while i think naming each pattern was a great marketing ploy by the pba, i think alot of bowlers read too much into well cheetah typically plays out, or viper plays like a house shot with out of bounds, etc. i was always taught to watch ball reaction and adjust accordingly. typically i use practice (if any) to try to gauge what length the pattern is and try to get a read on the volume of the pattern based off of what my ball does. if the pattern is posted, i always try to find the length of the pattern first. typically for me, i was always taught if the pattern is short say 35 ft., to play it as direct from the outside portion of the lane. longer patterns, say 40-45 feet, you typically want a breakpoint somewhere towards 10-15. this is not always etched in stone, just a general starting point. while there have been exceptions, this has generally worked for me probably 80-85% of the time. and you are right about straighter being better for the pba shots. starting as far outside as possible on any shot only helps to break it down. so if everyone would try to play as far right as possible then when the shot breaks down you should have a couple boards of area when you start migrating inside.
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