Sport Shot Help

[bowl1820]

I don't have a urethane ball... It got ruined in a car crash around 6 months ago.

What ball/balls have you been using on the sport shot so far? List the equipment you do have.

[tmacfanmike]

What ball/balls have you been using on the sport shot so far? List the equipment you do have.

Well I have:
Track 400A SE
Ebonite Cyclone
Brunswick Strike King
Hammer Arson
Brunswick T-Zone

[Aslan]

I have my hand flat and I even sped up my ball speed by 2-3 mph.

No ya don't. A flat hand ...with those balls...they'd go straight into the right gutter.

It's actually a very easy answer based on how bowling works:

The amount and timing of a ball hooking is based on (to over-simplify it and take out all the boring math and ball spec stuff that gives Mudpuppy a headache):

- length of pattern and degree of dryness/oil
- time ball is in contact with lane
- speed of ball (related to above)
- revolutions of ball

So...since between shots, you aren't allowed to spray oil on the lanes where you'd like it...that leaves you with speed, loft, and revs. If you won't reduce revs...you have to speed the ball up or loft it...both of which minimize the ability of the revs to affect it.

Going by those pictures you drew (P.S. How did you do that? I want to do that.)...your ball has an extremely high rev rate. You have 4 of the weaker, low-end performance balls in your arsenal (an arsenal that makes no sense to me)....and you are getting a reaction more extreme than a high-level amateur throwing pro-performance equipment. It looks like the reaction you'd see with 2-handed or thumbless styles.

So, long story long, if speeding up doesn't work...do like the pros do and loft the gutters. Thats how Belmo does it. Another novel option is don't rev it up so much. But what fun would that be?

[tmacfanmike]

No ya don't. A flat hand ...with those balls...they'd go straight into the right gutter.

It's actually a very easy answer based on how bowling works:

The amount and timing of a ball hooking is based on (to over-simplify it and take out all the boring math and ball spec stuff that gives Mudpuppy a headache):

- length of pattern and degree of dryness/oil
- time ball is in contact with lane
- speed of ball (related to above)
- revolutions of ball

So...since between shots, you aren't allowed to spray oil on the lanes where you'd like it...that leaves you with speed, loft, and revs. If you won't reduce revs...you have to speed the ball up or loft it...both of which minimize the ability of the revs to affect it.

Going by those pictures you drew (P.S. How did you do that? I want to do that.)...your ball has an extremely high rev rate. You have 4 of the weaker, low-end performance balls in your arsenal (an arsenal that makes no sense to me)....and you are getting a reaction more extreme than a high-level amateur throwing pro-performance equipment. It looks like the reaction you'd see with 2-handed or thumbless styles.

So, long story long, if speeding up doesn't work...do like the pros do and loft the gutters. Thats how Belmo does it. Another novel option is don't rev it up so much. But what fun would that be?

The pattern I believe is a 36 foot Kegel pattern. The ball is on the lane for ~55 ft. Speed is around 17-19. Revs are around ~450 with cupped wrist, with my wrist not cupped I would presume it is around 350-400 (not sure).

I did the pictures by Googling "scale bowling lane" then getting the pic. Going into a photo editor and drawing my line based off of release point, mark, and breakpoint then I drew the curve with a freehand tool.

Here is how my cyclone did on the Badger 52 ft oil pattern :P Cyclone on Badger I bowl one handed and use my thumb. Also my axis rotation is around 60-65.

Well any tips on lofting then? I can only loft around 5-7 ft :/ I can also post a video of the Cyclone on a house shot if you want. Don't mind the regular shoes xD It was just a shot for fun. :P

[RobLV1]

Watch the tape of the PBA Summer Swing Wolf Championship; 32' pattern. Sean Rash was the only bowler using a reactive bowling ball, and an aggressive one at that. Everyone else was using urethane or, in Chris Barnes case, that Epoxy monstrosity. Sean Rash beat everyone and bowled a perfect game in the process. Personally I think that balling down that far is rarely called for. In the case of a short pattern, the most common error is to try to move left. The move is actually to the right. Even top bowlers occasionally throw gutter balls on short patterns for the simple reason that if the ball is not hanging over the gutter at about forty feet, it's probably going through the nose.

[Shaneshu87]

your got a ball to turn on Badger? *drops to knees* "we're not worthy... we're not worthy!" lol nice work i have to throw the ball about 3 mph to get a 5 board turn out of it lol it's sad

[Amyers]

I agree with Rob and bowl1820 the move is to the right and fire it down outside the first arrow and pray with you revs. If that doesn't work you're going to be buying a urathane or pitching that tzone. At least you'll kill me on the longer patterns.

[Aslan]

I don't see how he can move right unless it's a blocked pattern. Or a pattern where they put more oil outside than inside. Isn't going to be too dry outside...causing the ball to hook earlier?

I'm not familiar with the 36'Kegal. But from what I've seen of Kegal patterns, they are just modified house patterns; they aren't blocked (like the Wolf). With the Wolf...you only have 1 board of dry on the outside....I thought the Kegal patterns start losing oil volume after the first 15ft?? The only short Kegal pattern I've seen is the Broadway which I think is 37ft...but typical in ratio/shape. The only 36ft Kegal patterns are those weird Teen Masters patterns...and I think those are just weird "skill challenges" or something like that.

But I digress....my point is...at that rev rate and pattern length...if the pattern isn't blocked like the Wolf...I don't think the outside shot will stay outside long enough. And if he's talking about that Teen Masters pattern...there's no way not to use a urethane or plastic ball...and even then he might go left.

What I do think...is he should bowl against me before he figures it out. Cuz I'd kick BUTT on a short, dry pattern.

[tmacfanmike]

I forgot the name of the pattern but I believe it is the Boardwalk.

[bowl1820]

You move right because your wanting the ball to lose energy quicker by playing more outside and up the lane.

Playing deep the ball will retain more energy and with all the extra dry in the backend it's going to over react and takeoff.

Take a look at this Tean USA sheet:
http://usbcongress.http.internapcdn....LIER%20WEB.pdf

It shows 4 short patterns 33-34-35-36 feet with advice on how to play them. All are played towards the outside.