League night is quite an adventure. First off all, the apparent volume of oil varies dramatically from week to week on the fresh (It can get pretty heavy up front sometimes). The backends are always CRAZY strong on the fresh (no hold at all inside 10 board) plus the outsides have very little free hook outside 7 (even as a 400+ RPM bowler squaring up with a dull ball haha). Many sport patterns I have bowled on were actually easier IMO.

Being that the pattern plays pretty flat, I tend to start outside five straight up (very small belly) with a pretty early rolling, but relatively mild particle ball (Morich Labyrinth with green scotch brite) and hand almost completely up the back. I have no trouble getting to the pocket but my carry is just horrific. Ringing 10s and swisher 7s almost every other shot. A lot of these shots had the pins dancing around so my roll was pretty solid. I make a 1/2 board move right with my feet keeping the same target and I start getting early hook and leaving 4 pins; sometimes with the 9 accompanying it. So what about moving in and increasing my axis rotation? When I do that, my Labyrinth absolutely refuses to read the mids and it twitches off the end of the pattern which results in ugly leaves such as the 3-4-6-7-9-10 split.

Next, I tried my DV8 Maurader at 2000 and the ball never even thought about getting into a roll. I figured that I might try out my Gauntlet with a green scotch brite. I had to make a 7 board board move with my feet from the Labyrinth and stay up the back. This ball actually read the mids easily but the entry angle was questionable with my lower axis rotation which once again resulted in being in the flat/ringing 10 zone. If I increased the axis rotation on the Gauntlet even slightly, the ball would still read the mids but would go run away brooklyn.   

Normally, I use axis rotation in order to get the proper shape off the end of the pattern. Since I use this type of adjustment a lot, I tend to use equipment that is on the earlier rolling side to control the motion off the spot while increase entry angle into the pocket. The problem with doing that on this pattern is that it forces me to take a big step to the left and give the pocket away too much due to the hook at the end of the pattern. The other problem is that the pattern is so slick up front that missing to the outside by even a couple of boards could result in a gutter ball.

The funny thing is that I recently practiced on the 2016 Open Championships pattern that was laid out at another center and had no problems with entry angle and carry from my dulled up Gauntlet. I could use my normal axis rotation and play out around three board (dangerous I know) with almost no belly and watch it angle into the pocket beautifully. The pattern was very flat and heavy but I found a great look. At my home center, the Gauntlet would hook like mad unless I serious cut down on my axis rotation and even then I had to give the pocket away more than I did on the OC pattern.
 
I will admit, it is frustrating bowling a mid-to-high 500s every week in league when I could walk into another an unfamiliar center and easily shoot a high 600 series. The good news is that I always get plenty of practice at my spares and it challenges me to make good shots even with a less than ideal ball reaction. If I always shot at least 225 per game than I would probably quit bowling out of boredom. The fact I am struggling will make it more rewarding when I do score well because I felt like I EARNED IT.

I know, it is a long-winded post. I am still a college kid so any feedback or suggestions from more experienced bowlers is welcomed!


Just FYI, they use a Brunswick oil machine and have a newer generation of Anvilanes.

Quote from: dmonroe814 on April 02, 2018, 08:33:23 AM

Our shot differs some every night.  Factors in Florida are heat, humidity, who bowled on them before, amount of stripper used....you get the picture.  I like to swing the ball, but outside the 10 is a desert, making it very over under.  A lot of hacks and seniors that force me left to stay out of their tracks as much as possible.  When the back ends are not as clean as normal, and carry is poor, I just close up my angles, come up the back of the ball and really focus on my spares.  Lets me shoot 190-200 vs 160-170.  Simple bowling adjustments.

Hacks & seniors? So, instead of "other bowlers" you have the audacity to offend others who are not hot dog bowlers like yourself. As a silver rated coach I would expect more and better comments from you, but then that's just me. Carry on and good bowling to you.

my, my, my,  I have struck a nerve.  Hacks, yes, guys who think they are great because they can spin a super soaker up the 10 and it hooks on the back end. Seniors, like me, but in their 70’s and 80’s who cannot throw the ball very hard and usually throw a plastic ball down the middle. As a Silver coach, I could help them, but most won’t bowl more than 3 games in league once a week and don’t want any help from an old guy like me.  Most of the guys I consider as hacks are guys who come in once a week, drink, bowl and drink more.  There are better bowlers than me in our house, but most bowlers recognize Hacks as what they are.  Seniors are seniors and do what they can.  No complaints, they change the pattern by the way they throw the ball.  Hacks are usually all over the lane and don’t know why the lane changes for them.  Higher speed and crankers play havoc with my line also, because I have to cross their line twice.  If I have offended you by my definition of hacker, oh well.  I never said anything bad about hackers and seniors, only their styles affect the lanes

Some centers need me to use different responses downlane. Same "strength" but longer or shorter transition. I have 2 houses near me. 1 I get the best look with fast response equipment (Dream On and Drift are 2 of my best looks there), but at another house, I like my X and Night Hawk SE. I can struggle to throw the wrong equipment at the wrong house, but why? Try something drastically different. Move way left with less surface and try to get it back. If you're not scoring on a house shot, you're not playing them right.

Covering more boards with less surface is NOT ideal at all on the fresh. There is no side to side friction at all on the fresh and the backends hook way too much for any misses inside to hold. Next league night, I will start out with a black hammer at 1000 controlling the skid/flip ball reaction on the fresh.

Drink more beer.

Or drill a ball to hook / set.  This means something closer to your axis in the 1-1/2" range and use enough surface.

Flying backends is the only thing there to pay attention to.  If you've got the head oil or the volume period, go with early chuggy stuff, all you need to do is blend the wet/dry so the ball isn't burning so much on the turn, that's what's killing your carry. 

Flying backends is the only thing there to pay attention to.  If you've got the head oil or the volume period, go with early chuggy stuff, all you need to do is blend the wet/dry so the ball isn't burning so much on the turn, that's what's killing your carry. 

If you do not have head oil, flat ten city. We have this problem in our old wood house. Wednesday the top bowler in the house averaging 214 shot 460. The house is super tough any way, but the last few weeks the shot has been unplayable outside 10 and over under hades inside 10 after game one. About all you can do is keep your angles tight, make your spares and bowl 180 -200. Or do like I did last week 225 134 204. The 134 came from me not willing to accept that the wall was not there and the lanes were not giving up big scores.