I like using some surface on the Viper pattern.  Knock the shine off the HyRoad to 2000 abralon or so and try again.  The surface is much more important in getting to the pocket than the drilling.  When you can get to the pocket confidently THEN you can start messing with drillings.

Most PBA patterns like when you use a little surface.  


*backswing
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Storm Staff 2009

Professional Approach Staff So Cal

Spit_Fire,

If I might, a couple of thoughts:

1. We can guess all night long but if you post some info about your delivery and the balls you used and how you got to the "6 board", that could help clear up some confusion about your problems.

2. I am in a PBA-X league for the first time in a 3-4 years. We had 2 weeks of Chameleon which, I guess, is easier than the Viper since it's longer and closer to a house shot. Next up is the Cheetah and I'm very leery of what to use for it myself. I have 4 balls prepared and wonder if anyone will even be close.

3. As I understand the patterns, as of this summer and this coming fall, all have been lengthened by 2 feet, but all still remain, let's call them  non-heavy oil amounts but very tricky. I have heard/read, if it helps at all, that the current Viper plays a lot like the current Cheetah, UNTIL THE LANE BREAK DOWN. Then with the Viper, you often have to move inside TWO "zones" worth, while with the Cheetah you  still move either one inside or one outside, depending.

So for the Viper, for example, if you were playing 8 out to 6 at the breakpoint (I still do not know how you were "playing" the 6 board), you might have to make your first move out to 15 at the arrows out to 8/9 at the breakpoint, instead of 10/11 at the arrows, out to 6/8 board.

A friend recently played the Viper breakdown in the 3rd/4th game, moving really deep, 30 at the arrows out to 14 board at the breakpoint, but he has good revs (375 rpms), good hand, strong, rolling release and a very sharp eye, using an Ultra Zone.

Good luck.
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"None are so blind as those who will not see."

Edited on 6/12/2009 8:58 PM

We just started Viper in my PBAX league last week. It's a 6 game doubles league. I agree with a lot of what Charlest said.

In practice I found I could throw a Cell, Shift or Agent pretty straight up 4-6 board depending on where I was standing on the approach. For me the further right I got the more consistent it seemed to be. I decided to take the weakest of those balls and play as far right as the shot would allow so I threw the Agent(4" pin to PAP, pin over ring, 1500) straight up 4 board to start. By the end of game 2 I'd made two 2-1 adjustments keeping my breakpoint at 3-4 board. I saw a large transition in game 3 and had to make a 7-7 move left so I finished playing 14 out to 7 and shot 203-207-191-601.

We switched pairs after 3 games and no one was playing outside on that pair. Because of that I was able to repeat what I did the first set but this time they played a little tighter so I threw the Shift(45x4.5x60, pin under, 2000 polished). I shot 186-215-401 after 2 games but hurt my wrist the third game. If others had broke down the outside on the second pair I'd expect I would've had to play between 20-25 out to 7-8 by the end of the night.

So far my best reaction on the Viper has been with a Rogue Cell hit with a scotch brite pad to rough it just a bit.

Viper is almost like a Hous shot.
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I like bowling because it give me 3 holes of fun.

I don't know about getting 3 outside of 5....the Viper to me is actually the most open pattern out of all the PBA patterns. If you stay out during practice with something that will burn the outside a little you can create a pretty easy shot. I have had from 3-8 at the breakpoint on Viper on several occasions when it was broke down correctly.

 I have to use a polished pearl after about a half a game though. The Hot Sauce gives me a good lookout of what I have now. Then ball down again later to my Link. I think the key is in breaking the pattern down right though.

quote:

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except if you put it outside 5 your getting 3 and if you put it inside of 7 you going through the face.......
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HG:300x2(SR300 both)
HS:792(SR300)
2004 NYSPHSAA team champions
2007 NYSPHSAA individual high game(300) and series(1411-6 games)
sacred heart university bowling, frosh.
greatest accomplishment:shooting 603 and not shooting one 200 game(130,173,300)...lol
balls for sale in my profile
p.s. go leftys

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