Expert: joe foti - 1/14/2004

Question
Sir Is their a 5 or 10 step method to zero in on a lane just befor leauge start up for evining play? I simply roll a couple of balls then move left or right. I have not had good results doing this. I find my self be-bopping around, missing a lot of shots.
How does lane condition effect picking up spares? I am not sure how to ajust to pick up a spare. I Throw a Curve ball. I normally like to set left foot on center dot and roll over 8 board. I find myself with my left foot on 3rd 4th & 5th board to left of center dot.

Answer
Cody,
    Good question. One thing you might try is when practicing, throw ball down different lines. When you srart, get out the ball you know has the most readable reaction. You may have heard people talk about their "benchmark or setup" ball. Throw down your favorite line. Then throw a few in other lines. Example; let's say your favorite line is 2nd arrow (board 10) out to board 7 at your breakpoint. Try a few there, watch the reaction.
Now try a few 3rd arrow (board 15) out to 7. Try some outside. You get the idea. You have to watch the roll of the ball all the way down the lane. When does it turn over?
Does it roll in the mid-lane, and hook early; or does it get to the pocket but turns over late, hit the pocket, but not drive. By "turn over" I mean when the ball grabs the lane and starts its move to the pocket. The problem is you have to have the expirience to make the proper reads. And that takes time. One trick you might try, is; take your plastic ball (if you don't have one for spares, you should get one), throw it down each arrow with a backward spin. To do this release the ball with you thumb down and your fingers up. This will make the ball skid. Watch the ball as it goes down the lane. When it stops sliding and goes into a forward roll is where the oils ends. This will tell you where the oil is on the lane. Again you need expirience to read what this is telling you. How the lane pattern affects spare shooting...if you hook into spares, you run the risk of hooking to much on dry lanes and not enough on oily lanes. If you throw a plastic ball straight at spares, you greatly improve your chances of making them. As how to line up...what I do is divide the lane in half using the center arrow. Spares to the left of center, I move right and throw straight at the spare. Spares right of center I do the opposite. Example; let's say I left a 2-8. For my strike shot I'm standing on board 27, one dot & 2 boards left of center. depending on lane conditions, I'd move 10 boards right, and throw between 3rd and 4th arrows directly at the pins. This gives me a little angle, and some margin for error. Let's say I left a 9 pin. I'd move maybe 5 boards left, and throw straight across the center arrow. You get the idea. You're going to have to experiment
to find your comfort zones. This game isn't too hard to learn, remember, practice...practice...practice.
Thanks and good luck Joe