Reply With QuoteAgreed. You definitely want to walk a straight line on your strike shot to keep the ball not only hitting the target but hitting the target in the same direction.Originally Posted by fortheloveofbowling
What you have to remember about the approach and accuracy is that you can hit 2nd arrow 2 times in arrow but if you slide in 2 different spots your ball ends up in 2 different spots down lane. Creating area by getting your feet in the right spot and playing the correct break point is the key to scoring. I read an article many years ago and brian voss was quoted as saying the first thing he does is look for a place to play where he can miss his target and get to the pocket. Coming from one of the greatest shot makers in the history of the game that really told me alot.
Agreed. You definitely want to walk a straight line on your strike shot to keep the ball not only hitting the target but hitting the target in the same direction.
I know I struggle with this when I'm playing inside the third arrow. For some reason I tend to want to square myself when I try to play those really deep lines
Amyers, When playing inside try to move your right foot back a little more in your stance to open up your hips. Also, to clear your hips out of the way when playing left to right you have to actually walk a little left.
I actually do line up with my right foot behind my left which is a little farther than most recommend. I had not thought of actual walking to the left. Makes since I've always wondered how those guys you see in videos throw that shot across the 4th an 5th arrows and get that angle out to play across. That makes sense of course if I try it I'll probably eat a ball return.
scores
Wednesday Practice: low-medium oil synthetics
I was in Cleveland Monday and Tuesday so I missed my practice day. Wanted to get in at least a little practice before league night (Thursday). I started out trying the recent advice on trying to bowl thumbless and what not. Lets just say, that didn't really work out too well. I mean, yeah, with a 7lb house ball and no thumb...I could hook the entire lane. But I may as well have closed my eyes given my accuracy. And it didn't seem to help my regular game (see scores) and actually seemed initially to hurt the scores as I had to get used to a much heavier ball, using my thumb again, and not trying to generate massive hook. But...it was to try.
445 Series: 115-149-181
Opened with a - / - (0). Couldn't get used to the 7lb to 16lb transition that quickly. Then just abysmal nonsense as I continued to adjust. In game 2 I just kept leaving single-pin spares (5) and was only 2/5 at picking them up for some reason. Game 3 I was back in my groove, clean through 5 frames, striking well...but then AGAIN...missed 2 single-pin spares in a row and finished badly.
568 Series: 193-177-198
Other than a 6-7-10 split in the 5th, I was clean until AGAIN missing a single-pin spare in the 10th! At least I made 2 that game. Game 2 I balled down to the Frantic and played more up the middle. The lanes just were getting too dry for the Rhythm up the outside. Game 2, same result, clean through 8 but with 7 spares and only 1 strike. Then AGAIN, missed a single-pin spare in the 9th. Went 3 for 4 on single-pin spares that game...but geez...killin me!! In game 3, I was totally clean except for chopping a 1-2-4-8 in the 6th. 4 for 4 on single pin spares which gave me a sigh of relief.
PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.50 pins
Strikes: 26% (3 turkeys and 8 singles)
Spares: 60% picked up
Single Pin spares: 63% (12/19)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (8x).
Never left a single 1-pin, 5-pin, 8-pin, nor 9-pin.
Multiple Pin spares: 58% (14/24)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: 6-10 and 1-2-8 (4x each).
Splits: 0% (0/5)
Average over 6 games: 168.83
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 181.17.
Normally I practice 12 games, but this was bowling "cosmic style" so I wasn't getting much out of it and I was tired. I went to a target range earlier in the day and then a 1-hour dance class with a friend...so I was kinda "pooped"...so I only bowled 6 games.
ftlob's advice on the thumbless 1-step was interesting and fun...but I think I'll stick with Rob's advice on not "adding revs" at this point. For some reason, when I try to add revs, I add speed and loft as WELL AS revs. So the speed and loft counteract the revs...and all that happens is my accuracy suffers.
Stats were similar to last week's practice...almost oddly identical. I guess thats a negative that I haven't improved much last week.i did throw a couple 95 games thumbless with a 7lb and 9lb house ball though. Coulda done even better had I also used a spare ball. So, if I ever give up on bowling the "right" way...at least I know there are options!
In Bag: (: .) Zen Master Solid; (: .) Perfect Mindset; (: .) Brunswick Endeavor; (: .) Outer Limits Pearl; (: .) Ebonite Maxim
USBC#: 8259-59071; USBC Sanctioned Average = 192; Lifetime Average = 172;
Ball Speed: 14.7mph; Rev. Rate: 240rpm || High Game (sanc.) = 300 (268); High Series (sanc.) = 725 (720); Clean Games: 198
Smokey this is not 'Nam', this is bowling. There are rules. Proud two-time winner of a bowlingboards.com weekly ball give-away!
Thursday Pre-League Practice: low-oil synthetics
677 Series (4 games): 184-148-193-152
Game 1 I was a 4-6-7 split in the 7th away from a clean game. Game 2 I had 3 splits. Game 3 I was clean through 9 until I chopped a 4-5 split in the 10th. And in game 4 I just kinda fell apart with 2 splits and 2 washouts I couldn't convert.
PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.67 pins
Strikes: 28% (2 doubles and 8 singles)
Spares: 62% picked up
Single Pin spares: 92% (12/13)
Most common single-pin leaves: 4-pin and 10-pin (4x each).
Never left a single 1-pin, 3-pin, 5-pin, nor 8-pin.
Multiple Pin spares: 37% (6/16)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: 4-7 and 2-4-10 (2x each).
Splits: 11% (1/9)
Average over 4 games: 169.25
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 172.25.
Overall similar stats to last night's practice...the only difference being the better single-pin spare pick-up % and lower multi-pin spare pick-up %. Decided not to bowl the last 2 games (of 6) just because I was kinda tired and leagues were starting shortly. But I felt pretty good going into leagues.
In Bag: (: .) Zen Master Solid; (: .) Perfect Mindset; (: .) Brunswick Endeavor; (: .) Outer Limits Pearl; (: .) Ebonite Maxim
USBC#: 8259-59071; USBC Sanctioned Average = 192; Lifetime Average = 172;
Ball Speed: 14.7mph; Rev. Rate: 240rpm || High Game (sanc.) = 300 (268); High Series (sanc.) = 725 (720); Clean Games: 198
Smokey this is not 'Nam', this is bowling. There are rules. Proud two-time winner of a bowlingboards.com weekly ball give-away!
league scores
Thursday League: medium oil
494 Series: 168-154-172
Game 1, a couple spares I shouldn't have missed and only 2 strikes. Game 2 I split FOUR times...then opened on the 10th for a miserable 154. Then in game 3 I only converted 3 of 7 spare attempts...none of them splits...and only scored as high as I did because I struck out in the 9th and 10th and was clean in frames 6 through 10.
PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.67 pins
Strikes: 36% (1 4-bagger, 2 doubles, 4 singles)
Spares: 45% picked up
Single Pin spares: 66% (6/9)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (5x).
Never left a single 1, 2, 3, 8, nor 9-pin.
Multiple Pin spares: 27% (3/11)
Most common multi-pin leave: 3-6-7-10 split (2x).
Splits: 20% (1/5)
Average over 3 games: 164.67
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 174.33.
Gotta make spares. I'd have bowled my average had I picked up my single-pin spares and it's frankly unacceptable to miss them at this point. Not sure why I didn't strike more...seemed like I'd hit the pocket well on shots and leave a 10-pin or a 5-pin or a 4-pin...or even a 5-9 or 6-10. The accuracy wasn't perfect and I was sometimes catching myseslf adding some hand and some loft...trying to get a little more revs...but for how many times I hit the headpin/pocket...just disappointing that I can't get that strike rate up a bit more.
In Bag: (: .) Zen Master Solid; (: .) Perfect Mindset; (: .) Brunswick Endeavor; (: .) Outer Limits Pearl; (: .) Ebonite Maxim
USBC#: 8259-59071; USBC Sanctioned Average = 192; Lifetime Average = 172;
Ball Speed: 14.7mph; Rev. Rate: 240rpm || High Game (sanc.) = 300 (268); High Series (sanc.) = 725 (720); Clean Games: 198
Smokey this is not 'Nam', this is bowling. There are rules. Proud two-time winner of a bowlingboards.com weekly ball give-away!
Aslan I am not advocating this particular drill or necessarily adding revs in the short term but if I was going to try a practice technique I wouldn't give up on it so quickly nothing is going to fix you rev problem without costing accuracy in the short term.
I wasn't in here before when Rob gave you that advice but from reading the old posts I believe it was right at the time but I've said it before your getting close to as far as your current style will let you go. You can only score so well with a 23% strike percentage. I'm not saying it's today to change. Throwing the ball in the pocket is only going to take you so far.
Aslan, Look at your videos closely and pause them when the ball is passing your ankle. When you lost it so much its because the release is really late and the thumb and fingers are coming out at the same time. That is going to cause you to overly loft the ball, look where your thumb is pointing. On the other shots where you lay the ball down earlier you can clearly see the thumb out first and you hand behind the ball. The thing that is keeping you from end of the lane motion is your wrist position. Again, pause at your ankle and you will see the wrist pointing straight down. Get that hand under the ball at release and you are there. Use those videos, they are very valuable to you. Keep working on it, you are close man.
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