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Author Topic: spot bowling, am i........?  (Read 8762 times)

xrayjay

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spot bowling, am i........?
« on: July 24, 2015, 12:14:42 PM »
I gave up on arrows or dots a long time ago. I still use them on certain situations, but it's rare. For the most part, in all the different patterns I've bowled over years, I prefer to spot bowl looking down lane, BP. Some people say I'm limiting myself, but results speaks volumes....

The first year I started spot bowling, I jump almost 20 pins. In that first half, I was the highest I've ever avarage at 218. Most importantly, bowling on sport patterns became "comfortable". Shortened the guess work and seeing the ball motion and pin action much easier visually. Adjusting quicker too.

I do draw a line in my minds eye from my lay down point to the spot, but I totally ignore the arrows. I feel it's an extra mind filler that I really don't need.

With all that said. Someone last year told me that I'm limiting myself. But he never got into it in detail since we were texting. So I was wondering, what are the disadvantages for spot bowling? if any?
« Last Edit: July 24, 2015, 02:19:33 PM by xrayjay »
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MI 2 AZ

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Re: spot bowling, am i........?
« Reply #1 on: July 24, 2015, 12:48:46 PM »
Where is the spot?  Are you targeting 40 ft down the lane?

I recently started targeting at the breakpoint area just beyond the end of the oil pattern.  I draw a line from my shoulder to the target and have no idea where I am crossing at the arrows.  My adjustments are usually to move my feet or the target or both.  For spares I do use the arrows.

Jury is still out on whether or not I like this method.

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xrayjay

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Re: spot bowling, am i........?
« Reply #2 on: July 24, 2015, 02:21:43 PM »
Yes, I target down lane.

I must add too that I only use the arrows for 6 and 10 pins, targeting between the 3rd and 4th arrows. All the other spares I look at pin or reflections.

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charlest

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Re: spot bowling, am i........?
« Reply #3 on: July 24, 2015, 02:40:28 PM »
Quote from: xrayjay on July 24, 2015, 02:21:43 PM
Yes, I target down lane.

I must add too that I only use the arrows for 6 and 10 pins, targeting between the 3rd and 4th arrows. All the other spares I look at pin or reflections.



Been doing that for 20 years now. Started when the lanes I was bowling on were very dry. But even when this becomes your normal target, remember that targeting further down gives you more length (which you may still need for drier lanes) before the ball goes through the 3 phases of skid, hook & roll; targeting closer, gets the ball into an earlier roll, which you may still need for oilier lanes
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Track_Fanatic

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Re: spot bowling, am i........?
« Reply #4 on: July 24, 2015, 03:13:49 PM »
What I started to do recently is look down lane at where I want to target and then I bring it back and find the line from the arrows to the first set of lane markers. This has helped me tremendously. I can now get through the 3 phases with ease and my strike percentage is up.
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xrayjay

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Re: spot bowling, am i........?
« Reply #5 on: July 24, 2015, 04:24:45 PM »
This actually started when I moved to NorCal and the lanes I bowl on are much lighter/drier than the ones I'm used to up in the PacificNorthwest. Looking further down helped somewhat. I struggle with the lanes are toast lol...

but, when is this targeting method a bad thing?
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MI 2 AZ

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Re: spot bowling, am i........?
« Reply #6 on: July 24, 2015, 06:03:48 PM »
Quote from: xrayjay on July 24, 2015, 04:24:45 PM
This actually started when I moved to NorCal and the lanes I bowl on are much lighter/drier than the ones I'm used to up in the PacificNorthwest. Looking further down helped somewhat. I struggle with the lanes are toast lol...

but, when is this targeting method a bad thing?

I started doing it this season more because they shortened the patterns in use.

I haven't been doing it long enough to know when it is a bad thing.  For me, when the lanes start hooking earlier, before the ball gets to my breakpoint target, I struggle for a few frames before I realize it is the lanes and not me missing/pulling. 

When they have switched back to the older longer 44 ft pattern because the newer lane machine was broken, I found it better to move my eyes back to the arrows like I used to do.  I would mentally draw a line from the breakpoint to the arrows and focus on the target at the arrows. 



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charlest

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Re: spot bowling, am i........?
« Reply #7 on: July 24, 2015, 07:37:58 PM »
Quote from: xrayjay on July 24, 2015, 04:24:45 PM
This actually started when I moved to NorCal and the lanes I bowl on are much lighter/drier than the ones I'm used to up in the PacificNorthwest. Looking further down helped somewhat. I struggle with the lanes are toast lol...

but, when is this targeting method a bad thing?

Like I said above, when you're targeting 40 feet and the ball is still hooking too early (and it's the right ball), you're looking 40', instead of 42' or 43'.
If the ball is hooking too late because you're on too much oil (and the ball is the right one), you should be looking maybe 35' down the lane, not 40'.
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JustRico

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Re: spot bowling, am i........?
« Reply #8 on: July 25, 2015, 09:17:24 AM »
Markings on the lanes, primarily the arrows were put into place in the late 50's and were derived off the average male (5'9") giving them a place to target....standing at the foul line in a somewhat athletic position, their eyesight were placed at the 16-18' range....
So targeting is a 'feel' thing but, IMHO it should be done in a way as such the head, body and/or eyes are allowed in a natural unconstrived somewhat natural position...if your eyes want to go to a certain part of the lane, due to body positioning and you, the bowler force them to a different area, you're changing your natural body positioning which will effect your release and potentially your leverage
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xrayjay

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Re: spot bowling, am i........?
« Reply #9 on: July 25, 2015, 11:09:45 AM »
Quote from: charlest on July 24, 2015, 07:37:58 PM
Quote from: xrayjay on July 24, 2015, 04:24:45 PM
This actually started when I moved to NorCal and the lanes I bowl on are much lighter/drier than the ones I'm used to up in the PacificNorthwest. Looking further down helped somewhat. I struggle with the lanes are toast lol...

but, when is this targeting method a bad thing?

Like I said above, when you're targeting 40 feet and the ball is still hooking too early (and it's the right ball), you're looking 40', instead of 42' or 43'.
If the ball is hooking too late because you're on too much oil (and the ball is the right one), you should be looking maybe 35' down the lane, not 40'.

Ah.. Yes I do move eyes closer and further, but though it works, I'm not totally understanding how my speed increased or decreased. But it has worked for me. Although, it's Sad i don't know how it works lol
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xrayjay

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Re: spot bowling, am i........?
« Reply #10 on: July 25, 2015, 11:16:26 AM »
Quote from: JustRico on July 25, 2015, 09:17:24 AM
Markings on the lanes, primarily the arrows were put into place in the late 50's and were derived off the average male (5'9") giving them a place to target....standing at the foul line in a somewhat athletic position, their eyesight were placed at the 16-18' range....
So targeting is a 'feel' thing but, IMHO it should be done in a way as such the head, body and/or eyes are allowed in a natural unconstrived somewhat natural position...if your eyes want to go to a certain part of the lane, due to body positioning and you, the bowler force them to a different area, you're changing your natural body positioning which will effect your release and potentially your leverage

I remember back when I returned to bowling, looking at the dots just passed the foul line made me lean forward too much and/or made my head tilt downward. At times, even though I'm short, looking at the outside arrows made feel that way too. It didn't feel comfortable, but my old coach taught me this and I listened lol
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