2 Finger Bowling (Results) Practice

[martinezsam2495]

First game
|7 2 | 7 1 | 7 2 | 9 - | 7 2 | 9 - | - 8 | 3 6 | 9 - | X 8 / | = 99
2nd game.
| 9 - | X | X | X | X | 8 / | 5 1 | 9 / | X | X | X | 6 = 214
3rd game
| X | 6 / | X | X | X | 6 3 | 6 2 | X | 9 - | 6 - | = 166

4th game
|X | X | 7 1 | X | 7 / | 7- | 9-0 | 7 2 | 9 / | X | 7 / |= 155


I'm playing out and in, and the results were pretty good. :)
Would of hit another 200 the third game, but I released the ball to early on the 6 3 6 2 part.
I was bowling next to bowlers who had no lane courtesy. Had a fun practice. Some guy came and started to watch me bowl.
The people I was bowling next to,
started to copy my 2 finger technique. I' m not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. haha

[floridanative772]

Good games, looks like you found a line by the second and lost it over the next 2.

[martinezsam2495]

I've noticed that I'm starting at around 28th board, aiming at 2nd arrow, but the thing is, should I got more into finding out a certain board?

[J Anderson]

I've noticed that I'm starting at around 28th board, aiming at 2nd arrow, but the thing is, should I got more into finding out a certain board?

You have to know which board you're starting on. Otherwise how do you know where to move to make an adjustment?

[martinezsam2495]

You have to know which board you're starting on. Otherwise how do you know where to move to make an adjustment?

Yeah I'm standing on the 28th board, I"m just saying target wise,

[J Anderson]

Yeah I'm standing on the 28th board, I"m just saying target wise,

Sorry Sam, I didn't understand the question.

Most of the time, coaches will give beginning bowlers either a specific target, usually one of the arrows, or a general target, say between the 2nd and 3rd arrows. For many bowlers this, with a little advice on how to make adjustments with their feet, is enough to let them bowl for years at a level of performance that they are comfortable with.

As you get more experience bowling, especially if you like to try other bowling centers than the one closest to your home, you will find that sometimes that favorite target just will not work. No matter what adjustments you make there is no margin of error throwing over the second arrow. This is why some of us ( Billf comes to mind ) spend some of our practice time taking one ball to try to find a way to get it into the pocket with different lines. For example, if I'm practicing left-handed, I'll start off standing on 10.5 and aiming at the first arrow. I'll make small adjustments with starting position and or speed til I throw a good double ( i.e. no Brooklyns or Jerseys ) then I move my target to the second arrow and do the same thing there, and so on until I run out of room to move right. This gives me a feel for using different parts of the lane. Some times I will just move my target one board at a time so I get used to aiming at something in-between the arrows.

You may find that as you experiment with different lines that your "A" game isn't 28th board/2nd arrow, its really 24th board/8th board or 32nd board/13th board.

[martinezsam2495]

Sorry Sam, I didn't understand the question.

Most of the time, coaches will give beginning bowlers either a specific target, usually one of the arrows, or a general target, say between the 2nd and 3rd arrows. For many bowlers this, with a little advice on how to make adjustments with their feet, is enough to let them bowl for years at a level of performance that they are comfortable with.

As you get more experience bowling, especially if you like to try other bowling centers than the one closest to your home, you will find that sometimes that favorite target just will not work. No matter what adjustments you make there is no margin of error throwing over the second arrow. This is why some of us ( Billf comes to mind ) spend some of our practice time taking one ball to try to find a way to get it into the pocket with different lines. For example, if I'm practicing left-handed, I'll start off standing on 10.5 and aiming at the first arrow. I'll make small adjustments with starting position and or speed til I throw a good double ( i.e. no Brooklyns or Jerseys ) then I move my target to the second arrow and do the same thing there, and so on until I run out of room to move right. This gives me a feel for using different parts of the lane. Some times I will just move my target one board at a time so I get used to aiming at something in-between the arrows.

You may find that as you experiment with different lines that your "A" game isn't 28th board/2nd arrow, its really 24th board/8th board or 32nd board/13th board.

no it's ok I appreciate you helping, I didn't mean it in a bad way.
When you get a brooklyn, how do you make the right adjustment to get it back into the pocket.
I'm lefty by the way, and like to play out and back,
I have a Reckless, and have a good amount of revs,

"Some times I will just move my target one board at a time so I get used to aiming at something in-between the arrows.

You may find that as you experiment with different lines that your "A" game isn't 28th board/2nd arrow, its really 24th board/8th board or 32nd board/13th board."
Do you think with a video you would be able to help me make a better adjustment? I understand what you said about sometimes my main shot doesn't work, I have been to another bowling alley, and had to play more towards the middle and play along the 2nd arrow again, but going at it through an angle.
I have one more question, I was trying to bowl from near the gutter, around 1st board, 2nd board. I have gotten good strikes, some were brooklyn though. What I noticed was that the ball would hook too early sometimes. So I got away from playing inside.

[J Anderson]

"When you get a brooklyn, how do you make the right adjustment to get it back into the pocket.
I'm lefty by the way, and like to play out and back,"

I know you're a lefty. I bowl with either hand, Generally determined by which parts of my body aren't hurting.

Most of my brooklyn shots are simple pulls and the 'adjustment' is to focus on keeping my swing in time with my feet. When I've actually thrown the ball well and it starts to over hook I will move my feet 1 1/2 or 2 boards in ( right for a lefty ) and my target one board in.

"Do you think with a video you would be able to help me make a better adjustment? I understand what you said about sometimes my main shot doesn't work, I have been to another bowling alley, and had to play more towards the middle and play along the 2nd arrow again, but going at it through an angle."

I might be able to, but my goal is to get you to figure out how to do it on your own. You probably know many of the fundamental principles, like if the ball starts to hook more you need to find where the oil still is on the lane. By experimenting you will learn when and how to move to adjust.

"I have one more question, I was trying to bowl from near the gutter, around 1st board, 2nd board. I have gotten good strikes, some were brooklyn though. What I noticed was that the ball would hook too early sometimes. So I got away from playing inside."

I'm not sure what your question is here. It looks looks by trying to play the extreme outside line, near the gutter, you've learned that there's not enough margin for error for you to play it well. My favorite line left-handed is almost straight down the sixth board. It would be straight down 5 but there just isn't enough oil out there most of the time for the way I throw.

[martinezsam2495]

"When you get a brooklyn, how do you make the right adjustment to get it back into the pocket.
I'm lefty by the way, and like to play out and back,"

I know you're a lefty. I bowl with either hand, Generally determined by which parts of my body aren't hurting.

Most of my brooklyn shots are simple pulls and the 'adjustment' is to focus on keeping my swing in time with my feet. When I've actually thrown the ball well and it starts to over hook I will move my feet 1 1/2 or 2 boards in ( right for a lefty ) and my target one board in.

"Do you think with a video you would be able to help me make a better adjustment? I understand what you said about sometimes my main shot doesn't work, I have been to another bowling alley, and had to play more towards the middle and play along the 2nd arrow again, but going at it through an angle."

I might be able to, but my goal is to get you to figure out how to do it on your own. You probably know many of the fundamental principles, like if the ball starts to hook more you need to find where the oil still is on the lane. By experimenting you will learn when and how to move to adjust.

"I have one more question, I was trying to bowl from near the gutter, around 1st board, 2nd board. I have gotten good strikes, some were brooklyn though. What I noticed was that the ball would hook too early sometimes. So I got away from playing inside."

I'm not sure what your question is here. It looks looks by trying to play the extreme outside line, near the gutter, you've learned that there's not enough margin for error for you to play it well. My favorite line left-handed is almost straight down the sixth board. It would be straight down 5 but there just isn't enough oil out there most of the time for the way I throw.

What you're saying is that the ball is coming off early or a tad bit later, due to unorthodox timing? I'll try to get a video of me playing a game, but I have to wait until my Film 2 class lets me take out cameras.

Straight down the 6th board, I'll try that today if I go bowling, I been wanting to practice all week, but I was unable to :(

[billf]

Sam, no matter your target (1 board, 2 board, 1st arrow, etc) if you are going brooklyn (isn't it Jersey for lefties?) then your feet have to start more right, as a general rule. So if you were playing feet 2 board, target 2 board and it was hitting to the right of the pocket, move your feet 2 boards right.
One exception to this can be if you're playing deep (feet far right) you can move BOTH your feet and target left. When you do this be prepared to experiment. It's all about learning YOUR game. I can moved from 25 & 15 to 5 & 5 and know which release I need to still hit the pocket. How? Lots of trial and error. General rule of thumb when moving; for every two boards you move the feet, move the target 1 in the same direction. So if you move 10 boards right with feet, move 5 right with target. Doesn't always work perfect but usually for most people.
If you are hitting the pocket high (leaving 3 or 6 pins) move feet 2 right, target 1 right. Conversely, if you're leaving flat 7s, move feet 1 left.

[J Anderson]

What you're saying is that the ball is coming off early or a tad bit later, due to unorthodox timing? I'll try to get a video of me playing a game, but I have to wait until my Film 2 class lets me take out cameras.

Straight down the 6th board, I'll try that today if I go bowling, I been wanting to practice all week, but I was unable to :(

What I was trying to say is that there is a difference between the ball going brooklyn because of the lane condition changing and the ball going brooklyn because it was thrown a board or two inside of the target. While many things can cause a bowler to pull the ball, many experts believe most of the time the cause is late timing. When the feet get to the line before the arm swing reaches the release point the brain will kick in and try to speed up the arm. The muscles tighten and pull the arm across the chest resulting in a pulled shot.

The important thing is to get in the habit of truly observing your ball as it goes by ( hopefully directly over ) your target and as it continues down the lane and through the pins. That way you'll know whether it was well thrown and you need to make an adjustment or it was poorly thrown and you have to focus on your basic technique.

By the way, the toughest problems to correct are when its all in your head. I once threw 8 strikes in a row on the Shark pattern, 7 of which I had missed my target one board left for brooklyn strikes, all because I was afraid to miss right and get a washout. It was really a case of lousy bowling and a considerable amount of luck resulting in a good score.

[martinezsam2495]

What I was trying to say is that there is a difference between the ball going brooklyn because of the lane condition changing and the ball going brooklyn because it was thrown a board or two inside of the target. While many things can cause a bowler to pull the ball, many experts believe most of the time the cause is late timing. When the feet get to the line before the arm swing reaches the release point the brain will kick in and try to speed up the arm. The muscles tighten and pull the arm across the chest resulting in a pulled shot.

The important thing is to get in the habit of truly observing your ball as it goes by ( hopefully directly over ) your target and as it continues down the lane and through the pins. That way you'll know whether it was well thrown and you need to make an adjustment or it was poorly thrown and you have to focus on your basic technique.

By the way, the toughest problems to correct are when its all in your head. I once threw 8 strikes in a row on the Shark pattern, 7 of which I had missed my target one board left for brooklyn strikes, all because I was afraid to miss right and get a washout. It was really a case of lousy bowling and a considerable amount of luck resulting in a good score.

I'm going to try and work on everything and perfect my approach and throw, I know it's going to take a lot of work, but I'm dedicated. I believe I have done pulled shots before, I think it's when I'm about to finish near the 3rd game in league, I sometimes speed up too much for my arm to follow, I try fixing it by slowing it down, and then it slows down too much....