Spares

[GoodGrief]

Just a little background on me, I'm a 42 year old guy who is returning from a close to 25 year layoff. I bowled competitively in high school, but didn't have time in college and after, life sort of took over. Now, my kids are getting in to bowling and I've returned...for about 3-4 months now.

I find it's like riding a bike...mostly. I can't shoot spares for nothin'. I imagine it's just a matter of needing more practice, but I'm curious on statistics...now that it seems that a lot of folks are tracking things. I have an app. I've only been using it for a few weeks, but the numbers don't lie.

If you have the data, I'm curious on the following:

What's your average?
What's your left side single pin spare percentage?
What's your left side multi pin spare percentage?
What's your right side single pin spare percentage?
What's your right side multi pin spare percentage?
Do you throw straight at spares, use your strike line for spares or some mix (shoot straight at right side, shoot strike ball at left side...for righties?

It seems online that most people advocate for using plastic and throwing straight at spares, but in my leagues and a couple low-key tournaments, it seems that MOST decent bowlers use their strike balls for most spares except the 10 pin (for righties) and maybe 6 pin.

Anyway, my numbers:

Avg: 207
Left side singles: 86%
Left side multi: 79%
Right side singles: 62%
Right side multi: 56%
Spares: straight ball

Although I used to throw off my strike line for left all but 6 and 10 pins...and I'm thinking of going back because my numbers stink. Granted my sample size is still pretty small (29 single pin spares on both right and left side, 24 left side multis, 18 right side multis). I'm just curious where others are relative to their averages.

[vdubtx]

Welcome to Bowling Boards.

Average: 223
Left side single pin: 96.94%
Left side Multi: 80.21%
Right side single pin: 89.25%
Right side Multi: 80.23%

This is through 3 fall season of league bowling tracking with PinPal.

I throw straight at all right side spares. I am transitioning to shooting all spares straight though. Have been practicing that this summer so far.

[Amyers]

Welcome to the boards

Average 189
Left side singles low 90's%
Right Side Singles mid 80's%

I don't use a tracking app so my numbers are approximate.
I throw straight at 6, and 10. I am also transitioning to throwing straight at the 3-10 and 3-6-10
I typically hook at left side spares but on sport conditions will throw straight at them in the mid 80% range.

[RobLV1]

The difference between now and 25 years ago when you started your layoff is that today's bowling balls have cores that cause the balls to hook all by themselves. 99% of the top bowlers in the world use plastic for all of their single pin spares and the reason is not that it makes them harder to convert.

[NewToBowling]

The difference between now and 25 years ago when you started your layoff is that today's bowling balls have cores that cause the balls to hook all by themselves. 99% of the top bowlers in the world use plastic for all of their single pin spares and the reason is not that it makes them harder to convert.

Also because they mostly play on sport patterns. If all you are doing is bowling on THS you can make due with shooting your spares with strike ball

[ChuckR]

Also because they mostly play on sport patterns. If all you are doing is bowling on THS you can make due with shooting your spares with strike ball
I disagree. THS usually are a little and become more dry on the outside. Unless you can kill your strike ball you may find it hooks past the pin(s). Going straight at the spare has another benefit. IT becomes swing practice for throwing on your strike ball target as the lanes transition.

[Amyers]

I disagree. THS usually are a little and become more dry on the outside. Unless you can kill your strike ball you may find it hooks past the pin(s). Going straight at the spare has another benefit. IT becomes swing practice for throwing on your strike ball target as the lanes transition.

Good point also shooting spares with the strike ball works until it doesn't work then your screwed. Nothing teaches a lesson like going to a tournament or league in a new house and looking like you can't bowl because your missing 6,10,4, and 7 pins because the conditions aren't what your used too

[GoodGrief]

I see the point in the straight ball...which is why I made the switch. And I watch bowling on TV and see all those guys throwing straight. Just surprised to see all the local bowlers throwing strike balls at left side spares. For me, right now, I feel like on most days, I'd make more spares off my strike line than I'm making now. But maybe I just need more time. I totally get the "it works until it doesn't" thing...that's the very thought that made me switch.

And, my daughter just started working the counter at my home house. That should mean I get some sort of discount going in there and having her turn a lane on me so I can shoot corner pins for 30-40 minutes a couple times per week!

[Sche3067]

AVG:188

left side single 95%
left side mlti: 90%
Right Side Single: 90%
Right Side Multi: 85%
Spares: Combination of hook and Straight / Lane condition dependent



Ill usually just throw my strike ball at spares and line up my body to the type of shot i need. THe most important aspect of my game is making sure my wrist matches the intention of what I want my ball to do. I tend to shoot my strike shot at the 3 9 moving around 5 boards left and adjus my speed and rev rate. Ill shot straight at the 7 and 10 lining up on the opposite side of the pin. It took me a good 6-8 months to get really comfortable but i'm seeing it pay off in a big way in these tougher oil patterns

[billf]

Avg 186
RH
Left side single pins 78%
Left side multi 84%
Right side single pins 94%
10 pins 97%....not a misprint, I can get a 10 a lot easier than any left side pin
Right side multi 92%
Washouts 84%
Splits 74%
7-10 split 10% 1 out of 10

[GoodGrief]

Avg 186
RH
Left side single pins 78%
Left side multi 84%
Right side single pins 94%
10 pins 97%....not a misprint, I can get a 10 a lot easier than any left side pin
Right side multi 92%
Washouts 84%
Splits 74%
7-10 split 10% 1 out of 10You make 84% of your washouts and 74% of your splits?!

[LOUVIT]

I have no stats, also a 25 year layoff maybe more. just bought the new ball and having a lot of trouble with corner pins. there was a thread on here spare ball or no spare ball. I'm still on the fence until I get more practice.

[Amyers]

You make 84% of your washouts and 74% of your splits?!

10% seems high on the 7-10 split also.

[fordman1]

Avg 186
RH
Left side single pins 78%
Left side multi 84%
Right side single pins 94%
10 pins 97%....not a misprint, I can get a 10 a lot easier than any left side pin
Right side multi 92%
Washouts 84%
Splits 74%
7-10 split 10% 1 out of 10

Hard to believe you are that proficient at splits and spares yet only average 186. 1 out of 10 7-10 splits is really hard to believe. I have never made one in my whole life.

[vdubtx]

Well, bill has been known to post some outlandish claims before. Not surprising, but must be a fat fingered type deal with the keyboard. Find it highly suspect that he is converting 74% of his splits. Unless he is gonna claim that all he leaves are 3-10's or 2-7's.

http://www.troll.me/images/crazy-eyes/eye-rolling-level-expert-thumb.jpg

[NewToBowling]

That's about my split conversion rate, if I get two chances at it :)

[got_a_300]

1 out of 10 7-10 splits is really hard to believe. I have never made one in my whole life.

Not too hard to believe for me, I've made several 7-10 splits in my bowling career I've made 3 or 4
of them if I remember correctly.

[Amyers]

Not too hard to believe for me, I've made several 7-10 splits in my bowling career I've made 3 or 4
of them if I remember correctly.

Yes and you've on left 30 to 40 in your bowling career? I admit they don't happen as often as they used to when I was younger throwing plastic and urethane but they still happen.

[fordman1]

One out of 10 7-10 splits is hard to believe. I find that I leave more now than ever before. Now they are pocket splits they used to be head pin hits. Bill must not throw many strikes to make splits like he claims but only avg. 186. :confused:

[Amyers]

One out of 10 7-10 splits is hard to believe. I find that I leave more now than ever before. Now they are pocket splits they used to be head pin hits. Bill must not throw many strikes to make splits like he claims but only avg. 186. :confused:

That's strange you leave them more maybe I do too and just don't remember. The thing that really sucks about it in the past at least it was due to a bad shot now they happen on pocket hits.

[Mike White]

One out of 10 7-10 splits is hard to believe. I find that I leave more now than ever before. Now they are pocket splits they used to be head pin hits. Bill must not throw many strikes to make splits like he claims but only avg. 186. :confused:

I put this in the same category as Rob's claim to strike 90% of the time when he switches to a different ball.

Selective memory.

If he really could, he should switch balls every frame.

I've picked up the 7-10 3 times, but I'm pretty sure I've left it a few more than 30 times.

[RobLV1]

Note to Moderators: Why is it that Mike White can belittle me whenever the mood strikes him, and he's still here? I'm really getting pretty tired of being the target of his ire for whatever is bothering him at any given time. Please!

[vdubtx]

Take a look at the Pro's conversion of 7-10's.

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e381/Vdubtx/PBA%20Spares_zpsnpb04d3f.jpg (http://s43.photobucket.com/user/Vdubtx/media/PBA%20Spares_zpsnpb04d3f.jpg.html)

[bowl1820]

I put this in the same category as Rob's claim to strike 90% of the time when he switches to a different ball.

Selective memory.

If he really could, he should switch balls every frame.

I've picked up the 7-10 3 times, but I'm pretty sure I've left it a few more than 30 times.


Note to Moderators: Why is it that Mike White can belittle me whenever the mood strikes him, and he's still here? I'm really getting pretty tired of being the target of his ire for whatever is bothering him at any given time. Please!

Okay,

Mike White stop taking pokes at Rob.

Rob toughen up little bit.

Everyone this isn't elementary school, you all should be acting like adults.

This forum has been pretty free and easy and you have a lot of latitude that you wouldn't have in some others, don't abuse it.

And stop making these petty little snide remarks about other users.

[JaxBowlingGuy]

Take a look at the Pro's conversion of 7-10's.

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e381/Vdubtx/PBA%20Spares_zpsnpb04d3f.jpg (http://s43.photobucket.com/user/Vdubtx/media/PBA%20Spares_zpsnpb04d3f.jpg.html)

That's only televised, not throughout the tournament.

[fordman1]

I have a guy in my league who made the 7-10 split 2 times in one game. I would bet he never does it again. I left 3 pocket 7-10's in a row once. Both facts.

[jimgilmore]

I find it hard to believe that there are more pocket slipts now that any other time unless your looking at the human element of it.
Guy 1 throws the ball and kicks the ball return swear he was right in the pocket and it left a 7-10 split.
Guy 2 comes from behind the lanes with a camcorder he was using hung above the lane. Looking at the video shows the ball 4 inches in front of the headpin crossing the rack, not in the pocket.
The facts is he was NOT in the pocket he might have been close but from 60 feet away I sure would not wear I am in the pocket.

[Amyers]

I find it hard to believe that there are more pocket slipts now that any other time unless your looking at the human element of it.
Guy 1 throws the ball and kicks the ball return swear he was right in the pocket and it left a 7-10 split.
Guy 2 comes from behind the lanes with a camcorder he was using hung above the lane. Looking at the video shows the ball 4 inches in front of the headpin crossing the rack, not in the pocket.
The facts is he was NOT in the pocket he might have been close but from 60 feet away I sure would not wear I am in the pocket.

Jim with the older plastic balls and even urethane balls 7-10 splits were left mainly from high hits and were very common on bad shots. You were much more likely to leave a 5 pin with the older balls but I can't ever remember seeing what is termed a pocket 7-10 back then it just didn't happen. With modern balls the high 7-10 just doesn't seem to happen anymore I regularly see bowlers smack the head pin dead on for a shot that would have produced a 7-10 every time before dynamic cores that doesn't leave one. It's my belief and someone who understands ball motion better than I do may have a different idea but the pocket 7-10 is produced by a ball expending all of its energy getting to the pocket and rolling out before it hits.

[NewToBowling]

Take a look at the Pro's conversion of 7-10's.

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e381/Vdubtx/PBA%20Spares_zpsnpb04d3f.jpg (http://s43.photobucket.com/user/Vdubtx/media/PBA%20Spares_zpsnpb04d3f.jpg.html)

But on those splits how many of the bowlers were actually trying to convert vs just taking pin count

[vdubtx]

But on those splits how many of the bowlers were actually trying to convert vs just taking pin count

Well, for 7-10's specifically, don't we all just shoot for one and hope we get lucky? I know I do, but I certainly don't get a conversion anywhere close to 10% on them. My conversion on them in 3 years of stat keeping is 0% on 49 attempts through 806 total games.

[vdubtx]

That's only televised, not throughout the tournament.

Correct, the article states it was televised stats.

[billf]

Get lucky on one 7-10 split in 10 attempts in one league and that's hard to believe? Nobody says I'll ever in my life make another one and I didn't think the stats were lifetime. Yes I try for some of them. I aim at the left side of the 7 pin and would bet dinner all the missed ones went in the left channel before the pin deck. I'm getting too old to throw the ball that hard anymore to get that needed deflection. I can't even remember the last time I had a spare with a speed over 20mph. Most of my misses go brooklyn whether I pull it inside or get it to the dry too soon. My common washout is the 1,3,6,8,10 wish is an easy conversion compared to most when throwing straight at it angled from the left side. I'm more curious to see what will happen now that we have synthetic lanes.

[bowl1820]

Get lucky on one 7-10 split in 10 attempts in one league and that's hard to believe? Nobody says I'll ever in my life make another one and I didn't think the stats were lifetime. Yes I try for some of them. I aim at the left side of the 7 pin and would bet dinner all the missed ones went in the left channel before the pin deck. I'm getting too old to throw the ball that hard anymore to get that needed deflection. I can't even remember the last time I had a spare with a speed over 20mph. Most of my misses go brooklyn whether I pull it inside or get it to the dry too soon. My common washout is the 1,3,6,8,10 wish is an easy conversion compared to most when throwing straight at it angled from the left side. I'm more curious to see what will happen now that we have synthetic lanes.

Sometimes it's not speed.

I saw a old woman one time, she tossed her plastic ball on the lane. It rolled & rolled & rolled headed for the 7. When it finally got there it just clipped the 7, it fell over and just rolled as pretty as you please across the pin deck and took out the 10.

One thing that helps with the 7-10 is what type of curtain is hanging in the pit. The ones that hung straight down would let the pin bounce off it better and more toward the 10 (or 7). The curved curtains that are around most places now, the pin just hits it and just goes dead and drops.

[vdubtx]

Get lucky on one 7-10 split in 10 attempts in one league and that's hard to believe? Nobody says I'll ever in my life make another one and I didn't think the stats were lifetime. Yes I try for some of them. I aim at the left side of the 7 pin and would bet dinner all the missed ones went in the left channel before the pin deck. I'm getting too old to throw the ball that hard anymore to get that needed deflection. I can't even remember the last time I had a spare with a speed over 20mph. Most of my misses go brooklyn whether I pull it inside or get it to the dry too soon. My common washout is the 1,3,6,8,10 wish is an easy conversion compared to most when throwing straight at it angled from the left side. I'm more curious to see what will happen now that we have synthetic lanes.

Think more astounded at the 74% split conversion you stated.

[Mike White]

Think more astounded at the 74% split conversion you stated.


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

From that fiasco in Temecula.

I don't think I've left a 7-9 split 10 times in my life, but my memory isn't something I try to rely on.

[JaxBowlingGuy]

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

From that fiasco in Temecula.

I don't think I've left a 7-9 split 10 times in my life, but my memory isn't something I try to rely on.

and you didn't even see it SMH lol

[Blacksox1]

To the original poster, last season I bowled 186 league games. Averaged 215.59, strike percentage 57%, all types of spares combined, 76%.

[billf]

Sometimes it's not speed.



One thing that helps with the 7-10 is what type of curtain is hanging in the pit. The ones that hung straight down would let the pin bounce off it better and more toward the 10 (or 7). The curved curtains that are around most places now, the pin just hits it and just goes dead and drops.

Ours hang straight down and are the only ones I've ever had an opportunity to see. I didn't know they were any different. Would this also explain why I've only seen at our center an inordinate amount of pins come out of the back? For example hit the 6, pops out to get the 4 (only time I've seen the 4-6 converted). I know back gutter height, side board age and material all play a role but the curtain was a new one.


Think more astounded at the 74% split conversion you stated.

My most common leave was the 9-10. Hardly a split but it counts, or at least My Lane Play counts it as does our scoring software. While I now find it easy to pick up it is disheartening walking up thinking "I hope it's not another 9-10". 3-10 then 5-10 were common in descending order. I was 0-1 on the greek church.

[bowl1820]

Ours hang straight down and are the only ones I've ever had an opportunity to see. I didn't know they were any different. Would this also explain why I've only seen at our center an inordinate amount of pins come out of the back?
.

Probably, Think of the curtains that hang straight down as being like the side boards.

Also the curtains that slope back are angled differently depending on brand machine. You can see some different curtains if you look in the Equip. & Spec. manual.

[billf]

I'm an idiot and I apologize. I transposed the numbers 47% NOT 74%. I don't know how many times I looked at that and saw what I meant to type instead of what I actually typed.

[Aslan]

From that fiasco in Temecula.

I don't think I've left a 7-9 split 10 times in my life, but my memory isn't something I try to rely on.

1) Please refer to that as the "1st Annual Billy Hardwick Memorial Aslan vs. Zdawg Southern California Invitational" (or 1ABHMAVZSCI).

2) Always when referring to said tournaments, note that the winner and current Champion was, is, and shall always be...Aslan.

3) Are you SURE that was a 7-9? Or was it a 6-7? The only thing that makes me think it was a 7-9 is that if it were a 6-7 I would think you would have thrown at the 6 and not the 7.

4) See #2 above.

[Mike White]

1) Please refer to that as the "1st Annual Billy Hardwick Memorial Aslan vs. Zdawg Southern California Invitational" (or 1ABHMAVZSCI).

2) Always when referring to said tournaments, note that the winner and current Champion was, is, and shall always be...Aslan.

3) Are you SURE that was a 7-9? Or was it a 6-7? The only thing that makes me think it was a 7-9 is that if it were a 6-7 I would think you would have thrown at the 6 and not the 7.

4) See #2 above.

When I'm properly paid to refer to a tournament a specific way, then I will, meanwhile, I'll call it what is was.

And yes, I'm SURE it was a 7-9

If you want to be sure, watch the first ball again, and concentrate on the 3 pin location, the 9 pin is right behind it. unlike the 6 pin.

[DRomano]

I bowl in two leagues with Stayrook's father here in St George UT, he averages 205............