Expert: Russ King - 10/21/2007

Question
I bowl on synthetic lanes with heavy oil inside the second arrow. I am a stroker and stand with my right foot around board 17 and throw the ball over board 8. My average last year was 218, but I am struggling more this year (my average is nine pins lower) and I can't seem to find any other part of the lane to play. If I go over the first arrow, I don't have any consistency and if I move inside, there is so much oil, the ball won't hook. I have three bowling balls - a PBA Inferno, a Phenom, and a Columbia Game Pearl. Can you suggest anything that would give me more options when my usual line isn't working? Thank you for your help!

Answer
I would suggest taking your least favorite ball & play with surfaces.The pro shop should have a ball spinner.You use wet/dry sand paper.Each grit 400,500,600,800,1000,1200,1500,2000,2500 up to finesse it shine will give you a different reaction.Reactives do not take to surfaces nearly as much as regular urethanes. But, it is a good place to start.Changing surfaces are temporary & very easy & cheap to do.

I have no idea on what weights you have in the 3 balls so I don't know what to correct.Correcting weights are a more permanent solution.

REACTIVE RESIN BALLS are very temperamental on conditions. They skid bigtime on any oil & hook out of the house in dry. This is why I went back to regular urethanes.They mellow out the shot & take very well to surface changes.

Sanding/dulling a reactive really makes the ball hook less.But you might find something you like that cures the problem.
 Don't get caught up in adjusting to one house if you plan to go to tournaments.This is why you only mess with the least liked ball only.

The next thing is to change hand positions. This can be a lot harder to do.If the swing/flip line does not work, try turning your hand over to eliminate the swing/flip & go to an even down & in line(17 to 8 goes to 10 to 8.).

YOU REALLY NEED TO TELL ME WHAT IS GOING ON LIKE LEAVING MORE 10 PINS, FLAT TENS, SWISHING 7 PINS, BUCKETS,WASHES OR ROLLOUTS ON YOUR BEST LINE.THERE WILL BE TIMES YOU JUST CAN'T HIT A SHOT & THERE WILL BE TIMES YOU CAN. SO MINIMIZE THE BAD SHOTS BY SIMPLICITY. SIMPLIFY THE SHOT BY GOING STRAIGHTER & HITTING THE POCKET ALL THE TIME & GET STRIKES & 9 COUNTS.THIS KEEPS YOU OUT OF TROUBLE.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE FROM LAST YEAR & NOW ON YOUR BEST LINE? IS IT A LOWER LOW GAME? A LOWER HIGH GAME?LOWER COUNTS ON NON-STRIKES?WHAT ARE YOU LEAVING MORE?