Author Topic: Simplifying - kinda long... (Read 1930 times)

Mighty Buffalo · « **on:** April 30, 2009, 04:14:13 AM »

A thought occurred to me about a month ago, and I've been testing it out over this past month to see what the results would be. The premise is that for a majority of us, we bowl on a THS, where there are multiple lines to the pocket and even someone with horrible mechanics, release, and timing can score big with the newest hook monster. However, that scoring is not usually sustained over a long period of time, or even over a complete series. I have been guilty of just trying to change balls to keep my line to the pocket the same, but I always end up losing about 1/2 of a game due to the transition before I find it again. This led me to go back to the days when I only had 1 ball, which forced me to make the adjustments with my feet, line, loft, speed, etc.

For this I specifically chose my weakest ball in my line up - Green and Purple Pearlized Tropical Storm and to move right from where I have played for years to start on a fresh shot. I did this so that I am taking out one of the many variables that has to be dealt with when trying to line up. By choosing a weaker ball, I am able to continue to score on the pattern even on a second shift squad. From here, I get lined up as I normally do, and make small 1/2 board adjustments as I need to during the course of the night. This has allowed me to repeat shots that are successful, but it also allows me to get an accurate picture of what my ball is doing. This way I am making more informed decisions about what I am seeing.

There are a few advantages that I have seen since I have started to do this. The first one is that not many people are playing as far right as I am, even though I have quite a bit of hand in the ball. This means I am able to stay with my line for a longer amount of time. The second advantage is that I am able to move right as I need to, and the actual look to my ball reaction is staying very much the same because I am following the oil in.

The results of this are that I haven't shot a series under 750 in a month, and I shot my first 800 as well. This isn't meant to be a figjam, but I am just sharing an idea that to this point has worked out very well. This kinda goes along with the idea that you don't always need the most hooking, newest, most expensive bowling ball to be able to score. The THS that most people play on is able to be scored on and scored well on with "lesser" or older equipment.

Thoughts?...
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Let in the DOGS - I''ve got a HAMBONE for them!

To all the haters, get over it!

al_g · « **Reply #1 on:** April 30, 2009, 01:27:06 PM »

quote:
For this I specifically chose my weakest ball in my line up - Green and Purple Pearlized Tropical Storm...

...not many people are playing as far right as I am, even though I have quite a bit of hand in the ball. This means I am able to stay with my line for a longer amount of time.

Nice shooting and I'm glad you found something that's working.

You're throwing a weak ball where almost no one else is. I think that's the key to your success. I agree it will work great if no one else or just a few are playing that part of the lane with weak equipment also.

In tournaments this year playing that part of the lane has worked great for me. I've mostly used weaker equipment and stayed outside of where the majority is playing and have done very well.

On league shots I've tried that(up 5 or outside of that) with a 4000 shined Spit Fire and it won't work for more than a game. A lot of people are swinging it to or up the outside and burning it up. After a game I was making very large moves left and having to change to a stronger solid ball to avoid over/under. This transition killed my second game scores. In my leagues it was better to throw a strong ball and never go outside of the oil line - playing where not very many others were on the lane.

Based on my experiences, to avoid tweener hell I think it's best to find a part of the lane where most aren't playing. You might have to be a little more accurate but the transitions seem less severe if you can find a playable shot doing that.

I'd be curious to know if other tweeners have found their best success playing the less travelled parts of the lanes with weaker or stronger equipment as well?

Mighty Buffalo · « **Reply #2 on:** April 30, 2009, 01:44:44 PM »

For the trace of oil, on the fresh shot, there isn't, I'm playing just inside of the wall at about 11 out to about 3. That with the combo of a pearlized ball allows me to get the ball down the lane. On the broken down shot, it has been varied where I am starting depending on who was on the pair before. There have been nights when I am right where I would normally be for a fourth game had I been bowling on that pair. Then there are nights like last night where the lanes were flying, and I was playing third arrow to about 8, which is where I would normally start with using my higher end equipment, and I was able to score because I was still outside of everyone.

I also believe the weaker ball is a key, as I see many balls that I wouldn't dream of throwing on a broken down shot, I would throw them on a fresh shot.

My next test is to go to different centers over the summer to try this out as well. I know of one in the area - AMF Chesapeake, which I know has more volume than my home house - AMF Lynnhaven. My guess is that at Chesapeake, I may have to start with my el nino, or XXX and do the same thing because the volume is quite heavier, but I may be surprised and see that the tropical storm works there as well.

Anyone else find that this works for them?
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Let in the DOGS - I've got a HAMBONE for them!

To all the haters, get over it!

another300 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 30, 2009, 02:45:54 PM »

Mighty Buffalo,

What if you just let the "cat out of the bag" secret to scoring high? Now everyone is going to benefit from your trial and errors.

I actually try what you're talking about but come the second game I have to move left and it is actually where most people are playing. So i might have a few shots that are ok but then it's gone within about 4 frames. Then I'm moving left more and more and playing deeper. Playing 15/17 out to 10 or so. For me however, I tend to start leaving too many corner pins.
So, I just purchase a weaker ball. I'm hoping that when my stronger ball begins to hook too much, that I will still be able to play that line using the weaker ball.

Mighty Buffalo · « **Reply #4 on:** April 30, 2009, 03:04:07 PM »

If I let the cat out of the bag, it still wouldn't matter because many people are stubborn and see more hook = higher scores.

As far as tripping corner pins, one of the things I do before moving my feet when I leave a corner pin is to throw the same line with a little more loft on the ball. Typically I release with a projection about 2 feet onto the lane. If I leave a 10 pin, and I know that I threw a good shot, I will loft about 4 to 5 feet, which makes the ball turn later. This seems to take the flat hit and make it drive more into the pocket.

Part of the reason I think I'm finding success is because I am moving into other player's bump area where the ball begins to turn the pocket. With the small moves that are made throughout the night, I move about a total of 3-4 boards with my feet over the course of the night.

As an example last night, I went in with a mindset of where I wanted to play, but quickly found that the lanes were flying. So I made my moves right because I was able to still get a good read on the ball. I ended up standing at 24, throwing 17 to about 10, and didn't move from that spot all night, and I am right handed. There was someone spraying their ball to the right of me, my wife throwing down and in about 8 boards to the right of me. I think this allowed me to stay where I was because there was a constant bump space from the people that were to the right of me. I did notice my in my last frame that the ball went high and left a 4 pin on both balls, so had I needed to continue to bowl on that pair I would have made a 2 board jump to get back to the pocket.
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Let in the DOGS - I've got a HAMBONE for them!

To all the haters, get over it!

Mighty Buffalo · « **Reply #5 on:** April 30, 2009, 03:06:37 PM »

Had another thought though about purchasing the weaker ball. You are going to want to make sure that you have a drilling put on the ball that is going to give you a similar look with less oil. This can be a problem when people build arsenals, they have a series of balls that each cover a pattern or volume of oil and there is a bit of overlap between them, but often times they will have different motions to the pocket.
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Let in the DOGS - I've got a HAMBONE for them!

To all the haters, get over it!

Jay · « **Reply #6 on:** April 30, 2009, 03:50:43 PM »

Congrats, and I agree keeping it simple is good. We don't always need the biggest hook monster to score. What I'm confused about is how your Tropical is getting down the lane, is it not very responsive to dry? What's the layout and surface?

dougb · « **Reply #7 on:** April 30, 2009, 04:29:35 PM »

I am a medium speed/revs stroker, and I like playing the 2nd arrow or outside that, but it really depends on if there is any oil out there or not. I play that with a T-Road Pearl or Cherry Vibe, and my balls are drilled to go long.

My experience is most people in my league are playing up the third arrow or standing to the right on the approach and basically barreling it across the lane into the pocket. That gives me an advantage playing up the outside.

However, this can be a big problem with carry down. Last night we followed a team from the previous league who were straight bowling with plastic balls, and not very accurate either. By the time we got out there the oil had moved down to the break point, and I could not find the line with any of my equipment. It was all over/under for me. I ended up pulling out my Lane #1 Bullet and throwing it straight up the third arrow for down-and-in pocket shots. This ball is extremely effective on dry lanes. Like your Tropical Storm it is highly polished with a core, but that Lane #1 core makes it a Tropical Storm on steroids.

This seems to be the problem with what you are suggesting... unless you are playing a down-and-in line with a ball that can glide over the oil you need to move more inside and use a stronger ball when carry-down happens.

I'm curious to hear what others have to say on this topic.
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Arsenal:
Lane #1 Agent Orange
Columbia 300 Rival
Storm T-Road Pearl
Hammer Cherry Vibe
Lane #1 Bullet
Columbia 300 White Dot - Blue Pearl

Mighty Buffalo · « **Reply #8 on:** May 01, 2009, 08:14:32 AM »

The layout of the Tropical Storm is very simple with the pin above the fingers, which has always been a favorite drilling for me because of the length it gives me. The surface on it is 2000 abralon with Brunswick polish on top, it is also a pearl ball. This is giving me the additional length I need to get it down the lane. Because of the grit, polish and drilling, it doesn't hit the dry and over react. It is actually one of the smoothest pieces of equipment that I have.

As far as when oil gets to my breakpoint, I am usually able to adapt by changing speed or hand position. But I haven't had that as a major problem yet because of playing outside. Most of the straight ball bowlers are in the middle of the lane which pushes that oil down farther. It doesn't seem that there is a lot of oil being pushed to the outside, except for the people who are playing 3rd arrow and swinging it out. But for that, I am playing off of their spot that they are playing but with a different angle to get there.

Something else that I started doing at the beginning of the season was keeping my hand on the inside of the bowling ball. I know a lot of people got on Randy after hearing him say this on the PBA telecast, but for me it was true. I was staying on the outside of the ball, and my reaction would change from time to time due to an over rotation of my hand. I made a conscious effort to keep my hand position on the inside of the ball, and it feels like my consistency as well as strike percentage has gone up.

I was averaging 220 at the end of last year and this year with that being the biggest change to my game, I am at 230.

I am waiting until the summer starts to try this at other houses in my area, with an idea that I may have to use a ball that does hook a little more because of the volume of oil.
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Let in the DOGS - I've got a HAMBONE for them!

To all the haters, get over it!

backswing_aplenty · « **Reply #9 on:** May 01, 2009, 10:42:22 PM »

Sounds like you found the "secret" to the THS. Straighter is greater. We should all play farther right with a weaker ball on well defined walled up house shots.

How does it feel to be a left hander?

*backswing
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Storm Staff 2009

Professional Approach Staff So Cal

BrunsWolf · « **Reply #10 on:** May 02, 2009, 01:08:35 AM »

Mighty,

You are describing exactly what i discovered about 4 months ago. This works becasue of the minimal moves needed to gain the pocket back after transition. Usually only a small move or release change is needed to get the pocket and carry back. Carry is the only issue depending on the shot and the surface and other pattern variables. A 10 pin and a 7 pin are the main taps that show up becasue of this. Its nice seeing peole struggling with the latest and greastest when I'm stroking it with Avalanches. My 6 ball THS tourney arsenal consists of my 3 Avalanches, my Groove urethane, and 2 higher end balls incase there is alot more volume than expected(my Wild Ride TE and Smash Zone are currently in the bag). Apparently we are two of the few to "see the light" so to speak. Good bowling and a good post.
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Brunswick Advisory Staff

Jared Wolf
Jonesboro, AR
http://brunswick802.bowlspace.com/
www.bowlingchat.net

Juggernaut · « **Reply #11 on:** May 02, 2009, 10:08:16 AM »

Mighty Buffalo,

I and a friend of mine are a microcosm of exactly what you are currently experiencing.

We are both pretty powerful, inside out "crokers" who have played the third or fourth arrow for years, swinging out to the breakpoint and watching the ball finish. This works great when the shot is fresh/correct, but can wreak havoc when the shot breaks down.

At the same time, we have watched "twinners" (tweaking spinners) playing up the outside 8-10 boards and just killing it. We, neither of us, would admit to ourselves that perhaps the game had changed enough that our style needed to evolve and adapt, and we continued to get beat by, what we considered to be, "lesser" talented bowlers who were just using technology, ignorance, and a lack of skill to play "in the dirt" where we could not. At least that was the excuse/reason we kept telling each other.

I finally had enough this season. Even though I was averaging 210 at the time, I decided to re-vamp my approach to the game. I got a MUCH weaker ball and changed my release to create a smaller ball track by using more axis tilt so that the ball wouldn't read the dry so early/hard. Now, I can use a decent ball the first game, then switch to the weaker ball and play right there with those "twinners" all night. This had made bowling much easier and much more fun because, like you, my adjustments are sensible and predictable while my stubborn friend is still fighting and getting increasingly frustrated.

My scores aren't much higher than before, but they WILL be when I get a bit more accustomed to playing this way. Even my friend is starting to slowly come around and may be making a similar move in this summer season.
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Edited on 5/2/2009 10:09 AM

Author Topic: Simplifying - kinda long... (Read 1930 times)

Mighty Buffalo

Simplifying - kinda long...

al_g

Re: Simplifying - kinda long...

Mighty Buffalo

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another300

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Mighty Buffalo

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Mighty Buffalo

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Jay

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dougb

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Mighty Buffalo

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backswing_aplenty

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BrunsWolf

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Juggernaut

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