BallReviews
General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: rocky61201 on July 10, 2017, 03:02:36 PM
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How many of you make adjustments even when getting good carry off an imperfect shot? That thin hit where the 1 pin came flying across the pin deck taking out anything in its way could be your next 2/8/10 split? That high hit where the 2 pin bounced off the wall and tripped the 4 pin could be something worse if it hit just a tad higher right? Even if you're on a 4 or 5 bagger do you take notice and make the adjustment? How much if any?
I've read that watching your ball exit the pin deck to see if it rolls off the 20 board is good to do. What about when it doesn't exit the 20 but you still get a strike? In the beginning of a match or during warm up I know I watch the ball exit the pin deck. But if I start stringing strikes together I'm fairly certain I stop paying attention and start giving high fives and collecting my next poker card.
Maybe I have too much time on my hands or I'm overanalyzing way to much. Really I'm just wondering what it takes to add another 5 or 10 pins to my average. I've hit a plateau lately.
I'm guessing this would definitely help. Just wondering how many out there actually do it and how much did your game/average improve?
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Good question Rocky, and I would suggest that you keep adjusting to perfect your line to the pocket.
You want to adjust off the split that you broke up because although you were fortunate this time, you may not be so lucky on your next delivery.
If you repeat shots at a fairly high level then you may even want to be adjusting off of what appear to be perfect shots. With 9 other people on your pair all playing the lanes similarly, there is no reason for the lanes to be exactly the same the next time you get up on the approach.
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I've become a fan of watching where the ball "slows down".
By watching where the ball slows down and leaves the pin deck, I feel like I've been quicker to make adjustments and also making adjustments that has put me in a better position to post higher scores on tougher patterns
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I've become a fan of watching where the ball "slows down".
By watching where the ball slows down and leaves the pin deck, I feel like I've been quicker to make adjustments and also making adjustments that has put me in a better position to post higher scores on tougher patterns
I was going to post a similar thing - watching ball motion till the pin deck; watching pin action as the ball enters the pocket.
For summer leagues, I bowl with and against guys who strike a lot. Spares don't win against these guys, and being ahead of the pattern is a plus for sure. Likewise, If the pocket strike isn't perfect, and before making any adjustments, I ask myself if I threw it right and/or did I hit the target(s)/spot down lane.
Many times my adjustments are guesses and luck that keeps the strikes coming. But many times these guess moves pay off more than not.
Anticipation comes from the gut for me... lol
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If you 'blow' the rack (5 into the 7 and possibly messenger takes out the 10) and carry how do you gauge that?
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If you 'blow' the rack (5 into the 7 and possibly messenger takes out the 10) and carry how do you gauge that?
This is the "one" that gets me. Throw of couple of these and then get cocky and put just a little bit more "oomph" on it. Doesn't make it back and leaves a washout or 2/8/10.
For the other guys, thanks for the feedback. Kinda what I expected to hear. Gotta pay attention to everything all the time. Not an easy task but I'm going to work on it.
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The ball is expending its rotational integrity too early or exiting the deck thru the 9 towards the 10 or not actually a good bit lucky shot
You have to watch where the ball exits the deck this tells what the ball is doing
The ball tells you what the lanes are doing...the pins tell what the ball is doing
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Seems to always be my intention.. I think sometimes I over adjust. So many times in the past year that I've decided to make a 2/1 adjustment just to see a 10 pin greet me. Likewise, I've made ball changes - something a little cleaner up front and faced the wrath of the 10 pin.
So in theory, I completely agree and think being ahead of the curve is a positive. Making the right move is key though.
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The ball is expending its rotational integrity too early or exiting the deck thru the 9 towards the 10 or not actually a good bit lucky shot
You have to watch where the ball exits the deck this tells what the ball is doing
The ball tells you what the lanes are doing...the pins tell what the ball is doing
Well said Rico.
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I have always like throwing flush strikes and try to adjust to get that flush hit consistently.
If I go a little high and trip a 4, I am moving my line. Personally I will move both my eyes and my feet when this happens and try to get to the same breakpoint but at a deeper angle.
If I'm hitting half pocket and blowing the rack I'm probably moving some as well. But there are times when you are hitting a 3/4 pocket shot that just seems to carry. Your roll and the lanes are matched up. I'll generally try to ride that.
I have had perfect looking strikes that you can tell the ball checked a little early and just seem to hit too flush. You then know the lane(s) are starting to transition and I will adjust my line slightly so that the next shot doesn't go high.
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If I'm carrying light mixers, I'm usually not moving unless I see that the ball is coming in even lighter. Even Mo recommends not moving off this if you are carrying. More times than not, if I move, I'm leaving a 10 pin. I carried these with 15lbs, but with 14, I carry them even more.
If I go high flush and threw the ball well, I'm definitely moving.
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Well, I'm the real-life version of Keanu Revs so I basically chuck wood and carry everything. 1st world probs......... :P :P :P :P :P
As to the topic, I think it's an observation thing. Sometimes a lateral move is required and other times it may be the right zone on the lane but you'll need to soften up a bit or make sure to get a premium roll on the ball so it can read some. If I trip a 4 I really have to be honest with myself and assess the shot. Was I firm enough with the speed or is it time to move in OR stay put and ball down?
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On your normal THS that you see week-in/week-out, you should be able to anticipate with some consistency when the shot will begin to change. If you don't make any adjustments, when does the ball start to lose energy? At what point do you go a tad high or when does the ball start to hit flat?
My personal best to start the night is the front 20. My teammate was surprised to know I had already moved my feet 5 boards. I knew the shot well enough to make the adjustments in advance.
And as others have stated, don't let the resulting leave dictate your adjustments. If your ball is reading the lane differently than desired or not going through the pin deck as you wish, then an adjustment is probably needed.
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Thanks for all of the advice. At this point I feel like my physical game is pretty good and I can execute/repeat shots and do what I have to do.
Now if I want to progress and reach that next level I have to step up my mental game as well.
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BACK IN THE DAY, I used to do this. It was not uncommon for me to make slight adjustments off of shots that struck and looked decent to the untrained eye.
BUT, the important part of doing this is being very sharp, sharp enough to know the difference between a good shot that barely struck, and a bad shot that barely struck.
If I knew it was a good shot, then I also knew the "loose" carry was not my fault, but an actual condition that I had to adjust to and allow for.
If it was a bad shot by me, I knew no adjustment was necessary, other than to throw the ball better.
IF YOU ARE NOT AS SHARP AS YOU NEED TO BE, you will not always know the difference.
It is actually a weird thing to try and explain. It is a whole different level that, unless you have been there and experienced it yourself, you can't understand what it really means to be at that level, but I know that some of you guys know what I am talking about. That weird level you can get to where you can literally feel such minute differences in a decent release that got lucky, and a perfect release that didn't need to get lucky, and you know the difference instantly.
It is weird when you get it. Almost like having a "sixth sense" about making moves and adjustments, making other players wonder why you're moving or changing equipment on shots that look good to them, but you know better.
That place does exist, I've been there, but it is a hard place to get to, and not everybody makes it. Takes lots of hard work, money, patience, and time.
It is also very hard to maintain that level, as it goes away REAL quick if you don't bowl, even for just a few days.
Oh yeah, forgot to mention, bowling was NOT FUN at that level. There was nothing fun about it, as I took bowling deadly seriously back then.
It was far more like having another job than it was like having a sport or game you love playing.
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Is swearing and saying I got robbed considered an adjustment?
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BACK IN THE DAY, I used to do this. It was not uncommon for me to make slight adjustments off of shots that struck and looked decent to the untrained eye.
BUT, the important part of doing this is being very sharp, sharp enough to know the difference between a good shot that barely struck, and a bad shot that barely struck.
If I knew it was a good shot, then I also knew the "loose" carry was not my fault, but an actual condition that I had to adjust to and allow for.
If it was a bad shot by me, I knew no adjustment was necessary, other than to throw the ball better.
IF YOU ARE NOT AS SHARP AS YOU NEED TO BE, you will not always know the difference.
It is actually a weird thing to try and explain. It is a whole different level that, unless you have been there and experienced it yourself, you can't understand what it really means to be at that level, but I know that some of you guys know what I am talking about. That weird level you can get to where you can literally feel such minute differences in a decent release that got lucky, and a perfect release that didn't need to get lucky, and you know the difference instantly.
It is weird when you get it. Almost like having a "sixth sense" about making moves and adjustments, making other players wonder why you're moving or changing equipment on shots that look good to them, but you know better.
That place does exist, I've been there, but it is a hard place to get to, and not everybody makes it. Takes lots of hard work, money, patience, and time.
It is also very hard to maintain that level, as it goes away REAL quick if you don't bowl, even for just a few days.
Oh yeah, forgot to mention, bowling was NOT FUN at that level. There was nothing fun about it, as I took bowling deadly seriously back then.
It was far more like having another job than it was like having a sport or game you love playing.
I think I know exactly what you're saying. I don't know if I can get to that point or even if I want to. I know I can progress if I make this way more serious than I need to. I have zero goals of being anything more than a real good house hack. I don't see myself traveling and competing in a lot of tournaments. I'm just happy bowling in my leagues with my friends. But I do like winning.....all the time.......lol. And when we don't win I'm the type of guy that will immediately accept responsibility because I know I can do better. Even if I have really good game and roll a 240 and we lose buy a couple pins my mind set is "I should have gotten that extra strike for a 260."
So is it worth it the effort???? I don't know for sure. Time will tell. Maybe I will find a balance and get to a point I want to be at while still keeping it fun.
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The part of the equation Juggernaut left out was talent. Some people will never get to that level no matter how much time or effort they put into it.
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The part of the equation Juggernaut left out was talent. Some people will never get to that level no matter how much time or effort they put into it.
I think Juggernaut said just about the same thing in the second to last paragraph of his post.
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All "adjustments" are what your vision and mind are telling you. Always remember what Mike Durbin said about targeting and adjustments. Don't obsess over individual "boards". It puts too much pressure on you to be that accurate. He advocated that the best method was to visualize an area, as 1-5 or 5-10 etc. with your intended target the center of that area. He said your mind will accept easier that you want to hit the center of that area and make the shot easier. At the time he kind of hinted that most of the "pros" used that method.
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The part of the equation Juggernaut left out was talent. Some people will never get to that level no matter how much time or effort they put into it.
I think Juggernaut said just about the same thing in the second to last paragraph of his post.
Thank you, but he is correct.
I did try to imply some things in my explanation of things, but nothing can replace raw talent. Without it, no amount of work or practice can make up the difference.
I had a lot of drive, and a minor amount of talent. I got good, but not nearly good enough to actually compete week to week with the really gifted/talented guys out there making a living at it.
I thought, once upon a time, that I was. I realize now that I was not.
Please, do not think I was trying to speak ill of, or belittleing the efforts and desires of anyone, nor was I trying to "ring my own bell" so to speak. Just giving the straight truth about some things.
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No worries. I liked all the responses I got out of this thread and agree with all of them. They confirmed what I already suspected to be true. Right now my scoring and average reflect the amount of effort (mental and physical) I put into my game. Since I first got back into this about 3 years ago I've added 40 pins to my average and it wasn't that difficult. Now getting just an extra 10 requires a hell of a lot more effort; and you guys confirmed that. You have to be mentally focused 100% of the time while still trying to have fun with the fellas. That's a tall order.