Slip sliding away

[unclemantis]

I usually stand at 30 and throw over 18 and the backend kicks hard and rolls straight into the pocket.

Well last night at a medium to heavy oil house where I normally bowl I stood where I normally stand but this time the ball just didn't grip at all. After a game or two I finally settled on 20 and over 10. I started striking again and again but more often than none I was leaving splits or corner pins or the 5.

After research and looking at my past lane numbers that I have bowled on I determined that the lane had not been roiled. I have been bowling on post league. This one time I was bowling on 100 percent open bowling with plastic balls.

Note to everyone. If you want to practice be sure you are practicing on lanes that are being used by others that are using reactive balls and not plastic. I feel I would have better practice in preparation for tournaments this way.

Thoughts?

[unclemantis]

I was bowling on lane 8. The lames are oiled at 4 PM before the night leagues. Lanes 25 through 60 are used for League play.

I use a Hammer Nail Smoke and Fire. Any suggestions on getting more grip on nights like this?

[ecub]

If you bowl on a freshly oiled pattern when you're the only one bowling and burning up your line, will that help you prepare for tournaments?

In order to become a good bowler, you need to adjust to the conditions. Weather (temp/humidity), previous bowlers, machine malfunction, will effect the pattern.

[ecub]

I was bowling on lane 8. The lames are oiled at 4 PM before the night leagues. Lanes 25 through 60 are used for League play.

I use a Hammer Nail Smoke and Fire. Any suggestions on getting more grip on nights like this?

This is a crazy idea, but how about Move/Adjust?

[Flyer41]

I'd say just put it into your mental bank on adjustments you can make. One of the worst things you can do in go into a house thinking, "This is my line I have to play." Go in with an open mind and start where you think it will be playable. If it isn't there however, make adjustments quickly. It shouldn't take a whole game or two to find the pocket. I like to think of that as the definition of beating your head against a wall.

In regards to tournament practice, just getting on as many different conditions as possible would be my advice. If you always practice on the same broken down pattern, you will never learn the quirks of any fresh patterns or other types of shots.

[scottymoney]

Move right throw ball straighter. Avoiding lanes will get you nowhere. Especially since you will never know what has been done on the lanes.

[noeymc]

there are dry patterns out there so bowling on are heavy med light dry are all good no matter how the lanes are you should be able to bowl well on them u just gotta make adjs also it will be easier once u have more then 1 ball cuz u can ball up or ball down but your bowling ball is a light oil ball if i am not mistaken if i am my bad but back to the point i am trying to make if there is a lot of oil on lane then ur ball prob wont hook as much try this one day throw ur ball down the middle arrow and see how much it hooks thats where the most oil is on a ths watch and see how much your ball hooks so if the lanes are dry your ball is going to either over hook burn out before it hits the pocket these are the 2 i can think of off the top of my head atm so playing on different amounts of oil is going to make you better like me i bowl my best on a med ths but the lanes = i bowl at use a heavy oil ths mostly cuz the owner likes to throw his heavy oil balls =D but yeah so..

dry = a lot of hook
heavy = little hook

( just a exp)

[Tampabaybob]

I always teach to start from your normal position (which you did) and then start adjusting (which you did). The problem you encountered is always going to be a factor when you're bowling on un-oiled lanes. As one thread stated, move far right. Most of the "casual bowlers will attempt to throw straight down the middle. The outside, except for the early gutter balls should leave you a cleaner shot. Next time you encounter this, move way outside and "try" to shoot the 3-4 board target. It takes a little practice, just trust the ball. If that's too much oil, move your target (not your feet) left and just point the ball into the pocket. As the oil goes away there, then you can move left or right again.

[unclemantis]

I am digging all this help! Thank you!

[unclemantis]

What do you all think of this ball for an addition to my arsenal?

http://hammerbowling.com/products/product_detail/first_blood/

[Tampabaybob]

What do you all think of this ball for an addition to my arsenal?

http://hammerbowling.com/products/product_detail/first_blood/

I can give you some inside on this ball because it was used "AGAINST ME" last week. Yeah, the ball hash't been released yet !! The guy I was shooting against brought this ball out in the last game. I didn't pay any attention to it, but one of the younger guys on the team noticed it and asked him about it. Come to find out he's on the Hammer advisory board and gets balls sent to him before they're released. Now, he's a lefty, and also averages 230+. His typical shot as it is with most leftys is pretty much straight down the boards from 2nd arrow out with a little swing area at the end. This ball was a moister. It appears to be a skid/flip ball so it's going to hook late. Did I say hook? I meant take a 90 degree turn !! If that's what you're looking for go for it. I think it's supposed to be released on Feb 5th. By the way, I beat him that game with a 247 :o But the ball seems to be very aggressive.

[ecub]

Typical of any polished ball, skid through the oil, building up energy, then when it hits the dry area, it's going to take off.

[ecub]

What do you all think of this ball for an addition to my arsenal?

http://hammerbowling.com/products/product_detail/first_blood/

I would wait until you bowl in a league for awhile to know what you need, even if you need anything. I can use the same ball on all my regular leagues and the leagues I sub in. I just have to play different lines and release the ball differently.

[unclemantis]

Sooooo. Keep on practicing? :)

[Tampabaybob]

Yeah, keep practicing, but sign up for a league as well. The league will give you experience, competition and you'll map a bunch of new friends. You'll also be able to learn a lot about how lanes transition during league or tournament play and how you need to adjust. It'll also be an indication of what type of equipment you'll need for those different conditions. Many leagues also need substitutes so don't hesitate stopping in and asking the league secretary if anyone needs a sub. Good way to get some experience and it only costs you the membership fee for your USBC card.

[unclemantis]

Yeah, keep practicing, but sign up for a league as well. The league will give you experience, competition and you'll map a bunch of new friends. You'll also be able to learn a lot about how lanes transition during league or tournament play and how you need to adjust. It'll also be an indication of what type of equipment you'll need for those different conditions. Many leagues also need substitutes so don't hesitate stopping in and asking the league secretary if anyone needs a sub. Good way to get some experience and it only costs you the membership fee for your USBC card.

So bring my gear down and ask if a sub is needed and if so great, If not then just pack up my stuff and go home or just watch?

Do I pay the dues for that week or is that the job of the member that I am subbing in for?

[GeoLes]

Lots of tools at your disposal to try: Play down and in from further outside. Slow ball speed down to give more time to grip. Try cupped release to get earlier roll. I have found the if play a straight ball with completely neurtal release down the first mark, it tends to graviate towards the 1/3 pocket. I practice variations in delivery in practice sessions so I am more reliable trying them when it counts. They have come in handy from time to time. Last time my C-System slid past the pocket, I eased up on delivery speed - Stepped forward a tad, slowed down approach, just let the ball roll out of my hand. Bingo!!!

If all else fails, do a "Norm Duke" and play a backup ball from the left side :)

[Tampabaybob]

No the league member is responsible for paying all fees. You do have to purchase a membership for the USBC, and that's a one time charge per year. However if you were to join now that membership would be good til Sep of 2014. When you sub you bowl for free !! How bout that ? Many guys I know straggle in to the lanes, just to see if anyone needs a sub, just so they can get some free practice. Some leagues have sub lists with many available and some leagues you actually become a member on that team and therefore can only bowl for that team. So you always want to ask as well. There are some situations, and my team had one this year, where one of our guy's was hospitalized and we needed a sub. Unfortunately our regular guy was in such bad shape (in the hospital for 4 months) he won't be back at all this year. But he still paid up all of his money's while he was out and then the sub took over paying when we found out he wouldn't be back. This way both individuals will share in the prize money at the end of the year.

[scottymoney]

It all depends on the league. Our league leaves the sub thing up to the team. Some teams have the sub pay and some don't. Our team kept it simple and you pay if you are there or not. Mainly it comes down to prize money and it is so much easier to pay it our 4 ways than to figure out 5 ways when one guy bowled just a few games compared to the rest. In the end, you just need to ask. Without asking around, nobody is going to tell you.

[ecub]

No the league member is responsible for paying all fees.


It is common, but NOT always the case. It's usually up to the team who pays. Being a team captain, I don't make my subs pay. But I also belong on another team where they make their subs pay. They can either request to make the sub pay for the total weekly league fees, or only the lineage fees, which is the cost the house charges for the league bowler to bowl 3 games. For example, if the weekly league fees are $25, and the lineage fee is $10, then the sub will only pay $10. The regular bowler will still pay the $15 for the prize fund.

[Tampabaybob]

In over 40 years of bowling leagues i guess I've been fortunate to never have run into a league like that. My take on this scenario is this; when you sign up to bowl on a "team" you're making a commitment to be there and pay every week. Many new bowlers don't understand that the leagues have to sign a contract at the beginning of the year "guaranteeing" the bowling center that money in lineage fees each week. It has to be paid. With that said, if I have a guy thats out, I can opt to take a blind score, and the regular bowler has to pay the full amount the next week, or I can get a sub that may have a better chance of winning points than a blind. The regular bowler "should" still have to pay the full amount. That sub is doing you a favor by bowling in the absence of the other player, enabling your team a better chance of winning points. And the regular bowler gets the prize fund money split at the end of the year...not the sub. Just my take on the subject, that doesn't mean every league will operate that way.

[J Anderson]

In over 40 years of bowling leagues i guess I've been fortunate to never have run into a league like that. My take on this scenario is this; when you sign up to bowl on a "team" you're making a commitment to be there and pay every week. Many new bowlers don't understand that the leagues have to sign a contract at the beginning of the year "guaranteeing" the bowling center that money in lineage fees each week. It has to be paid. With that said, if I have a guy thats out, I can opt to take a blind score, and the regular bowler has to pay the full amount the next week, or I can get a sub that may have a better chance of winning points than a blind. The regular bowler "should" still have to pay the full amount. That sub is doing you a favor by bowling in the absence of the other player, enabling your team a better chance of winning points. And the regular bowler gets the prize fund money split at the end of the year...not the sub. Just my take on the subject, that doesn't mean every league will operate that way.

Most of my early bowling experience was in a league where almost every team had at least one sub on the roster. It was and still is not a money league. The sub would pay in full, and would be invited to the banquet at the end of the season and would get any team award trophies as if he had bowled a full season and not just filled in from time to time. If you didn't have a sub and an extra bowler from another team wanted to bowl as a pacer, it was up to the team to decide. Usually our team would let them pay the lineage and the absent bowler would make up the difference.

I'm in an interesting situation this season, I was asked to sub in a non-sanctioned league for some one who would be out for 6 weeks. For those six weeks I was treated as a team member and paid the full amount, and will receive a pro-rated share of that teams winnings at the end of the season. However now I'm back as a floating sub and bowling for free.

[Tampabaybob]

Most of my early bowling experience was in a league where almost every team had at least one sub on the roster. It was and still is not a money league. The sub would pay in full, and would be invited to the banquet at the end of the season and would get any team award trophies as if he had bowled a full season and not just filled in from time to time. If you didn't have a sub and an extra bowler from another team wanted to bowl as a pacer, it was up to the team to decide. Usually our team would let them pay the lineage and the absent bowler would make up the difference.

I'm in an interesting situation this season, I was asked to sub in a non-sanctioned league for some one who would be out for 6 weeks. For those six weeks I was treated as a team member and paid the full amount, and will receive a pro-rated share of that teams winnings at the end of the season. However now I'm back as a floating sub and bowling for free.

Wow...trophies and banquets ? That sound like 60's and 70's stuff. Our league has a prize fund of just under $60,000.00 and it all goes back to the bowlers. No trophies or banquets any more it seems to be a thing of the past around here.

Subbing for someone that is out for that long I can see why they may have asked you to pay, but the fact that they are giving you a share of the winnings is good. i wouldn't do it unless those were the conditions, too.