Discuss.
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Telling it like it is.

I will agree up to a point, but in reality, almost nobody can repeat shots EXACTLY time after time. There are always minor variations in the approach, release point, finger pressure, rotation and lift, etc. etc. To top that off, there is the constant transition that the lane undergoes. However, part of being good, or in Walter Ray's case GREAT - is the ability to find a way to "create area". Their ability to repeat shots is so much better than most of us that they don't need much help from the lane. Most bowlers today need to have their area created by the friendly lane man, but the superstars are able to do that with the correct choice of equipment, line, and technique. So perhaps along with the phrase "repeating shots", we also need to add "matching up" to the list of attributes that the top superstars seem to have over their opponents?

You guy's seem to have left out one very important fact and that is it's a money game and WRW is out to make money every week,mnth,year.The last 2 yrs. he has made over $500,000 and $3.5 mil. in his career so be mad at the other guy's for not wanting the gold ring like WRW does,so if you had to play the 1 board to win why not? the other guy's chose not to do that so their loss not his
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A Bowling Ball A Day Keeps The Doctor Away

There's such a fine line between consistently cashing and going all the way and winning. Given all the variables in this sport, you probably can't pinpoint the difference to just one thing. Maybe WRW has a more consistent mental game? Doug Kent arguably has a better physical game than WRW. One factor that can't be ruled out is equipment. Good ball reaction fosters confidence. Walter didn't win a whole lot during his Faball days. Ebonite had a good run for a while, but nobody is getting real excited about their stuff recently.

randy pedersen was correct when he stated during the telecast that, "we may never see a player of walter ray's ability again". he's not your average pba touring pro and future generations of up and coming touring pros are going to have their work cut out for them to approach what he's accomplished. congrats on #40 walter !

If you think having a 1 board left and right variation in the heads is real accurate then more power to your.  Again I believe he was more all over the lane in the heads than usual and certainly more than his opponent.

His sensitivity to his armswing and release changes is uncanny.  This is not a criticism.  I believe that this SKILL is truly a skill.  As to hitting his mark on the show Doug Kent was the man.

I am not qualified to hold Walter Rays dirty socks but I've bowled with a lot of guys who hit their mark in the heads a lot better than he did Sunday and they didn't shoot 650!

When I bowl my absolute best I often get into the same sort of thing and have seen on film that when really going good I will often go in a pattern of 1 board left with more hook, one board right with less hook and then splice it!
Where Walter Ray does it every day and 90% of his games I record these incidents as in, "REmember the day when I......".

To put it in perspective when I talk to other players in bowling who scoff at this skill set in bowling and put it as less than hitting your mark in heads, I respond that it is a better skill to have and make the analogy.
"In golf they don't give rewards for who was closest to their intended spot in the air at 50 yards after the ball takes off, they reward who was closest to the pin and then made the putt!"

Walter Ray!

REgards,

Luckylefty
PS I for whatever reason have been called by a local regional champ as my "Only coach".  One of the things he always prided himself on was being the most accurate player in the area at the arrows.  He had also been tested at some tourneys when he was on tour and was always in the top at hitting his mark in the heads(top 3,top 4 etc.)  He's good let me tell you.  Further we went to Kegel and this was shown however he was surprised that his projection angle was not much better than a 180 bowler.

My response, of course not.  YOU WILL do anything to hit your mark.  Break your wrist, twist your body etc.  Instead of focusing on your ultimate target the breakpoint and on holding your form.  Once we got him focused on NOT hitting his mark and focusing on quality position at the line his average has skyrocketed in to the upper stratasphere.  No not 250 but where he has never been before!