Do you ever notice anything about the other bowlers on your lanes?

[RobLV1]

Or do you just pay attention to yourself?

[Phonetek]

Or do you just pay attention to yourself?

I notice that the majority don't know the difference between a bowling ball and a softball. Just kidding. Are you asking that if you see someone who may benefit from your assistance or vise versa? Where I'm at I notice when someone comes in who has a good understanding of the game and how it works. It's rare and quite obvious, they stand out like a bright light in a dark dessert. I often take the time to chat with them. Sadly, most of who I see would be lost if the scorer screen burned out and I handed them a pencil and a score sheet.

[Florida Bowler]

I'm still trying to figure out my own game. I do notice some things about my opponents, but not enough to help my game yet.

[rkj4243]

Watch them to see their ability/capability, where they are playing on the lanes, type of ball used, and reaction so that I can make certain what the variables are that may impact where start, and the moves I will need to make as the night or series goes on.

[vdubtx]

I am always watching other bowlers. Well, let me make it a bit more clear, I am always watching the better bowlers. Always looking to see their line, seeing if their ball is jumping off the breakpoint. Basically looking for transition.

I also notice the equipment being used. For instance, if someone is using urethane.

[Tired]

I watch to see how or if they react to lane transition. I also pay attention to the better bowlers. I might see something I might want to try.

[RobLV1]

If there are eight bowlers on a pair, that means that you have eight sources of information available to you. Every ball thrown not only changes the lane, it also provides feedback as to what is happening to the lane. While better bowlers shots will give you more information, less skilled bowlers will also provide you with some idea of what is happening, particularly with their misses.

Today I was practicing with a good friend of mine. After three games, both lanes got downright nasty. I changed from a reactive resin ball to a plastic ball. I moved my feet right, and my target left. We both shot over 200 for the fourth game. I watched as my friend became totally lost in the fifth and final game. After we were done, I asked him what he noticed during that fifth and final game. He replied that his ball reaction totally went away. He had to move right with his feet, and his target. Then I reminded him that I had changed to a plastic ball at the beginning of the fourth game. He hadn't noticed. My carry down from playing in around the third arrow with plastic destroyed his line, and he didn't notice.

Snooze, you lose!

[boatman37]

I know this violates everything Rob and other veterans here have said but when I am up there waiting for the next lane I look down at my ball or at the floor. I purposely try not to watch their shot. I guess so it doesn't affect me mentally. I'm sure at this point in my career I would be ok on the mental side but it's just something I started 30 some years ago

[Tony]

Over the past couple of years I began watching the higher average bowlers on my pair, usually I pay the most attention to two or three on my pair, and sometimes someone on an adjacent pair to see where and what they are throwing and how their ball moves.

[djp1080]

Tony, I do much the same as you. There aren't many folks in my senior league that I could get much help from by watching them, but I do anyway. In the men's league it's quite often a different story. I recall several years ago I'd walk down the league and watch where the first ball shot ended up at the range finders down lane when there were plenty of strikes being rolled. Just about all of them were in the 8 to 9 board area at about 40 feet or a little more. I learned that that's where my ball should be, too. :) Then finally I encountered transition for the first time as I had moved away from playing way outside and swinging the ball from left to right some in games two and three. I got really lost and had no idea what to do. These days I'm able to at least stay up with the game and there's a definite need to watch what others are doing and see if it makes some sense to help me stay lined up.

[RobLV1]

I know this violates everything Rob and other veterans here have said but when I am up there waiting for the next lane I look down at my ball or at the floor. I purposely try not to watch their shot. I guess so it doesn't affect me mentally. I'm sure at this point in my career I would be ok on the mental side but it's just something I started 30 some years ago

Thirty years ago bowling was a different game than it is today. Thirty years ago you could get away with looking at the floor. Today you can't!

[mc_runner]

Always watching other bowlers with similar shots/lines on my pair to see what kind of reaction they're getting. It's usually 2-3 others playing around my area. A couple of weak 10s, or a 4-9 (any combo) helps keep you a step ahead, you don't have to waste a shot of your own.

[J Anderson]

Thirty years ago bowling was a different game than it is today. Thirty years ago you could get away with looking at the floor. Today you can't!

I suspect that even 30 years ago, bowlers like Norm Duke and Brian Voss were watching other bowlers, at least during qualifying, to gain any sort of advantage they could.

On the other hand, there are many bowlers who can not objectively observe their opponents. Instead of calmly noting that someone on the other team missed out side and the ball hooked early for a Brooklyn strike, they get hung up on the other teams good luck and that their own team is getting robbed on “pocket” hits that don’t carry.

[boatman37]

Thirty years ago bowling was a different game than it is today. Thirty years ago you could get away with looking at the floor. Today you can't!

I think part of it was nobody plays as far out as I do so I didn't want to be tempted to try what they try when I wasn't in the oil. But after getting the new Conspiracy last week and targeting the 10 board I'm playing where action gets busy so it might be beneficial for me to start watching them now. With the release I had been using my ball would go almost straight when I targeted the 10 board but played around last week practicing with the new ball and was able to cross the 2nd arrow and went out to about the 5-7 board and back into the pocket. Very similar to what others are doing. I know we will have at least 4 lefties on our pair tonight (3 on our team) so I'm sure I will have to make some adjustments throughout the night. I tried the 3rd arrow last week too and was able to get a decent entry angle into the pocket and threw a few strikes from there so I have that in my arsenal too...lol

[ALazySavage]

Currently I bowl in two leagues with a wide variety of skill levels but the process is basically the same in both leagues:

(a) I look at the equipment on the rack - essentially looking at surface and if there is any urethane/plastic being used as a strike ball. When I see plastic/urethane I see who is throwing that equipment because this is where watching lower skill bowlers is essential. In the instance I see a beginner/not great bowler throwing this I watch where they are throwing because it tells me that there is likely (1) going to be some carry down in that part of the lane, (2) since they are probably not consistent there is a high potential of "scatter shot" breakdown in that part of the lane (especially with multiple bowlers like this) and (3) they likely are not going to move so it will be very difficult/spotty in that part of the lane.

(b) If there are any very high rev bowlers I'm going to get an idea of where the fronts may get destroyed. Also, they are likely to be inside of me so I need to know that moves into these areas will be more drastic and may not make sense otherwise.

(c) As many are saying here, I look for bowlers near my skill level and ideally throw it similar to me - this way if I get really lost I have someone to baseline off of.

During Bowling/Competition:

(d) I will admit I don't watch everyone at this point - there is a social aspect to league bowling and I don't want to be the curmudgeon not talking to anyone. I will typically watch the following bowlers - anyone playing a similar line to mine so I can watch for roll-out or balls reacting too late, those inside of me (especially in a house shot where the first typical move for me is going to be where they are), and people using equipment that is not consistent with the rest of the group (urethane, plastic, sand blasted equipment) if they appear to be someone who is going to know that they need to make an adjustment (not necessarily the right adjustment). Typically doing this will eliminate some potential moves that you should be able to know will not work.

[RobLV1]

Today I bowled in a morning league. One of the bowlers on the other time is a high rev, two-hander who hooks the lane. He also does not wipe his ball off between shots. I warned our other right-hander to watch out for his carry down as he was playing the fourth arrow and moving the oil out to our breakpoint. We ended up winning 5/7 points. We avoided his oil. His right handed teammates did not!

[SRB57]

Like other reply's I watch the other players around me to see when the lanes start to transition. I don't want to be the guy who leaves the big four or Greek church then decide to move and it happens fast on these synthetic lanes. I also like to ask the guys on the other team about the equipment they are using. Steve

[TCJ]

I watch all the time.

If I am in league, I will watch for lane transition, slick spots, where the other bowlers are playing (and if they will affect me), and what types of balls they are using. I watch my teammates and will comment on things that I notice once in awhile (I think you need more speed, or try moving in a couple boards).

If I am open bowling, I will watch other bowlers while I wait for my ball or wait for my turn. Other people check their cells phones, but if I'm in a bowling alley, I'm there for bowling. What I see is usually not inspiring, but I will still analyze what they are doing right (usually not much) and what they are doing wrong (everything). Most people these days don't know how to hold a ball, how many steps to use (or use the same number each time), which foot to end on, how to aim, or that they shouldn't stop their approach two feet beyond the foul line.