League Practice Balls

[bowl1820]

John R. O’Dell on League Practice Balls:

There is usually an opportunity to roll about 5 or 6 practice balls just before league play. I will
list the top 6 practice balls that you should try to roll in the order of their importance. It is assumed
that each of the practice balls is rolled well and that you hit your intended aiming mark
and released the ball in the intended direction.
1. The Strike Shot
2. The 10 Pin
3. The 7 Pin
4. The 2 Pin
5. The Strike Shot
6. The Strike Shot
Each of these shots simply verifies that the lane conditions are about the same as they were
the week before. They are truly practice balls. You are only looking for verification that the
lanes are about the same or that they are a little drier or that they are a little wetter.

[jimlc2001]

I'm curious about the 2 pin. I usually try to Strike on both lanes, 10 on one, 7 on the other, Strike on both.

[billf]

In one of my leagues every body tries to get the leave. So in that league I'm lucky to get a shot on both lanes. Definitely get more rolls if everyone does just one roll then goes to the other lane.

[bowl1820]

I'm curious about the 2 pin. I usually try to Strike on both lanes, 10 on one, 7 on the other, Strike on both.

I wondered about the 2 pin also, nothing directly addressed the why. But from what I've read were he talks about spare shooting, the 2 pin is a key pin for shooting left side spares. So knowing how the ball reacted when shooting it, would help with shooting your left side spares.

[striker12]

i have done this before other then the 7pin have not been able to hit it that much im like 25% hitting the 7pin most of the time i put rev on the ball and it moves on me and gose into the gutter the other part is i swiff the 7pin on the right im still looking for my good line and shot to do it.

but also ahrd to do the strikes know since i went to belliville cause everyweek the lanes are different but they put up a picture of how the lanes are oiled soo i got to go by what that says.

[bayedup84]

ya'll think its more curtious to just roll one ball and go to next lane or roll twice if need be?

[J Anderson]

ya'll think its more curtious to just roll one ball and go to next lane or roll twice if need be?

I believe in the "When in Rome..." method. In my Wednesday night league everyone shoots at the leave, so I throw at the 7 or the 10 pin on the first ball and then try to find a good line to the pocket with the 2nd. Monday night the sport league is full of foul line stompers. They throw one ball and if it doesn't strike they step on the foul line and go to get in line for the other lane. Tough adjustment for someone with 30+ years of being able to throw at the leave, especially when you turn around and the next guy in line is already on the approach with ball in hand. So I try to go with the flow and only throw one ball. I try to be aware of what part of the cycle the pinsetter is on so I don't step on the foul line if its going to set up a full rack anyway. I also don't bother if all I've knocked down are a few corner pins.

It seems to me you get the same number of swings either way. If you're among people who feel they have to get the right line and are only interested in throwing at the pocket its probably more courteous to only throw one.

[bowl1820]

foul line stompers I see that at tournaments a lot, not in league that much.

Now if they just set the lanes for shadow bowling in warm up. you could get a lot more shots in.

[bowl1820]

About warm up/practice.

The dirtiest thing I've seen in practice. During a summer league, the league didn't have a rule about bowling on the lanes you bowl on that night.

The team we played came in a little before we started got the lanes. They got up there and just threw one ball each one right after another for 10 or so minutes.

Then they had to stop because practice was going to start in like 2 mins. Then when practice started they started throwing 2 balls each and took their time at it. My team only got to throw like 2 balls on each lane for practice.

[billf]

I prefer one throw and do not reset the rack. I don't need the pins to warm up, I know my line. At my age it's more about getting loose and letting the pain in my hands and fingers get worked out.

[Doghouse Reilly]

Everyone here throws 2 balls unless they strike. You can get a few ball on each lane most of the tme.

[The German Shepherd]

Beverly Beebe, my college boawling coach always told us to throw a minimum of four practice balls - a strike ball and 7 pin on one lane and then a strike ball and 10 pin on the other, so I guess your idea works just fine.

Jay

[nolegirl]

I prefer two practice balls because even if you "know your line," every shot is a little bit different. Having the full pin deck can help you see if your ball is going weak or high into the pocket and allow you to adjust accordingly before league play begins.

[Ball99999]

I believe in the "When in Rome..." method. In my Wednesday night league everyone shoots at the leave, so I throw at the 7 or the 10 pin on the first ball and then try to find a good line to the pocket with the 2nd. Monday night the sport league is full of foul line stompers. They throw one ball and if it doesn't strike they step on the foul line and go to get in line for the other lane. Tough adjustment for someone with 30+ years of being able to throw at the leave, especially when you turn around and the next guy in line is already on the approach with ball in hand. So I try to go with the flow and only throw one ball. I try to be aware of what part of the cycle the pinsetter is on so I don't step on the foul line if its going to set up a full rack anyway. I also don't bother if all I've knocked down are a few corner pins.

It seems to me you get the same number of swings either way. If you're among people who feel they have to get the right line and are only interested in throwing at the pocket its probably more courteous to only throw one.

It pisses me off so bad when they do this. I wish they would just bowl a normal frame.

[AZBowla]

When I join a league, I'm going to use the practice time to drink beer, lol. It'll be a lousy bowler's league anyway most likely so who cares. :D

[Brother_jd]

My friday night leauge is 5 person teams with 15 mins of practice. I throw a 10 pin shot on each lane then a 7 pin shot on each lane to get my body loose and warmed up. Then i start shooting for the 1-3. Normally i get in about 5-6 shots on each lane in practice. Our leage is set up to where you get 1 shot for practice, nobody has to fould or reset the rack.

[MisterSinister]

I always bowl a practice game or two when I get to the lanes. This way, when my league practice starts I am loose. If I don't then I cant learn much from my first few balls, my ball speed goes up when I get loose. When league warmup starts I need to throw a strike or two on each lane before I do anything else. Aftr that, I either shoot the leaves of he previous bowler, or I just shoot for the 10 pin on a full rack. If I can make he 10, then I can make any spare.

[Ball99999]

All my league wants to do is practice strike shots then move to the next lane, and get mad if you want to practice anything else or god forbid finish your frame

[maximumslinky]

i wish i got that many practice balls. on my tuesday night league we have 5 man teams and there seems to be at least 1 or 2 people on the other team that has to stand on the approach and stare the pins down for a good 20-30 seconds before they finally go. i can see kind of taking your time during the actual game but during practice when there is a line of people waiting. i have never got more than 2 practice balls on tuesday nights.

[dutchlefty]

Hmmm, in my league it's not allowed with practice shots before the game starts. We can throw on any other lane before league start. Just not the ones were we'll be playing. So i come always in good time just to check if there is or has been a lefthander throwing before me...

[forhuskers]

We get 10 minutes of practice. With 4 man teams I get a good amount in. We shoot at the leave. Doesn't really matter, I swear they have something in the lanes that make them change between warm up and scoring.