Should THS bowlers get less credit then sport or PBA pattern bowlers?

[scottymoney]

Our league actually lost a few teams when they switched houses. The entire league went down about 15-20 pins by going to a different THS. I think a lot of THS shots become too easy and people get lazy. Although I wouldn't call our THS a typical THS. There are weeks where it seems pretty easy and forgiving then other weeks where you feel like the line is totally different and very non forgiving. All in all I enjoy not showing up every week knowing exactly what line I will be throwing and how to adjust each shot. It is frustrating week to week, but I feel it makes me a better bowler when I have to constantly figure out where to play and how to adjust.

Tonight at league if the pattern is difficult like last week I am going to try a whole different approach and see how it does. For weeks I keep messing with trying to play a certain line where tonight I may try to not play for the hook and play a much more straighter shot. We will see how it goes.

[GeoLes]

Sorry, I did not read through all the responses, but I have a basic question to ask that may have been answered in the thread. What is a THS bowler. (sometimes you have to define therms for newbies, like myself.)

[J Anderson]

Sorry, I did not read through all the responses, but I have a basic question to ask that may have been answered in the thread. What is a THS bowler. (sometimes you have to define therms for newbies, like myself.)

THS is an acronym for Typical House Shot. While there are a lot of variations in length, volume, and exact ratio, it is usually a pattern with about 10 times as much oil inside the second arrow as outside of the second arrow. This results in a very forgiving lane condition for anyone throwing a hook.

[Zothen]

It also means that depending on what league you bowl in(6pm fresh oil,9pm dry-light/medium oil)the bowlers get used to the oil pattern and can pretty much throw their ball in same spot most of the time with high scores. the exception is 9pm where conditions can be dry-light/medium oil-wet/dry,but,scores are pretty high as the conditions are easy to figure out.

Zothen

[Hammer]

I realize that sport and PBA patterns are harder to bowl and get a high average. The point I was trying to make of this post is that even though someone gets a high average on a THS pattern it wasn't just handed to them. They had to learn the technique of bowling from the right approach to the release to get strikes and spares. Plus they had to know something about bowling balls to get the right ball for their game. So this can act as a stepping stone for someone to try a sport pattern setup. Maybe some would go to the next level and some would not. To each his own.

[Flyer41]

Of course THS bowlers should get less credit for having a high average. The leading averages on the PBA tour year to year are always 220+, which is pretty typical to what you would see looking across a common league house shot. They are playing on a level that very few house bowlers could even average 190 on.

To use golf as an example, shooting par at the Open is usually good enough for a top 10 finish, but does anyone who isn't a pro have a shot at shooting par? No, not a chance. house bowlers can score well by being above average at one particular style and being decent at spares. I know a few people that play down and in or crank it extremely well, but if their line isn't there they are going to shoot 50 pins under their average because they don't have the ability to play other lines. They average over 200, but putting them on a different pattern, they would not have a chance.

[billf]

Of course THS bowlers should get less credit for having a high average. The leading averages on the PBA tour year to year are always 220+, which is pretty typical to what you would see looking across a common league house shot. They are playing on a level that very few house bowlers could even average 190 on.
To use golf as an example, shooting par at the Open is usually good enough for a top 10 finish, but does anyone who isn't a pro have a shot at shooting par? No, not a chance. house bowlers can score well by being above average at one particular style and being decent at spares. I know a few people that play down and in or crank it extremely well, but if their line isn't there they are going to shoot 50 pins under their average because they don't have the ability to play other lines. They average over 200, but putting them on a different pattern, they would not have a chance.

I've only been bowling for 7 years. All the guys that gave advice kept telling me to slow the ball down and stick to one style. I wanted to be versatile so I didn't really listen. I practiced from one gutter to the other and spares only for games on end. The first five years I got my butt kicked every week at league. But when we went to State tournaments I always beat those guys. Why? Because they couldn't play a different line or style. The last two years of league have been more enjoyable as my ability has improved. I enjoy bowling anchor on two teams. I especially enjoy destroying the normal line of an opponent who can't change line, speed, style or anything. I spend my practice time and two or three frames eating their line up and then it's smooth sailing after that.
Even more fun is going against the truly better bowlers who can adjust and being able to be competitive. My favorite opponent beat me one week with a 710 series. I rolled a 711 against him the following week. I got lucky though as he has two 300s and two 800s this season.

[Greenday]

I've only been bowling for 7 years. All the guys that gave advice kept telling me to slow the ball down and stick to one style. I wanted to be versatile so I didn't really listen. I practiced from one gutter to the other and spares only for games on end. The first five years I got my butt kicked every week at league. But when we went to State tournaments I always beat those guys. Why? Because they couldn't play a different line or style. The last two years of league have been more enjoyable as my ability has improved. I enjoy bowling anchor on two teams. I especially enjoy destroying the normal line of an opponent who can't change line, speed, style or anything. I spend my practice time and two or three frames eating their line up and then it's smooth sailing after that.
Even more fun is going against the truly better bowlers who can adjust and being able to be competitive. My favorite opponent beat me one week with a 710 series. I rolled a 711 against him the following week. I got lucky though as he has two 300s and two 800s this season.

I can easily bowl anywhere from the ten board out, but if there's heavy oil, I can't do the inside. I really want to at league, but I just can't do it. I don't get enough revs to do it and I don't want to change my speed enough that it'll hook as it'll hit too weakly. If I had my Invasion earlier in the season, I could have done it but for the past month or so, the middle has had a lot more oil.

[billf]

Equipment does play a role. I can't and won't even try to throw my Misfit or Natural Pearl across the middle when it's heavy. Most THB (typical house bowlers) play straight up ten with only one speed, one axis rotation, etc. I will send my Hell Raiser as fast as possible up and through their break point. Then I can either play inside of them or outside. Going outside of them offers them the chance to scratch their heads in bewilderment. Most of them assume that because they are inside of me that they have the advantage. Playing up the 1 board with over 400 rev rate I can have a breakpoint well past theirs. It's fun seeing the confusion.

[panbanger]

In my league on a THS it takes about 45-50 minutes to finish a game. To me, that's a long time between frames. If you're in a groove and really throwing the ball well, a 4 or 5 minute break between frames can really throw you off. If you have 7 strikes in a row it gives you too much time to think about it. That's probably part of the reason why there has only been 1 perfect game this season so far. Also my alley uses heavy oil on their THS which may also affect things.

But yeah, in my alley at least, a 300 game is a 300 game. No asterisks needed.