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Author Topic: Preferred League Ball - Strong or Weak?  (Read 8708 times)

Strapper_Squared

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Preferred League Ball - Strong or Weak?
« on: December 16, 2014, 04:05:57 PM »
What is the best approach for a standard THS?  Take something strong and move inside out of the gate?  Or use a milder cover/surface/layout and play more up the boards?

I've seen both approaches work well...sometimes even on the same pair.

Thoughts?
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Pinbuster

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Re: Preferred League Ball - Strong or Weak?
« Reply #16 on: December 17, 2014, 04:23:51 PM »
Personally I use a weaker ball on a THS. There is generally plenty of dry somewhere on the lane to work with.

But that is my A game. And that is what a THS shot does, gives pretty much everyone a chance to play their A game.

On fresh you are probably not going to run out of adjustment area so any choice will work.

Now on sport shots where a shot is not built into the lane pattern it is more important that all participants work together to break down the lane controllably. Particularly in longer formats.

I know a dozen years ago on the PBA tour, qualifying squads full of rookies suffered because they all wanted to get inside and wheel the lane. But all that did was destroy the pattern and by the 5th or 6th game in a 9 game block the lanes were so chewed up they were unplayable.

The veterans would play the lanes similarly and by the 5th game the lanes would open up and become even more scoreable.
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avabob

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Re: Preferred League Ball - Strong or Weak?
« Reply #17 on: December 18, 2014, 10:16:41 AM »
Good post pinbuster.  I started seeing this situation almost 15 years ago in local tournaments.  One association would run a senior tournament one week and a regular tournament the following.  I always scored better on the same pattern in the senior because we didn't have guys moving in right away. 

I still see this a lot any time there are a bunch of high rev guys.  The transitions get real tricky.  THS is a bit wet dry to begin with.  Guys moving in too quick just move the wet dry line in, and worse, the dry track become is very angular, forcing us lower rev guys to throw around the oil line and cover way more boards than is best for our game.

If you look at what is left of the tour now, all the guys play much more direct and further right on the long patterns.  The only exception was last year on the badger when the guy purposely tried to blow up the pattern because he knew he could loft the lane better than the other guys. 
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Brickguy221

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Re: Preferred League Ball - Strong or Weak?
« Reply #18 on: December 18, 2014, 12:09:35 PM »
The Primal Rage is my current favorite since moving up to 13#. Prior to that it was the Thrash Frenzy and the Primal Scream when I was forced to throw 12# due to back surgery. I also have a 13# Octane, but it isn't my favorite, not at the moment anyhow.
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Brandon Riley

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Re: Preferred League Ball - Strong or Weak?
« Reply #19 on: December 18, 2014, 12:10:26 PM »
On fresh it would be a stronger cover, weaker core with a steadier layout.
My main concern on a THS is when I miss left or spin the ball (my 2 main mistakes) that the ball won't hook and leave me a 2pin.
Transition is a toss up because most bowlers in my mixed league average 140 so my feet usually end up right of where I started due to all of the carrydown.
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Brandon Riley
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