Two bowlers on the same team/line...what to do?

[Aslan]

I am subbing for a team that has an injured member...and I noticed this last week that the anchor on the team was on the same "line" that I was. Now, my line changes from lane to lane...but generally I start out in practice standing (left foot) anywhere from 18-24.5...and I start out targeting (somewhere between the foul line and just beyond the arrows) anywhere from 9.5 to 12.

I've noticed that our anchor has really been struggling these first couple weeks...and this past Wednesday I was targeting 11-12 and watched him as he was essentially targeting 11 as well. We were both having a horrible time carrying the 10-pin and leaving flat 7-pins. I was able to make my spares....him, not so much. I've been able to move left, incrementally, to stay ahead of him...and I've been able to pick up my spares...BUT...the team is suffering because their usual 200+ average anchor is struggling to shoot a 550 series each night.

Now, this get's "trickier" in that the anchor generally uses 1 of 2 balls and understands virtually nothing about ball technology. He bowls the same house, 1-2 times a week...on the same line. AND...I have an arsenal designed SPECIFICALLY so that I can play the same line and simply ball down, then (if there is carrydown due to plastic/urethane balls) ball up to a skid/flip option. My arsenal isn't designed so that I can up and change my line to an extreme inside line lofting the gutters or move out to the 2-5 board area like they used to play on the PBA in the early 80s.

Any suggestions? I have a chance to finally and legitimately average 190+ while subbing this season...but having the anchor on my line....is gonna make that more difficult. AND...I may cause HIM to average < 180 this season....which I don't want to do.

[J Anderson]

I am subbing for a team that has an injured member...and I noticed this last week that the anchor on the team was on the same "line" that I was. Now, my line changes from lane to lane...but generally I start out in practice standing (left foot) anywhere from 18-24.5...and I start out targeting (somewhere between the foul line and just beyond the arrows) anywhere from 9.5 to 12.

I've noticed that our anchor has really been struggling these first couple weeks...and this past Wednesday I was targeting 11-12 and watched him as he was essentially targeting 11 as well. We were both having a horrible time carrying the 10-pin and leaving flat 7-pins. I was able to make my spares....him, not so much. I've been able to move left, incrementally, to stay ahead of him...and I've been able to pick up my spares...BUT...the team is suffering because their usual 200+ average anchor is struggling to shoot a 550 series each night.

Now, this get's "trickier" in that the anchor generally uses 1 of 2 balls and understands virtually nothing about ball technology. He bowls the same house, 1-2 times a week...on the same line. AND...I have an arsenal designed SPECIFICALLY so that I can play the same line and simply ball down, then (if there is carrydown due to plastic/urethane balls) ball up to a skid/flip option. My arsenal isn't designed so that I can up and change my line to an extreme inside line lofting the gutters or move out to the 2-5 board area like they used to play on the PBA in the early 80s.

Any suggestions? I have a chance to finally and legitimately average 190+ while subbing this season...but having the anchor on my line....is gonna make that more difficult. AND...I may cause HIM to average < 180 this season....which I don't want to do.

As I understand it, the bowling center own's the entire lane, gutter to gutter, all the way to the pit. There fore, there is no "Aslan's line" or "Joe the anchor's line". There are just numerous possible lines that any bowler is free to try.

If you and the anchor are both struggling on the same line, then both of you are playing the wrong line. One of my friends was once on a team with 4 other PBA card carrying lefties. Whether it was because they all had, shall we say, very high bowling self esteem, or just that they were all lefties, they could never agree on how to attack the lanes as a team and wound up near the bottom of the standings. If you are playing right on topof eachother's line, the only thing that should happen is that tha lanes will transition faster. If you move inside of his line, you and anyone else playing there will be taking away his hold area. The solution is to talk to each other to figure out where the lane is telling you to play.

[Tony]

Happens all the time, I really find it to become an issue when one or more of the other team is on the line I want to play, and using a urethane ball .....
At least the guy is on your team, you can talk about it, or since you're more capable of adjusting maybe that's the answer, you take a line just inside his and everyone is happy.
You don't have to change to an extreme line, just move in a couple of boards and throw a little straighter line to the pocket, try it in practice a few times and see if it works for you, a lot of the time if they run heavier oil in the center of the pattern a ball will hold that line just fine.
I know it's easier said than done, I just bowled a guy today that was playing about the same line with a pink hammer urethane, and because I couldn't stay on a reliable line I shot inconsistently.

[Aslan]

Good points.

I think the "concern" is...consensus seems to be that each lane has an ideal way to play it. That may change from day to day, lane to lane. If a lane is "telling you", "play me up the 11-board"...then trying to move outside or inside is essentially forcing your will onto the lane.

I suppose, if I were a PBA guy....I would have a ton of options...even bowling left-handed or 2-handed if need be. I could change my speed, release, loft, etc... But I don't think either myself nor my teammate has near that level of skill.

But, I think I will talk to him before the next game...ask him where he's standing/targeting...compare it to my line...and see at least where we stand. I "think"...his ball speed is lower and axis rotation higher...so he is probably inside of me in terms of "feet". His line seems to be more of a smooth arc...where as I am right of him a bit on the approach...and throw a higher speed, straighter, more skid/snap type of shot near the "oil line".