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Author Topic: Reading the lanes: what do I look for?  (Read 1550 times)

lilpossum1

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Reading the lanes: what do I look for?
« on: November 18, 2017, 02:38:24 PM »
I'm not good at reading the lanes. I bowl in a very challenging house, and you don't average over 200 by "the ball hooked too much. I need to move left." I need to learn how to read if the heads are gone, oil is short, ball is reading late from carry down (actually carry down. Not dry heads) and learn where to play the breakpoint from night to night. All that stuff. Can anyone give me some pointers on what to look for? Preferably more insight than just "watch what the ball is doing." Like what do I watch for with the ball? Thank you!

 

northface28

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Re: Reading the lanes: what do I look for?
« Reply #1 on: November 18, 2017, 04:52:27 PM »
Where does the ball go as it leaves the pin deck? that tells a lot.
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HackJandy

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Re: Reading the lanes: what do I look for?
« Reply #2 on: November 18, 2017, 06:28:36 PM »
Here are some excellent articles I know about in BTM.  Its not free but BTM is an awesome resource in general.

https://www.bowlingthismonth.com/bowling-tips/see-the-clues-make-the-moves/
https://www.bowlingthismonth.com/bowling-tips/the-fundamentals-of-target-line-adjustments/
Kind of noob when made this account so take advice with grain of salt.

BallReviews-Removed0385

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Re: Reading the lanes: what do I look for?
« Reply #3 on: November 19, 2017, 04:20:06 AM »
I like to watch the rotation and speed of the ball as it travels down the lane, because once it finds adequate friction it's going to head that direction.  Thus, if you can see rotation but no change of direction then the ball has not encountered enough friction and the bowler needs to move until he finds it.  It's good training for the eye and it keeps my mind from wandering too far. 


I watch most every ball from every bowler and try to anticipate where the ball will end up.  Higher revs will respond faster, and some cover stocks respond faster or slower by themselves.  The more you do this the better you will become at reading ball motion and what's on the lanes.



 
« Last Edit: November 19, 2017, 08:47:54 AM by notclay »

lilpossum1

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Re: Reading the lanes: what do I look for?
« Reply #4 on: November 19, 2017, 05:08:24 PM »
Thank you for the responses! Unfortunately, I have a hard time spending the $40 to subscribe to btm. I think that is what it was anyway. I can see why I should. As for watching how the ball goes through the pin deck, I struggle with trying to watch that for some reason. As soon as the ball hits the pins, my eyes automatically focus on the pins and how they move. Like what falls last, how they interact, how high in the pocket the ball hits, etc. But following the ball through the pins is hard for me. For the last two days, I have been trying to watch what the ball is doing through the whole lane as far as if I see the ball arcing left from dry midlanes. Is that one thing I should be looking for?

avabob

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Re: Reading the lanes: what do I look for?
« Reply #5 on: November 20, 2017, 01:33:54 PM »
You have to watch your ball as it transitions, and recognize the different looks as it starts to transition. 

leftybowler70

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Re: Reading the lanes: what do I look for?
« Reply #6 on: November 20, 2017, 03:21:45 PM »
You have to watch your ball as it transitions, and recognize the different looks as it starts to transition. 

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