Why am I leaving this spare??

[Aslan]

A common spare I left today (and have been lately) is the:

1-2-4-7-10

I "think" it's the ball just not having the back end reaction it used to. I mean, I can't stand too far left of center and throw at board 10 because the ball won't come back. So I've had to move to where my left foot is just to the left of center...maybe 3-4 boards. And on synthetics, it's even worse because I have to adjust my target by 1-5 boards left.

It's hard because if I move too far right and start throwing straight at the head pin...barely any strikes, lots of spare opportunities, some splits. But if I try to stay left and the ball doesn't react...it hits right of the headpin and I get these dang 1-2-4-7-10 spares which I have just NOT had good luck picking up. I can usually take the 1-2-4-7 out, but I can't get the ball to deflect into the 10 nor can I get any of those pins to move over and knock the 10. Frustrating.

Some anticipated Q&A:
1) is the ball just soaked with oil? Have you cleaned it lately?
Answer: Yes, wipe it after each frame...alcohol wipe after every couple series. Use a 50/50 ethanol/simple green solution after every 6-9 series. I usually give it a hot bath in degreasing detergent every couple weeks.

2) Have you tried to increase revs?
Answer: No...nothing other than making sure my form is good. I'm not a high rev bowler and if I try to put additional revs on my stroke I end up going over the top, my arm goes lateral, and I end up pulling it left.

3) Have you tried to slow the ball speed down?
Answer: Yes. I've cut my backswing by 1/3 on wood lanes and 2/3 on synthetics. It has helped, but I can't cut down the backswing much further or I'm just gonna be dropping the ball over the foul line.

4) Have you tried to adjust the surface of the ball?
Answer: Yes. It started out a very glossy yet tactile finish. As I've washed it 2-3 times...I've also on a couple occasions taken a 1000 grit wet sandpaper to it...just to "matte it up" a little, give it a little more "bite".

5) What ball is it, what is the weight, did it have more reactivity when you first bought it?
Storm Frantic, 15lb, 1500 grit polished, medium oil. And yes, it did have a noticeably greater reactivity on the back end when it was new.

6) How many games on it? Have you had it resurfaced and put in the de-oiling oven at a pro shop?
Answer: Probably about 140-145 games on it. Haven't had it resurfaced or de-oiled yet. Planning on doing that after the second week of Friday leagues...so probably early the week of October 7th.

Thanks!

[dnhoffman]

Not be mean here, but it sounds much more like operator error than equipment failure.

Very hard to say what's going on without seeing video, but if I had to guess, I'd say you're wrist-break and release are probably the culprits.

You can de-oil the ball and that will help the performance a ton, but if you're release isn't right then you're not going to hook the ball. Do you work with a coach?

[Zaxmazr]

Record a game of two of play. This is will more than likely lead to an answer.

[vdubtx]

Have to agree with dnhoffman, operator error. If you are leaving that on a regular basis your ball is going too straight when it gets to the pins. The reaction of the ball has all petered out by the time it makes it to the pins obviously not making it to the pocket and just driving through the pins. You mention you are not a high rev player, but what is your ball speed. You can approximate it, but perhaps you are strong arming it and not letting the ball complete it's roll?

[Aslan]

Not be mean here, but it sounds much more like operator error than equipment failure.

Well that was mean. Videos posted on the site already; http://www.bowlingboards.com/threads...ighlight=aslan

Record a game of two of play. This is will more than likely lead to an answer.

Videos posted on the site already; http://www.bowlingboards.com/threads...ighlight=aslan

You mention you are not a high rev player, but what is your ball speed. You can approximate it, but perhaps you are strong arming it and not letting the ball complete it's roll?

ALL those bits of information and he asks for one thing I didn't list!!! Ball speed is roughly 15.4-15.7mph. I'm more comfortable around 16mph, but I've had to dial it back to try and get some reaction from the ball on the back end. On wood lanes, it's probably in the 15.7-16.2mph range but on synthetics it's closer to 14.2-15.4mph.

I might have to get new videos up because those old ones are me trying to do what my coach was showing me..which was a very upright approach and a high loft of the ball. It was meant to keep me from leaning forward over the foul line but unfortunately it wasn't consistent enough for me and I was having trouble with pin carry so I took some of the parts of his instruction (staying upright, follow-through) and added them into my more traditional approach. Maybe during Thursday leagues I can have Bunny shoot 2-6 of my approaches with my new/revised style. Plus those old videos are shot during cosmic abortion bowling so it's like trying to evaluate someone's singing while wearing ear muffs.

[Mudpuppy]

I don't see anything about feet position in your list. I assume you have moved back and forth and left and right as well as adjust feet angle?

[Aslan]

I don't see anything about feet position in your list. I assume you have moved back and forth and left and right as well as adjust feet angle?

At the time of the videos, the coach wanted me more upright so I was standing much closer to the foul line on approach. I now midway between the dots because standing that close was messing with my natural stride.

And I thought I explained the left-right movement...but when the ball was new I was standing (left foot) at about board 30 and aiming at about board 10. The ball would go out and curve back into the pocket. As I've lost that hooking ability...I've moved right to approximately boards 20-25, still aiming at around board 10.

[noeymc]

my guess ur ball is rolling out

[Aslan]

my guess ur ball is rolling out

According to what I read online...it could be that by dulling the surface a little (1000 grit), that can lead to "rolling out". So I tried to combat the ball being soaked in oil by scuffing it a little and now I have a different issue. It was also wood lanes, lower oil...also things that lead to "rolling out".

But...the problem is...the solutions.
1) Polish ball. Works great except now you have the oil soaking in issue.
2) Try to create more revs. Works great except it'll mess with your delivery and hand position and probably cause you to top or pull the ball left.
3) Carry 6 different balls for the various types of lane conditions, odds are one will react better on that particular lane. Works great...but I shouldn't need an "arsenal" to bowl. I'm not going to the PBA World Championships for crying out loud.

Now...what "may" have solved the problem...as you notice if you saw my score update...I was bowling in the 120s, leaving a lot of these 1-2-4-7-10 spares...but I finished with a 181. Suddenly not as many of those spares. The change? More "snap"...a more vertical arm movement...a more natural delivery...more balance. In other words, I "think" I was able to create more revs by simply throwing with a better overall release/twist/follow-through. We'll see on Thursday...but in that last game...even though the ball has lost some reactivity on the back end since I bought it....it did seem to be moving a little more once I got my whole swing/release/follow-through/balance worked out.

[Mudpuppy]

At the time of the videos, the coach wanted me more upright so I was standing much closer to the foul line on approach. I now midway between the dots because standing that close was messing with my natural stride.

And I thought I explained the left-right movement...but when the ball was new I was standing (left foot) at about board 30 and aiming at about board 10. The ball would go out and curve back into the pocket. As I've lost that hooking ability...I've moved right to approximately boards 20-25, still aiming at around board 10.

I missed it - sorry. Sounds to me like very limited and specific movement of your feet - I used to start at the back end of the approach - actually would hang a foot off the back at one house (when I threw a strike someone tried to tell me it didn't count). Then because people complain about everything and I found the super long approach screwed me up because too many steps (and sometimes too many beers) so I played around with close to the foul line and I found the same thing - felt like I had to short step 1 or 2 steps and messed up my release. So I ended up midway as well - but there is 1,000 adjustments within that midway range to make. And outside temperature, humidity, oil patterns, other bowlers lines, barometric pressure and 100 other variables play in - so you really need to adjust, adjust, adjust, adjust, adjust unless you are hitting strike after strike in the perfect spot. And you are right handed? So you moved right - that will move your ball right unless you adjust angle. I am left handed so when I hit light pocket shots I move right to move the ball right for a stronger pocket shot. Tiny adjustments left and right make a big difference. Last night I had 3 light pocket shots for 9 so I moved 1/4 board to the right and it drove clear through the head pin for a split. Next ball I gave a slight angle adjustment and bam there it was. Maybe 1-2 degrees on the angle. Minute tiny adjustments.