Lost my strike ball / pin action

[Washout]

Hello those at BowlingBoards,

To start off I am a right handed bowler, I throw a moderate sized hook, with my feet I'd say at about board 30, aiming for between the 2nd and 3rd right arrow with a 4 step approach. I have a decent ball speed, I'd say around the 17 mark, but I definitely don't wing it down the lane. I use a 15 pound DV8 Brutal Nightmare, and the lane conditions are generally medium to heavy oil.

Since October I have lost 17 pins off my average which was hovering around the 190 mark before all this happened. This is due to having terrible pin action when hitting the pocket. This week in my second game I was even struggling to get 9s when hitting the pocket. I have talked to some people at pro shops as well as fellow bowlers, and we all believe the same thing. Roughly 6 months ago I started back up at the gym, and I have become a lot stronger. I never really had a problem throwing a 15 pound ball beforehand, and now the ball feels very light in my hand. We all believe my ball is using up all its energy well before it gets down the lane.

I have tried slowing down my revs and ball speed. However I am finding it hard when the ball feels so light. Is there anything you can suggest? A change in my approach? Would a change in equipment work, perhaps there is a ball that you think is better for holding onto its energy further down the lane?

Any help is appreciated, this is very frustrating for me and its to the point where I don't enjoy playing in my league anymore.

[mc_runner]

Another thing to consider, how many games does the ball have on it? Have you been cleaning/de-oiling it regularly? Might be a lot easier to resurface and bake out the oil than to try fiddling with your approach.

[Washout]

I clean my ball roughly every 100 games, and I wipe it down with ball cleaner after every session. I'd say I'm about 20 games from needing to do it again. I was thinking of getting a resurface, the ball has about 250 or so games bowled on it.

[bowl1820]

We all believe my ball is using up all its energy well before it gets down the lane.

To me this is the telling part.

Your probably on just a medium oil shot and the B.Nightmare is a low RG (2.505) high diff.(.052) ball and is burning up.

Have you tried any surface changes? You could go to a smoother surface and add polish see if that helps save some energy for the backend. (Ex. 4000 plus polish)

Also if your just playing around 2nd arrow, You should try moving in deeper to find more oil.

I would look at a ball with a higher RG also to help get it down the lane, (The Zero Gravity might be a good contender here)

[Mudpuppy]

If I have a night where this is happening I will exaggerate the angle and if necessary just throw harder. I am not good at finesse and slowing the ball down, etc. It becomes extremely difficult to repeat such a shot (for me). So basically I am throwing it across the lane straight into the pocket (little flare on the end). This usually cures light pocket hits for me once I have exhausted moving my feet left, right, back and forth. So basically imagine a straight line from your arm to the pocket - so maybe 5-7 degree angle. For me I angle right because I am left handed - opposite for you. To me it is going back to before I threw such a major hook - when I first figured anything out in bowling when I threw a straight ball with no hook this is how I threw it.

[Washout]

I've tried that as well. However I find the Brutal Nightmare hooks too much for that approach. I am always high or go brooklyn when throwing like that.

I will try throwing the ball longer down the lane, however I have a hard time hitting the pocket when I do that unless it hits basically the 2nd board. Which is the only time I ever get good pin action. However I am not talented enough to flirt with the 2nd board on every throw.

[Mudpuppy]

Then you must be close - make tiny infinitely tiny adjustments until you get there. You would not believe how many times in a night I will move one way or another 1/4". Doesn't seem like much but it translates from being tapped to a solid strike.

[Washout]

Oh I know what you mean. These issues have been going on for weeks, and it's been very annoying as I have tried several different things, and I am constantly adjusting my feet/target throughout the night. I have no problem hitting the pocket for the most part, but I am always leaving pins up. Luckily I have little issues picking up spares. I think through this streak I've bowled like 2-3 clean sheets all under 200 pins because I can't hit consistent strikes. In fact the most I've hit in a row in the last 6 months was 5...with a lane ball :(

[bowl1820]

Moving farther right, playing the 2nd board???

If you don't have carry because the ball is losing energy, moving farther outside is just going to make things worse. Your moving into a even dryer area! The ball will burn up just that much more or as stated you'll be going high or brooklyn.

Also moving right and throwing straight at the pocket won't get you a 5-7 degree angle. It would be around a 1.5 - 2 degree entry angle.