BallReviews
General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: Zanatos1914 on July 18, 2012, 10:01:39 AM
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This is my first time bowling on this stuff and I must say I suck... The first couple of nights I was killing the shot but now allot has changed.. Just wanted to know if the shot changes allot in anybody elses PBA experience league and is this really what the PBA's are bowling on...
How can you line up if the oil moves after every 3 shots....
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The oil transitions very quickly on any sport pattern. The key is the blend downlane, which is constantly changing. On a house shot there really isn't much blend, more of a cliff the ball falls off of when it gets to the track area.
Now I will caution you on something I see personally in the sport league I run. Many times people make moves off of mediocre shots. The transition is quick, but every 3 shots seems a bit much. You may throw a couple of shots high, missing a board or so in, and adjust because those shots normally strike on house.
Not saying that's what is happening, but it is something that I have seen many times over the years.
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Transitions are tricky, but no quicker than on a house shot. It really depends on how everyone else is playing the shot. If you find something outside when a lot of guys are playing in, the transition will be tougher. Also, a small mistake will be magnified more on flatter patterns, sometimes leading you to believe the shot has changed more than is really the case.
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Thanks for that response because I have been playing inside because the outside of the lane the ball doesnt come back consistantly and I am getting splits.. I havent learned how to make the correct adjustments on these shots...
I think straighter is better when it comes to scoring in this league...
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Seems like the best shot in this type of league is playing inside instead of out. Less adjustments... Outside 12 you arent coming back
Not correct...you play where the pattern dictates. On some patterns the play will be straighter, like cheetah, Viper...or perhaps Chameleon. On others you may start further in. The key is you can't throw it at the 5 board like you do in league. The breakpoint must be managed, meaning in most cases you have to keep it up the lane on the fresh. If on Viper you play up 5/6/7 you can find good reaction...but if you play 10 to 5...probably leave lots of washouts.
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Not always, it depends on the pattern(at least it should) and/or the lane topography. I bowl a PBA league year round and two PBA leagues in the Summer.
The year round league patterns play completely different from each other. Cheetah and Viper requires you to play more outside, while the longer patterns like Shark and Scorpion are generally inside shots. Chameleon offers an option to play to your personal strengths, but don't get too comfortable in any one spot as the shot will go away fast. Some of the named patterns have a combination of these characteristics. Earl Anthony seems to hold up well, but the punishment for missing outside is brutal. Dick Weber plays similar to Chameleon for me, but the transition isn't near as harsh and fast.
The summer only league is an entirely different matter though, it seems that everything tends to play more toward the middle of the lane. I suspect that it is because the lanes do not get stripped for the PBA league, but I can't prove that. :D
Try not to get caught up in trying to use a certain strategy just because that is how the pattern is "supposed to play". For example, Shark is long and tends to play inside, so everyone wants to use their biggest oil soaking sponge. That can make the pattern unplayable fast as the oil volume on Shark is actually less than Cheetah, but that oil is spread over a much larger area, hence it will dry out in the middle and you can find yourself with the fabled reverse block.
The best advise I can give you is simple and easy to follow. Watch where the higher scores are coming from and play in the same area. You will be amazed at how well that works.
Seems like the best shot in this type of league is playing inside instead of out. Less adjustments... Outside 12 you arent coming back
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Some patterns will open up to where you can really hook the ball, but out of the gate straighter with less axis rotation ( more end over end roll ) will make it a lot easier to read the pattern and keep the ball in play. In addition you aren't really sacrificing much if any carry. My lower rev end over end style carries pretty good on flatter patterns. It is the house shots where the power releases can help carry a lot more.
I agree that the best shot may be either out or in, but being more squared up from either angle is imperative.
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General theoretical comments:
The shorter the pattern, the closer your breakpoint should be to the gutter. The longer the pattern, the further inside you should be.
For an example of this, watch Parker Bohn play the 5 animal patterns differently in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgVBvcKsq3E&feature=related
The way Parker plays those patterns is textbook perfect.
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That is one rule of thumb that is good most of the time. Subract 31 from the length of the pattern to get a good starting break point. The formula works better for me on patterns under 40 feet. Over 40 feet, and it starts to depend more on your style. High rev guys probably use it clear to 45 feet. Lower rev guys like me wil square up more, and only get that deep after the track opens up.