A team from here (Vancouver, Canada) played last week and their scores are pathethic.
The best of the group shot high 215, low 154, all events 1593.
    Worst...................... 201,     104             1398.

They  have established average of near 220, strokers, and have played in the Stadium multiple times.

Looking at their 3 game scores, there's no pattern that they read the lanes wrong.

Will be talking to them when they return to get a clearer picture.

Anyone else find the shot that tough?









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baiki

"Faulty mechanics makes all balls bad."  Bill Hall, BTM Dec. '98

I only shot 1393.  It was tough.  I am not great by any means, but the shot wasn't easy.  I have watched SrKegler rip up tough conditions in the past.  I think he was lost most of the time there.  One guy we bowled with said this was his 22nd nationals and this one played tougher than any he had bowled in the past.  

I do think the shot was fair though.  As long as we all bowl on the same condition it is fair to me.
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I don't really play cards and I am not 79, but it fits together somehow.

It's a 106 miles to Chicago. We've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark and we're wearing sunglasses.

Here is my (rather lenghty) righty high-track stroker/tweener point of view...

Team (8:30pm)-  179-171-200-550 (lanes 11-12)

I thought there was a playable shot between 1st and 4th arrows.  I chose the track around 13 board with my stacked leverage V2 Particle (60 games - dullish box finish).  Never really found the pocket consistently, speed and release control were very touchy.  My pocket carry was decent, but light hits left the 7 pin for me often.  Didn't bowl bad, but never started changing lines too much for fear of splits, etc.

Crankers played around 4th, some played 12 to 6 with speed, all with varied success.  The highest of our group of 10 was a solid tweener, who I think is an excellent tourney bowler, shot 675 playing 15 to 10 with a solid V2 reactive.

Doubles (11:30pm)-  210-198-176-584  lanes 49-50

With the V2 Particle again, but direct up 5 board... I wish I would have tried this in Team.  Bowled well, if I hit 4 with a good release, I'd get a light strike, hitting 6 board with a weak release was good too.  But here is where the twisters really made a difference to me.  Every time I hit 6 with a good release I left a 4-9.  In total, 4 4-9's in this set really frustrated me (2 in the last game).  Then I noticed the guys with more turn leaving a few 4-9's also, but a lot of solid 9s on flush shots, more than normal.

Singles - 165-151-188 lanes 51-52

Tried the same line as doubles, had a little more hook, but the shot was way more touchy.  Greek churches, a washout or two.  Just not a good pair for me as I never got comfortable.  Crankers were 5th arrow or even a bit more inside by now. Tried inside myself the last game with a shiny cuda/c, 20-25 board and didn't have a consistent reaction or carry.  My highlight was I converted the 5-7-8, I'm  now 100% lifetime on that spare.

Personally, I think I needed some new equipment.  I only buy 1 ball a year max, and I'm realizing for ABC, I need to create ball reaction on the back part of the lane to open the shot up more with my limited hand.  My 10:30 ball is an old Tidal Wave and my label 1:30 drill is a cuda/c.  I think if I had a new 10:30 Ult. Inferno or sanded V2, and a label drill XXX factor or Apocolypse, I think I could have scored better.

Overall, I think any style can play any where they want.  It's going to just matter if you find something and hit the right pair.  11-12 were much nicer than 49-52 in terms of consistency of shots.  I saw higher rev bowlers with shiny weaker stuff to duller aggressive and the same with the straighter bowlers.

Why not ask some of the guys that shot over 700 for one of their sets or shot 1900 for all events - that will help. I am sure they will tell you to stay inside 15 and HIT YOUR MARK AND BREAKPOINT at the same angle and speed every ball (until you have to move - which is probably every 5 shots on those lanes).

The lanes are bad - that's why they're being replaced. But  the good bowlers usually bowl good and the ones like me, who bowls well on THS bowls good 3 out of 9 games................Agree with prior - BE PREPARED TO MAKE ALL OF YOUR SPARES if you want to shoot a decent set/event.

I just got back from Reno, and found the lanes playable from a deep inside line, until Singles. I struggled big time in the singles event, as the mid-lane dried up, but carrydown was present on the back. I ended up flattening my release and going up the channel, and had better results. Summary:yet another learning experience. As posted above, make your spares. The muliple-pin spares are obviously tougher to make at the Stadium.
Regarding Team USA, I saw them bowl, and was surprised that some of the heavy-hitters struggled. It just shows you that you can have a bad day on the lanes, even at that level.
ps- Yes, those twister pins are strange. Don't expect to trip out 4-9s or get any back-door 2-pins to fall for strikes.

Edited on 3/18/2004 10:20 PM

Finally got to talk to them at a tournament.

Seems the shot is tight and repitation of each shot is a must. Having great mechanics with a slight difference in follow through can cause the ball to skid for a wash-out or brooklyn. A lot of solid pocket splits and chops. Main complain was their doubles and Singles were at 7.00 AM. One of them said they are not fully awake even after bowling both events.

They all swear that they have not spent the night before staying up late  gambling or drinking. Their words was they stayed clean until after their events.

This team have been bowling ABC Nationals in Reno since the first ABC there and have cashed everytime. They are active tournament bowlers in their early 40's and 3 of the 5 runs pro-shops.









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baiki

"Faulty mechanics makes all balls bad."  Bill Hall, BTM Dec. '98

SrKegler,

Sorry, did not ask them. In fact they were so ashamed that they were not willing to talk about it until I showed them their scores that I've printed out.


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baiki

"Faulty mechanics makes all balls bad."  Bill Hall, BTM Dec. '98