Background: I do OK locally, average is aver 225 in my local league. I am more of a straiger player. Do add more challenges, I am starting to bowl more tournamants. Bowled a major state event yesterday, one with the best bowlers in the state. There's a few guys with great resumes in the events, including PBA titles, regional titles, local hall of fame, and so on. Anyway, it's a six game block, moving two pairs after each game.
The oil was longer than I expected. I started trying a dull 1000g asymetric ball (pin above ring, MB right of thumb) over about 11, but all it did was weakly tip toward the pocket. I then went with a strong un-pearl ball (brought down to 2000g, 4x4 stack) and it did the same, but a little stronger. If the ball was sent right, forget it.... washout.
I gutted out about 600 for the first three games (hurt my lower back in practice, which made things even more of a chore). The next two games were about 180, as the lower back loosened up, but spasms with extreme pain started to hit my upper back.
The last game i did something different.... I pulled out my Black Widow Pearl (4x4 stack), moved left to 15, went just a little softer with my release, and sent it to 10 at 40 feet. Went strike-split-packed the next 10 for 268.
This game twisted my conventional thinking about balls! All my life I had been taught "dull balls direct" for long oil, especially for a hand-chalenged dude like me. Using a pearl -- especially the BWP, which is known for length -- seemed to make no sense. But, there I was, flushing and pounding the pocket.
I had been thinking about doing a ball with a loyout like Steve Jaros (pin under ring, MB long) as I see how well he bowls on longer shots despite not having a lot of hand. But maybe my thinking is backwards. Is the key really this -- to use a ball this will have midlane roll on oil, so that it will turn left and create angle once it hits the dry back ends?
Signed, confused...
Shot about 1210, and missed the cut by 60. Considering that I missed a 7 pin, 8 pin, 3 pin, and threw a 1 count-spare after a strike (and followed it with three flush strikes), I didn't feel too bad, especially considering the back stiffness and pain. I badly beat a lot of 230+ average guys.
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pjr300
live from the Bowling Capital of the World
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