Moviing Left versus moving Right question

[Aslan]

I've always heard about "moving left" to find oil as the night progresses. But I struggle with this.

Like, obviously, if you have a target, lets say the 2nd arrow/10 board,..if you hit right of the headpin…you move left. If you hit left of the headpin…you move right. Okay, thats the basics and it works quite well for small adjustments. But if you've moved lets say 6 boards to the left and you're still going left…and you move further left and suddenly are throwing the ball directly into the right gutter…what do you do??

And thats where "moving left" comes into play. 3 boards left for every change in target board left. But what if that just continues to miss the headpin? And how do YOU know when to maybe change you target board right…so the ball goes a little further out…then cuts into the pocket…versus when you start moving left using the 3 to 1 method for moving left??

I think I've been totally screwing myself up trying to move right.

[Terrier]

I've always heard about "moving left" to find oil as the night progresses. But I struggle with this.

Like, obviously, if you have a target, lets say the 2nd arrow/10 board,..if you hit right of the headpin…you move left. If you hit left of the headpin…you move right. Okay, thats the basics and it works quite well for small adjustments.

I believe you know the correct way to adjust but just said it wrong. Your target acts like a fulcrum or a pivot point and should remain the same for small adjustments. So if you miss and hit left of the headpin, move your feet to the left while keeping the same target. If you miss right, move to the right with the same target. I think that's what you meant to say.

[MICHAEL]

don't forget that you can move up in many cases, and back unless you use the whole approach! If I am leaving 10 pins, many times by simple moving back a foot, or forward in my delivery, it changes the entry into the pocket enough to carry the 10/7! You hear a lot about left and right, but try moving up/back!

[Stormed1]

Keep in mind the unwritten rule of thumb is for every board you move your frrt left without changing your target it makes a 2 board difference down lane

[Hampe]

But if you've moved lets say 6 boards to the left and you're still going left…and you move further left and suddenly are throwing the ball directly into the right gutter…what do you do?? And thats where "moving left" comes into play. 3 boards left for every change in target board left. But what if that just continues to miss the headpin?

Well that's the reason for pushing your line (where you aim at the arrows) left as well. There's only so many boards you can move left and keep aiming at the same spot before you run out of lane to play on. If you've moved both your feet and your line left, but are still coming in brooklyn, then you probably need to push your break point out (i.e. right) a board or 2 (or more).

And how do YOU know when to maybe change you target board right…so the ball goes a little further out…then cuts into the pocket…versus when you start moving left using the 3 to 1 method for moving left??

For me, pushing the line out to the right is more a situational thing than a normal correction (generally this is a situation where I either haven't found the best line to play yet, or I'm doing it for strategic purposes...but that's another topic altogether ). If my ball is coming in too flat, I'll push my line out and play a bit more out-to-in . Assuming I've found a good line already, and my ball starts coming in too strong, I almost never push the line (i.e. my target at the arrows) out farther as a correction. I may push the break point out right (also very situational), but where I'm standing and aiming at the arrows is almost always going left.

The whole adjustment and correction part of bowling is something that takes a lot of practice, a lot of trial and error, and a lot of experience playing different balls/conditions. It's probably where the amateur bowler struggles the most. There's a lot more to it than just "move left as the lane breaks down".

[vdubtx]

The only way you can move left and find oil once a line has burned up is to also move your target at arrows along with your move on approach. Does not have to be 3:1 move can be a 1:1 or whatever you find works for you.

I am like Hampe in that moves typically are almost always to the left for me as well(being a righty). When I move left during early games, I keep my same target at arrows and break point. Then as that line deteriorates, my moves left include moving left at arrows and break to stay in some more oil. I start at 15 at arrows and progress to the left to about 19 when the night is done.

I used to bowl the 10 board and with the coaching I have received during the summer and the more I read, I switched to play a more inside line to my benefit. My average has risen quite a bit since those moves were made. My targeting practice and single pin spare shooting, 10 pin specifically, are also reasons average is increasing.

[vdubtx]

I absolutely agree with Hampe in that the adjustments are the area where many bowlers struggle. So many different things can be done dependent on what the lanes and ball are telling you. Watching the ball as it heads down the lane and through the pins is the reason for posting your shot. How/where the ball hits the pins and rolls out of the pin deck is important. Changes can be made to how/where the ball hits and departs the pin deck can be made with the adjustments left/right, up/back, hand adjustments, ball speed etc....

Some things I look for is if I am leaving 4 pins, 8 pins, 9 pins, 10 pins. I make adjustments dependent on what my ball has done down lane and at impact of the pocket. Also for 10 pins specifically, need to be sure what the pins are doing that leave the 10 standing. Have to know if its a ringer or just a dead 6 pin in the channel as the reason it was left.

[Mudpuppy]

keep moving left off the lane, get a beer or a shot and assuming you are already wasted go hit on some chicks. leave the bowling to the professionals.

[Mudpuppy]

and the real answer to your question is move left and adjust your angle of delivery. the placement of your feet is not a 2 dimensional plane. left, right, forward, backward and angle are all valid adjustments.

[bowl1820]

I've always heard about "moving left" to find oil as the night progresses. But I struggle with this.

Like, obviously, if you have a target, lets say the 2nd arrow/10 board,..if you hit right of the headpin…you move left. If you hit left of the headpin…you move right. Okay, thats the basics and it works quite well for small adjustments.

I agree with Terrier here, I think you know the correct way to adjust but just said this wrong. The rule of thumb is if you miss left you move left, miss right you move right.

But if you've moved lets say 6 boards to the left and you're still going left…and you move further left and suddenly are throwing the ball directly into the right gutter…what do you do??

If you moved left and kept the same target, your making a strong change in your target line (severe angular move). What you have to think about is, That while you moved left to more oil in the heads. The ball would come out of the oil earlier into the dry area and hook earlier and the ball would still cross over.

What you want is to stay in the oil longer, before turning to the pocket.

And thats where "moving left" comes into play. 3 boards left for every change in target board left. But what if that just continues to miss the headpin?

So what you want to make is a less severe angular move. By moving your feet left and your target left also. This adjustment moves the ball to the right of the head pin without requiring an aggressive ball reaction to recover from a large angle change.

Now 3:1 move is a little big to start, a 2:1 move is usually the suggested move to start. The ball will stay in the oil longer and not hit the dry area as early before making it's move.

And how do YOU know when to maybe change you target board right…so the ball goes a little further out…then cuts into the pocket…versus when you start moving left using the 3 to 1 method for moving left??

How do you know when to adjust? practice and experience

Might take a look at this.
Click here for USBC Lane Play Chapter 8

I think I've been totally screwing myself up trying to move right.