in comparison to another house where I practice on these same patterns(Proanvils vs. HPLs).
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HamPster

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Re: PBA Experience league, need help filling out arsenal
« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2007, 12:29:49 PM »
Wow, thanks a lot Dj.  I knew I didn't have near enough stuff, I just needed to see what spots were a priority to fill.  I'll be fine as long as there's oil anywhere in the first 30-35 feet, and even early burn I'll be ok, but when the backends start getting sloppy, that's when it gets tough.  If it's oily all the way down, it won't be that big of a problem, but if the track forces me left and I get hang on the backend, I'm in trouble.  I usually make adjustments and only switch balls when I absolutely have no other option, but I'm going to try to put my pride aside and do the smart thing when I know I should.  I'll go take a look at those videos, didn't even know they had something like that up . .
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Overdose, lethal metal level in my blood, it freely flows, embrace the pain, crush the suffering and cleanse it with the river surging through your veins.

kmanestor22

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Re: PBA Experience league, need help filling out arsenal
« Reply #4 on: February 20, 2007, 01:08:40 PM »
More important than covers, you need some different drills to combat these patterns.  I have had the best luck with pin more than 5-1/2" from my axis, either above or below my fingers.  This reduces the flare and let you get straighter which is EXTREMELY important when dealing with the tougher patterns.  If you know the patterns ahead of time, you can adjust the cover for the appropriate distance instead of drilling up several balls.
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Where is the bait?  I'm goin' to jail!!! - Chocolate GAYzer