Bowled my very first sport pattern tonight.

[JasonNJ]

I did this during open bowling, the Sports Junior league had ended and my center always oils an extra pair for league in case of mechanical problems so I asked for the pair that wasn't used. Anyway, it was a 37ft Beijing pattern and it was fun and a bit humbling. Bowled 4 games and averaged 166 with games of 163,160,159 and 182. My A game is straight down and in and I found with this pattern I pretty much had roll straight up 5 or 6 and the pattern had a little miss room to the right but no miss room left.

I was using a Pitch Black for spares and spares were definitely an adventure. Need to work on flattening my wrist to throw it straight or make sure I bring a plastic ball. There's 15 more weeks in this league and I'm looking forward on bowling it each week.

[Amyers]

Plastic on sport shots is the only way to go.

[manke]

Not to shabby!!

[1VegasBowler]

I can only hope I do that well next week! lol

[ackwdw123]

I have found that throwing slower helps me out on any of the sport patterns. I played on the Highway to Hell last night throwing a crux around 13mph between 2nd and 3rd arrows. I saw twice when I was hitting the 2nd arrow I would leave a stone 8 (right hander). For spares I completely flatten the wrist and throw faster. My league plays 3 weeks on each pattern, and we all have a great time.

[JasonNJ]

I have found that throwing slower helps me out on any of the sport patterns. I played on the Highway to Hell last night throwing a crux around 13mph between 2nd and 3rd arrows. I saw twice when I was hitting the 2nd arrow I would leave a stone 8 (right hander). For spares I completely flatten the wrist and throw faster. My league plays 3 weeks on each pattern, and we all have a great time.

Yeah next Weds I may slow down just a bit to try and improve my accuracy. Can't believe how many times I muscled the ball and missed left.

[LyalC52]

after a full winter season of "blue" patterns
the summer "white" seems like a cake walk

just got a Snap Lock drilled up just for this pattern

[foreverincamo]

Sport patterns are humbling the first time around. Spares are an adventure. Plastic helps. I practiced on Alcatraz for four games tonite to get ready for league tomorrow. Never seen an oil pattern change like this one. Started throwing over third arrow out to 8, and the ball would rip to the pocket. By the third game I had moved 5 boards right and was hitting around 7 with a little more speed. Otherwise the ball just skidded thru the breakpoint and missed the headpin.

[IHateTenPins]

I've only been bowling about a year now and never bowled a sports pattern myself what makes it so different?

[fordman1]

It all depends on the bowler. Some don't even notice the difference. Some will notice after the 1st ball. More so after their 1st spare attempt.

[ckelly02]

I've only been bowling about a year now and never bowled a sports pattern myself what makes it so different?

The oil pattern. How its put down, the length of the pattern, the quantity of oil. With shorter patterns the ball reads the lane much quicker and vice versa for long patterns.

[foreverincamo]

I talked to Fred Borden today for a while about playing sport patterns, and I showed him the spec sheet on Alcatraz and how the oil would get pushed down the lane. He said the only at to combat the carry-down is to try to loop around it, or move right and keep the speed up and play with a soft hand.

[Mike White]

I talked to Fred Borden today for a while about playing sport patterns, and I showed him the spec sheet on Alcatraz and how the oil would get pushed down the lane. He said the only at to combat the carry-down is to try to loop around it, or move right and keep the speed up and play with a soft hand.

I thought someone said carry down was one of those myths.

[1VegasBowler]

I start my PBA Experience league tonight.

This should be interesting! lol

[JasonNJ]

I start my PBA Experience league tonight.

This should be interesting! lol

Good luck, let us know how you do.

I'm going back to open bowl tonight on the Beijing pattern again. Hopefully, I can improve from last week now since I should know how to play it from the start.

[1VegasBowler]

Good luck, let us know how you do.

I'm going back to open bowl tonight on the Beijing pattern again. Hopefully, I can improve from last week now since I should know how to play it from the start.

I absolutely will! While I don't expect to break much more than 140 or so, the challenge of doing this is motivational for me.

It's also the night I use my new Vintage Danger Zone that was bought and drilled just for sport patterns

And be sure to let us know how well you do on your second time around with the Beijing pattern.

[1VegasBowler]

Last night I bowled the PBA Experience League at South Point, and it was the first time I ever bowled a Sport pattern.

Unfortunately, I found out that this was going to be the only night any make-ups were going to be allowed and I had to bowl 8 games instead of 4! Was not ready for that one!

We're starting with the Viper for the first 4 weeks and here are my results....

First 4 - 198, 190, 158, 177 - 723 (180.8)

Second 4 - 185, 213, 201, 186 - 785 (196.2)

Not bad for a first timer! lol

[Amyers]

Last night I bowled the PBA Experience League at South Point, and it was the first time I ever bowled a Sport pattern.

Unfortunately, I found out that this was going to be the only night any make-ups were going to be allowed and I had to bowl 8 games instead of 4! Was not ready for that one!

We're starting with the Viper for the first 4 weeks and here are my results....

First 4 - 198, 190, 158, 177 - 723 (180.8)

Second 4 - 185, 213, 201, 186 - 785 (196.2)

Not bad for a first timer! lol

Not bad at all for a first timer. Viper's not especially difficult but it's not a cake walk either.

[1VegasBowler]

Not bad at all for a first timer. Viper's not especially difficult but it's not a cake walk either.

Thank you :)

Not a cake walk by any means, but I played around the 10 board all night and it worked like a charm. And even though I actually ran out of gas during the first 4, I had to dig deep for the second 4 cuz I didn't know about the second 4 until we were almost done with the 3rd game.

[JasonNJ]

Last night I bowled the PBA Experience League at South Point, and it was the first time I ever bowled a Sport pattern.

Unfortunately, I found out that this was going to be the only night any make-ups were going to be allowed and I had to bowl 8 games instead of 4! Was not ready for that one!

We're starting with the Viper for the first 4 weeks and here are my results....

First 4 - 198, 190, 158, 177 - 723 (180.8)

Second 4 - 185, 213, 201, 186 - 785 (196.2)

Not bad for a first timer! lol

That is awesome. Good shooting. I did the 2 hour unlimited bowling special and played 8 games last night too. Had a 225 out of the gate and was thinking yeah, I figured this out and then threw a 151 and 137. LOL. What I'm finding out is I take too many easy spares for granted and I don't focus as hard and it bites me on the butt. I missed a bunch of single pin spares by a whisker and chopped a bunch of other spares. I kept stats last night so here they are.

225, 151, 137, 210, 156, 191, 167, 214

Score Ave: 181.38
Total Pins (Series): 1451
High Game: 225
Total Games: 8

First Roll Average: 8.54
Most Strikes in a Row: 5

Strike Percentage: 41.8%
Total Strikes: 38
Strike Chances: 91

Spare Percentage: 56.2%
Total Spares: 27
Spare Chances: 48

Single Pin Spares %: 71.4%
Single Pin Total: 15
Single Pin Chances: 21

Multi-Pin Spares %: 44.4%
Multi-Pin Total: 12
Multi-Pin Chances: 27

Multi-Pin Non-Split %: 63.2%
Multi Non-Split Total: 12
Multi Non-Split Chances: 19

Split Conversion %: 0.0%
Splits Picked Up: 0
Splits Attempted: 8

Open Frame %: 26.2%
Open Frames: 21
Total Frames: 80

[1VegasBowler]

That is awesome. Good shooting. I did the 2 hour unlimited bowling special and played 8 games last night too. Had a 225 out of the gate and was thinking yeah, I figured this out and then threw a 151 and 137. LOL. What I'm finding out is I take too many easy spares for granted and I don't focus as hard and it bites me on the butt. I missed a bunch of single pin spares by a whisker and chopped a bunch of other spares. I kept stats last night so here they are.

225, 151, 137, 210, 156, 191, 167, 214

Score Ave: 181.38
Total Pins (Series): 1451
High Game: 225
Total Games: 8

First Roll Average: 8.54
Most Strikes in a Row: 5

Strike Percentage: 41.8%
Total Strikes: 38
Strike Chances: 91

Spare Percentage: 56.2%
Total Spares: 27
Spare Chances: 48

Single Pin Spares %: 71.4%
Single Pin Total: 15
Single Pin Chances: 21

Multi-Pin Spares %: 44.4%
Multi-Pin Total: 12
Multi-Pin Chances: 27

Multi-Pin Non-Split %: 63.2%
Multi Non-Split Total: 12
Multi Non-Split Chances: 19

Split Conversion %: 0.0%
Splits Picked Up: 0
Splits Attempted: 8

Open Frame %: 26.2%
Open Frames: 21
Total Frames: 80

Thank you :)

Sorry, but I had to LOL when you said you thought you had it figured out and then realized you got bit in the a$$!

I have to bowl again this morning and I'll be keeping stats as well thru BowlSK.com, and I'll be entering my scores later on.

I ran out of gas last night, didn't get to bed until 1am and now I have to bowl again this morning to make up my Wednesday league. To say that I'm a little tired might be the understatement of the day! lol