Hey everyone.

So this summer I signed up for a sport shot league for the first time in my life. Needless to say, Ive been getting my @$$ whooped, thus why i have turned to BR.com for help. We are bowling all 6 of the Kegel shots, Autobahn, Boardwalk, Dead Mans Curve, Highway to Hell, Turnpike, Winding Road. we bowl them in alphabetical order, and we start back over next week for the second time.

I honestly struggled on all the shots except Autobahn (I shot 862 for 4 games) and i figured out Winding Road late in the second game to salvage 740.

I guess my question is what are the basics i need to know about adjusting and how the flatter patterns breakdown. Also if anyone has equipment advise that would be great to

I throw the ball around 16 mph with medium to high revs and i track high. I am a 210+ average bowler in my winter league, but want to get better and i feel bowling well on sport patterns is the next step for me.

Mike

As your skill level increases you will learn how to "feel" the lanes transition and adjust to it more quickly and stay ahead of the adjustment instead of reacting to your misses.  When you are reacting to your misses you are a step behind and have to adjust for your miss and adjust for the change that is coming next to get back ahead of the transition.

To stay ahead and shoot big scores you need to learn how to adjust to your carry when you striking.

HOLD UP......

Did you say feel the lanes...
What does that mean in english because I can see ball reaction when someone else is shoting and waiting for my turn but this sport shot isnt consistant. I play straight until I can get some consistant friction -- Is this wrong or something....

Well, clearly i have done two things with this post. One lit a fire under some peoples butt and fired them up. and two i seem to have cause a little debate.

None the less, I feel like i have gained some knowledge from everyones going back and forth. So thank you all for that.

I think part of the problem in predicting the change in the lanes, also has to do with the variety of equipment people are trying to play with in this league. Honest to God i have guys playing plastic balls and urethane balls rolling it up 5 and trying to get to the pocket. OR i have a guy who really needs to be in a basic summer league, because he is throwing the ball up 15 with about 12 revolutions on the ball and using a high performance ball (Syncs or Lucids seem to be the ball of choice this summer) I am going to pay more attention to everyone else on my pair, as well as try to wear the line i want to play into the lanes in practice and the first game.

We will see how things go Monday night, I will post to let you all know how successful i was. We are on Autobahn so i feel i can hopefully repeat my one good week again on this pattern.

Mike

Food for thought on why your best match may be Autobahn.  It has one of the greater longitude tapers and the least amount of reverse oil.  The front to back taper effects how your ball reads the lane and the sensitivity at the breakpoint.

My advise for Boardwalk (as long as it plays as it should)- square up your shoulders and move as far right as you are comfortable doing.  Now move your feet 3 or 4 boards further right.  Use a smoother rolling ball, nothing that will be jumpy at the breakpoint.  Ideally you want the ball to cross around 4-5-6 at the arrows.  Depending on how much you normally hook it you may need to manipulate your release to play straight enough, but resist the temptation to move left or use a weak ball.  You want your breakpoint to be around 1-2-3.  Don't be afraid to throw one in the gutter, cause if you play the pattern correct, you will.  Everyone does.  Whatever you do don't try to play left of 10 because they are hooking .  This is designed to force you to play the gutter to shoot anything.  And 15 to 3 ain't playing the gutter.