Expert: - 11/11/2009

Question
I have bowled all my life practically in a league once a week.  I averaged 213 in 2001 and since my average has slipped to a 180. I have a TPS Matrix by Ebonite that was my favorite ball but has been polished to take some hook off as it was getting too unpredictable with lanes conditions which are synthetic.  I then bought a Hammer Toxic which has been a hate relationship.  The confusion between balls has created a need to find the type of ball that will take a more subtle approach.  Menaing go over the 10 bard and drift into the pocket and take big hooksa out of the picture.  I am a full roller and not convinced that the balls were drilled to compliment my delivery style.  The Hammer was recommended by the bowling house proprieter but I feel this was motviated on a sale not on a genuine recommendation to my bowling needs.  At this time I'm frustrated and feel that my game has hit an all time low.  600 series are not happening anymore, my strike stringing has gone to maybe a double or two a night and my teammates are scratching their heads too with this seemingly uncharacteristic bowling on my part.  What type of ball will beter fit my style?  The  synthetic lanes are moderately oily and they do change oil patterns weekly to frustrate bowlers into buying more gear.  My anchor teammate throws a very striahgt line and carries in most any condition and I feel that is the best approach.  Controling a hook is not easy and althought I felt some success with the TPS Matrix I have since lost confidence in throwing sweeping hooks.  Can you help with some recommendations?  Thnaks,
Ray  

Answer
Ray,
A drop in average usually indicates a change in lane conditions, wear and loss of performance from equipment, or physical impairment.

Synthetic lanes causing your almost 10 year old ball to hook to much sounds like they're dry (or have gotten drier). The older a ball gets, more often, the weaker it gets (probable reason for the loss of carry).

What was the Toxic doing that you hate it? The recommendation by your bowling center proprietor is an issue I won't address here, but does he know how much you hate the ball?

Sounds like, and don't take this wrong, you're a Typical House bowler. Easy House Shots typically direct shots from around 10 board/second arrow to the pocket, with errant shots missing out gaining more friction because the lane is drier near the gutter, or tugged shots are held online to the pocket by an abundance of oil inside of second arrow. Easy conditions are fun when you can hit them, very frustrating when you can't. I believe this is the reason for the huge loss of league bowlers over the last 10 years.

The last indicator of your skill set, is, usually, better average bowlers can make spares. Dropping so drastically seems that your strike game has gone away (as you mentioned), but also left you with hard/harder spares that you're not picking up. Are you splitting more now? Or are you just not proficient on some spares? 10 pins? 7 pins? Please let me know.

Lastly, you said "The synthetic lanes are moderately oily and they do change oil patterns weekly to frustrate bowlers into buying more gear." As you move across the house, sometimes sets of lanes play differently. Putting out consistent lane conditions can be done with most of the very expensive lane machines available these days. Do they have a newer machine (sometimes an indicator that conditions will be different)? Also, the staff, if miss trained or ill prepared to provide the consistency necessary may be contributing to the problem. A badly maintained good machine puts out BAD lane conditions.

It's not likely the bowling center is being run by someone that is willing to piss off hundreds maybe thousands of bowlers to make a couple bucks selling some new equipment. It may seem that way, from your obvious frustration. The objective of a bowling center is to make your bowling night fun (if it's not fun, people don't come back!!), sometimes specific lane conditions are more fun for harder throwing players, of left handers, or whatever, but you get it, they should be consistent FOR EVERYONE. Sounds like the conditions have changed or surprise surprise it might be you or your ball. Depending on your speed and rev rate, I'd think something weaker on a very defined lane condition would work well.

You may have an issue that one or more of your bowling balls isn't drilled for a full roller (you), you were hooking it more but want to hook it less (how much less and how much less is the Matrix hooking than it did when it was new?). Too many contributing factors to really offer a solid recommendation. Please provide more info and we can address the options. Thanks for the questions.