Expert: Russ King - 3/30/2007

Question
35 years old, menifee, CA

I'm currently in a spring league and bowl with a Brunswick Power Groove and a Flame Viz-A-Ball, 16#.  My current league average is 162.53 (15 games) and current practice average is 147.71 (153 games).  I have 6 games 200+ (5 games in practice, 1 game in league). My lowest game is 76 when I started and my highest game is 242.  My question is: When would I decide to upgrade to a mid-performance ball? Would it be based on my average? Or would it be based on other conditions?  Thanks in advance for any insight.

Answer
You are still learning your game right now.If you start messing with new stuff, it might throw you off & it would be hard to get back on track not knowing your exact style & probably develop very bad habits.I would stay with what you got right now until you know your style & your ball reactions very well.Then you can see what your current equipment lacks. A Brunswick Power groove will hook plenty for a just getting into the swing of things.I also throw the Groove line of balls.They don't really overreact & suitable on a variety of conditions.The idea right now is getting those low games up by developing accuracy & consistency.If you jump into a new higher reacting equipment, you might loose the hard work you have put into your game by fighting the overreactions.
A few tips for PRACTICE
  IT IS NOT SO MUCH AS THE SCORES BUT THE WAY YOU GET THE SCORE.( I PERSONALLY DON'T LIKE TO KEEP SCORE IN PRACTICE. )I LIKE TO CONCENTRATE ON MY FORM & CONSISTENCIES ESPECIALLY MY IN-CONSISTENCIES.EITHER WAY IS FINE.SAY IF THE 10 PIN IS VERY HARD FOR YOU & LEAVE THEM ALLOT, I THROW AT THE 10 ON THE FIRST BALL GETTING MAX PRACTICE ON THEM & FOR THE SECOND BALL, HITTING THE POCKET FOR STRIKES.IF YOU LEAVE A COMMON SPARE LEAVE THAT GIVES YOU HEAD ACHES, YOU CAN THROW AT THEM ON THE FIRST BALL GETTING 10 PRACTICE SHOTS AT IT THEN GOING FOR A SECOND BALL POCKET HIT.TRY TO MAKE SINGLE PIN SPARES BY HITTING THEM DEAD CENTER.CREATE A TIMING PACE FOR EACH SHOT STARTING WHEN YOU GET UP FROM SITTING. A ROUTINE IS WHAT YOU SHOULD BE LOOKING FOR.THIS WILL BUILD CONSISTENCIES.DOING THE SAME THING THE SAME WAY EACH TIME WITH THE WAY YOU STEP UP , THE TIME IT TAKES ( NO RUSHING )EVERYTHING THE SAME EACH TIME.
A MID -PERFORMANCE BALL WILL JUST ENHANCE THE REACTIONS YOU GET OUT OF YOUR GROOVE.IT WILL ALSO ENHANCE THE FAULTS IN YOUR GAME.THATS WHY YOU NEED TO BE SURE OF THE UPGRADE.I WOULD TREAT IT AS GETTING YOUR PILOTS LICENSE. WORK UP SLOWLY STEP BY STEP SO WHEN YOU RUN INTO A PROBLEM, YOU CAN REVERT BACK A STEP OR 2 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THEN BEGIN FORWARD AGAIN.MOVING TOO FAST ,THE LOW GAMES WILL HAUNT YOU USUALLY AFTER A HIGH GAME.
WHEN YOU START GETTING OVER 75% OF YOUR SPARES NOT LEAVING TOO MANY SPLITS/WASHOUTS & DON'T FEAR ANY SPARES, YOU THEN WILL BE READY FOR AN UPGRADE.KEEPING YOUR OTHER EQUIPMENT FOR BACK UPS.