Expert: Russ King - 12/8/2006

Question
Hello. I'm a rookie bowler, but have picked up fast. My average is suffering though because I'm inexperienced at adjusting to lane conditions. My proshop guy says I thow about 400 rpm's. When I'm on my game I can thow 220's to 240's, but when the lanes brake down I actually fall to games of 130 to 160. I do what my proshop guy tells me, and move my feet, and mark left to stay in the oil, but it takes me so long to find my shot again. This in turn also effects my mental state, and ability to shoot simple spares as well. So I guess my question is how do I make those perfect adjustments faster rather than taking a whole game to get back in it?

Answer
When you adjust your shot in your situation , you need to throw the same identical ball. But on your new line.Otherwise, moving does not do you any good.If you are on a shot that leaves a 4 pin high in the pocket & you move in 1/2 board & throw the same shot you hit a strike. If you move that 1/2 board & change anything else, you have waisted the move & the frame.
You might be better to slightly change speeds. If the ball goes high & leaves a 4 pin , you speed up slightly to straighten it out a bit.You can also play with the grip. You can spread out your pinkie to straighten it out a little.You can slightly turn your grip over about 1/4" so your thumb is pointing slightly left of your first position.
Sometimes no matter how great the shot was 3 frames ago you have to abandon the shot altogether & find a new line into the pocket. Look around you to see whose hitting the pocket & line up off their shot.Several balls same brand & slightly different weights &/or surfaces will work as one starts hooking too much, go to the next lesser reactive one.

All of these will work for. One will work for you . Another one will work for somebody else. You need to try all & find the one that works best for you.I use all of the above at certain times that work best for the certain conditions. You need to find the best one,learn it, get real good at it then try the next one for other situations.
But get real good at one first!
I developed a formula for working in a shot. I slow play the PBA on TV. I find a shot to look at & replay it over & over. Then somebody tells me how to do it.I listen to 50% of what those people say,50% of what I see on tv.I try 20% of both & work 5% into my style since what works for them probably will not work the same way for me. So I have to shape it to fit into my style.A coach or a pro will tell you how to do something. It is you that has to make it work!
  LET ME KNOW WHAT WORKED & I WILL HELP YOU FINE TUNE IT.