Pin Leave Adjustments

[Hampe]

Yea....one does have to be careful though. Misreading whats going on can be even worse than making corrections too late. It's happened to me before where I misread the ball and moved in too early, and the next frame had a washout. Boy, did I miss just having the 10 pin then .

It's just one more thing that takes a lot of practice....

[Bunny]

The problem with making adjustments based on pin leaves, is that it is an adjustment that is made too late. Once a pin is left, the potential for a strike in that frame is gone forever. By watching the ball exit the pin deck, you can learn to make adjustments before you leave any pins. The ball should exit the pin deck exactly between the eight pin and the nine pin. If, as a right hander, you see it begin to go more towards the nine pin, it means that it is beginning to roll too early which is causing it to lose energy. If you don't make an adjustment, you will soon see a weak ten pin. Since the ball is rolling too soon, the adjustment is to either switch to a ball that goes longer, or make a move left to find more oil in the heads to delay the roll. When the ball starts going toward the eight pin, it means that it is finishing too hard, and you will soon see a four pin, a nine pin, or a four/nine split if you don't make an adjustment. Gotta go. More later.

When the ball goes toward the eight pin, it is finishing not only hard, but late. To counter this, either keep your feet where they are and move your target a little bit right down the lane, or go to a ball with slightly more surface or a slightly lower rg and play the same line.

Thanks Rob. I hear ya. Gotta keep ahead of the transition.

I think the main thing for us right now is training ourselves to look at the way the ball moves through the pins and where the ball leaves the deck. I've gotten better at watching ball motion and where it's hooking but man it's tough to watch the ball hitting the pins, the pins, and the ball leaving the deck all within a split second. It'll come with practice I know.

The Joe Slowinski article is a great start. Thanks again Bowl and Rob!