New syndrome : head pin phobia!

[DLP]

So, how prevalent is this?
From what I understand, no medications are available for treatment.
Symptoms include frame after frame of leaving the 1 pin standing with an occasional random mix of other pins, but most often the single pin standing in it's original position.
Occasional hallucinations are said to occur where a piece of carved wood is said to be found "mocking" and "taunting" the individual located 60 ft away that can usually be found with a dangerously heavy object in their hands and a somewhat disturbing look in their eyes.

Only solution that has been offered is practice, practice, practice, and do not be afraid to face your fear head on (no pun intended).

[J Anderson]

So, how prevalent is this?
From what I understand, no medications are available for treatment.
Symptoms include frame after frame of leaving the 1 pin standing with an occasional random mix of other pins, but most often the single pin standing in it's original position.
Occasional hallucinations are said to occur where a piece of carved wood is said to be found "mocking" and "taunting" the individual located 60 ft away that can usually be found with a dangerously heavy object in their hands and a somewhat disturbing look in their eyes.

Only solution that has been offered is practice, practice, practice, and do not be afraid to face your fear head on (no pun intended).

I haven't seen too many cases of this, but my working hypothesis is that its caused by a fear of leaving a big split. When playing a very direct line to the pocket there is very little room for error as to get a strike the ball must hit high flush. Not high enough and you leave the 5 pin. ( and maybe the 7 or the 10), Too high and its the 7-10, the big four, or some thing else that's big and nasty.

Possible solution is to get more of an angle to the pocket.

[GeoLes]

The common cure is to play a flat ball straight down board 20. However one side effect is split'itis.

[JDHamm85]

Head pin syndrome can be an early indicator for 4-pin pox. 4-pin pox will blow your gasket sky-high. You'll be reaching to the high heavens in disgust. And there really is no high and mighty cure for 4-pin pox except for a good ole fashion high flush strike.

[Greenday]

Sounds like you are playing too inside and not recovering if you miss the headpin a lot. Playing a little more in the dry should help you hit pocket a lot more.

[DLP]

Laughter is the best medicine (or so they say) but one of my frames last night was just ...well, you decide...

Bowling at cosmic bowling last night, they had the whole "red pin / head pin + strike = free game" thing going on...

It dropped for me in the 7th frame of the 2nd game.

The ball was going good, but hit just behind the 1-2 pocket. 9 pins down

I left the head pin

I was laughing so hard throwing my second ball that I missed it completely.

To add insult to injury, I had to walk up to the front desk to force a reset because the pin-setter got stuck.

It continues to mock me....

[classygranny]

Laughter is the best medicine (or so they say)

It continues to mock me....

Only because YOU allow IT to.

[bowlerRob2]

10 pin phobia is much more prevalent (for right handers). I cured mine with (A) a good non hooking spare ball and (B) lots of practice. I think the head pin phobia could be helped by lots of (B) when score doesn't count. Most centers have low rates in the summer esp if you can get away during the week.

[dnhoffman]

So you're missing the head pin? Are you playing/adjusting boards with your feet and eyes?

[vdubtx]

Some of my teammates have this issue quite often, they don't like to listen to what I have to say typically. Even though I think I know what I am talking about more times than not. :D

[billf]

This thread caused me to laugh at loud during practice yesterday. I missed my target right and left only the headpin. Next roll....I did it AGAIN and started laughing as all I could think was headpin phobia. Luckily that was the only frame I left the headpin.

[GeoLes]

Practice bowling this Friday evening with the wife turned out to be a cosmic bowling session too. We practiced. The kids in the lane adjcent to us left an incomplete 5-10 split. the lanes shut down an I could not get the pin remain out of my mind. I was dying to try to convert it the entire time there. I finally said enough is enough!! If I threw my ball down a dead lane, it would not return, so I looked among the house balls on the return and found one with big holes. I lined up a straight shot and played it the the 5-pin just right and cleared the deck. My wife could not believe her eyes. Nor could I. I thought i selected a line that would pick up the 5 pin, but at the right angle to take out the ten?

To further add to my lucky/skillfull bowling, we bowled again Sunday afternoon. I left the 6-7-10 and was able to not only pluck out the 10-pin, but I also nudged the 6-pin accross the pin deck into the 7-pin just right. I usually have trouble with 10-pin accuracy. Not today.

[dnhoffman]

I've found using my spare (pancake core) ball lining up my strike shot will pick up the 5-7 spare for me 9/10 times...