My First Trip to the USBC ITRC

[vdubtx]

Took my first trip to the USBC International Training and Research Center this afternoon. Scheduled a time to get some practice on the USBC Open Doubles/Singles oil pattern.

The ITRC will put down any oil pattern you want for $25 per lane per hour. Can have as many people as you want for that same $25.

I was a bit intimidated by the pattern at first, but having bowled on it now I think I can shoot pretty well on it in Reno. Of course was just me bowling on one lane and will certainly be different and need to be sure I watch the transitions from frame to frame.

I put together a bunch of shots on the pattern on video that I will link to below. I had a good look on the lane beginning in the fresh standing about 19 to begin with the Disturbed and about 16 with First Blood targeting about 11-13 at the arrows with a break point of about 9-10. As my practice went on I kept moving a bit left with my feet but keeping my same target at the arrows. Ended up at 22 with my feet with the Disturbed and 18 with First Blood. Just as a frame of reference, I typically stand anywhere from 30-32 with Disturbed and 30 with First Blood when I start on fresh house shots.

With these patterns, any time you get outside of 10 at the arrows(especially on fresh), you will have a hard time making it back to the head pin. If you miss left, you will hit heavy. Spare shooting is vital and straight shooting is what I did for everything. Used my spare ball with great success on all leaves. 10 pin cross lane and even 7 pins cross lane worked great.

When the pattern broke down from just me bowling, I was actually able to roll up 10 with my old Track Slash and Columbia U-Turn and had a nice down and in shot.

Feeling pretty good about it. Did not keep score, but would have easily been a mid 600 series or so if I asked them to have the system keep score.
Have another session scheduled for May 10 with other team members and some members of team we will be crossing with. Plan to spend a couple hours on both the team and again on Double/Singles patterns that day.


http://youtu.be/TroOEAlaDGM

[dnhoffman]

It goes to show you just how incredibly better the pros are than most of us that they make playing on this pattern even look like a guy on a THS.

[MICHAEL]

If I have said it ONCE,,,, I have said it a thousand times,,,, ( "YOU WANT TO PUT THE SPORT BACK IN BOWLING, MAKE ALL LEAUGES SPORTS PATTERNS THAT CHANGE EACH WEEK")

Then see how many 300's Joe The Plumber gets!! LOL,,, including ME!! That being said, I doubt they would have changed the rules regarding 300, rings,,,,,,, ONE, as it is now form what I understand.

In fact they could probably go back to the REAL FAKE GOLD with a diamond in the middle like in the old days, before they made it sooooooo easy that even a 64 year old burnt up Iron Worker could do 2 in less then a year... LOL ( that was fer you classy granny, and Mike!) LMAO!!!

You know having been an Iron Worker, walking and putting up the steel some times hundreds of feet in the sky, I welcomed the challenge!! It was part of what gave me satisfaction, and a feeling of accomplishment! Doing what many on the ground thought was, CRAZY, and NUTS!!

Without challenge, what worth is there to anything???? I know,,,,, I KNOW well go bowl a Sports League Iceman!!! I WILL!!! I am looking for one not too far away from my house now.

Pro's are into the sport of bowling, most of US, are just house bowlers... ( NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT, but lets face it, not even in the same league as the collegiate, and Pro's!

So the next time you hear a guy on your house pattern say,,, HELL,,, I can bowl BETTER then them there Pro's on TV last Sunday,,, just remember, they are WRONG! LOL!! Sooooooooooo Wrong!! Pro's make hard patterns look easy! They are into the Real Sport of Bowling! IMHA!!

[MICHAEL]

Took my first trip to the USBC International Training and Research Center this afternoon. Scheduled a time to get some practice on the USBC Open Doubles/Singles oil pattern.

The ITRC will put down any oil pattern you want for $25 per lane per hour. Can have as many people as you want for that same $25.

I was a bit intimidated by the pattern at first, but having bowled on it now I think I can shoot pretty well on it in Reno. Of course was just me bowling on one lane and will certainly be different and need to be sure I watch the transitions from frame to frame.

I put together a bunch of shots on the pattern on video that I will link to below. I had a good look on the lane beginning in the fresh standing about 19 to begin with the Disturbed and about 16 with First Blood targeting about 11-13 at the arrows with a break point of about 9-10. As my practice went on I kept moving a bit left with my feet but keeping my same target at the arrows. Ended up at 22 with my feet with the Disturbed and 18 with First Blood. Just as a frame of reference, I typically stand anywhere from 30-32 with Disturbed and 30 with First Blood when I start on fresh house shots.

With these patterns, any time you get outside of 10 at the arrows(especially on fresh), you will have a hard time making it back to the head pin. If you miss left, you will hit heavy. Spare shooting is vital and straight shooting is what I did for everything. Used my spare ball with great success on all leaves. 10 pin cross lane and even 7 pins cross lane worked great.

When the pattern broke down from just me bowling, I was actually able to roll up 10 with my old Track Slash and Columbia U-Turn and had a nice down and in shot.

Feeling pretty good about it. Did not keep score, but would have easily been a mid 600 series or so if I asked them to have the system keep score.
Have another session scheduled for May 10 with other team members and some members of team we will be crossing with. Plan to spend a couple hours on both the team and again on Double/Singles patterns that day.


http://youtu.be/TroOEAlaDGM

VERY NICE video!!! I need to get my camera out and do one, its been a while!! I like the speed dictator at your lane,,, I don't bowl on any around here that have that!

[vdubtx]

VERY NICE video!!! I need to get my camera out and do one, its been a while!! I like the speed dictator at your lane,,, I don't bowl on any around here that have that!

Thanks ICEMAN. I used my iphone. Intended, but forgot, to bring my digital camera so I didn't have to worry about running out of space on the phone. Got a total of about 25 minutes total footage. Would have liked the entire session recorded.

[circlecity]

You could have thrown in a couple spare shots. ;)

[vdubtx]

Just for you circlecity :cool:


http://youtu.be/SKH4jwaI0pQ

[Mike White]

VERY NICE video!!! I need to get my camera out and do one, its been a while!! I like the speed dictator at your lane,,, I don't bowl on any around here that have that!

Gotta love that autocorrect.

They say the lanes will tell you how to play them, but this is a little extreme.

[MICHAEL]

Gotta love that autocorrect.

They say the lanes will tell you how to play them, but this is a little extreme.

autocorrect??? Iceman must be missing something here???? What is auto correct????? I have never had a lane tell my J.S.!! Where are these talk ing lanes???

LOL Are you talking about on the monitor screen, showing the best method of picking up a spare?

[noeymc]

you speed is all over the place xD

[circlecity]

Just for you circlecity :cool:


http://youtu.be/SKH4jwaI0pQ

Nice!! thanks. I'm always more interested in how people pick up spares then strikes.

[Mike White]

autocorrect??? Iceman must be missing something here???? What is auto correct????? I have never had a lane tell my J.S.!! Where are these talk ing lanes???

LOL Are you talking about on the monitor screen, showing the best method of picking up a spare?

You meant speed indicator, but probably misspelled it slightly. Autocorrect (a function of the website) decided you meant dictator and changed the spelling.

If it was a speed dictator, then it would be telling you how fast to throw the ball, instead of telling you how fast you did throw the ball.

If you throw the ball and it barely makes it up to the headpin, it's telling you something. It's up to you to properly interpret what you see, to make the correct adjustment.

[Mike White]

Nice!! thanks. I'm always more interested in how people pick up spares then strikes.

If you like spares, here's a good one.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbmKqVgBhxc

[classygranny]

Vdubtx, just curious - and not to hijack your thread, but why do you go completely cross lane for the 7 pin? Why not just use the left side of the lane, say across 5th arrow, like a lot of pros do? Do you always do this?

It's great that you have this opportunity. I just heard that more of our alleys are laying the pattern down more this year than they did last year. Good luck in the tourney!

[vdubtx]

Vdubtx, just curious - and not to hijack your thread, but why do you go completely cross lane for the 7 pin? Why not just use the left side of the lane, say across 5th arrow, like a lot of pros do? Do you always do this?

It's great that you have this opportunity. I just heard that more of our alleys are laying the pattern down more this year than they did last year. Good luck in the tourney!

No, I don't always shoot at the 7 pin that way. I usually use my strike ball and stand further right from my lay down point and have the ball hook into it. Was trying different lines when picking that particular pin up and those 2 times were the only times I was actually filming as I shot cross lane at it. With Sport shots, since there is a lot of oil in middle of the lane, more of a chance strike ball will not hook to get across the lane to pick up the corners.

[fsbjcm]

I really want to go, will probably make a trip this summer. Is there more than one ITRC, or is it only in Dallas? I'm pretty new to the sport, only been bowling about 4-5 months (besides twice a year with my buddies using house balls), but I'm getting better quickly and want to continue to do so.

[vdubtx]

I really want to go, will probably make a trip this summer. Is there more than one ITRC, or is it only in Dallas? I'm pretty new to the sport, only been bowling about 4-5 months (besides twice a year with my buddies using house balls), but I'm getting better quickly and want to continue to do so.

Just the one at USBC headquarters in Arlington, TX. It is literally next door to Six Flags Over Texas, down the street from Texas Rangers and Dallas Cowboys stadiums.

[fsbjcm]

Yeah, I don't live too terribly far from there. Within driving distance, so I'll probably make a trip sometime soon.

[vdubtx]

Just be sure to email them ahead of time to be sure they have availability. Training@bowlingitrc.com

[fsbjcm]

How was the pro shop at ITRC? Contemplating going over there this weekend. Got an itch for a new ball, but want to make sure to get fit by the best. My home pro shop guy is not the best.

[vdubtx]

To be honest, I am not sure. But, some top level guys are typically there. Bryan O'Keefe I believe runs the shop and would likely be a great person to get fitted by. Have seen he and also Rod Ross drilling up equipment for others while there.