Margin of error / miss room

[Tony]

I was talking to a guy the other day who works and bowls at one of the places I practice at and also bowls at the place where my leagues are. He asked me if I was in any leagues at his place or why I practiced there. The reason I practice there is because its much closer to my house and runs all kinds of cheaper specials. I also threw in that the lanes seemed somewhat similar.

This is when he brought up the idea of miss room, his comment was that lanes here are a lot tighter than at the league place, he said his average at the league place is 246 while at the practice place is 221. For him the miss room at the practice place is only 2-3 boards while he had 4-5 boards at the league place.

I had realized I bowled a bit better at my league place but thought it was just being used to those lanes or practice vs league causing the difference, I am now working on paying more attention to how much leeway I have as I bowl before it makes a difference.
How much room do you have at your center ?

[Aslan]

Mondays: not enough

Wednesdays: too much

[bobforsaken]

I assume you are talking room at the breakpoint, and not at the arrows. At the arrows missing by a board in one direction may strike but missing in the other won't. I never seem to have more than 1 board at the arrows... and I may not even have that. At the breakpoint its probably about 3 or 4 boards for me... For others with more hand it may be more...

[foreverincamo]

Where I practice, the shot is much easier. I don't keep score when practicing as a rule. I'm there to work on one or two aspects of my game. Last night I used a ball that I had the thumb re-slugged to alter the thumb pitch. I worked all night to make the thumb as comfortable as I like. A little tape, bevel the top of the hole,etc.
Where I bowl league, the wood lanes are 53 years old. Well maintained but a tough house. Where I practiced last night there were more 800's shot last night than in the last two years where my league is, covering every single league there. So I practice hitting my mark consistently in practice and it pays off for league.

[Tony]

I assume you are talking room at the breakpoint, and not at the arrows. At the arrows missing by a board in one direction may strike but missing in the other won't. I never seem to have more than 1 board at the arrows... and I may not even have that. At the breakpoint its probably about 3 or 4 boards for me... For others with more hand it may be more...

Yes at the break-point, should have made that clear that's what he was talking about. He has a lot of hand and speed on his ball, sometimes I'm surprised it doesn't shatter a pin !

[Mike White]

Yes at the break-point, should have made that clear that's what he was talking about. He has a lot of hand and speed on his ball, sometimes I'm surprised it doesn't shatter a pin !

4-5 boards at the break point is an obscene about of area.

I guess that explains the 240+ average.

If you want to develop accuracy, in practice throw a plastic ball for strikes, but keep it away from the oil.

Plastic by itself will give you a much smaller area to carry, and a board or so mistake left or right will be visible by where the ball hits the head pin.

The goal isn't to carry a high percentage, but to consistently hit the pocket well.

You do have to use the same release as your league shot, otherwise you aren't improving what you will end up using.

[Aslan]

Try hitting the dots. It's easier...but if you miss...it's probably not striking. A 1-board miss at the dots is like a 1.5-2 board miss at the arrows.

[billf]

Consistently strike 3 boards. Every now and then miss a ton and have it come back, as much as 8 boards. I don't count those though becasue I've tried hitting that spot on purpose and the ball doesn't always come back. I call those Sh!t luck shots