Coaching questions...

What is Fred Borden's lifetime average? What was Borden's highest average ever? Could he average 200 on a typical house shot?

I really don't know, but this guy whom I bowl with has it set in his mind that the best coaches aren't always the best bowlers. We have seen 170-180 bowlers coach 160 bowlers into 210-220 bowlers. It has to do with observation and understanding of the game. A person who understands the fundamentals of bowling can probably coach anyone willing to listen to average 180+ on today's lanes. Add to that better equipment, and yes, that 180 bowler can easily become a 200+ bowler. Does that mean the 200+ bowler is now better prepared to coach than the person who only understands the fundamentals but has no interest in executing them on the lanes?

Yes, today's THS is much easier to hit than in years past. However, not everywhere employs a THS.

As for "out of bounds" (OoB)...

DPR, you made a horrible statement. It should have been, most everyone puts down almost no oil outside the five. After all, you need THREE STINKIN' UNITS on every board. And folks, that's nothing. For all intents and purposes, anything under five units is effectively dry.

Older centers (without newer machines/oils) still use wicking equipment. This essentially mandates that they do one of three things to remain within ABC specifications:

1) Don't oil.
2) Oil all boards evenly.
3) Oil more than once with two separate tanks and/or distances.

Here in Hawaii, I think all of the public access bowling centers use wicking machines of some sort. There are two bowling center that I know of that had non-wicking technology, but I believe both centers had their oiling machines "break" mysteriously. (I speculate that the employees are generally lazy and prefer using the Lane Walker -- the first generation -- to having to push and pull the Phoenix/Magnum machines.)

Because of this problem, most bowling centers choose option 3. Since many bowlers bowl between the 8 and 15 boards, there is a greater depletion of oil in that area (as opposed to the outer boards). If your morning run is 1-1 (across the entire lane) "flat" to 28 ft with a 45 ft buff, and your night run is 10-10 (middle half of the lane) "flat" to 20 ft with a 42 ft buff, you will probably have an OOB to some degree. (I am improperly assuming that the centers with older oiling technology probably have older ball return assemblies. I know this is not an accurate view, but it is this way at the center where I practice.)

Now, some will ask "why not oil longer with the 10-10 run?", well, that's actually simple to answer. If the 10-10 is longer than the 1-1, the lane will probably not pass inspection. After all, they measure the oil density based upon the distances used in the most recent oiling pattern run. Then again, since inspections seem to be non-existent, maybe they should just oil 80 units, 8-8, 38 ft.

Well, I'm not a lane maintenance person (and for good reason), so I can only speculate.

DPR: You gave some of the best advice I've ever seen on this forum, and I've been around longer than most. And the bottom line is that to give credible advice, one should have experienced success with a given technique themselves. I see nothing arrogant about this.

Keep the faith, and again, a great post.
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"You want the truth? -- You can't handle the truth! "

Wow DPR, that 2nd post was interesting. My average may be in the 150's, but does that mean I know nothing and can't adjust? No, on the contrary. Currently what i am bowling is in the 160's - 180's, on an average basis, and not on a wall. But, last year I was bowling on a reverse block, and this year I will be bowling on a FLOODED reverse block. Your average may be one thing, and so is adjusting, but there are some elements that are not under your control. About spares and 10 pins, this may sound ignorant, but I pick up spares better with a med-light or dry lane resin (4,5). Why? Becuase I have tought myself to make the ball hook ZERO boards about 7 feet before the 10/6 pin. I don't understnad comment #6. I can adjust radically from a cranker (usual) to a stroker, which was self taught also (1,2). I had a free swing all along (3). I usualy dedicate 1 or 2 games of practice to picking up corner pins (7). I see a VERY good coach and former PBA member (. I learned to do this from the begging of my expierienc with hooking balls (9). I took geometry last year, this year I am in Algebra 2 (10). I do this all the time (11).

So I negated all of your comments just leaving rudeness, interesting...

...oh and a reason for my average. (1) My attitude. I can get angry, silly or distracted very easily. (2) The shot. The reverse block or whatever it was last year was very difficult to adjust to. Very radical changes of oil from outside to inside. (3) Accuracy anomalies, self descriptive.

Oh, BTW, I have never bowled on a typical house shot, at least not on an average basis. My first two years they never oiled the lanes, last year, well I already got into that. On Sun though, on my Mile High YABA Tour, I did average about 205 on an unknown, but reltively easy shot. There is another reason why you can judge someone on just there average...

PS: Wasn't there a post similar to this a month ago about how new/kid/low average (I can't remeber) bowler sucked because of...THAT.
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Maelstrom's quote of whenever I feel like changing it ():

Ignorance is freedom but freedom is never free.

If a true paragon existed, this world would never see the light of hope.

Edited on 9/1/2004 7:47 PM

Edited on 9/1/2004 8:01 PM