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Author Topic: Dry Practice Is Worthless  (Read 3448 times)

Zanatos1914

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Dry Practice Is Worthless
« on: April 14, 2008, 05:46:35 AM »
I believe when the lanes are bone dry practice should end because all you do is pick up bad habbits.  You search the entire lane for some oil and havent learned anything.  You might strike a couple of times but the shoot is so bad that you can't repeat and get the same results...

That is my take on dry lanes...




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Dan Belcher

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Re: Dry Practice Is Worthless
« Reply #1 on: April 14, 2008, 01:53:19 PM »
If they're dry in practice, work on your accuracy by throwing a plastic ball.  Heck, don't even worry about hitting the pocket necessarily.  Just pick a target and a breakpoint and try to hit them repeatedly.
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JMORRIS

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Re: Dry Practice Is Worthless
« Reply #2 on: April 14, 2008, 01:54:30 PM »
Sometimes I fill this is the best way to practice.

I'm grinding it out, trying to fill frames, instead of throwing strike, after strike, after strike.

It's also a good way to develop a "B" game.  Either changing hand positions, line, etc...to give yourself another option when the lanes aren't what your used to.



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jbruno6

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Re: Dry Practice Is Worthless
« Reply #3 on: April 14, 2008, 01:57:57 PM »
I agree with the original post and also with Mr Belcher.  Sometime I even play my league shot on the bone dry and smash the 4 pin all night long.  People behind me must say, why doesnt this guy move left?  But I used throw ball after ball playing 4th 5th arrow on the dry, get to the house Tuesday playing 12 to 6.  Did I practice 12 to 6?  Mr Belcher is right to bring the plastic.
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Eddie M

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Re: Dry Practice Is Worthless
« Reply #4 on: April 14, 2008, 02:06:52 PM »
This is the best time to A) practice hitting your mark with a plastic ball, or B) work on converting spares with a plasitc ball.
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dizzyfugu

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Re: Dry Practice Is Worthless
« Reply #5 on: April 14, 2008, 02:16:18 PM »
While it is not the best environment for training a fluid game, conquering and coping with a dry lane is something you should work on, using the occasion. I just took part in a tournament last Saturday that started in the morning times with a rather short and lighter pattern, and there was no lane maintenance during the day. In the afternoon I was lucky that my club house "offers" similar conditions on Friday evening training, so I was prepared for a long run strategy.

Anyway, burnt lanes not a good training ground, though. A nice occasion, but a trap if you do not play anything else.
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Moe

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Re: Dry Practice Is Worthless
« Reply #6 on: April 14, 2008, 02:19:47 PM »
Thats why you change your reease and learn something new, and work on things like accuracy and spare shooting. Durh.
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chitown

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Re: Dry Practice Is Worthless
« Reply #7 on: April 14, 2008, 02:36:43 PM »
Plastic spare balls work well on toasted patterns.  I think you can get a good practice session using that type of ball on those conditions.
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Zanatos1914

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Re: Dry Practice Is Worthless
« Reply #8 on: April 14, 2008, 02:40:10 PM »
Bone dry bowling is out of league because I might be able to strike but every shot is a please shot... You constantly deal with over under results and sometimes you get lucky and find just a drop of oil for a couple of shots and then its back to the drawing board..  

Most of you would say get a dry lane ball...  

If you are in a tournament and you notice the lanes are starting to dry really bad but you are knocking down pins.  Would you (a) change balls and its a good chance you are going to be lost for about 3 to 4 shots (By then the match is over or (b) Keep throwing the ball since you get some strikes and knocking down pins...
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dizzyfugu

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Re: Dry Practice Is Worthless
« Reply #9 on: April 14, 2008, 02:49:23 PM »
quote:


If you are in a tournament and you notice the lanes are starting to dry really bad but you are knocking down pins.  Would you (a) change balls and its a good chance you are going to be lost for about 3 to 4 shots (By then the match is over or (b) Keep throwing the ball since you get some strikes and knocking down pins...


Depends on the situation, I know what you mean.

I'd stick with the same ball if it was just one game left until everything is over.

But if you have a longer horizon, I'd switch to a weaker piece or at least try a different line with the current ball. If you have the opportunity and there's no pressure at hand, the 11th frame is a very good aoccasion to test things out with that extra shot, just to have an idea where to start in the next game, so that you are not completely lost.

Besides, you should know your equipment well enough that you have a good idea where to start on the given condition with the weaker ball, or have an idea how to adjust quickly within a couple of shots. It is also a good thing for practice - soemthing that's IMHO underestimated - to switch balls and find back to the pocket quickly, because that's what counts (literally) when you are in a pressure situation that calls for a solution.
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chitown

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Re: Dry Practice Is Worthless
« Reply #10 on: April 14, 2008, 02:58:58 PM »
quote:
Bone dry bowling is out of league because I might be able to strike but every shot is a please shot... You constantly deal with over under results and sometimes you get lucky and find just a drop of oil for a couple of shots and then its back to the drawing board..  

Most of you would say get a dry lane ball...  

If you are in a tournament and you notice the lanes are starting to dry really bad but you are knocking down pins.  Would you (a) change balls and its a good chance you are going to be lost for about 3 to 4 shots (By then the match is over or (b) Keep throwing the ball since you get some strikes and knocking down pins...
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That's a catch 22 because you don't want to shoot yourself out of a match when changing balls.  This is why it's very important to REALLY know each ball reaction in your arsenal and how they compare to each other.  If you notice the pair you just started shooting on is bone dry then make the ball switch right away.  If you know your equipment's reactions really good then getting lined up may not take you 4 frames.

I have been using a scout high flare urethane for my dry lane ball.  I also just recently bought a Liberator which is a urethane ball.  Urethane bowling balls generally work very well on broken down dry patterns.  Usually there's still a tad bit of head oil on broken down shots but the mids and backends are toast.  These are the type of patterns urethane will work great on.  If the lanes are so fried that urethane is too much then a plastic white dot usually works well.

I would much rather switch equipment and have a chance at scoring high, rather than keep using the same ball that's not working.  It's hard to out bowl a bad ball reaction.

I think any tourney bowler should have a urethane ball in their arsenal at all times!
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sheppy335

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Re: Dry Practice Is Worthless
« Reply #11 on: April 14, 2008, 02:59:01 PM »
I am not practicing to strike all the time, i am trying to repeat my motion, i look to hit a specific area wether it will hit the pocket it irravalant. I even had a guy come up to me and told me you need to practice more you havent hit the pocket. I said yep, i saw him a few weeks later at a tournament and i smoked him, i said i kept practicing like you told me.
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tenpin477

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Re: Dry Practice Is Worthless
« Reply #12 on: April 14, 2008, 03:00:47 PM »
Conquering and coping with a dry lane is one thing. But if I were to head down to my local house on a weekday afternoon, I think I could stand at like 18 and swing it out with rubber and get it to recover and blow the pocket away. Dry is one thing, but when its absurdly dry, you can't practice anything.

If you want practice get your house to put out PBA shots. And if they already do, find out when they do. I believe my house does it over the summer, and ill be sure to be there at every session.

Edited on 4/14/2008 3:03 PM
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michelle

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Re: Dry Practice Is Worthless
« Reply #13 on: April 14, 2008, 03:01:25 PM »
quote:
Bone dry bowling is out of league because I might be able to strike but every shot is a please shot... You constantly deal with over under results and sometimes you get lucky and find just a drop of oil for a couple of shots and then its back to the drawing board..  

Most of you would say get a dry lane ball...  

If you are in a tournament and you notice the lanes are starting to dry really bad but you are knocking down pins.  Would you (a) change balls and its a good chance you are going to be lost for about 3 to 4 shots (By then the match is over or (b) Keep throwing the ball since you get some strikes and knocking down pins...


I would have no qualms about making the ball change.  Only through practice in all available environments do you learn the relationships between each piece of equipment in the arsenal.  Knowing those relationships is CRITICAL to being able to pull something else out of the bag and be reasonably certain that you can put the ball into the pocket...

It was precisely that reason that in the event some years ago where I broke my hand, I was able to put up the SonicX and go to the Silver Streak and on the very next frame put the ball into the pocket.  It didn't carry and the broken hand wreaked havoc on my abilities to pick up a 10 pin that day, but the move made with the ball change was one that did not leave me feeling lost on the approach...
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Goof1073

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Re: Dry Practice Is Worthless
« Reply #14 on: April 14, 2008, 03:10:11 PM »
Geez I actually like to practice on drier conditions...

...for me it helps with match-play styled tournaments where they can get pretty dry.
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