Well, another Open Championships has come and gone. Seeing as how we're all looking for that extra edge out there, I'll give you my report on what I saw and experienced during my three days in Reno this year. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me or respond here.
Lodging: My group stayed at Grand Sierra this time around. The hotel is fairly nice, and staying outside of downtown Reno definitely gives the trip a different feel. There are several nice restaurants on site. The cafe is very nice for breakfast, and they have a very high end steak house if you're in the mood to treat yourself. Just be warned, it's pricey. Our two teams ate there after team event and racked up a bill of more than $700. lol
Bowling: First and foremost, if at all possible, schedule the one-hour team practice session on the Showcase Lanes. Our group felt that what we saw on the Showcase Lanes was very, very close to what we saw when actually bowling the event.
With that in mind, go with the strategy of using surface (most of us used 500) to burn up the outside by throwing up 5-6-7 during practice and for most of Game 1. From there, start tucking in 2-3 boards at a time with both your feet and target, and you'll be golden. This strategy helped our companion team to 3054 (which could've been a lot higher if not for a few bad breaks carry-wise late in the going) and my team, which includes a senior and a classified bowler, to 2834.
Minors were tough for my partner and I because we had to bowl an earlier squad than the rest of our group. In fact, he and I shared a pair with just one other duo, two ladies who threw polished equipment up the gut. As such, it was tough for us to burn things in the way that we had during team.
Still, I think the approach to minors should be pretty much the same. The 8 guys in our group did that during doubles, and we had one of our doubles teams shoot 1290 and actually have a shot at the overall lead halfway through Game 3. As is usually the case, just keep bumping inside a few boards at a time throughout minors, keeping the moves parallel and balling down as necessary.
If you follow this plan, the lanes can become very playable. If you move inside too early or have 10 guys doing their own thing, they can become just about impossible for everyone!
Personal: I carded 1698 this year (566 team; 520 doubles; 612 singles), which, sadly, is about average for me. As usual, I actually felt like I played the lanes properly and was on top of what needed to be done. Unfortunately, I just lack the physical game to make the shots necessary to take advantage of what my eyes are seeing.
In regard to ball selection, since that's always a popular topic, here's what I used:
Brunswick Nirvana (pin up at 500 grit) - This was the ball I used during practice and most of Game 1 during both sets to be sure we were burning up the spot up 5-6-7; DV8 Grudge (pin in ring at 1500 grit) - This was the second in command during both squads. Obviously, this ball was cleaner up front than the 500-grit Nirvana, and it offered more movement and continuation. I shot 249 with this one the second game of Team; Brunswick Melee (pin under bridge at 1000 grit) - I tried this one a bit during doubles in order to give me some midlane read with a controllable move off the spot. I think it could've been decent had I thrown it better, but that wasn't in the cards; Brunswick Brute Strength (Pin over bridge at 1500 grit) - I really liked the look this ball gave me toward the end of team (despite throwing a lousy score with it) and during all of singles. The ball gave me push without being squirty, and it gave me backend without being flippy. As long as I trusted the ball and didn't miss it at the bottom, my look was great with this piece during the latter stages of Team and Doubles and throughout Singles.
All in all, I had a blast this time around. Although my personal performance left a lot to be desired, I was a part of a great group with a great plan who managed to put up some really, really nice scores. In the end, as always, it comes down to execution. There is no magic ball or anything like that. Yes, there are certain things you should do or not do. Yes, there are certain parts of the lane you should play or not play. Still, when all is said and done, it comes down to how you throw the ball. Sadly, my physical game still keeps me limited there; nevertheless, in the end, it just gives me motivation to keep pushing myself to improve. My hope is that I can make some strides this year so that a better performance is in the offing at South Point next year.
Thanks for reading. Again, if you have questions, feel free to ask.
