BallReviews
General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: Impending Doom on September 06, 2019, 09:16:52 AM
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So I started my scratch sport league last night. I honestly don't know how people don't enjoy this. Maybe I'm just a glutton for punishment, but so be it.
I figured I'd share my experiences with my BR friends so my insights may be of help to you if you find yourself facing a similar situation.
I haven't bowled league in years. Honestly. But the center in town was offering a sport scratch league, and those are 2 things that make me happy. So let's shoe up and see what's up.
I had just moved, and hadn't gotten myself out of storage yet, so I went to pick out some equipment to bring. Not going to mention balls by name, but by response times. This way you can use your company of choice and draw parallels.
Pattern was the long JR gold pattern from this year. 43 feet, 26 ml, 2:1 ratio. I knew this going in, so I thought to bring a fast response assym, fast response sym, medium response sym, slow response sym. No surface changes at all. (First mistake)
I stretch, get warm, my legs still feel like jelly all thru practice. Start with the fast response assym. That was a bad idea. Not enough surface, too fast downlane, felt like I had no room. Bag it.
Then I grab the high RG high diff fast response sym with 1500 polished on it. Still too fast downlane.
Then I grab the medium response sym. OK, not too jerky off the end of the pattern, but not too smooth. I'm already at 126 for the first game, let's give this a shot for second game.
(BTW, that 126 was 6 opens, 3 spares and 1 X. Make your spares, kids)
I take the medium response ball, struggle bus to a 179 second game. Meanwhile, my whole team is using charcoal.
End of second game, medium response ball starts to get a little too slow downlane, so back to the fast response sym. Now, I actually had some hold and shot 198 with back to back opens.
What did we learn from this, friends?
1. I need surface on the fresh. No ifs ands or buts.
2. I need to play further right to start so I don't shimwreck myself.
3. I need to learn to control change of direction with my hand downlane. (This has always been a big issue for me.)
If anyone would like to know the balls I used, please feel free to ask, but I didn't do this as an advertisement. This is more of a PSA.
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ID .. as usual .. very nicely written!
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Certainly know those feelings, I don't live near a center that hosts a Sport pattern league anymore, but occasionally make it back up to Mardi Gras in Dekalb to sub on their Thursday night league. It's usually a humbling experience, but I always seem to have more fun and get more excited for the next time I get to bowl after bowling on a sport pattern, whether it goes well or not.
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Certainly know those feelings, I don't live near a center that hosts a Sport pattern league anymore, but occasionally make it back up to Mardi Gras in Dekalb to sub on their Thursday night league. It's usually a humbling experience, but I always seem to have more fun and get more excited for the next time I get to bowl after bowling on a sport pattern, whether it goes well or not.
Mardi gras is actually where I was last night. I live in DeKalb. Owner had Buss and Jordan on his team and we bowled them.
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I love it.
Even though I've hit my nationals goal 2x, had a year I didn't but could still live with, and 3 absolute meltdown atrocities of a tournament on the lanes..............I still love reveling in the difficulty. To me it means it's "real". I do not shy away from it.
I simply see it as, in a sense.........you earn what you keep relatively speaking. I'm more proud of shooting 600 on something 1.5:1 AS OPPOSED TO shooting 760 on a carry contest type pattern. I just see it that way. That's not to take anything at all away from anyone else's experience or good time........but that's how I view it with regard to myself. That 600 on a masters pattern is a greater achievement than blowing the back out of the building on an easier THS (noting that all THS' aren't the same. I get that).
Agree OP with surface on the fresh. Approaching something 43 ft and similar to what you were on, I'd go with the following to give you an idea of how I view a sport bag.
Fresh looks:
Phaze II
IQ Tour Solid
Storm Physix
Transition (not like Caitlyn) stuff:
IQ Emerald Shiny
But, that's just me.
Idol Pearl
HCF
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Certainly know those feelings, I don't live near a center that hosts a Sport pattern league anymore, but occasionally make it back up to Mardi Gras in Dekalb to sub on their Thursday night league. It's usually a humbling experience, but I always seem to have more fun and get more excited for the next time I get to bowl after bowling on a sport pattern, whether it goes well or not.
Mardi gras is actually where I was last night. I live in DeKalb. Owner had Buss and Jordan on his team and we bowled them.
I was partially baiting by referencing location because I know you mentioned being in that area. I know Anthony Jordan extremely well, and sub with them a few times a year. Small league, but lot of talent, and Mardi Gras is a nice place. Just shows that even in a good bowling community area, that it's hard draw for the sport leagues :-(
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You don't have to bait. I'm transparent!
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One positive to sport shots is being able to use balls you don't often bust out for THS. Looking forward to getting good enough to actually take advantage of my Gryphon SE.
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Sport shot really allow you to see the difference in each ball. I think house shot blends out ball difference, so many sort of look the same.
Sport show allows for different angles to be played on same pattern.
Houseshot, the whole outside is basically stripped, you just are just flinging it out to breakpoints, playing about same line. So even if your different balls reacts differently, you are still looking for the one that plays the same house shot track area the best.
They make so many different balls, with high low rg, diff, pear, hybrid, solid, non-reactive so we can have these arsenels and then 99.9% of bowling is on the same house shot.
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So I've been bowling on this for a couple of weeks and wanted to update.
I've been working hard on this pattern. It's really a struggle, but a welcome one.
I've been getting smarter as to what to do on this pattern, which ends soon, and then a 35 foot 1:1 pattern comes into play.
Here's what I've been feeling.
My fast response assym isn't forward enough off the spot. Been thinking of maybe a Flux 40*5*30 to have it be fast and forward downlane. I've been too far right to end the night, trying to camp out around 14 or 15 when I really need to be into 23 by 3rd game. The medium response ball is great on the fresh, but I need to drastically change once the change needs to be made.
Man, proper direction is key. Remember that, kids.
Make your stupid spares. All of them.
Hit the gym. Work your legs and core. A stable base is extremely important.
Practice, dummy. Don't go and bowl for score, go and do something proper with your practice time. Learn drills, get another set of eyes and fix your game.
The next pattern is going to be even more fun because everyone is going to do ALL the wrong things on it, and it's awesome. I'm gonna do a Boost with a 2 inch pin and a Money Badger Tour.
Oh, plastic too. :(
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Thanks for the update. Glad you’re enjoying it, shows lower scores don’t always equate to disappointment. Challenging yourself is what it’s really about.
Good luck on the new pattern.
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Ok after 3 weeks on the dragon pattern I'm completely awake and ready to go back to sleep in dreamland again with the usual THS. I will never complain about too much friction again as long as I live.
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damn old man, its "staying woke" not "being woke"
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damn old man, its "staying woke" not "being woke"
Well, now that I am woke, I'm sure staying woke lol
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Thanks for the update. Glad you’re enjoying it, shows lower scores don’t always equate to disappointment. Challenging yourself is what it’s really about.
Good luck on the new pattern.
There is another aspect of disappointment here. Once you do a sport pattern league, things never seem the same. Any illusions you have about being a skilled bowler based on THS scores get crushed. The experience exposes all your flaws, and can kill any ambitions about achieving great things.
Svstar34 can tell you about how sport shots are a reality check -- especially the Sphynx pattern he's currently bowling on. To his credit, he's had his moments. But for others in the league, it's hard to watch 230 avg THS bowlers confront the reality of their performance. It's painful. :-\
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There is another aspect of disappointment here. Once you do a sport pattern league, things never seem the same. Any illusions you have about being a skilled bowler based on THS scores get crushed. The experience exposes all your flaws, and can kill any ambitions about achieving great things.
Svstar34 can tell you about how sport shots are a reality check -- especially the Sphynx pattern he's currently bowling on. To his credit, he's had his moments. But for others in the league, it's hard to watch 230 avg THS bowlers confront the reality of their performance. It's painful. :-\
This is very true. I love the challenge on tougher patterns and know I can hold my own most nights. I know my repeatability isn't the greatest but I've had some improvement bowling every week on it vs the last 2 years of being 90% bowling on house shots. Sphynx is an interesting pattern, who you bowl with/against and who you follow makes a big difference.
Medium length patterns are still a struggle for me to get the right angle. Looking forward to our next pattern (Dick Weber 45') as longer patterns are my favorite.
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It is the transition that is a killer on sport patterns. I also like the longer patterns because the trsnsitions are easier to predict on long patterns
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Sport patterns are tough because of their inherent lack of room for error. You have to hit your breakpoint consistently (incl. revs and speed) in order to stay in the pocket - plus an certain anticipation of condition changes as traffic starts to mess with the oil.
Totally agree: it's a reality check, and a very good physical and mental training, too.
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Sport patterns are tough because of their inherent lack of room for error. You have to hit your breakpoint consistently (incl. revs and speed) in order to stay in the pocket - plus an certain anticipation of condition changes as traffic starts to mess with the oil.
Totally agree: it's a reality check, and a very good physical and mental training, too.
Yup, you have to accept the fact that ONLY a pure and perfect shot will at least hit the pocket. Getting a strike is just a bonus, not a given. And then you absolutely have to have a spare game that you can throw perfectly straight at just about any spare combination.
Example -It was a good shot but you barely missed the release on your first shot. On a house shot you probably get a flat ten. On sport you get a bucket or 3/6/10 or worse. Why take the chance less than a minute later you might do the same thing and totally miss converting that bucket or 3/6/10. Just throw straight, convert, and move on to the next frame.
Finish the game and take your clean 185 and move on to the next game and be happy about what you just did.
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If I decide to do this sport shot league again I've been thinking I might get a low end ball, drill it conventional grip, and go somewhat straight on every shot. Maybe even 13/14 lbs so I can throw it over 20mph. And only take that 1 ball to sport shot league night.
Then hope I can finish the season around 190ish. And never have a week really under average. just consistent clean games, each and every game for the entire season.
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Disagree. Execution doesnt kill me on sport shots. It is how the carrdown, and break down set up that make adjustments guess work. Long flat patterns are easier because carrydown is a non factor. Not saying the margin of error isnt much smaller on sport patterns, just saying the transitions are more random, especially on short patterns
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I can throw it bad on anything boys! :P :P :P
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If I decide to do this sport shot league again I've been thinking I might get a low end ball, drill it conventional grip, and go somewhat straight on every shot. Maybe even 13/14 lbs so I can throw it over 20mph. And only take that 1 ball to sport shot league night.
Then hope I can finish the season around 190ish. And never have a week really under average. just consistent clean games, each and every game for the entire season.
Honestly, if you're not going to bowl in it for the growth potential, and just want to maintain an average, just bowl a regular league.
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Disagree. Execution doesnt kill me on sport shots. It is how the carrdown, and break down set up that make adjustments guess work. Long flat patterns are easier because carrydown is a non factor. Not saying the margin of error isnt much smaller on sport patterns, just saying the transitions are more random, especially on short patterns
You know, I have to disagree. Our first pattern was the 43 foot Jr Gold pattern, and I think the ratio was 2.5:1. Everyone was about 11 or 12 at the breakpoint, and I would use a pin down Night Hawk SE. Not too smooth, not too torquey.
Once that ball became too soft because people pushed oil down to about 45 feet, I pulled out the Dream On, jumped 10 and 6 left, and wasn't fighting getting the ball to come in at a proper angle anymore. Instead of the hold making my ball push, I was using fresh head oil to get the stronger ball to the spot where at the beginning of the night I wouldn't be able to use it, and the ball went thru the pins much better.
The shorter patterns are more rough because
1. Urethane is making the end of the pattern a mess.
2. The middles are usually flat, so they're going to be on fire.
Best thing to do there is take something like a Boost or After Dark with a 2 inch pin to pap, find a little bit of head oil, and get up the back of it.
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If I decide to do this sport shot league again I've been thinking I might get a low end ball, drill it conventional grip, and go somewhat straight on every shot. Maybe even 13/14 lbs so I can throw it over 20mph. And only take that 1 ball to sport shot league night.
Then hope I can finish the season around 190ish. And never have a week really under average. just consistent clean games, each and every game for the entire season.
Honestly, if you're not going to bowl in it for the growth potential, and just want to maintain an average, just bowl a regular league.
I hear what you're saying. Those two posts were the morning after the fifth consecutive week of getting my butt kicked by the current 2019 PBA patterns. The post was more frustration than serious.
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Disagree. Execution doesnt kill me on sport shots. It is how the carrdown, and break down set up that make adjustments guess work. Long flat patterns are easier because carrydown is a non factor. Not saying the margin of error isnt much smaller on sport patterns, just saying the transitions are more random, especially on short patterns
You know, I have to disagree. Our first pattern was the 43 foot Jr Gold pattern, and I think the ratio was 2.5:1. Everyone was about 11 or 12 at the breakpoint, and I would use a pin down Night Hawk SE. Not too smooth, not too torquey.
Once that ball became too soft because people pushed oil down to about 45 feet, I pulled out the Dream On, jumped 10 and 6 left, and wasn't fighting getting the ball to come in at a proper angle anymore. Instead of the hold making my ball push, I was using fresh head oil to get the stronger ball to the spot where at the beginning of the night I wouldn't be able to use it, and the ball went thru the pins much better.
The shorter patterns are more rough because
1. Urethane is making the end of the pattern a mess.
2. The middles are usually flat, so they're going to be on fire.
Best thing to do there is take something like a Boost or After Dark with a 2 inch pin to pap, find a little bit of head oil, and get up the back of it.
If you track the scores in most PBA tournaments, and what I've experienced in my many years of sport leagues, shorter and longer patterns generally score higher than the dreaded mid length 39' - 42' patterns. As Bob mentioned, it's the more drastic carrydown and transition issues that cause problems.
In our sport league, we're about to go from the 40' Kegel Sphinx pattern (nasty) to the 45' Dick Weber Pattern. With all the additional hold, I can guarantee scores are going to spike next round. It's going to be a relief.
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Practiced tonight after the sport league and I am definitely not ready for that.
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Sport conditions are a lot of fun. It is very different from most house shots. Not sure about most places, but locally most house shots the last few years haven't been that great. Very inconsistent like someone doesn't know what they are doing. Or the opposite and are just very dry.
Most house condition are more of throwing the ball vs rolling the ball. You end up creating bad habits trying to strike on a condition that just isnt that great. Many of the sport patterns I have faced have more volume. They require good shot making, no doubt about it, but that is a lot easier to do when you are able to relax and roll the ball vs hurling the ball.
The more exposure you get with these condition they better you get on them. Then you see a bigger difference your equipment from ball to ball. You also see the importance of ball surface a lot easier with these conditions. Last thing is spare shooting. You see real quick where trying to hook into every spare possible doesn't work so well. How using plastic really makes things a lot easier even when going back to bowl on your normal house conditions.
For me it is a lot more fun. Id prefer to see more tournaments and leagues with these kinds of conditions. It isn't for everyone,but I think many would enjoy it if they set aside their ego to try it out first.