Author Topic: "New" Shark (Read 2202 times)

al_g · « **on:** June 24, 2009, 08:59:39 AM »

There's been various posts recently about how this years PBAX League's patterns based on the 2008-2009 PBA patterns play compared to the old ones.

I'm curious what others have seen on the "new" Shark vs. the previous Shark pattern.

I bowled on the "new" Shark for the first time last night. In practice I thought it seemed to play the same with anything outside of 10 being OB. For kicks I decided to try playing straight up boards 6-8 and was surprised when my ball got a good reaction from there. On the previous Shark that would've been unplayable for me. For the first 3 games I was able to start by throwing a Shift up 7 and by game 3 was playing 11 to 9 and had a great look. After switching pairs for the next 3 games outside of 10 was somewhat playable but not the best place to play. Everyone on that pair had played deeper the first set so that was where the shot was so it played more like the previous Shark but shots that went outside of 10 still got back without leaving washouts or spares with the head pin - a lot of 2 pins or buckets instead. I had to throw a Virtual Gravity and Cell for the second set.

I'm curious what others have experienced with the "new" Shark. Has anyone else tried playing outside of 10? If you did, what kind of success did you have? Or do you play the "new" Shark similar to the old one?

Joe Jr · « **Reply #1 on:** June 24, 2009, 05:01:42 PM »

I don't think there is a "new" shark. It was the only pattern that didn't see any changes.
--------------------
My Vid
Just another hack with too much equipment.

al_g · « **Reply #2 on:** June 24, 2009, 05:41:07 PM »

You're right. I found this:

The USBC confirms that four of the five PBA Experience lane patterns will change in the upcoming season. According to USBC Sport Bowling Coordinator Derek Eoff, the PBA is adding a foot to the pattern lengths for Viper, Chameleon, and Cheetah, and tweaking the pattern shapes. The length of the Scorpion pattern will remain the same at 42 feet, but the pattern shape has been modified. Of the five patterns, only the 44 foot Shark pattern will remain unchanged.

I thought they had kept the length the same but tweaked the shape but I was wrong.

I'm thinking the pair I was able to play further right on must've abnormal. I've never been able to play that far right on Shark before.

JessN16 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 24, 2009, 06:34:13 PM »

Not knowing much about lane patterns when I first started bowling PBAX 5-6 years ago, I remember the first time I looked at the graph for Shark, and thought to myself, "you should be able to play out and direct on that pattern."

Then I saw Norm Duke do just that on TV a few times.

My weakness is playing a tight inside line. I leave too many splits and flag the head pin too many times. When I get on Shark, I get outside 10, sometimes outside 5, and basically point the ball at the pocket. There's enough friction to make the ball face up in the backend. There's NOT enough friction to flag it to the right and hope it recovers when you're swinging it.

Jess

al_g · « **Reply #4 on:** July 01, 2009, 06:38:07 PM »

Thanks for the responses.

quote:
I think what is happening is that people are starting to understand that you don't fight the long patterns, but rather they are learning to square up and roll the ball. When you do that the long patterns transition the best of all and play very nice.

Bob,

After last night I think you're right. I bowl in a doubles league, 6 games, 3 games against one team, switch pairs 3 games against another team.

Our second set(games 4-6) last night we had all 4 people playing the exact same breakpoint. The 4th game you could tell the lanes were starting to open up even though there was only one person with a game over 200. The 5th game 3 people had he front 6 and the other went spare 5 bagger. I had the front 8 before a user error for a 256. I was bowling against the guy who started with the spare and he threw the next 10 before leaving a stone 8 in the 12th for 289. My team lost shooting 465, the other guys had an amazing 535. The 6th game scores were still good and I think we lost 420 to 450.

I'd heard that if people worked together you could open up the shots but I'd never experienced it before. It was really fun. Low score on the pair was 651, high was 688.

rvmark · « **Reply #5 on:** July 03, 2009, 10:15:15 AM »

I would have to agree with that also, I bowled the shark pattern last night two bowler to a pair. My opponent and I both played the lanes starting down and in, lanes broke down nicely and I managed a 233-235-222 for a 690, my opponent shot 187-266-202 for a 655. Really enjoy PBAX as it has given valuable practice on spare shooting.

Mark

charlest · « **Reply #6 on:** July 07, 2009, 10:05:32 AM »

quote:
I bowled on the "new" Shark for the first time last night. In practice I thought it seemed to play the same with anything outside of 10 being OB. For kicks I decided to try playing straight up boards 6-8 and was surprised when my ball got a good reaction from there. On the previous Shark that would've been unplayable for me. For the first 3 games I was able to start by throwing a Shift up 7 and by game 3 was playing 11 to 9 and had a great look. After switching pairs for the next 3 games outside of 10 was somewhat playable but not the best place to play.

I last bowled on a Shark about 5 years ago, so who remembers.

Bowled on the new Shark last night: It was much like you say. I had no idea what to expect so I brought 3 strong balls in decreasing order and one medium ball in case they really broke down. Good thing I brought that medium ball.

Most of the night I used that medium ball, a Motif SX-1, playing 15-18 at the arrows out to 9/10/11/12 at the breakpoint, depending on the pair and how people were breaking them down.

The oddest thing was, like you, I tried one game way outside, going straight up the 6/7 board with a 2000 Abralon Ogre Solid. That pattern broke down very fast because the ball was too rough. I could have used a 4000 Abralon and stayed there longer.

It was strange enough being able to swing the ball out to 8 or 9 at the breakpoint but also being able to play way out on the Shark made me wonder what the PBA is doing. There seemed to be more area on the Shark than on the new Cheetah or the new Scorpion, BUT since I was able to use a medium ball for much of the 4 games (indicating relatively light oil), in PBA tournaments, I guess breakdown and transitions will be real torture.
--------------------
"None are so blind as those who will not see."

Edited on 7/7/2009 10:08 AM

al_g · « **Reply #7 on:** July 07, 2009, 10:48:00 AM »

Charlest,

I agree. Once it starts to open up a little Shark had the most room of any of the patterns I've bowled on this year, even though I scored slightly better on Scorpion. Shark also seems to have more options on where you can start at on the lane.

For me from most to least room it went Shark, Scorpion, Viper, Chameleon.

I haven't bowled on the new Cheetah yet but I've heard it plays a lot tighter than the old one. I'm curious if that just means you have to play up the gutter instead of swinging it to the gutter. I'll get to find that out tonight and next week.

After we finish with Cheetah we still have two weeks left. They're talking about putting out the US Open, Earl Anthony or Dick Weber shot for those two weeks or going with two out of three of them for the last two weeks. That should be fun.

charlest · « **Reply #8 on:** July 07, 2009, 11:40:17 AM »

al_g,

Bowled the new Cheetah once so far. You still use a medium-light/strength ball, but it seems like 2/3/4, which used to be break point is now "almost" an out of bounds, unless you use a stronger ball or have a lot of revs.
I eventually lined up, around 10/11/12 at the arrows out to 7 or so at breakpoint (to give me 2 boards in case I swung it out to the OOB). I used a 4000 abralon B/G Centaur. I imagine balls like a Chainsaw, Creature pearl, Street Rod Pearl, Avalanche Solid or pearl, Bomb, Bash and balls like that would work for most people.
--------------------
"None are so blind as those who will not see."

LaneHammer20 · « **Reply #9 on:** July 07, 2009, 01:19:48 PM »

Although this is the first year I have ever bowled on these patterns, I feel that both the Shark and Scorpion play awfully light oil wise. I played strait up 6-8 with a Break pearl on the shark with a good look. Coul barely keep the ball on the right side all night on scorpion, same with Shark if i wasn't using a pearl ball, or something real smooth.

I bowled Scorpion last nigth, and of all the patterns this is the one that kills me. I have no room at all, miss a board left through the nose, or brooklyn, miss out to 6-7 board it won't make it back. I tried alot of different lines, and different equipment, and was just lost.

Viper and chameleon seem to be the heaviest patterns to me. Definitly a OOB on Cheetah if out past 5 board.

I am going to try a new release for next week on Viper, I practiced last night on it and found aiming somewhat to the pocket from the outside with a strait up the back release was very consistent and gave me alot of rom, and great carry. This is my new technique for the upcoming patterns.
--------------------
What is sandbagging???

charlest · « **Reply #10 on:** July 08, 2009, 01:55:02 PM »

quote:
Although this is the first year I have ever bowled on these patterns, I feel that both the Shark and Scorpion play awfully light oil wise. I played strait up 6-8 with a Break pearl on the shark with a good look. Could barely keep the ball on the right side all night on scorpion, same with Shark if i wasn't using a pearl ball, or something real smooth.

If I might make a suggestion:
As far as I have seen so far, even though the outside on the new Shark is drier than it used to be, there is still no area left or right that we all need. If you play the Shark the old way, inside out to 10 or so, there seems to be much more area. Depending on your hand and the ball you use, the general line seems to be roughly targetting 15 - 20 and a breakpoint around 9 - 12. I'd also suggest using a true medium oil ball. This seemed to work for the first 4+ games depending on who used what ball and line before you got there.

quote:

I bowled Scorpion last night, and of all the patterns this is the one that kills me. I have no room at all, miss a board left through the nose, or brooklyn, miss out to 6-7 board it won't make it back. I tried a lot of different lines, and different equipment, and was just lost.

This also seemed to "need" a medium oil ball and played less deep than the Shark but seems to require the same strength ball, at least to begin with. The general line on ours from from 13-16 at the arrows out to 7/8 at breakpoint, again, depending on hand and ball and breakdown.

Hope this helps a little and good luck.
--------------------
"None are so blind as those who will not see."

Author Topic: "New" Shark (Read 2202 times)

al_g

"New" Shark

Joe Jr

Re: "New" Shark

al_g

Re: "New" Shark

JessN16

Re: "New" Shark

al_g

Re: "New" Shark

rvmark

Re: "New" Shark

charlest

Re: "New" Shark

al_g

Re: "New" Shark

charlest

Re: "New" Shark

LaneHammer20

Re: "New" Shark

charlest

Re: "New" Shark