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Author Topic: Reno Report 2016  (Read 9372 times)

Gene J Kanak

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Reno Report 2016
« on: May 03, 2016, 10:46:18 AM »
Well, another Open Championships has come and gone. Seeing as how we're all looking for that extra edge out there, I'll give you my report on what I saw and experienced during my three days in Reno this year. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me or respond here.

Lodging: My group stayed at Grand Sierra this time around. The hotel is fairly nice, and staying outside of downtown Reno definitely gives the trip a different feel. There are several nice restaurants on site. The cafe is very nice for breakfast, and they have a very high end steak house if you're in the mood to treat yourself. Just be warned, it's pricey. Our two teams ate there after team event and racked up a bill of more than $700. lol


Bowling: First and foremost, if at all possible, schedule the one-hour team practice session on the Showcase Lanes. Our group felt that what we saw on the Showcase Lanes was very, very close to what we saw when actually bowling the event.

With that in mind, go with the strategy of using surface (most of us used 500) to burn up the outside by throwing up 5-6-7 during practice and for most of Game 1. From there, start tucking in 2-3 boards at a time with both your feet and target, and you'll be golden. This strategy helped our companion team to 3054 (which could've been a lot higher if not for a few bad breaks carry-wise late in the going) and my team, which includes a senior and a classified bowler, to 2834.

Minors were tough for my partner and I because we had to bowl an earlier squad than the rest of our group. In fact, he and I shared a pair with just one other duo, two ladies who threw polished equipment up the gut. As such, it was tough for us to burn things in the way that we had during team.

Still, I think the approach to minors should be pretty much the same. The 8 guys in our group did that during doubles, and we had one of our doubles teams shoot 1290 and actually have a shot at the overall lead halfway through Game 3. As is usually the case, just keep bumping inside a few boards at a time throughout minors, keeping the moves parallel and balling down as necessary.

If you follow this plan, the lanes can become very playable. If you move inside too early or have 10 guys doing their own thing, they can become just about impossible for everyone!

Personal: I carded 1698 this year (566 team; 520 doubles; 612 singles), which, sadly, is about average for me. As usual, I actually felt like I played the lanes properly and was on top of what needed to be done. Unfortunately, I just lack the physical game to make the shots necessary to take advantage of what my eyes are seeing.

In regard to ball selection, since that's always a popular topic, here's what I used:

Brunswick Nirvana (pin up at 500 grit) - This was the ball I used during practice and most of Game 1 during both sets to be sure we were burning up the spot up 5-6-7; DV8 Grudge (pin in ring at 1500 grit) - This was the second in command during both squads. Obviously, this ball was cleaner up front than the 500-grit Nirvana, and it offered more movement and continuation. I shot 249 with this one the second game of Team; Brunswick Melee (pin under bridge at 1000 grit) - I tried this one a bit during doubles in order to give me some midlane read with a controllable move off the spot. I think it could've been decent had I thrown it better, but that wasn't in the cards; Brunswick Brute Strength (Pin over bridge at 1500 grit) - I really liked the look this ball gave me toward the end of team (despite throwing a lousy score with it) and during all of singles. The ball gave me push without being squirty, and it gave me backend without being flippy. As long as I trusted the ball and didn't miss it at the bottom, my look was great with this piece during the latter stages of Team and Doubles and throughout Singles.

All in all, I had a blast this time around. Although my personal performance left a lot to be desired, I was a part of a great group with a great plan who managed to put up some really, really nice scores. In the end, as always, it comes down to execution. There is no magic ball or anything like that. Yes, there are certain things you should do or not do. Yes, there are certain parts of the lane you should play or not play. Still, when all is said and done, it comes down to how you throw the ball. Sadly, my physical game still keeps me limited there; nevertheless, in the end, it just gives me motivation to keep pushing myself to improve. My hope is that I can make some strides this year so that a better performance is in the offing at South Point next year.

Thanks for reading. Again, if you have questions, feel free to ask.


 

lefty50

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Re: Reno Report 2016
« Reply #1 on: May 03, 2016, 10:52:49 AM »
Nice review, thanks for taking the time to put it together....

Olderdude

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Re: Reno Report 2016
« Reply #2 on: May 03, 2016, 11:00:10 AM »
Thanks for the review; your game plan is similar to what we plan on doing.  We bowl this weekend

robertbrowder

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Re: Reno Report 2016
« Reply #3 on: May 03, 2016, 11:12:37 AM »
Nice report/review Gene.
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chrisleftwich

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Re: Reno Report 2016
« Reply #4 on: May 03, 2016, 12:17:32 PM »
Nice review Gene.  glad to hear you had a great time//.
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Good Times Good Times

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Re: Reno Report 2016
« Reply #5 on: May 03, 2016, 12:18:42 PM »
Thank you for the review.
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JamminJD

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Re: Reno Report 2016
« Reply #6 on: May 03, 2016, 12:33:32 PM »
Great review, you really did a great job. Thanks for the info!

Gene J Kanak

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Re: Reno Report 2016
« Reply #7 on: May 03, 2016, 12:54:06 PM »
My pleasure. Again, if there is anything that you want to know, on the lanes or off, just ask, and I'll do my best to give you whatever info I have.

BobOhio

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Re: Reno Report 2016
« Reply #8 on: May 03, 2016, 01:08:05 PM »
Thank you Gene..
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Good Times Good Times

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Re: Reno Report 2016
« Reply #9 on: May 03, 2016, 01:21:35 PM »
Thank you Gene..

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milorafferty

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Re: Reno Report 2016
« Reply #10 on: May 03, 2016, 01:36:58 PM »
Thanks Gene, much appreciated!
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L3nn0n

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Re: Reno Report 2016
« Reply #11 on: May 03, 2016, 11:14:45 PM »
My pleasure. Again, if there is anything that you want to know, on the lanes or off, just ask, and I'll do my best to give you whatever info I have.

Thanks for your review Gene. I have a couple of questions which I hope you can help me resolve.

I bowled Nationals for the first time last year and I did bad. I was trying to play outside (6-7 board) but being the only lefty on the pair didn't help me and my pocket all night was 4-7 lol I had to play really tight in order to hit the pocket since the ball wasn't hooking at all. (Used the Jackal for the most part)

For this year, I feel I have a little bit more "hand" and I can play a little bit more inside than I was able to a year ago... I am a stroker, lefty who is about 17 mph and about 285-300 rpm.

I think I will be the only lefty on my pair again. What part of the lane do you suggest me playing? I was thinking starting of using my Nirvana with surface around 7-8 to burn some track and then going to my Forza or Haywire, but I am not sure.

The other question is, what should I take with me? I have a Lane 1 Difference, Nirvana, Haywire, Hyper Cell Skid, Forza, Venom Shock, Marvel Pearl, Fight, Sigma Tour, Octane Burn, Graffiti Tag, Tank, and a Sniper. I was thinking for a 5 ball arsenal, taking my Nirvana, Haywire or Forza (haven't decided yet) Hyper Cell Skid, Venom Shock and Sniper. What do you think?

Thanks in advance!

billdozer

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Re: Reno Report 2016
« Reply #12 on: May 04, 2016, 02:11:12 AM »
Great review.  I think u held the door for me, thanks bro!

Best look I had was with 3000 grit pin up devour, 3000 pin down fight.  Everything else was too much or read the breakpoint wrong, otherwise you're spot on!

I always wondered was staying outside of town would be like!
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Gene J Kanak

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Re: Reno Report 2016
« Reply #13 on: May 04, 2016, 10:01:44 AM »
My pleasure. Again, if there is anything that you want to know, on the lanes or off, just ask, and I'll do my best to give you whatever info I have.

Thanks for your review Gene. I have a couple of questions which I hope you can help me resolve.

I bowled Nationals for the first time last year and I did bad. I was trying to play outside (6-7 board) but being the only lefty on the pair didn't help me and my pocket all night was 4-7 lol I had to play really tight in order to hit the pocket since the ball wasn't hooking at all. (Used the Jackal for the most part)

For this year, I feel I have a little bit more "hand" and I can play a little bit more inside than I was able to a year ago... I am a stroker, lefty who is about 17 mph and about 285-300 rpm.

I think I will be the only lefty on my pair again. What part of the lane do you suggest me playing? I was thinking starting of using my Nirvana with surface around 7-8 to burn some track and then going to my Forza or Haywire, but I am not sure.

The other question is, what should I take with me? I have a Lane 1 Difference, Nirvana, Haywire, Hyper Cell Skid, Forza, Venom Shock, Marvel Pearl, Fight, Sigma Tour, Octane Burn, Graffiti Tag, Tank, and a Sniper. I was thinking for a 5 ball arsenal, taking my Nirvana, Haywire or Forza (haven't decided yet) Hyper Cell Skid, Venom Shock and Sniper. What do you think?

Thanks in advance!

Since you won't have 8-9 other guys helping you burn in a spot, logic would tell me to have you do one of two things. I would either use big time surface early; I'm talking 180-360 to play up around 5-6-7, or I would use something around 500 and tuck inside of the that by 2-3 boards. Do that throughout practice and for some of the first game. Then, keep balling down and making small moves inside as needed.

However, I watched Matt McNeil use an original Brunswick Mastermind with some surface and go pretty much up 5-6 the whole way, and his look was pretty good. As such, maybe there is some built-in friction that will allow you to just go up the wood like that.

Now, as far as what equipment to bring, I brought five balls and a plastic with me this year. I really only used three out of the five, the Nirvana at 500 during practice and most of Game 1, a DV8 Grudge at 1500 for a little more push and better recovery as I started bumping inside, and a Brute Strength at 1500 when I fully moved in.

So, you have a Nirvana of your own, so I'd definitely recommend that one. The Haywire might be good as the next ball up if you put it at 1000-1500. I think the Marvel Pearl is an amazing tournament ball, so that one could be good, but I'd definitely make sure to knock the shine off. I would maybe keep that one at a matte-finished 2000 or so. Also, I think the Hyper Cell Skid could be good once you need to tuck inside, but, again, I wouldn't keep polish on it. From what we saw, polished balls weren't really the way to go at all.


Gene J Kanak

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Re: Reno Report 2016
« Reply #14 on: May 04, 2016, 10:06:44 AM »
Great review.  I think u held the door for me, thanks bro!

Best look I had was with 3000 grit pin up devour, 3000 pin down fight.  Everything else was too much or read the breakpoint wrong, otherwise you're spot on!

I always wondered was staying outside of town would be like!

You were there this weekend too? Dang, I wish we would've had time to shoot the bull a little bit. How did you shoot?

Staying out of town was fine. It was a bit of a pain having to take cabs or Uber back and forth each time, but it wasn't too bad. As strange as it sounds, the city looked nicer/cleaner by staying a little bit further out.