Hi All,

Mojo and I (hopefully more of us) are going to a sport shot tournament at the end of the month, July 27th.  Now, I know this board has discussed this topic before, BUT,...it was regarding ME !

Therefore,.....tips please !  Any and all! THANKS!
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JEFF
Just chimin' in !

Edited on 7/8/2003 9:19 AM

Edited on 7/9/2003 2:58 PM

#1 see if you can find a center that will put down a sport shot for you to practice on.
#2 Read finger dancing
#3 Read the 3 part series on using the breakpoint as PART of a targeting system.
#4 It's better to have equipment that burns up too soon that equipment that Won't stop. Equipment that won't stop can be very hard to deal with.
#5 Work on having a Consistent release and ball speed. Being inconsistent here will make a big difference that don't even show up on a house shot.
#6 Don't forget the twig. If you are good on the twig it will often play...plus it is often a SAFE place to go if you are lost for a while.
If it is a long format tournament and the twig is not playable at first check it out on a fill ball after about 5 games. Sometimes the shot comes in.
#7 Use fill balls when you can. If you are struggling use fill balls to try out new lines and different equipment.
#8 Tip #3 if by far the best of all the tips.
Good Luck!!!
Ron Clifton

Jeff...one of the biggest things to keep in mind is that sport-compliant does not mean unplayable or that big scores are not possible.  Some of them may play very slick and some may play very dry, but some just play from a number of lines.

Do you have access to the pattern that will be in play?  That may help with equipment set-up.  Also, what are the tourney rules on surface modifications- can you scuff until the first ball that counts or are you restricted to scuffing only before the first practice shot?  If you can scuff during practice, remember that scotchbrite can be your best friend on sport patterns

Don't expect to have area, but be pleasantly surprised if you do...at the Open we were at 2.25:1, which is just outside compliance with sport mandates.  I bet you remember how far left I was standing in games 23 and 24 and where I was trying to get the ball...did you ever believe you would see that on a nearly sport pattern?

Oh..don't think too much...

I think breakpoint is probably the most important thing on a sport shot.  It doesn't matter what you do, as long as you get to the breakpoint with your speed and revs correct, you'll hit the pocket.  It's just that with a sport shot, that's kinda hard to do every time.  Because you have to be accurate to a board or two at the release, you might have 3 boards at the arrows, but the breakpoint is pretty narrow most of the time, and especially to get carry.  You might have 3 or 4 boards at the breakpoint that will hit the pocket, but right a board could leave you a 10, left a board could leave you a 4 or a 4-9.  The most consistency can be found inside, usually.  It's so wet/dry outside that the slightest miss in angle at the release will either take it brooklyn or slide it right past everything off your hand.  Playing inside allows the angle to help push the ball through the dry inside, and the usually dry backends help bring it back.  Forward roll is a good thing, if you can utilize it.  I'd suggest getting a weak ball, and staying within 10 boards from release to breakpoint.  Lay it down at maybe 23, cross 4th arrow, out to 13, and you will hit the pocket everytime.  Or, if you can control forward roll better, all it takes is moving deep and feeding it right.  The dry inside will feed the ball to the pocket with forward roll.  I played that way at a tournament in Warrensburg, MO.  It was really dry inside, so I took a weaker ball, came full up the back of it, my angle of rotation was about 15 degrees or less.  Left a few 10's, but I got to the pocket nearly every single time, and that gave me the lead through qualifying and all the way through match play, I only ended up getting second by 15 pins (the guy that bowled me bowled an awesome game against me in the positioning round, he earned it).  Too much side roll makes it squirty, either you'll slide right through your breakpoint, or it'll shoot left too early.  Speed is also very important, that needs to stay constant.  That's also another reason to play inside, if you can't get the speed you need with the revs you need, back off on the revs (lol, JeffREVS) a little, because most of the time there will be enough dry to help the ball out.  On oilier patterns though, you might be able to play your comfort zone, but speed control and breakpoint will still be the two most important things.
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Forget Kung Fu, I know Ron Bahr!!!

The only difference between youth and adult leagues are that the big boys are allowed to whine.  They're more entertaining anyway.

Jeff: A lot of good responses here, but I'll re-list a few of Ron's points that are absolute musts:

 

quote:

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#3 Read the 3 part series on using the breakpoint as PART of a targeting system.

#4 It's better to have equipment that burns up too soon that equipment that Won't stop. Equipment that won't stop can be very hard to deal with.

#5 Work on having a Consistent release and ball speed. Being inconsistent here will make a big difference that don't even show up on a house shot.
 

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In ranking these three points, #5 has to be the most important of all. Most bowlers have no clue as to the importance of consistency until they play sport/PBA patterns.

And to your last post on the importance of plastic for spares, you're right on. There are a small percent who can get away with using their primary ball for spares, but most benefit from plastic on tricky patterns. Strikes are harder to come by, so converting all makable spares is a must, and plastic can be a real asset.