Expert: - 5/19/2008

Question
I asked you a couple months ago about changing from the big hook to the straighter shot. I have had a low ball track since I have started bowling. It is around 2 inches from my ring finger and thumb hole. I seem to be able to get a good ball reaction from it and it seems to work, but I notice not many people have this ball track. Actually none like mine. It is like a really high spinner track. Should I just keep this track and concentrate more on other parts of my game. Every time I try to put what people call a "better" track I loose my accuracy. I want to bowl in some tourneys next year and I am hoping if I can build up my game to bowl in the regional tour. What is your opinion?

Answer
Derek,
On larger volumes of oil and longer patterns, your track might cause you problems. Lower tracks are easier to use on lighter volumes of oil or with slower ball speeds (ex. Tom Baker). Surface can help on more oil, but surface can cause a carry loss when the front part of the lane drys up, necessitating duplicate or complimenting equipment with appropriate surface adjustments.

Your ability to duplicate your delivery and how the ball rolls, is in big part muscle memory. Without significant practice having an A Game (your current track) and a B Game (higher track) takes work, practice and experience on different conditions (Throwing a couple games without much success does not mean you can't do it, just that your yet to master the technique).

Tournament conditions change from squad to squad and dramatically as conditions are broken down by the players. Often the only experience that relates is doing it.

You need to throw on the kind of conditions you intend to bowl on (tournaments). Longer patterns, heavier volumes of oil will challenge your abilities and ball choices. How you play on a typical house shot (THS), DOES NOT relate to more challenging conditions.

Playing on different conditions, while others are breaking the lane down, trying to out score you, is the key to success in regional and major events.