Expert: - 11/4/2008

Question
QUESTION: Warren,

I have been bowling for about 6 years and carry a 200-215 average.   I also bowl in a PBA experience league (and bowled in regionals), and have shot good games, so I am fairly confident that I have good fundamentals and an ability to repeat good shots.  I have taken lessons and been told that I throw the ball quite well.  

Despite this, I seem to not be able to make the jump from a 20_ average to 215+. I place most of this blame on being a tweener (around 300-320 revs) and not having the power to carry on house shots and/or not knowing how to adjust properly on a house shot.

I start to play slightly left of second arrow (12@ the arrows) to around 5-6-7 to start, depending on what I'm throwing that day and the particular pair/house/oil condition.  Recently, as the weather has gotten colder and less humid (I live in NY) my carry has gone south.  I seem to leave a single pin spare more often than I strike on seemingly flush pocket hits.  This greatly hinders my ability to shoot big scores and is even more frustrating when players with "hand" can spray the ball everywhere and carry the world.  Conventional wisdom would say to move left, which I have done.  This results in buckets (when I play the same break point) or going through the nose (when I move the break point left).  If I move right I will continue to leave single pins.  I have also tried less hand, less/more side roll, and more speed (I cant use less speed when moving right or I will miss the pocket completely).  I own 25 bowling balls and tried using many (not all) of them for a different look.

I have been getting extremely frustrated because I feel that I am bowling well but cannot score.  I realize its impossible for you to answer this question without additional information, but what is the adjustment when carry goes away?  Am I missing something?



ANSWER: Steve,
I'd suggest you look at a couple things.

Your speed and rev rate aren't giving you the carry you expect but entry angle will help carry, use less ball, to get more push down lane, for more energy retention at the pocket.

You have a TON of equipment, what do you throw best, with the most success? Stronger balls with stronger layouts will jerk and quit. Your playing the edge (second arrow) between (most likely) some oil and little or NONE.

With your speed and rev rate other players playing around you will also effect the way the shot breaks down. Do your teammates experience the same thing? Do you get better carry against some teams and terrible versus others? How the lane breaks down, and how you adjust to it is crucial to carry.

Modern lane conditions, unfortunately, can steer a weak players shot to the pocket, while if your reasonably consistent you will break down the area you target quickly (especially if you are close to the "dry" part of the lane).

Please let me know what you throw (current arsenal with layouts)? Thanks for the questions.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Warren,

Thanks for answering my question. I will try to address all of your questions:

I began the year with fairly weak equipment (Street Rod Solid, Spit Fire) both drilled label.  After a particularly humid day where I had trouble getting to the pocket with that equipment, I switched to more aggressive equipment (Black Widow Bites, 1 w/ pin under ring (4.5 from PAP), MB on VAL, the other with pin above ring (4.5 from PAP), MB in the strong position).  I switched to these in particular because I was getting a great reaction in one of my other leagues (second shift league) in a different house.  The initial switch worked well, as I had 4 games series of 860, 907 (279), and 860.  I was also using a Rapid Fire Pearl (same set up as Bite #2) for when the lanes broke down, with moderate success.  

Those balls haven't been working the last two weeks (with a drop in outdoor temperature), so I tried a Cell (pin down 4.5 from PAP, MB in strong) and had no success as I kept leaving single pins.  We bowled two straight bowlers (doubles league) one of which was using a 16lb tornado with speed, so I blamed the lack of carry on carrydown (even though carrydown [according to Joe Slowinski] doesn't exist).  Last week I tried a Cell Pearl and a BASH (red and black).  I was able to start with the Bash (drilled label) going 11-5.  I threw 4 strikes before I left 4 straight single pins (3 10's and one 7).  I then switched to the Cell Pearl (4.5 x 4).  I was able to carry enough in the first two games (+42 after 2) to post decent scores.  After that I left weak 10's, 7's 8's and a bedpost (7-10) or would leave buckets when I moved left.  I also switched back to the Bash and had saw no improvement.  

The last game I took out my plastic ball and went straight up 7 and was able to get to the pocket easily (although carry wasn't much better).

This particular week I was bowling by myself (bowling the blind team with an absent teammate) so I don't think I was able to break down the lane that fast, although I was throwing the ball really well and not missing my target.

My teammate has a lower rev rate and VERY little side roll, so his ball frequently rolls out.  Also, he is also not consistent enough to break down a particular spot, although he can play on top of or immediately left or right of me depending on what he is throwing.

I tend to lose carry against bowlers who bowl straight.

My PAP is 5 1/2 over by 1/2 up.  Examining my roll, I probably don't have a great amount of side roll (less than 45 degrees), I get VERY grabby when I try to put side roll on the ball and end up missing, so I try to play fairly straight.  

In addition to the balls mentioned above, I have 2 Rapid Fires (Pin above brigde, MB in strong, Pin below ring MB by thumb), Rapid Fire Pearl (RICO), Pluto (Pin Up, MB in strong) Neptune (Pin above bridge, MB on VAL) and other aggressive stuff (LevRG, NSaneLevRGs, T-Road, Attitude Shift, etc).

Thanks!

Answer
Steve,
The fact that you can get a plastic ball to hook, but not carry, leads me to think you are bowling on the Typical House Shot (THS) with BIG friction outside of 10 Board (Second Arrow).

Could you put your plastic ball out further than 7? Too much friction?
If you can get it to two or three board, the entry angle will be better, you'll carry!!!!

You said: "We bowled two straight bowlers (doubles league) one of which was using a 16lb tornado with speed, so I blamed the lack of carry on carrydown (even though carrydown [according to Joe Slowinski] doesn't exist)." I'd suggest, like Slowinski, what you were encountering was NOT carry down (I agree with Joe), but breakdown in the front (heads) of the lane causing your ball to lose energy and hit. Even a Tornado will flare significantly (removing oil)when the user has a decent rev rate. The speedy Tornado guy couldn't get the ball to turn over if there was oil carried down the lane (surface of the Tornado is too smooth, and speed exacerbates skid and late reaction).

Your Street Rod and Spitfire are not weak. An old Tornado Warning or a Columbia Scout are weak (smooth reactive cover with a standard pancake weightblock). Your layouts minimize the help your getting, downlane, from the cores. Strong layouts are causing your balls to jerk when encountering friction, but losing so much energy that they hit weak unless aligned perfectly to the pocket.

Plug your Neptune (large core should help get the ball down lane) set it up with a 3 inch pin, MB 5 1/2 to 6 inches from the PAP (right of your thumb) and 2 inch pin buffer, keep surface shiny (normal out of box). Play the lane up third arrow (15 board) and move out (2 board increments with your feet and your target) parallel to the starting target until the ball reacts strongly enough. When the ball reaction goes from not enough to too much, move to the previous line with your feet, target one board inside of the "too much" target (your moving back 2 and 1). I'd expect you'll end up targeting board 11 swinging the ball to 8 or 9. Adjust feet and target until the ball reacts smoothly off the breakpoint, you should have more continuation.

My guess is your using the friction to the right of your target as a safety net. Your 45 degree axis rotation (or a little less) should be enough to get the ball to finish, but it's burning up trying to recover and you lose hitting power (as oil goes away).

This weeks Phantom Radio show (by former PBA Lane Magician Len Nichelson) with guest Del Ballard Jr. speaks to the environment in a lot of centers. Check it out at: http://ibpsia.com/phantom.asp you can chose your browser, then download the show to RealPlayer.   

Thanks for hangin in there.