Been struggling all season with changed house shot, and tonight learned from fellow bowler that the shot is 40 feet [of oil] compared  to 38 feet for most house shots?

I don't know if any of that is true (that 38 is the norm or that the shot at this house is now 40), but presuming it is... am hoping I can use this knowledge to my advantage in determining best ball to at least start with in next week's roll-off for the championship.

Is understood that there are a zillion variables to consider, but I'll describe my delivery type and maybe someone can give me an opinion base don that.

Have relatively low revs, but decent speed, and normally prefer aggressive balls with a skid-flip type reaction. This year, though, nothing seemed to work consistently (not that I am THAT consistent anyway) and until now, had no idea exactly what the pattern was or what part of it I was trying to overcome.

And not expecting anyone to say used ball such and such and it will be magic---or that I will.  Just hoping for a little guidance on what TYPE ball would be best for relatively normal house pattern, but with an additional 2 feet of oil.

Not looking to buy a new ball right now, either, and have 30+ balls of various types and vintages.  But maybe someone can suggest that a weaker skid-flip or more aggressive arcing ball, or pin-up vs pin down would be more effective.

Thanks.

Moving up on the approach usually slows your feet down because you can't take such huge steps.  As long as you know why you're doing it it's ok lol, instead of because of a myth.  If you're in the right spot throwing the ball the right way, the carry will follow.  There's a physics reaction for everything that happens in bowling.  If you're seemingly getting tapped, there's a reason, and if you're getting messengers and tripping 4s, there's a reason for that too.  And ultimately, just keep practicing and pay as much attention as possible, practice will teach you a lot more than anyone can tell you. 

I bowled on a 40FT, "House Shot" this past weekend, in a tournament. It was the toughest so-called house shot I've bowled on in awhile. It played a lot like a sport shot to me. Shot 548 my first set. Extreme over-under reactions, and I was using a fairly readable symmetric pearl piece.

Second set was better, 577, but no where near my average. But the information I gathered was priceless.
1. I moved in further left, playing a much tighter line than usual.
2. I moved up on the approach, without altering my steps.
3. Went to a symmetrical solid, instead of the pearl I had been using.

After these adjustments, my third set was 665. Much more consistent reactions. Hit the pocket consistently. Left a lot of flat tens.....but picked up most of them.

My initial read on this 40ft pattern was that it was light oil, with a pronounced dry area down lane. However when using the pearl to try and hit that breakpoint area, I got over/under like crazy!! I could not consistently hook the ball in to the pocket. My eventual switch to the tighter line meant less hook, (straighter is greater) and letting the lanes' backend hook the ball for me.

Hope this helps!

Moving forwards or backwards on the approach does nothing but lengthen or shorten your steps, it's an adjustment to timing or tempo.  If you back up a foot on the approach, you're not going to end up a foot further back from the line unless you really concentrate on it, just like if you normally end up 6 inches from the line, if you move up a foot, you're not going to end up sliding over the line by 6 inches . .  Also, if the pattern is 40 feet long, you don't lengthen or shorten it by however far backwards or forwards you move.  If you move back a foot, it doesn't shorten the pattern to 39 feet.  Lol few things drive me crazier than hearing stuff like, "well I was leaving the 10 pin so I backed up 6 inches on the approach and that made the ball move just enough earlier to kick it out."  So you made the pattern 6 inches shorter by moving back 6 inches on the approach, and you're so accurate with everything else that 6 inches, a move that represents a change of 8/10ths of a single percent of the total length of the lane, was what made the difference in you carrying the 10?  Interesting . .  Moving up or back DOES change a few things, it's just not what anyone seems to think haha. 

Snappy balls look more impressive when you get them in the right spot, but rolly smoother reactions keep the ball in play easier.  Yeah flat 10s suck, but if you're good at picking them up, it's ok, and I'm not a big fan of seeing an "S" up on the board.  Only numbers should go up on the scoreboard, when letters start showing up, then you're in trouble lol. 

There's also a whole lot of 5 board talk in there . . if 5 board is where all the friction is at, I'd have a hard time believing you can comfortably play down 5 board but at the same time be able to get reaction and recovery from the same spot when you're playing deeper.  If I'm playing say 3rd arrow, 5-7 is usually where my breakpoint target is to get the ball to to finish on the backend, but if I'm playing straight, there's zero way in hell I'm playing straight up 5, ball starts hooking when it hits the lane.  Have to play at least 8-10 to get the ball down the lane without basically just having to chuck it down there.  What it really sounds like is that you're putting yourself in some of the most mentally uncomfortable situations possible.  Playing straight up 5 is not a comfortable line on a house shot.  Playing super deep and "hoping" the ball makes it back is also not comfortably on a house shot and any time you have to hurl or chuck the ball down the lane, that's not good either.  Instead of being able to relax and deliver an actual bowling shot, you're putting yourself in a lot of situations where you have to try to force reaction out of the ball by significantly altering your physical game or delivery.  You should instead try to find the most comfortable spot to play.  It sounds like you're just making it way too hard on yourself and that's likely the reason your average is down.  Patterns and balls and surfaces and layouts aren't going to do you a bit of good if you are always worried about your ball reaction. 

I say this not joking, you're my hero. I bowl with a lot of people who use theses old "wives tales" for kicking the 10 out. When then ask my what I do to carry the ten it's usually along the lines of "I tightened my belt one notch and started striking". They are too dense to know I'm insulting them and it wouldn't surprise me if they tightened their belts.

Shoot, I thought tightening my shoes made me strike more! #wardrobehack

Quote from: Impending Doom on May 04, 2017, 02:34:08 PM

Shoot, I thought tightening my shoes made me strike more! #wardrobehack

Any snide remark works. And before the peanut gallery jumps loud, I'm not an elitist. I have low tolerance for old school, non-progressive cavemen bowlers.

I am familiar with snide remarks too!

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What pearl ball was it? Sounds to me you made something harder than it needed to be using a pearl ball which in general are quicker response further exaggerating the wet/dry.
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@ Northface:
You are probably correct, in your assertion that I made it harder than it needed to be, but remember....my first impressions of the condition were, " light oil, with strong back ends" hence my choice of a weaker pearl piece.

I was throwing an old Storm Prodigy, which I love for its predictability. Another lesson learned. Things are never exactly as they seem!