BallReviews
General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: xrayjay on June 05, 2015, 12:37:06 PM
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Over the years I've seen so many high rev bowlers who don't hit their spot twice in a row on the same lane; some have poor mechanics; yet post high games or averages. Well all know their high rev rate gives them bigger room for error.
So, how does, or what can a lower rev player like myself do to keep up with guys like these on THS?
I've bowled non THS with many of these guys and I get my points from these guys. It's actually fun to watch these guys struggle with making difficult spares after missing the pocket. But on THS, these guys on most nights, they'll smoke me. Even if I post 215-225 scores, it's not enough going up against these guys who post 230-240's.
What should a lower rev player work on to get better? Or What should a lower rev player do on THS to compete with these guys?
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One word.
Shimwreck.
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Blind squirrels and wild boomers occasionally find an acorn, but they wont have the consistency. As a sub 300 rpm senior, the only high rev guys who can beat me over more than a couple of games are those who can repeat shots and don't throw it all over the building.
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As a low rev guy myself, I have found plenty of area on typical house shots (as in I too can miss by an arrow kind of area) to be able to hang with the big rev guys.
To compete you need to have an excellent understanding of ball motion (transition from skid to hook to roll) and how to use it along with understanding how to exploit the puddle of oil in the middle and the dry to the outside on a THS. With this, no matter what your rev rate is, you should be able to compete.
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One word.
Shimwreck.
shimwreck..."because anything less would be uncivilized" hehehehe
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One word.
Shimwreck.
shimwreck..."because anything less would be uncivilized" hehehehe
Big rev guys freak out when you pull out the charcoal!
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One word.
Shimwreck.
shimwreck..."because anything less would be uncivilized" hehehehe
Big rev guys freak out when you pull out the charcoal!
As a low rev guy, I freak out when charcoal is used on a THS...however, improvise, adapt, overcome...
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Throw it harder. Most of the guys with higher revs have higher speed and I think the higher speed is one of the biggest factors in the higher scores today. Seems that angle is not that important or that with most of today's balls, they will hook enough to get you enough angle to carry. There is a certain speed threshold where all your pins will sit in the channel and not come out. Once you throw it hard enough for the pins to come out of the channel or off the side boards you will see more strikes than you normally wouldn't get. Watch these guys that you are talking about and count how many times a pin comes out of the channel or off the side boards or somewhere for a strike. And then watch how many times your pins sit in the channels and don't trip the corners. I bet that is where you will see the difference in their scoring.
Also, the covers on todays balls will rev up at the back of the lane even at high speeds. You want the ball at its highest revolutions when it enters the pocket. That is what also produces strikes and carry.
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To compete you need to have an excellent understanding of ball motion (transition from skid to hook to roll) and how to use it along with understanding how to exploit the puddle of oil in the middle and the dry to the outside on a THS. With this, no matter what your rev rate is, you should be able to compete.
I think this is a good point for everyone. When I'm throwing the ball well and scoring, it's because I'm getting my ball to go through all 3 phases.
If I'm throwing it good but not quite scoring how I think I should be, usually it's because my ball isn't going through 1 of the phases correctly
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I am a lower speed player.
I play what ever line is giving me the best entry angle (duh right),
With whatever ball is giving me the correct read and is absolutely not leaving 10 pins...
Very few times is the correct ball leaving 10s. I'll bag it if I leave 2 in a row or I'll make a 5/2 move inside and if that doesn't work...its BAGGED!
Having an abundance of equipment helps too!
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Its just a matter of better controlling shapes and angles - that doesn't change regardless if its THS or sport.
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What if I told you low rev guys have the most room.
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One word.
Shimwreck.
shimwreck..."because anything less would be uncivilized" hehehehe
Big rev guys freak out when you pull out the charcoal!
What is the charcoal???
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One word.
Shimwreck.
shimwreck..."because anything less would be uncivilized" hehehehe
Big rev guys freak out when you pull out the charcoal!
What is the charcoal???
Low-grit sanded bowling ball.
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Big rev guys freak out when you pull out the charcoal!
Nothing like an 80 grit sponge going down the lane to change the look!
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Creating a wall on the fresh throwing grit would be doing them a favor.
Another option would be throwing plastic down 2nd arrow.
Or the other option is improve spare shooting, and work on striking more. Use equipment that gives you the best look for your area. Most try throwing big hooking balls and struggle. Usually a good mid to low performance ball allows you to get lined in and kille the pocket with very little change in the lanes/your line.
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The reason higher ball speed is important is the high friction today. Biggest problem low rev guys face that you out hook your revs. That causes weak tens when you cover too many boards. That is why urethane can out carry resin sometimes if it lets you go more direct. THS rewards speed and revs because there is so much friction outside. I found a long time ago that one reason I can score almost as well on many flatter patterns is because I can play straighter and my carry is better. THS always forced me to go around the oil line, or tame down to urethane ( new Ride is proving another good alternative ).
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Straighter is better, go on 4-6 board, most of the light hits are gonna be a strike or at least that happens to me
Best regards
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All very good advice. As a low rev super senior myself, I can identify with your dilemma. I cannot "out-average" a lot of the high rev youngsters on our regular season (THS) league. Their power, coupled with lots of friction to the outside
gives them a much wider pocket to shoot at most of the time. I bowl in a
summer sport league and I too, have much more success against the kids because
here, the advantage goes to those who generally thrown straighter, and where accuracy is at a premium.
The "solution" for you will involve trial and error but the all suggestions above are a very good place to begin. For me, I tend to have a much higher speed -to-rev ratio
with low-moderate axis tilt. Therefore, I usually fare better staying in the drier portion
of the THS a majority of the time. I also throw the ball pretty straight. Because of
my speed, I tend to use stronger cores & coverstocks the majority of the time---- even on the flatter patterns, but especially on THS. For this reason, urethane and plastic balls are almost never an option for me. On the other hand, my teammate (a good super senior, himself) has tremendous success with urethanes, due to his slower speed and higher rev rate. He can "ball down" as the shot goes away, when
I most often cannot. I will often go to balls with less surface, but ones that still
have strong cores/covers. This tends to work best for me but it might not be the best
option for you.
My advice is to keep experimenting . Try the suggestions from the previous posters.
It's all good advice to add to your toolbox.
Best of luck!
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Bergman brings up something important here. Different speed and rev rates often require different strategies. I am also a low rev, lower axis rotation super senior, but with slow to medium ball speed. As a result I make use of shinier shells and sometimes urethane to maintain rotational energy while going more direct. Bergmans higher ball speed is more conducive to using stronger surface while still going fairly direct.
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I used to get trapped in between the crankers and the dumpers on our house shot, which was long and heavy from 10 to 10, and out of bounds past 3. I started using medium strength pearls with long pins and would make the surface less aggressive (Control it, etc). I could stand in the dirt all day.
Another thing I did was use a strong ball with a 1 or 2 inch pin to pap with a hole on the pap. I could jack on it and it never jumped. These are ideas, but for slower speeds, go long pins, surface management, and move less all night.