Struggling with carry down...

[AlexNC]

I'm bowling in a casual mixed league on Weds nights. A large chunk of the players are just out for fun and use plastic balls. Last night - for example, I was the only person out of my team and the opposing team using a reactive ball. Typically I have been bowling well in warm-ups and then part way through the first game, but then I find myself getting lost. I will get the reaction I expect for a while, and find myself moving left a few boards as expected, but then my ball begins to skid too far and I will miss right. So I move back to the right a few boards to my previous strike shot, and I get too much friction and miss left.

The oil volume in this house is medium, and I am thinking that all the plastic ball use could really be pushing the oil down the lane. I have read elsewhere that the adjustment i should be making is a parallel move to the right and making sure i am swinging it out to the dry. Just wondered if anyone else has dealt with this or might have some suggestions?

[Amyers]

Alex what ball are you using?

[NewToBowling]

Tough when every one else is using plastic pushing that oil all over. And they probably are all over the lane not just centered.

[vdubtx]

I bowl in fun leagues with plastic ball bowlers and don't really face carry down. Where on the lane are you playing? Where is your break point. I bet 9 out of 10 plastic ball bowlers aren't playing the 9-10 board 40ft down the lane. So they shouldn't affect your shot in that regard. I rarely see my line messed up by straight bowlers. Now, reactive ball bowlers playing the 10 board break point down lane, yes, but not with plastic.

[Jessiewoodard57]

I too bowl in a small casual mixed league about 30 of us in the league and only 5 use non-plastic equipment. Everyone else throws straight down the lane (sometimes) At times I have had my pearl covered balls look like they skipped a beat in the break point ( which is in the 5 to 10 board range) I have attributed it to the carry down from the straight bowlers that are all over the map with their shots. I have on occasion combated this by joining them switching to my Hammer Taboo spare ball. Shocks most of them to see this plastic ball run out to the 5 and come back to the pocket.

[AlexNC]

I'm using a Brunswick Soul - solid reactive. In this house i play close to the track - breakpoint is around 40ft 8-10 board. I am typically beginning lining up with my left foot on/around 20 and targeting 2nd arrow or just inside - depending on lane conditions. I have had some mixed success moving the line further outside and breaking around 5 board, but it seems like when i play that line, the ball reads midlane much quicker and loses a lot of energy. I suppose it could all be me too - perhaps picking up speed as the evening progresses.

[Amyers]

I'm using a Brunswick Soul - solid reactive. In this house i play close to the track - breakpoint is around 40ft 8-10 board. I am typically beginning lining up with my left foot on/around 20 and targeting 2nd arrow or just inside - depending on lane conditions. I have had some mixed success moving the line further outside and breaking around 5 board, but it seems like when i play that line, the ball reads midlane much quicker and loses a lot of energy. I suppose it could all be me too - perhaps picking up speed as the evening progresses.

My actual guess here is the ball is burning up a little and not carry down I would suggest moving your line farther inside and see if that helps. Sometime when you start with that far outside line and you transition right you move into the track and where you are expecting more oil there isn't. You may find that you need to switch to a more aggressive ball as you move farther in.

If you are seeing carry down watch the motion of the ball if it appears to start hooking then stop then start again that could be it but I'm with Vdub can't believe you've got carry down at the 10 board at 40ft unless they are posting some seriously bad shots consistently with plastic.

[Jessiewoodard57]

If you are seeing carry down watch the motion of the ball if it appears to start hooking then stop then start again that could be it but I'm with Vdub can't believe you've got carry down at the 10 board at 40ft unless they are posting some seriously bad shots consistently with plastic.

Amyers what you described the starting and stopping of the hook is exactly what I meant by skip a beat at the break point. As to bad shots oh my as I said in our league they are all over the boards with their shots.

[AlexNC]

The plastic balls in this league are definitely all over the place. That being said, I would acknowledge that it would make sense that the ball is burning up - the thing that has been confusing is when I am watching it seems like the ball is skidding too far and not getting into a good roll. Either way, I may use this opportunity to add something new to my arsenal - like pulling teeth convincing my wife that I could use another ball ;)

[LyalC52]

I had my first experience in a long time bowling with a lot of plastic rollers this past Monday. And I have to say, I loved what happened to the lanes.
I stared the night with my HyRoad which is very tame, as the night went on, I started pulling out more aggressive balls and played the shim with great results.

[Amyers]

Amyers what you described the starting and stopping of the hook is exactly what I meant by skip a beat at the break point. As to bad shots oh my as I said in our league they are all over the boards with their shots.

I've learned anything is possible. The trick for carry down is to move in with a more aggressive ball or at least add surface but I would make sure to move left while doing it (righty)

[fortheloveofbowling]

i had my first experience in a long time bowling with a lot of plastic rollers this past monday. And i have to say, i loved what happened to the lanes.
I stared the night with my hyroad which is very tame, as the night went on, i started pulling out more aggressive balls and played the shim with great results.

shim to win!!

[AlexNC]

After my practice session yesterday, I have come to another possible explanation. Even during practice I am losing reaction at a similar rate. I feel like my speed is picking up as time progresses in a given session. I do spend some time warming up with stretches and drills before I practice and also before league play. I also tried to make sure I wasn't picking up my pace on my approach. Either way, I feel like the speed is picking up - I will need to record or use a buddy to be sure - we don't have speed monitors at my center. My ball is laid out with the Brunswick generic layout for length and the surface is currently finished with Royal Compound - my proshop guy used a lot of pressure last time it was on spinner and it almost looks polished as opposed to the OOB matte. Nevertheless I don't think I am matching up with the lanes conditions very well - my center uses a medium-med heavy volume - especially if my speed is picking up.