Do you need a lot of balls for THS patterns?

[boatman37]

Nope!

Try this link > https://youtu.be/7aVCfMEZn4Y

[RobLV1]

Finally saw the video. A couple of comments: First, you keep talking about where you are targeting, and never once mentioned where the ball is at the end of the pattern. Are you aware of the exit point from the end of the pattern? This is what I was talking about in the thread about seeing the lanes from front to back rather from side to side. I didn't see much variation at the end of the pattern, just heard a lot about how tight the lanes were (BTW, I didn't really see that much at all). Also, I don't think your lack of carry has as much to do with the line you are playing or the ball you are using. From what I could see from the one angle on the video, it appears that your timing in very late, and that is what is causing you to hop after release. It's also really limiting your ability to roll the ball rather than throwing it. This lack of power in the roll is keeping you from carrying the corners. IMHO

[boatman37]

Finally saw the video. A couple of comments: First, you keep talking about where you are targeting, and never once mentioned where the ball is at the end of the pattern. Are you aware of the exit point from the end of the pattern? This is what I was talking about in the thread about seeing the lanes from front to back rather from side to side. I didn't see much variation at the end of the pattern, just heard a lot about how tight the lanes were (BTW, I didn't really see that much at all). Also, I don't think your lack of carry has as much to do with the line you are playing or the ball you are using. From what I could see from the one angle on the video, it appears that your timing in very late, and that is what is causing you to hop after release. It's also really limiting your ability to roll the ball rather than throwing it. This lack of power in the roll is keeping you from carrying the corners. IMHO

As to the timing...that girl coach that my wife works with said the same thing. Said my timing looked very late and she thinks that will resolve most of my problems. She said to push away at the start of my first step. I drop the ball straight down. To me it seems like my ball moves as soon as my foot moves but watching the video it seems my ball doesn't move until my 2nd step.
As for the corner pins, I don't typically leave too many of those but in this video I certainly did so 'assumed' it was the ball or my line.
2nd part as to the lanes being tight, I was referring to the pair we bowled league on after this practice game.
Now the next part...where the ball exits the pattern. I know you won't like this answer but I don't look at that...at least I haven't been. Been trying to pay more attention to that recently though. I watch what board it rolls over at the arrows then where the ball exits the pin deck and that's about it. I know 1-2 MPH doesn't seem like much but when I throw mid 16's or higher I have a hard time even seeing where the ball exits the deck. I have been trying to slow it down more to get my speed more in line with my revs. The guy that drilled my Altered Reality is a PBA guy and watched me and gave me that tip so been trying to do that and it is easier to focus more on the ball but I just have never watched the breakpoint enough to notice anything.

Been trying to get with wifes co-worker to get some coaching but haven't been able to get our schedules lined up. I tried to get her to team up with me for summer league but she lives an hour away...lol

[RobLV1]

Two things:

Where your ball exits the pattern is the most important thing for you to notice. If you don't see that, nothing else matters.

I grew up in L.A.. An hour on the road is NOTHING!

[boatman37]

Two things:

Where your ball exits the pattern is the most important thing for you to notice. If you don't see that, nothing else matters.

I grew up in L.A.. An hour on the road is NOTHING!

L.A.? I couldn't do that. I have worked from home for about 6 years now but when I was in the office I had about a 75 minute drive on a good day. There were a few times where it took me 2.5 hours to get home. When I first started I told my wife they drive like idiots. After a few months I told her 'I'm one of those idiots'...lol.

But I have a hard time seeing the end of the pattern, or at least understanding it. Is it the breakpoint? Because the way I used to throw I didn't feel I had a breakpoint (even though I know I did). My ball rolled a perfectly straight line up the 7 board then hooked so since it never arc'd out it was hard to see a breakpoint. But lately I'm throwing more inside and throwing it out so I can see a defined breakpoint better. I assume the breakpoint is what you are referring to?
A guy in my league always throws his first practice ball about 2/3 speed and I never knew why. One day I was watching a youtube video and a guy mentioned he does the same thing. Says it's easier to see the end of the pattern when it's rolling slower.
So why is it important to see where it exits the pattern? That might help me to understand better.

[RobLV1]

Don't get hung up on semantics. Whether it's the break point or the end of the pattern really doesn't matter. Just see where the ball is when it makes the turn toward the pocket. If you can learn to control THAT point, everything else will fall into place. Bowlers want to see where the ball is at the arrows and at the pins... they miss the most important thing; where it is when it makes the turn!

[boatman37]

Don't get hung up on semantics. Whether it's the break point or the end of the pattern really doesn't matter. Just see where the ball is when it makes the turn toward the pocket. If you can learn to control THAT point, everything else will fall into place. Bowlers want to see where the ball is at the arrows and at the pins... they miss the most important thing; where it is when it makes the turn!

Thanks Rob. I'll try to take a look next time I'm out there but in the meantime I'll try to recognize it in my videos too

[J Anderson]

Don't get hung up on semantics. Whether it's the break point or the end of the pattern really doesn't matter. Just see where the ball is when it makes the turn toward the pocket. If you can learn to control THAT point, everything else will fall into place. Bowlers want to see where the ball is at the arrows and at the pins... they miss the most important thing; where it is when it makes the turn!

By some odd coincidence, I spent two practice games Wednesday trying to observe my ball all the way through the pins. As you might guess I could write something down for where the ball crossed the arrows and where it hit the pins. Seeing where it exited the pin deck was probably one shot out of three. If the shot was a big miss I stopped watching when it hit the pins. I also tended to lose focus if it either struck or left a ringing ten pin. Seeing the break point was a complete failure. It may be that there aren’t markings to use as a reference in that area of the lane, or it my be that I was playing a line that was close to parallel to the boards. For what ever reason I wasn’t really seeing what board it was getting out to, nor was I noting how far down the lane it went before starting to hook.
Any suggestions on how to train my brain pick up on where my breakpoint is?

[RobLV1]

By some odd coincidence, I spent two practice games Wednesday trying to observe my ball all the way through the pins. As you might guess I could write something down for where the ball crossed the arrows and where it hit the pins. Seeing where it exited the pin deck was probably one shot out of three. If the shot was a big miss I stopped watching when it hit the pins. I also tended to lose focus if it either struck or left a ringing ten pin. Seeing the break point was a complete failure. It may be that there aren’t markings to use as a reference in that area of the lane, or it my be that I was playing a line that was close to parallel to the boards. For what ever reason I wasn’t really seeing what board it was getting out to, nor was I noting how far down the lane it went before starting to hook.
Any suggestions on how to train my brain pick up on where my breakpoint is?

It's more a matter of forcing yourself to remember to notice. I've had to do this in the opposite direction. For many years now, I've looked at the reflection of the pins on the lane surface when I bowl. I've had to force myself to notice where my ball crosses the arrows even though I don't "aim" there. I do find that some of the most significant differences between individual lanes occur because of topography differences at the breakpoint. The most difficult condition comes when there is a bulge at that spot on one lane and a depression at that spot on the other. If you try to play both lanes the same, you will hit negative topography on the bulge, and positive topography on the depression. As you migrate left as the night progresses, you start to hit positive topography on the bulge, and negative topography on the depression. This can really play with your head as it appears that the two lanes are transitioning in opposite directions!

[boatman37]

I'm kind of like John. Alot to look at in about 2.3 seconds but I'll give it a try. And like he said, no reference marks so kind of hard to 'guesstimate' what board it is on or how far downlane it is