Author Topic: I don't quite understand it (Read 1608 times)

Jay · « **on:** October 10, 2009, 07:25:20 PM »

So my league is 5 weeks into the season and they've increased the volume(and possibly length) some since the second week. Week three I managed to stand further right than I have been in some time(slide on 27-28). For some reason, I can't get right of 28-29 which means I'm sliding on 32-33, playing third arrow or just inside of it. I don't really mind playing this part of the lane but the fact that I have to play there just doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

I would say there's a true medium amount of oil inside and light to medium-light oil outside(8-9 and out). I don't know the length, I would assume ~40 Feet. My specs are in my profile. I'm throwing a Brunswick Avalanche and just the thought of throwing anything stronger scares me because of how much lane i'm already playing. Outside of 5 is basically out of bounds for me. My breakpoint is typically around 7-8. Can anyone tell me why I'm having to play this much of a swing(this may or may not be a lot of swing to some, but it's not normal for me)? Is there something about my specs(which are mostly guesses based on what I've been told about my game and comparing myself to people that know what they have) that suggest the way I'm attacking the lanes with an Avalanche(2000 lightly polished)?

The two other decent/good bowlers on my team are both playing straighter(one being a lefty). The righty has more slightly more speed and revs, I think he's around 5 boards right of me but he lofts to the arrows. He throws an X-Factor Ace. A guy that has what seems like similar specs to me(but a little more forward roll, more speed and revs if anything else) was also playing straighter than me using a Black Widow Bite this week.

Those are just some examples for some sort of comparison. FWIW, we're on Brunswick Pro Avilane. I'm not sure how old, at least 7-8 years. What if I was hitting up on the ball a little, would that add a bunch of hook that shouldn't be there?

Thoughts an any helpful information/tips are appreciated.
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Justin
Bowling Boards

Atochabsh · « **Reply #1 on:** October 11, 2009, 05:41:40 AM »

quote:
I don't really mind playing this part of the lane but the fact that I have to play there just doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

There really is no "why". You play what the lane man and therefore the lanes give you. It doesn't have to make sense, its there. There are no guarantees in bowling like the shot staying the same every week, or month. As a bowler you are not really given warning to any changes, you just have to do what you need to do to knock 10 pins down.

Juggernaut · « **Reply #2 on:** October 11, 2009, 09:34:16 AM »

quote:
quote:
I don't really mind playing this part of the lane but the fact that I have to play there just doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

There really is no "why". You play what the lane man and therefore the lanes give you. It doesn't have to make sense, its there. There are no guarantees in bowling like the shot staying the same every week, or month. As a bowler you are not really given warning to any changes, you just have to do what you need to do to knock 10 pins down.

Atochabsh makes a good point about lane play, but you asked a question towards the end of your post that should be addressed.

quote:
What if I was hitting up on the ball a little, would that add a bunch of hook that shouldn't be there?

Hitting up on the ball will most likely cause the ball to have more reaction than without hitting it this way. For me, hitting up on the ball ( which I also call late timing ) causes the ball to over rotate, reading the lane earlier, and reacting harder at the breakpoint. What this does is makes me play a further inside line to compensate for the "over-reaction" of the ball.

Might not be the problem for you, but it does exactly what you're talking about for me. Many times I have to change my release, adding more axis tilt, to make the ball controlable downlane if I don't catch whats going on soon enough. I'm getting to the point I remember what to look for though.
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"The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits."
Albert Einstein

Jay · « **Reply #3 on:** October 13, 2009, 02:24:20 AM »

I do understand the "play the lane" concept and the fact that you don't know what you're going to get. While the "why" is still bothering me, I do have a feeling there's some sort of issue going on with me. There's some possibility that might rev rate could be around 300rpm and my rotation is more like 70 degrees.

About hitting up on the ball, that's the big thing that might be happening. I didn't think that was the problem because it seems like I'm laying the ball down smoewhat smoothly. When I really hit up on the ball(which seems to be common with early timing) I can feel that, or rather "hear" it. The ball goes in the air slightly more and I hear the "thump" when it hits the lane that I don't hear on "good" deliveries, and the ball jumps too much. I do squeeze the ball and it's pretty much a fact that that gives me more action. If I open my hand at release I get less rotation but I haven't played around with that much so I don't know if that's better.

I average 180-190 on any given night throwing the way I do now, and one week when I was playing straighter(and my roll seemed different less violent on tilt/rotation, possibly a few less revs), I averaged 210. Call me crazy but I think there's something to this.
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Justin
Bowling Boards

CHawk15 · « **Reply #4 on:** October 13, 2009, 03:00:14 PM »

While I agree that you have to play what the lanes give you, there is a why. Most likely it''s due to the 60 degrees of axis rotation coupled with the slower ball speed forces you to play further left. You say you''re using a BW Avalanche (solid or pearl?) how is it drilled? That also plays a role in what part of the lane you have to play.

And just because they say they''re putting more oil down doesn''t mean the shot will play tighter. Sometimes it just the opposite because the ball will store energy better.

Edited on 10/13/2009 3:02 PM

stopncrank · « **Reply #5 on:** October 13, 2009, 03:53:25 PM »

Quote

I do squeeze the ball and it's pretty much a fact that that gives me more action. If I open my hand at release I get less rotation but I haven't played around with that much so I don't know if that's better.

im no expert, i can only speak from experience here but i think thats your problem. squeezing the ball will make your timing later causing you to loft and or hit up on the ball, which makes the ball transition harder at the breakpoint if you have any hand/tilt at all. i used to be notorious for squeezing myself, and i can tell you that it will make you what i call "overplay" a lane condition. what i mean by that is you have to intentionally play deeper than you need to on a shot because if the ball even sniffs dry its gonna go left. so to compensate you are moving deeper than you need to be. i had to get my pitches in my thumb checked, and i actually went to 3/8" under and an oval thumbhole to keep from squeezing. once i did that it relaxed my whole armswing which in turn allowed for earlier timeing with a cleaner release. that allowed me to move right and not cover so many boards. if i were you, and again im by no means an expert, but id get with a qualified coach/pro shop operator and let them check your pitches in your thumb, cause squeezing 90% of the time= improper fitting ball.
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STORM:If You Hear The Thunder,Sorry,The Lightning's Already Struck!

Jay · « **Reply #6 on:** October 13, 2009, 07:07:57 PM »

CHawk15, it's the solid. It's drilled 2 1/2" from PAP, cg out with a hole down my VAL. I get what you're saying but I don't think it's simply due to retaining energy more, only because of the one week I managed to play straighter(and I'm positive the pattern has not changed) and because of the way others are playing the lanes compared to the summer shot.

stopncrank, you may not be an expert but I do agree with you at least a little bit. The squeezing may be causing this(although it has not always been a problem like this), but I honestly don't feel like I'm hitting up on the ball really bad, perhaps a little. I do feel like I'm over rotating the ball or something like that though and I can almost guarantee that's a result of the squeezing. If I manage to keep the thumb straight my ball roll is not the same, possibly for the better if I would just learn to adjust with it.

That said, I can say that I've played with plenty of spans/pitches, and I seem to have a problem feeling secure enough not to knuckle the ball pretty much no matter what pitches I try. Snugness of the thumb hole feels more important to me. I seem to have a thumb problem that's difficult to figure out what's going on, and I'm pretty sure spans/pitches are irrelevant. If it's of any interest to the drillers I could try to explain the problem and take pics.
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Justin
Bowling Boards

LuckyLefty · « **Reply #7 on:** October 13, 2009, 07:48:53 PM »

During the "Financial Meltdown" that our country is experiencing I believe from observing a league I saw last night, that some centers have run out of money for stripper fluid, but will still have "oil" in the budget.

Of course being a lefty I am used to the flood the lefty strategy so I moved left...pointed....scored high or should I say....high enough!!

REgards,

Luckylefty
PS while watching righties during the night standing in their usual spot I had this one thought....."Washout"!
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Open the door...see what''s possible...and just walk right on through...that''s how easy success feels..

Edited on 10/13/2009 9:12 PM

Author Topic: I don't quite understand it (Read 1608 times)

Jay

I don't quite understand it

Atochabsh

Re: I don't quite understand it

Juggernaut

Re: I don't quite understand it

Jay

Re: I don't quite understand it

CHawk15

Re: I don't quite understand it

stopncrank

Re: I don't quite understand it

Jay

Re: I don't quite understand it

LuckyLefty

Re: I don't quite understand it