Author Topic: I (no longer) hate the Cheetah (Read 4577 times)

Dan Belcher · « **on:** July 23, 2009, 11:14:48 PM »

This is the one PBA Experience league pattern I've never been able to figure out. Considering I have a lower rev rate, this is surprising. However, I always struggle to get any area since the lanes change so quickly and constantly.

In practice, I was playing about 2-3 at the breakpoint, and by the end of the 4th game I had started pointing the ball toward the headpin and was playing around 8 at the breakpoint. No matter what line I played, the slightest miss right was a 2-4-8-10 or a washout, and the slighest miss left was a 6-7-10.

Once I settled into an area, the ball would hook back to the pocket for about two, maybe three frames tops, then it would start to blow past the breakpoint and never make it back to the headpin. I threw a shot that left a 2-4-8-10 at one point, and my buddy who watched me release that shot was dumbfounded -- he expected it to be high-flush after the past two shots I had thrown that looked very similar off my hand. I was similarly confused!

So, I tried throwing everything from strong equipment with a dull surface to weak equipment with a polished surface, and they all gave me the same results: not enough midlane, and the ball just squirted after two or three frames. The best look I had all night was throwing my plastic ball directly up the 10 board, but the carrydown got so bad after just five frames that I had a nasty over/under look with it even!

Does anyone have any recommendations how to attack a heavier-volume Cheetah pattern to create some miss room and some predictability?

Edit -- and for comparison's sake, I shot between 760 and 800 for 4 games almost every week on the Shark, the Scorpion, and the Chameleon (except for the handful of weeks when I simply could not execute, those days were not so pretty). I shot a 602 last night on the Cheetah. That's probably the lowest four-game block I've had in 10 years on any condition!

Edited on 7/24/2009 7:17 AM

Edited on 7/30/2009 8:49 PM

Andyman3333 · « **Reply #16 on:** July 24, 2009, 11:57:34 AM »

First, none of my stuff has any surface. So everything gets a nice shiny polish. But I loooooovvveeee the Cheetah.

2007 Cheetah was all about the gutter and I found great success with a pin in palm ball. It was an old Mo Rich Labyrinth and was drilled similar to a Rico, but not specifically to those specs since I was not intune with Rico at the time. We called it a half-a mass for some reason. Not sure, cause I was new to drilling balls. The ball would react off the dry, but instead of a hard jolt left, it would just roll off the point.

2008 Cheetah took the gutter out of play and most of my success was still fairly straight to the point and was found around 5-7 area at the break point with a lot of ball speed.

Ball choice is extremely important as well as ball speed. Use aggressive surface (as in like a partical, not necessarily sanded) Low RG equipment with weak layouts. All about getting the surface of the ball to read the lane and begin core migration, but using a pin location to reduce flare. This helps the ball read before it hits the end of the pattern and also reduced overall hook so you'll have a relatively smooth backend reaction.

The trick with the Cheetah is picking up on transition of the oil and paying attention to where your lanemates are playing. This is because the volume in the first 30 feet is pretty high so there isn't much deterioration of the pattern...Only carry down and movement of the oil. I find that my first move is always right and fairly quickly after we start. And then after a few games of watching my lanemates try to play the track area, I move just to the outside of them and utilize the hold that they have created by pushing the oil down 10-12 area.

Last year I used a Rico layout on my Momentum and it gave me the best look early on as it would get an early read and keep the backend under control. As the oil migrated down lane and we created a little hold, I went to a Roto Grip Cell Pearl with a 6" Pin Up. But 2008 Cheetah was harder than 2007 Cheetah for sure. Looking forward to the old Cheetah again this year!

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Dan Belcher · « **Reply #17 on:** July 24, 2009, 12:28:13 PM »

quote:
Just a thought but if you have a particle pearl or a hybrid that might blend out the shot for you. Have you tried your 2nd Dimension on it?

I did, but it was polished, and it just skated for ages. I'm thinking I might dull up my Second Dimension and see how it handles playing straight up around 5-7. Strong surface, moderately-weak drilling, stay behind it more. But it'll be Wednesday before I can even practice on this pattern again unfortunately.

For the record, if I threw my reactive stuff straight up 10, I'd pick off the 7 pin because there was fresh backend there. However, if I stayed in that spot for an entire game or two and pushed the oil down, I'd probably have a halfway decent look at the pocket by the end.

al_g · « **Reply #18 on:** July 24, 2009, 01:43:10 PM »

quote:
quote:
Just a thought but if you have a particle pearl or a hybrid that might blend out the shot for you. Have you tried your 2nd Dimension on it?
I did, but it was polished, and it just skated for ages. I'm thinking I might dull up my Second Dimension and see how it handles playing straight up around 5-7. Strong surface, moderately-weak drilling, stay behind it more. But it'll be Wednesday before I can even practice on this pattern again unfortunately.

I think dulling it up might be a good idea. My Shift is probably 1000 ab dull - just a guess since it started at 2000 shined a few months ago but I haven't done any maintenance on it this summer except for cleaning it. It's worked well like this on the PBAX shots so why mess with it.

quote:
For the record, if I threw my reactive stuff straight up 10, I'd pick off the 7 pin because there was fresh backend there. However, if I stayed in that spot for an entire game or two and pushed the oil down, I'd probably have a halfway decent look at the pocket by the end.

This is similar to what I saw in week 2 during our second set which is why I mentioned playing 20-16. I never ever would've thought about playing there on Cheetah and probably wouldn't have until my teammate told me to go deep since nothing else was working. Too bad he didn't tell me that after the first game

Good luck, hopefully something someone posted here will help you. Let us know what happens.

Edited on 7/24/2009 1:47 PM

JessN16 · « **Reply #19 on:** July 24, 2009, 08:23:24 PM »

I feel like I'm reading my own notes all over again from the last time I played Cheetah...

This straight-up-the-gutter business may work on PBA-prepped lanes but in the real world, it's just not there most of the time. And how the pattern is "supposed" to play needs to be better defined, because this pattern more than the others is touchy in regards to whether you're on AnviLane, HPL, real wood, etc.

I averaged 136 for 9 games on Cheetah in PBAX. High game of 155. I couldn't find $%&#.

Jess

mctho1 · « **Reply #20 on:** July 24, 2009, 09:10:47 PM »

quote:

I averaged 136 for 9 games on Cheetah in PBAX. High game of 155. I couldn't find $%&#.

Jess

I just bowled 2 weeks on the Cheetah pattern, and had alsmost the same numbers as you, I averaged in the 140's for 8 games with a high game of 167. Tried 4 different balls and many different lines all with the same result.

tdub36tjt · « **Reply #21 on:** July 24, 2009, 09:21:04 PM »

For me, I have to throw the ball as hard as I can around 7 at the arrows and bounce it off the ditch with my Link on the fresh and then just slowly kill the revs as it breaks down. At our house if you can't hook it, you obviously have some issues so I doubt I would be much help. But some of the people who can't hook it play around the 8 board or so fairly straight up.

Where were you standing with your feet and where were you at the arrows Dan??

Edited on 7/24/2009 9:22 PM

myhandhurts · « **Reply #22 on:** July 24, 2009, 11:41:00 PM »

I find for new cheetah what seems to be the key to scoring well is taking a much weaker ball than you think is necessary and being very soft with the ball speed. I used a AMF Nighthawk Pearl Drilled pin above middle finger cg in palm surface at 4000 with shine. I had a very nice reaction. When the lanes seemed to be in transition for others I was maybe moving a board or two. I was dropping the ball on 9 out to about 6 at the start. at the end it was about 10 out to 5. Did not see nearly the transition that my teammates did.

myhandhurts · « **Reply #23 on:** July 24, 2009, 11:41:50 PM »

I would also like to add that this was in a notoriously tight house.

dursty · « **Reply #24 on:** July 24, 2009, 11:47:52 PM »

I've always been pretty successful at the latest cheetah pattern.. and from what I've seen most guys are just not playing far enough right. Generally I've had the best luck with a Pin Slasher 4x1 about 1000 abaralon (I also have a Storm fast with same layout if that's too early). That layout for me gets a stronger midlane reaction but with the CG out/ extra hole gets the ball to layoff on the back and not be very continuous very close to hook stop reaction. Alignment wise usually standing 5 sliding 8 (off right edge of sliding shoe) to as far left as to 8 11. Ball at breakpoint anywhere from 1 to 3 trajectory very straight through front part of the lane. I'm about 320 to 330 rev rate at 17.5 (use a little more forward roll playing out than when playing in of course compared to playing in). For me the trick is never move left if possible if I start getting overreaction shell down and stay as close the same zone as possible. Most of the guys I've seen playing cheetah just aren't comfortable playing up the gutter and tend to swing to it which just doesn't work very well for most guys. Been pretty rare when up 10 or looping 10 worked very consistently or for very long. If playing out isn't working then the topography of the lane isn't conducive to playing out or the pattern itself is suspect.

Urethane Game · « **Reply #25 on:** July 25, 2009, 12:40:49 AM »

I haven't read all of the responses but is bowling better an option? Most everything I've read appears to relate to trying this ball or that ball.

I mean no disrespect but you have a low rev rate and you are hoping to create area you won't find it. Call me crazy but I thought low rev guys are supposed to be accurate.

I understand that we all match up better on some patterns than others but when I bowl bad some days it doesn't matter what I have in the bag or sitting in the closet at home.

OK so my 2 cents. You're 2 or 3 at the break point. Where are you with your feet? Get right on top of the gutter and point it if you must. The trick of Cheetah is getting the ball to read correctly off the gutter and sometimes that requirea more skill than ball or layout.

This is a skill (one of many) that I am lacking.
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Dan Belcher · « **Reply #26 on:** July 25, 2009, 11:37:54 AM »

I have no clue what board I'm standing on. If I was actually looking at the approach, I could point to it, but I don't actually count boards when considering where to stand. I stand in the same spot between frames and remember it and everythigg, I just couldn't tell you what board number it is.

At the furthest right I got, I crossed the arrows at 2-3 and hit the breakpoint at 2 with soft speed. The deepest I got with reactive equipment was 8 at the arrows to 7 at the breakpoint with moderate speed. I also rolled my plastic ball directly up 10 and had about six frames in a row in the pocket until the carrydown got so bad I started leaving washouts if I missed it ever-so-slightly at the bottom.

quote:
I haven't read all of the responses but is bowling better an option? Most everything I've read appears to relate to trying this ball or that ball.

I mean no disrespect but you have a low rev rate and you are hoping to create area you won't find it. Call me crazy but I thought low rev guys are supposed to be accurate.

I wish I could, but not even the pros can split one board at the breakpoint every single shot, and that's the amount of area I had once the shot started transitioning. Remember, I was shooting 190s consistently even on fresh oil on all the other patterns, and could get into the 240s and 250s after the pattern broke down on the longer patterns. It's not like I'm not somewhat accurate. Hell, I even throw big games using my plastic ball up the boards on extremely wet/dry shots sometimes despite my lack of hand, so that should tell you I'm fairly accurate. But I also can't be absolutely pinpoint accurate every single frame while keeping my release and speed also identical. And that's the kind of inhuman accuracy my ball reaction was calling for all Thursday night. You can't outbowl horrible ball reaction no matter how accurate you are!

Edited on 7/25/2009 12:52 PM

Jesse James · « **Reply #27 on:** July 25, 2009, 12:43:25 PM »

I have not bowled the PBA Cheetah, but have bowled something similar. Out of bounds, gutter to 10. Playable middles that transition very quickly. I only play on a line for three to four frames before moving. Moving in is treacherous though, because you go into areas where most everyone else is already playing. So, I go out(right).

I've had success using weak particle equipment with a sheen on it, right around 800-1000 abralon. Definitely end over end roll is the way to go.
Generally I play up the boards....no swing.
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tdub36tjt · « **Reply #28 on:** July 25, 2009, 03:06:15 PM »

I think you might need to point it just a touch more by moving your feet a touch more right. I would say try hitting 1 or 2 at the arrows and hit 2 or 3 when it exits the pattern I have seen a lit of lower rev people score really high on the Cheetah playing it this way. It should give you the bounce out by the gutter and you should have just enough tug room that any decent shot should result in a strike.

mainzer · « **Reply #29 on:** July 25, 2009, 05:11:57 PM »

I usually play cheetah with weaker stuff start up 5 and work in or out as needed, I keep bringing my hand straight up the back of the ball and try to keep speed on it. I have had nominal sucess. Some very good games other games I wish I could have forgotten before I got done bowling.

I also Hate the Cheetah.
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Edited on 7/25/2009 5:12 PM

Strider · « **Reply #30 on:** July 25, 2009, 08:18:05 PM »

Some interesting replies here. Hitting 1-2 at the break point is hard enough, but how many people here can REALLY lay a ball down on 1-2, hit the arrows at 1-2, and keep it there to the break point? I'm thinking ZERO. I'm decent at playing the edge, but I believe Dan because I've seen Cheetah where the last few boards just don't play like they're "supposed" to. If you hit this problem' unless you want to give up and point a straight ball off the corner, moving further right in this case won't get you anywhere.
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Author Topic: I (no longer) hate the Cheetah (Read 4577 times)

Dan Belcher

I (no longer) hate the Cheetah

Andyman3333

Re: I (no longer) hate the Cheetah

Dan Belcher

Re: I (no longer) hate the Cheetah

al_g

Re: I (no longer) hate the Cheetah

JessN16

Re: I (no longer) hate the Cheetah

mctho1

Re: I (no longer) hate the Cheetah

tdub36tjt

Re: I (no longer) hate the Cheetah

myhandhurts

Re: I (no longer) hate the Cheetah

myhandhurts

Re: I (no longer) hate the Cheetah

dursty

Re: I (no longer) hate the Cheetah

Urethane Game

Re: I (no longer) hate the Cheetah

Dan Belcher

Re: I (no longer) hate the Cheetah

Jesse James

Re: I (no longer) hate the Cheetah

tdub36tjt

Re: I (no longer) hate the Cheetah

mainzer

Re: I (no longer) hate the Cheetah

Strider

Re: I (no longer) hate the Cheetah