Fresh oil ?

[Freebird]

During league play, especially early I am having problems finding the ball path that I like and post my highest scores. Over the 2 week break I bowled 15-20 games on "open" oil and killed it, 20 to 30 pins over average easy. Yesterday on fresh THS oil I had to work the middle and never could get the ball out to the second arrow, which is where I post my highest scores. I have a loaded revolver and was asking is this a good ball for league conditions or throw it and try to open it up?

[billf]

Lethal Revolver on fresh olil...play straight up ten to start. The ball won't want to go out easily until the lanes break down.

[scottymoney]

Basically what Bill said! I struggle with the same thing in my league. I want to play the hook but it just doesn't happen and as much as I know this I can't stop myself. It always takes me a game to realize that I just need to go straight at it. We only have 4 guys to a pair so our lanes never break down as quick as the normal 8 guys to a pair.

[Greenday]

I've actually been bowling a lot better on the fresh heavy oil. I keep practicing on dry lanes. Even the other day, when I came in after they oiled the lanes, I stripped the oil off my lanes very fast as it seems they just put down a light pattern. I'm at the point where I want to pay an alley to just oil a lane heavily for me so I can throw six-seven games on it.

[75lockwood]

I've actually been bowling a lot better on the fresh heavy oil. I keep practicing on dry lanes. Even the other day, when I came in after they oiled the lanes, I stripped the oil off my lanes very fast as it seems they just put down a light pattern. I'm at the point where I want to pay an alley to just oil a lane heavily for me so I can throw six-seven games on it.

or you could ask them to completely dry the lanes off and bowl on extremely consistent conditions, you may need to stand 2 lanes over with a plastic ball but hey. LOL

[75lockwood]

On topic: to clarify, are you saying that you are having trouble pushing the ball out to the second arrow from center or is the problem having it come back when on a fresh shot.

if the problem is hitting second arrow from the middle or even coast to coast what you need to do is line yourself up with second arrow regardless of where you stand, your shoulders need to point in the direction you want to ball to go.

if its an issue of the ball on recovering then as per above move right until you find the pocket.

[Greenday]

or you could ask them to completely dry the lanes off and bowl on extremely consistent conditions, you may need to stand 2 lanes over with a plastic ball but hey. LOL

Well, I worked on getting super loose and I felt like a power stroker out there.

[americantrotter]

It is the hardest thing about becoming a better bowler in league. Practice time is so rarely on oiled lanes. But in the end, adjusting to conditions is what helps a bowler improve and understand their shot.

I have just backed down my time to league only right now. Saves me money and I doubt the house cares because they get my league money and they get the casual bowlers money who know nothing of oil and what not when it's not league time.

[scottymoney]

different oil is definitely a mind set thing. It is all about knowing that there is more oil and changing your game. Some times you just have to play straighter and forget about getting it outside for the nice hook.

I do this every week to myself, and there really is no excuse cause I know what the lanes are going to be like.

[Freebird]

I guess I need to throw my hook down the line that I want and hopefully open up the lane and struggle for the first game with strikes. What about my ball? Loaded revolver....

[GeoLes]

or you could ask them to completely dry the lanes off and bowl on extremely consistent conditions, you may need to stand 2 lanes over with a plastic ball but hey. LOL

Funny but true. A few weeks ago, I bowled one of those fancy "bowling lounges". Everything was beautiful, and expensive, but the lanes were dry as the Sahara. I finally settled on rolling a straight ball. Even then it was tough because the slightest error in release produced a deep hook.

Oh well. Bowling, like life is about making adjustments.

[e-tank]

had this problem with my new ball as i only practiced with it on dry lanes before i could use it in league. I went from standing left most dot and shooting it across second arrow to standing middle dot and shooting it 3rd or 4th. Shot a high score with it though first game so it worked out quite well.

[UBowling]

I would recommend starting with your feet to the right (assuming you are right handed) and going up the boards on a fresh shot. Play a straighter angle. Then move left as needed.

[J Anderson]

I guess I need to throw my hook down the line that I want and hopefully open up the lane and struggle for the first game with strikes. What about my ball? Loaded revolver....

What about your ball? You have a Loaded Revolver, Billf told you what line you should start out with on fresh oil with that ball, several others have either seconded his opinion or said something similar.

Is this one of those questions where you want some one to tell you that you have to buy a new ball for bowling on fresh oil?

[Greenday]

I would recommend starting with your feet to the right (assuming you are right handed) and going up the boards on a fresh shot. Play a straighter angle. Then move left as needed.

It's funny, I'm watching the PBA Viper Championship from 12/23/12 and someone needs to tell those guys this. The guy in round 1 who loses tried for a wide hook all match and barely bowled a 150. Now in round 2, the #2 seed guy is doing the same thing. You'd think he'd learn from the last guy.

Really, it's best to start outside on these shots and work in. Just pick a ball, use it, and during practice find out what's working.

[J Anderson]

It's funny, I'm watching the PBA Viper Championship from 12/23/12 and someone needs to tell those guys this. The guy in round 1 who loses tried for a wide hook all match and barely bowled a 150. Now in round 2, the #2 seed guy is doing the same thing. You'd think he'd learn from the last guy.


Its possible that since all the finalists get practice before the first match, I think its about 30 minutes, they may have already burnt out the direct line and had to play deep. Especially if they were high rev players using very aggressive balls.

[Greenday]

Its possible that since all the finalists get practice before the first match, I think its about 30 minutes, they may have already burnt out the direct line and had to play deep. Especially if they were high rev players using very aggressive balls.

See, you'd think that, but the only ones who had success were the ones who took the straighter approaches. The two crankers tried play through the middle, expecting the ball to come back, but their ball just kept sliding and would miss the pocket all together.

[GeoLes]

To be safe, you can always play down and in, working your way left as you feel more comfortable. (Assuming you are right-handed,or course)

[Freebird]

Update....bowled a new personal league high of 214 then a 188.... Well on my way to a possible 600 series and then lost it to finish with a 132. I felt Comited to my lane and stayed there all night.... Next question is what to do if I "burn" the oil up... My line was 5 th board

[billf]

Move your feet left. For every two boards you move your feet, move your target one board. Don't be afraid to move a 1/4 of a board at a time every 3-5 frames either. Watch how the ball goes through the pins and let that dictate what you do. If you're leaving 4 pins for example, then a 2 & 1 adjustment usually works to change the entry angle.

[Mike White]

Move your feet left. For every two boards you move your feet, move your target one board. Don't be afraid to move a 1/4 of a board at a time every 3-5 frames either. Watch how the ball goes through the pins and let that dictate what you do. If you're leaving 4 pins for example, then a 2 & 1 adjustment usually works to change the entry angle.

Bill, can you clarify when you say move your feet left. Do you mean your feet at the beginning of your approach, or your feet at the foul line (i.e. your laydown point)

Likewise, can we assume when you say target, you mean which board the ball is centered on at 15 feet past the foul line?

If I started playing a lay down at 5 board, and a target of 5 board, a 2/1 adjustments would differ based on what you mean by move your feet.

If by feet you mean the start of the approach, then a 2/1 move would have the ball reaching the 5 board at 30 feet.
If however by feet you mean at the foul line, a 2/1 move would have to ball reaching the 5 board at 45 feet.

[Greenday]

Bill, can you clarify when you say move your feet left. Do you mean your feet at the beginning of your approach, or your feet at the foul line (i.e. your laydown point)

Likewise, can we assume when you say target, you mean which board the ball is centered on at 15 feet past the foul line?

If I started playing a lay down at 5 board, and a target of 5 board, a 2/1 adjustments would differ based on what you mean by move your feet.

If by feet you mean the start of the approach, then a 2/1 move would have the ball reaching the 5 board at 30 feet.
If however by feet you mean at the foul line, a 2/1 move would have to ball reaching the 5 board at 45 feet.

The 2/1 adjustment means moving your starting position two boards and moving your target board one board in the same direction.

[billf]

Bill, can you clarify when you say move your feet left. Do you mean your feet at the beginning of your approach, or your feet at the foul line (i.e. your laydown point)

Likewise, can we assume when you say target, you mean which board the ball is centered on at 15 feet past the foul line?

If I started playing a lay down at 5 board, and a target of 5 board, a 2/1 adjustments would differ based on what you mean by move your feet.

If by feet you mean the start of the approach, then a 2/1 move would have the ball reaching the 5 board at 30 feet.
If however by feet you mean at the foul line, a 2/1 move would have to ball reaching the 5 board at 45 feet.

Mike, I know that you know how to adjust.
Anyway, if you move your feet then your laydown should also move accordingly. Otherwise all that's happening is increasing the amount of drift which would serve no purpose.
Of course you like to apply math and confuse those who don't follow how changing whether it's at the approach or foul line will alter the shape of the hook (but not the total amount) thereby altering the distance until the apex is reached.

[noeymc]

i play in the middle around 15 with my hammer taboo deep purple and i do alright i was told i should move right tho so ima try it out

[Loyer807]

I love freshly oiled lanes, I feel like mainly because it's rare I get to play on them so when I do its a treat, it puts me in this zone where I get really really excited about bowling in which I usually play better on them. Typically I start on the 35 board and work my way over depending on how my ball breaks. (Right handed bowler) I actually struggle a lot on dryer lanes.

[Perrin]

if you start at 35 with freshly oiled lanes throwing a misfit I can see where Dry lanes would give you an issue :)

[Tampabaybob]

Update....bowled a new personal league high of 214 then a 188.... Well on my way to a possible 600 series and then lost it to finish with a 132. I felt Comited to my lane and stayed there all night.... Next question is what to do if I "burn" the oil up... My line was 5 th board

Reading the thread it's amazing how far off the original question things can get. As far as your ball, it"s a very good ball (I'm a Brunswick guy) and Bill is correct. If the ball is not finishing where you want it move everything right until it does. If you like playing the deep oil, look at getting a stronger ball for those conditions and go to your current ball when the lanes start to dry up.
Check out Bowlingball.com and use their perfect scale to determine where your ball is on the scale and then go to one that is higher for a ball more conducive to oil.

As far as this post goes, you started off good, but what I'm guessing is you failed to make a line adjustment in the third game. This is part of planning. You have to know that the lane oil will break down and you need to see the warning signs early to avoid your own problems. Watch the other guys and watch what they're leaving. If all of a sudden they start leaving a 4 pin or worse yet start pounding the nose and leave splits, then you move left when you get up. Don't wait. Move right away. This is what separates a 180-190 shooter from a 220 + shooter. A 220 average bowler is always aware and watching what's going on with the oil so he don't get tripped up. Try it. It'll help you.

[Freebird]

Bowled another good series and another 200 game but still had a low game but this time it was the first game. Just a matter of time before I put a high 500 or even a 600 series. The ups and down of an inconsistent bowler. Thanks for the good responses.

[Greenday]

Bowled another good series and another 200 game but still had a low game but this time it was the first game. Just a matter of time before I put a high 500 or even a 600 series. The ups and down of an inconsistent bowler. Thanks for the good responses.

That's usually how my nights go. First game is the lowest of the three, third game is the highest. My coach came up with a good reason why. The thumb slugs that he and I both use allow you to get out of the ball super easily. I also tend to come out early. I only had one piece of my balls which wasn't enough. So early on, I come out of the ball too quickly, but as my thumb gets bigger during the night, I fit right and everything rolls better. Just added a couple pieces of tape and it fixed everything.

[Tampabaybob]

That's usually how my nights go. First game is the lowest of the three, third game is the highest. My coach came up with a good reason why. The thumb slugs that he and I both use allow you to get out of the ball super easily. I also tend to come out early. I only had one piece of my balls which wasn't enough. So early on, I come out of the ball too quickly, but as my thumb gets bigger during the night, I fit right and everything rolls better. Just added a couple pieces of tape and it fixed everything.

Simple fixes for simple problems. If you have one of the new removable slugs, get another thats just a tad smaller and start the night with that. It'll save you from putting in the tape and then stopping to pull it out.

[unclemantis]

I notice with fresh oil I get more strikes when i stand at 35 and throw between arrows 3 and 4. When I bowl on a burned up lane my strikes are very spotty. So much for going pro with my new ball :P

[ZRock]

Increasing your speed would help significantly mantis. The angle created by a 10mph shot is just too hard to control.

[unclemantis]

Increasing your speed would help significantly mantis. The angle created by a 10mph shot is just too hard to control.

So speed up my approach?

[Tampabaybob]

I notice with fresh oil I get more strikes when i stand at 35 and throw between arrows 3 and 4. When I bowl on a burned up lane my strikes are very spotty. So much for going pro with my new ball :P

I've noticed a couple of times that you've mentioned "going Pro'. How long have you been bowling and what's your average?

[unclemantis]

I've noticed a couple of times that you've mentioned "going Pro'. How long have you been bowling and what's your average?

I just got back into bowling after 12 years. I have been back into bowling for the past month. My average is not above 200.