Hey everyone,

I just got back from nationals, and I wanted to report in how I did.  

I shot 1752 but it could have easily been 1850+.  My first game in team was a 153 and my first game of doubles was 148 - this pretty much killed my chance of getting to 1800 (my personal goal) or making any money in brackets...  

My team shot 2969, so we should get some money back I should get a couple of dollars from singles and AE.

Anyway I started shooting the team event at the track area up the boards around 10 with a G-Force solid and had way too much over-under.  I switched to my TNV and had a better look but still the shot was not quite there.  I did a 2-2 parallel REVERSE move and played up 8 and after the 153 in team, shot 225 and 228.  The line held up very well in team event and I did not have to make any more moves.  

In the doubles I tried to shoot the line I was using in teams, but found nothing, I kept moving in a little at a time the shot just got worse.  Then I did another 2-2 parallel REVERSE move (from my starting line), shooting up the 6 board and had a much better shot.  This line held up and after the 148 opening game, I shot 207 and 211.  In singles, the line was close to my doubles line, but I did not execute very well I shot 177, 192, 211.  In singles I started moving right (being left-handed) a few boards in the second and third games.

All in all, this was my best showing at nationals ever.  I used my TNV and my spare ball for all but the first game of the tournament.  I did donate about $100 in bracket money, but won that and more from the casinos.

I recommend shooting the Bowler's Journal before you bowl in the nationals.  IMO, the BJ shot was tougher and prepared me very well for shooting the national shot.  

I also recommend NOT shooting in the forty frame game unless you can loft the ball.  The wood approaches do not line up with the synthetic lane beds and if you are like me and lay the ball down early, it will literally jump in the air at release, blowing any chance of scoring...

We stayed at the El Dorado, which was very nice, but I mostly gambled at the Silver Legacy (much better tables and dealers there).  I won $300 from slots at the El Dorado the first night we were there and I won about $100 from the Silver Legacy at the black jack and roulette tables.  I also had good luck at the Peppermill playing black jack and roulette (I won about $130).

Good luck to those who are going in the last couple weeks of the tourney!!


--------------------
Thanks,
Paul Saunders
InSite Bowling Products webmaster
http://www.insitebowlingproducts.com
(866) 405-bowl

Hi Jesse,

Down and in is my "A" game.  When I saw I could play there, I did not try inside on the fresh shot.  In doubles, I migrated "inside" and tried both a 15 to 10 and 20 to 10, but I do not turn the ball enough to bring it back with anything on it.  I did not try a stronger ball than the TNV, so the combination of an "inside" shot with a stronger ball might have worked.

I did bowl with several "crankers" that prefer playing inside.  These guys throw 20+ mph and put 500+ revs on the ball.  They did well with a small swing shot on the fresh, throwing 15 out to 10.  After the shot broke down, they had a bit more room and played 20 to 10.  The guy that did best started with a TNV, switched off to a Fury to combat the carry down and then went back to the TNV when the shot broke down.  

The lanes are playable from a lot of different angles, which is the way the USBC likes it.  This gives all different styles a chance, it just comes down to execution.  This year it seemed not too many people were playing inside of 20, at least on the squads that I observed.  I did have a margin of error of few boards, which is not typical of past USBC shots.  A "few boards" being 1 or 2 on my strike ball.  

You should put a premium on your spare shooting as this can make or break a game.  Both of my low games could have been 30 pins higher had I made my "makeable" spares.  I left a couple of wide open splits, but I still could have done better, so this is my best advice.

Good luck to you!!

--------------------
Thanks,
Paul Saunders
InSite Bowling Products webmaster
http://www.insitebowlingproducts.com
(866) 405-bowl


Edited on 6/23/2007 3:56 PM