PBA Experience
Week #3
Scorpion Pattern (41 feet?)
Surface = 20 Year Old Wood Lanes (Recently resurfaced during Summer 06')

Ok guys, time for another PBA Experience Recap. Ok, so week #1, I go 635 on the Shark pattern and feeling good! Week #2, I get on the Viper and it bit me so many times, it wasn't even funny! (440+ Series).

Ok, so onto, the Scorpion Pattern. So far, I'm noticing there is a lot of backend in our house. Probably due to the resurface late last summer. You can have a hard time controlling the breakpoint if you are too slow or have very aggressive equipment. This week, the Scorpion kind of played like the Viper, but for some reason, I could play up the boards better.

Well, on to how I fared off on my 3rd PBA Pattern!

Equipment Used:
Hammer HawgZilla (800 Grit)
Hammer Black Widow (4000 Abralon)
Hammer Toxic (1000 W/Magic Shine)
Ebonite Maxim Spare Ball

During Practice:
I was basically playing around 8-10 and staying behind the ball with decent hit and faster speed. Funny thing was, this look went away fast. Take a look at my first game.

Game #1 (Ball Used - HawgZilla drilled Label Leverage 800 Grit)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0703/128177/RamtartsBowlingBalls/IMG_4626.jpg
Ok so, the 10 board was working for a bit. Just as long as you didn't leak it out past 5 early. I was not consistent with speed/hit/rotation. Basically, I wasn't trusting my shot. Left a lot of spares and opened about 4-5 times. Not good!

Game #1 = 152

Game #2 (Ball Used - Black Widow Pin up with MB Strong 4000 Abralon)
Well, geez, mother may I? I jump a ton left and chase the oil in and try a fade shot. Now I'm standing 35 and throwing over 20 with a small fade swing. DING DING DING...we have a winner! I found the pocket and was getting variety of strikes. I tried to stay clean, but had one split.

Game #2 = 221

Game #3 (Ball Used - Hammer Black Widow)
I stick with the fade shot and keep my speed around 15ish with decent hit. Now I'm chasing the oil in a bit. I'm aiming over 22-23 and staying with the fade shot. I go front 5 and then solid 10 spare. I stay clean and I am very happy with the result.

Game #3 - 254
Series = 637

Ramtart's Weekly Progress
Week #1 635 on the Shark
Week #2 448 on the Viper
Week #3 637 pm tje Scorpion
Overall Average = 191.11

Well, the lesson I learned is don't be afraid to see where other people are playing and are successful with their lines. I don't know why I didn't jump in and chase the oil in earlier. Lesson learned. It seemed to work for a few others with about the same type of game as mine, so I said heck, let's chase it in.

Hope you guys enjoyed the blog and hopefully I can get my camera to work againa and post some videos on the PBA Patterns.

If you have any questions, let me know!

Regards & Good Bowling Everyone,
Ram


Edited on 3/20/2007 12:34 PM

Edited on 3/20/2007 3:24 PM

Edited on 3/20/2007 4:14 PM

Andy, thanks a bunch, I made the correction and changed it to Scorpion pattern.

Amleto, no prob...I figured, maybe it can give some people an idea of what goes through an Amateur's mindset when bowling on the PBA Patterns.

Talk to y'all later,
Ram

Robert, hey bud, thanks for chiming in on the post and posting your results on the Viper. Tough pattern huh? I shot 440+ on that pattern. Anyways, this league is great and I'm learning a lot and so are you and others that are bowling it.

Talk to you guys later!
Ram

I had my best look on Viper. I scored well on Scorpion but I didn't have a great look (and frankly, neither did anyone else I was playing with). I did well on Scorpion basically because I didn't get belligerent about it and try to swing it when the lanes wouldn't hold that.

Jess

Hey guys & gals,

Thanks for chiming in. Yeah, I really do think Spare-making is key on these PBA patterns. On right side single pin spares, I use plastic and play a direct line at them with some moderate hand. On right side spares, I feel that I can still use my normal strike ball since there is more backend on our wood surface. I tend to throw it a little harder though. You def, don't have the free hook that you usually do a walled up House Shot and shooting straighter and/or harder at spares seem to take the lane out of play on these PBA/Sport conditions.

Ramski