Can you play deep always on a THS pattern?

[Hammer]

It is said that a THS pattern steers your ball for you to the pocket. If you know how to play deep can you play deep always on a THS pattern? The pros get different patterns always so sometimes they can play deep and sometimes down the boards straighter. So on a THS pattern it should be okay to play deep if you know how or straighter down the boards if you can't play deep or depending on the ball and surface you have on it. So is it possible to play deep always on a THS pattern?

[chip82901]

It is said that a THS pattern steers your ball for you to the pocket. If you know how to play deep can you play deep always on a THS pattern? The pros get different patterns always so sometimes they can play deep and sometimes down the boards straighter. So on a THS pattern it should be okay to play deep if you know how or straighter down the boards if you can't play deep or depending on the ball and surface you have on it. So is it possible to play deep always on a THS pattern?

My question is, why do you want to play deep inside? Is that where the lanes are heading? A THS should not "steer" the ball into the pocket for you. A THS is designed to be more PLAYABLE that most shots. It should be playable from all angles, whether that be from 25 out to 8 or straight down 10. The thing is, you have to be able to read what the lane is giving you. If you have 9 other guys playing down the 10 board all night, obviously the 10 board is going to become out of play quick fast and in a hurry. I look at who I'm bowling with on my pair, where they are playing, and adjust my line as necessary. Most "house" bowlers, play somewhere near the 10 board. I only swing a ball if necessary, as it is definitely more work than going straight. I've actually started using urethane early on my THS and playing outside of everyone else, around 7 board. Tends to work out as when the 8-10 boards go, I have a little bank area now to move inside off of, say 15-8 or so. As for playing deep inside, most people think its swinging a ball from 20 out to 7 or 8. That's not playing "deep". A deep inside line consists of being about 25 at the arrows to about 12 for a break point, keeping it in the oil as much as possible. There is A LOT that can go wrong with this if you don't know what you are doing. Even if you do know how to play that line, you have to be very accurate with both mark and ball speed, as you will probably see a LOT of corner pins due to the angle you are playing.

[Amyers]

THS comes in a lot of different flavors. Usually has more to do with your capabilities and hot the lanes are scoring then what the pattern is.

[michiganbowlingcoach]

You maybe able to play deep and get the ball to the pocket, but is it carrying that day ? Many ways to get to the pocket its your job to figure out which line will score better.

[mishatx]

I've understood "THS steers the ball for you" to mean that shape of the pattern works out so that if you miss a board left, you end up with a board less hook and if you miss a board right, you end up with a board more hook, etc, so it "steers" in the sense that you have a range of area to miss in - after you find the line that works for your shot.

[TCJ]

If you are a high enough rev bowler, I'd make the guess that you could play deep on the THS most times unless the lanes are absolutely flooded with oil, but it may not necessarily be the best choice. I have observed quite a few bowlers who move way left (if right-handed) and swing the ball out just because they can but not because it is the best method of attack. It may also depend on how much of a gambler you are. Typically, I find that moving inside helps me achieve a larger pocket but that the risk of something like a split is much greater when I'm off. Since I prefer consistency over high game, low game, I generally prefer avoiding the risk of leaving difficult spares to pick up.

[JerseyJim]

I tend to stick to the mantra that straighter is greater. Susie Minshew wrote an article in BTM describing a method of exploring the lane that you're on. It helps me when an area that I've been bowling in becomes a bit too unstable. Last week because I knew there was another decent area to play in on the lanes, I was able to score when the other team was struggling.

[Hammer]

I tend to stick to the mantra that straighter is greater. Susie Minshew wrote an article in BTM describing a method of exploring the lane that you're on. It helps me when an area that I've been bowling in becomes a bit too unstable. Last week because I knew there was another decent area to play in on the lanes, I was able to score when the other team was struggling.

The deepest I can play is with the arch of my sliding foot on board 28. It seems that if I go any farther I start getting pocket 7/10s. I don't care to see any of those. My usual leave is the 7 pin on pocket hits. That usually tells me that my ball is hitting the pocket too light. My adjustment is to move a board or two to the left. I am a lefty by the way. Plus deepness doesn't work for me because I am 71 years old and don't have enough revs to carry that angle.

[chip82901]

The deepest I can play is with the arch of my sliding foot on board 28. It seems that if I go any farther I start getting pocket 7/10s. I don't care to see any of those. My usual leave is the 7 pin on pocket hits. That usually tells me that my ball is hitting the pocket too light. My adjustment is to move a board or two to the left. I am a lefty by the way. Plus deepness doesn't work for me because I am 71 years old and don't have enough revs to carry that angle.

I've been noticing a lot of people saying where their slide foot is. Honestly, where you end up at the line really has nothing to how you're playing the lanes. Pay attention to what board you are at at the arrows and what board you are playing as a breakpoint. Telling me what board your feet are on tells me nothing about where you are playing on the lane itself. No offense.

As for pocket 7-10's, I would guess you're leaving those due to entry angle and not retaining any energy. The thing about playing inside, is that the ball is never getting into a roll as it's not finding friction. It tends to burn up a LOT of energy. The best way to play inside is with a low RG ball, as it will retain more energy down lane. After that, it's all angle and pin action. If you're not getting a ball into a roll, you're going to leave a bunch of weird stuff. Remember, pay attention to downlane reaction. Skid, Hook, Roll.

[J Anderson]

I've been noticing a lot of people saying where their slide foot is. Honestly, where you end up at the line really has nothing to how you're playing the lanes. Pay attention to what board you are at at the arrows and what board you are playing as a breakpoint. Telling me what board your feet are on tells me nothing about where you are playing on the lane itself. No offense.

No offense, but where your ball crosses the foul line, some times know as your lay down point has every thing to do with the line you're playing. And the lay down point is usually closely related to where your slide foot winds up at the foul line.

[chip82901]

No offense, but where your ball crosses the foul line, some times know as your lay down point has every thing to do with the line you're playing. And the lay down point is usually closely related to where your slide foot winds up at the foul line.

Where you lay down yes, not where your foot ends up. But, I can lay the ball down on 28, but be at 20 at the arrows, and out to 7 or 8, but my slide foot ends up on board 30. See where I'm getting at? I can't tell anything solely by by where someone tells me their slide foot ends up.

[mishatx]

If you laydown on 28 but slide on 30, won't you hit your ankle?!

[bowl1820]

Chip is right in that if all you say in your post is something like what Hammer did in his post: "The deepest I can play is with the arch of my sliding foot on board 28. It seems that if I go any farther I start getting pocket 7/10s."

It doesn't really tell you how their playing the lane. About all you can surmise from that is, if they are a righthander sliding on 28, their laying the ball down somewhere around 23-21 approx.

But it doesn't tell you if they are throwing out to the gutter or keeping the breakpoint closer to the headpin.

[J Anderson]

Where you lay down yes, not where your foot ends up. But, I can lay the ball down on 28, but be at 20 at the arrows, and out to 7 or 8, but my slide foot ends up on board 30. See where I'm getting at? I can't tell anything solely by by where someone tells me their slide foot ends up.

Sorry, for some reason I thought Hammer had included his target at the arrows in one of these posts, but I was wrong.

[Albundy]

If you are throwing at an angle at 10 say over the 3rd arrow or between 3rd and middle and the others are going straight down 10 does the breakpoint still get worn out or just the path to it down 10

[J Anderson]

If you are throwing at an angle at 10 say over the 3rd arrow or between 3rd and middle and the others are going straight down 10 does the breakpoint still get worn out or just the path to it down 10

Rather than try to explain I will just refer you to Rob's article:https://www.bowlingthismonth.com/bowling-tips/the-dead-zone/

[fordman1]

Many times the deeper I get the harder it is to get the 10 out.

[vdubtx]

Many times the deeper I get the harder it is to get the 10 out.

Yep, in the end, it's all about entry angle into the pins. The steeper the angle, the more chance you leave the corners.