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Author Topic: Too many ball changes  (Read 2951 times)

Pinbuster

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Too many ball changes
« on: December 30, 2003, 07:56:29 PM »
Most of the experienced members on this board can recall that time you made a ball change and the lane opened up and/or more importantly the carry became phenomenal.

But do we remember the number of times that we kept searching for that ball and never found it. I am willing to bet that more times than not this is the case. Often our scores suffer while we are trying to find the proper line for the new ball as well. I’ve often seen a  bowler who constantly changes ball, maybe going thru 4 or 5+ balls in a 3 game set, and never find anything and shoot bad.

Now I’m not talking about the obvious when you throw your first few shots and know instantly that the lanes are far too slick/dry for that ball and adjust to a more aggressive/milder ball. Once you know how aggressive of a ball to throw on the condition (which should be easily determined during practice) it should not take more than 1 ball change after that to adjust your hook shape.

Would we score just as high on average (or higher) if we simply stayed with the first ball and adjusted our line a little?

I feel bowlers are looking for the ball that  covers up their inability to adjust for carry and/or their inability to feel comfortable playing a different line than their favorite. Too much attention is being given to balls and drilling and not enough on execution.
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no1bucsfan

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Re: Too many ball changes
« Reply #1 on: December 31, 2003, 11:03:25 AM »
Thank you Pinbuster, that's what I have been preaching for ever. One ball can be used for almost all conditions if you know how to adjust your line and release.
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9andaWiggle

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Re: Too many ball changes
« Reply #2 on: December 31, 2003, 11:06:57 AM »
quote:
I feel bowlers are looking for the ball that covers up their inability to adjust for carry and/or their inability to feel comfortable playing a different line than their favorite. Too much attention is being given to balls and drilling and not enough on execution.


I agree.  However, I have one ball (a urethane Scout) that I take not just as a spare ball, but as a "go-to" ball.  In other words, if I struggle for more than 6 or 7 frames and cannot find anything that works to my satisfaction, I will go-to this ball.  It's got a mild, even temperament and will not surprise me on the backend.  As long as I hit my mark and get a clean release, I can get it to the pocket easily, but 10 pins are sometimes a handful if the backends aren't clean.  But... shooting 9/ every frame, to me, is better than shooting at a bunch of garbage all night.

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iommifan

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Re: Too many ball changes
« Reply #3 on: December 31, 2003, 11:08:19 AM »
I agree, most of the high average bowlers I know only use one ball. They don't jump around alot, or at all.
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stormerjip

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Re: Too many ball changes
« Reply #4 on: December 31, 2003, 11:30:41 AM »
this may be true and especially in a league but in our league they only strip the lanes fully once every two months and they try to do backends buy hand and it doesn't work fully sometimes and the century 100 is starting to die a little bit and never know what its going to put down.  but then if u go to a tournament and u find a line that gets to the pocket and u try all ur little adjustments it might take some fine tuning or changing to try to find a better carrying line
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LuckyLefty

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Re: Too many ball changes
« Reply #5 on: December 31, 2003, 11:34:34 AM »
Have I ever seen this post or something like it, hmmmm, let me see, maybe YES.
Maybe about 2000 times.

Still somewhat interesting!

Is the correct answer, different HAND positions?  Just guessing!?

However, to be a little more serious.

I have noticed this, when I, or the top pros on TV use more than two balls in a game it is not too much longer before we are both toast.

Me looking like Steve Spurrier after a 5 - 11 season but $10 mill poorer.
Them looking a lot like adios!

Who was it who used 4 balls recently in a game, Chris Barnes, I think.
Instant or very soon to be toast!

REgards,

Luckylefty
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Rock77

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Re: Too many ball changes
« Reply #6 on: December 31, 2003, 11:46:34 AM »
I used to be one of those guys who would bring 4-6 balls with me to league and switch 2-3 times a game. But, since I have been reading all the posts about too many balls too help us nowadays, I got to thinking. If I carry only one ball and learn to make line and hand changes as the night goes on, I will be a better bowler. So, for the past month and a half, I bring 2 balls to league,
V2 particle and a Hammer Vicious Parcicle, plus my WD. But, I use the 5 minutes of practice to see what ball gives me a better reaction and allows me to play my comfort zone and that is the ball I stay with all night (usually the V2). But over the past month and a half, I have learned alot about adjusting with the condition changes and being able to stay IN the oil. I feel I am becoming a better bowler and more knowledgeable!!
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Pinbuster

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Re: Too many ball changes
« Reply #7 on: December 31, 2003, 11:50:31 AM »
LuckyLefty - I'm not a big on hand position changes. If you have a solid "A" game you should be able to make minor lane adjusments and continue to use the same ball. I feel too many bowlers who have less than solid "A" games play with hand positions when their time would be better spent simply perfecting their "A" game.

I'm also speaking in general terms of normal league conditions not PBA or sport type conditions.
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LuckyLefty

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Re: Too many ball changes
« Reply #8 on: December 31, 2003, 11:52:56 AM »
Sorry,

I thought it was a Sawbones post and I was trying to please him!

REgards,

Luckylefty
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9andaWiggle

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Re: Too many ball changes
« Reply #9 on: December 31, 2003, 12:08:32 PM »
LuckyLefty - You're a LEFTY!  I thought you didn't need to change balls or adjust! LOL!
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Leftyhi-trak

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Re: Too many ball changes
« Reply #10 on: December 31, 2003, 12:09:08 PM »
For leagues i would say it could be done effectively for Sport or tourney conditions no not as effective. Transition occurs less on most House shots and when it does it tends to do the same thing almost all the time. If you pay attention most of the good bowlers in a house will make the adjustment almost immediately. Not usually losing to much in terms of pins. Sport or tourney conditions can make you play totally different parts of the lanes upon transition and adjustment and different surfaces may be prevalent to scoring.  I totally believe our sport is overblown with equipment and less to do with proper fundamentals but who's fault is it. It still comes back to the bowler or general public who are looking for the answer in a box and not work on the game like years of old. 25 yrs ago you had 4-6 choices of balls /year from all manufacturers so you were forced to learn to become better, now buy a ball for a certain condition. I use a lot of equipment also so when it comes down to shooting 250+ to win money/ game you can't take a lot of time to work a new shot.

Edited on 12/31/2003 1:09 PM
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janderson

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Re: Too many ball changes
« Reply #11 on: December 31, 2003, 12:15:51 PM »
Another thing that causes people to shift equipment around like this is the feeling that they "can't figure out the lanes".  They switch to a new ball hoping the new ball will give them a better "read" on the conditions.  However, if the problem is how you are throwing the ball in the first place (ie. you're being very inconsistent in your speed, release, line, etc), this can quickly lead to a misperception of the lane conditions, which in turn can lead to bad choices in equipment and adjustments.
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LuckyLefty

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Re: Too many ball changes
« Reply #12 on: December 31, 2003, 12:32:54 PM »
9 I am a lane change magnification machine!!!  Decent revs and softer speed.

Last year I finished up a season where the high righty average finished 19 pins higher than the high left and 31 pins higher than the second highest lefty!

Have you ever heard of such a thing.  8 to 10 of the lefties were among our areas big money winners and handicap and scratch tourney winners.

I wish that many of the righties had been lefties to bowl where there is 8 times less backend.  It could have been fun for you and many others!

THe night I enjoyed it the most was the night my opponent with half my hand threw a 246 with 6 brooklyns.  During that night I hit the pocket 31 times in a row flush.  Had 21 ringing 7 pins and 10 strikes over 3 games.

That is called mentally stimulating!  I really wished that all righties could have enjoyed the pleasure of endless carrydown(from previous plastic and backup ball league) for an evening!  So fun!

REgards,,

Luckylefty
Luckylefty
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Ishmael

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Re: Too many ball changes
« Reply #13 on: December 31, 2003, 01:13:38 PM »
The objective is to score.  Whether you do it with line changes or release changes or ball changes is irrelevant.

The biggest problem that I see is guys changing balls when they are making bad shots.  Effective changes of any type can only be made when you are executing quality shots and understand why you're leaving what you're leaving.
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sdbowler

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Re: Too many ball changes
« Reply #14 on: December 31, 2003, 01:28:18 PM »
I have been on both sides of this subject. Some nights you just get into a groove using the same line and you change your equipment to stay there. Some nights you can search and search for a line with a ball and not find and have to switch to something else and start that whole process all over again. It is good to know how to adjust but also to know your equipment and what it will do. I see some people that stay with the same line and ball no matter what it is doing. I am sure that we all have been in that place thinking that you are throwing the ball bad and try to adjust on how you are throwing. Earlier in the season I was short arming the ball really bad and could not get away from it so my ball was jumping really hard for me and I could not control it. It is best to be able to know how to adjust but also to know when to use a different ball and stay there as well. If the line is working well for you and the ball starts to take off why not switch to a different ball and stay on the same line??
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