I have been every year since 2009(No Southpoint then, it was at the Cashman Center in the "nice" part of Las Vegas).

For the past 7 or 8 years the pattern has changed very little. You may be able get last years pattern and have your local house put it out for you. Depends on your house of course.

If you get a chance to practice on the shot from one of the last three or four years, what you see this year will probably be somewhat close. So find three or four balls you can control on those patterns.

If you take 8 balls, you are just screwing yourself. You don't have time to "find" the correct ball out of 8 or even 6. As for what balls to take, you know your game, just make sure it's balls that you know how they react in relation to each other. Not to mention, it's a massive pain in the ass to get 8 balls to and through the scales and then out on the lanes. And if you don't have them shipped via BBE, you will have to drag them though the casino for roughly 1/2 mile. Honestly, it is a long way from the parking lot to the venue.

So if you get the chance to practice the previous years pattern, spend several different sessions and get a feel. The pattern is tough. It will fool you into thinking there is a shot up the 10 board, but there isn't. If you insist on playing that shot, you will shoot a 150. Usually the shot breaks at the 7-8 board at 40ish feet. Miss a board to the right and it skates for a washout, tug it a board or two left and it's through the nose. By the end of the set, especially for Minors, you will need a ball that you can play a tighter line inside as the pattern tends to get very dry(depending on the bowlers you are with).

The best advise is be aware of your ball speed. Ball speed consistency is huge as is spare shooting. Grinding out a 200 is a decent set for most of us.


Now, having said all that, expect to get your butt whipped. :-) The shot depends on the lane topography and the bowlers you are crossing with, much more than a house shot you are used to playing.


So the best advise, just go and enjoy the event. It can be fun no matter how you bowl. Plan to eat at a nice restaurant, try not to give too much money away to the casino, maybe watch a show. Enjoy the experience this time and next year you will do much better(At least that's what we all tell ourselves each time.)

Well this year will be my 17th trip (in 18 years, skipped 2008), and what Milo said is pretty spot on.

I will say that I've had moderate success in the tournament, except at South Point. I need to get that out of my head honestly.

My advice would be 4 balls maximum. Keep it as simple as possible. Even rolling symmetric balls to start, & make sure to bring one that flips on the back in transition & late in your minors squad.

And yes, too bad about the 40 Frame Game getting canned. I always bowled it after the National tournament, as you can do real well on a much easier house pattern.

Any advice to make the best of a bad situation?  In minors I’m bowling with a couple of heavy surface guys.  It’s just who they are.  By  singles I’m expecting a hole from 17 to 7.  They play different areas of the lane and being house bowers would expect to hit a roughly 5 board area at best.

Not my a game but I’m considering.

1). Take shiny weaker reactive pearl and play deep through whats left of the head oil and hope to slow hook it back.

2). Take a short pin weak reactive pearl and play the dry area those guys burn up.

3).  Take a urethane ball, start left of the burn and hope to control the back end.

Last time I bowled with these guys, I didn’t know what to expect.  I wasn’t comfortable going left of fourth arrow and got my weakest ball and watched it hook super early cause these guys burnt up the heads.  Shot in the 160s while banging my head against the wall.

Thank you for the replies. This is valuable insight.

I was thinking on just taking four balls and it seems like that's the correct path. One of them is my Mix so that leaves three others. Probably some combination between a Jackal LE, UC3, Nuclear Cell, Conspiracy Theory, Idol Pearl, and a Hustle HYB. Outside chance of an original Honey Badger sneaking in there, but that's usually not one for tougher patterns.

Take 4 balls. You’ll take 8 and use 3 anyway. Take something slow and round with surface, something quick with surface and something quick with a cleaner cover and a spare ball.

Team, play out around 5-6-7 and keep moving left.

Minors, play the track to start and keep moving left.

Don’t be that guy that takes the newest big ball (i.e. a Gem) to “blow a path” in the pattern, it already hooks, what you want is hold not more hook. If you chose to use an obnoxiously strong ball In team you’re going to make them wet/dry and shoot 460 team.

Thank you. That was another question I had in mind. I've heard conflicting reports from locals who make the trip but they're not really those who I trust so much at reading the lane. Would you say something in the Phaze II range is "strong enough" or am I undershooting it a bit?

Take 4 balls. You’ll take 8 and use 3 anyway. Take something slow and round with surface, something quick with surface and something quick with a cleaner cover and a spare ball.

Team, play out around 5-6-7 and keep moving left.

Minors, play the track to start and keep moving left.

Don’t be that guy that takes the newest big ball (i.e. a Gem) to “blow a path” in the pattern, it already hooks, what you want is hold not more hook. If you chose to use an obnoxiously strong ball In team you’re going to make them wet/dry and shoot 460 team.

Great advice IMO!