Difficulty adjusting to lane conditions...

[axslinger99]

First, I'm new to bowling and don't know all the correct terminology so I describe my issue the best I can.

I have a short approach and start at the closer set of dots. I stand with my right food on the 2nd dot from the right. I approach straight and aim for the 2nd arrow. I'm a stroker and have low revs but enough to get a decent hook and send it to the pocket.

Tonight I went bowling in the early evening and I'm sure the lanes were burnt up from all of the Sunday bowlers. My usual delivery was going brooklyn side and sometime even further left. If I moved a little to the left to compensate for this, the effect it had was to change the hook to a longer, more gradual/curve and it was missing the pocket too far to the right (I don't know if that's call "high" or "Low"). I tried different positions but I just couldn't adjust. I was trying to figure out the oil might be affecting my shot but came up empty. Nothing I tried worked.

What should I have done differently? Switching balls wasn't an option; I currently only have one ball. Assuming the lanes were fried recreational bowlers, what kind of oil breakdown would I likely encounter?

[Amyers]

How were you moving? Target, feet, or both? And how much did you move? You had the right idea with the move may just not have done it correctly. Most people move left with both 2+1 or 3+1 (2 with feet and 1 with target). I'm a little weird with this usually when I move I go 5+3 and move my break point in about 3 to 4 also (break point is where the ball starts to hook).

Throwing straight down the second arrow is asking for over/under reactions you are right on the line of the oil on most THS patterns. What you experienced sounds like over/under throw it right it's high throw it left is weak. Try moving your feet left and your target right when this happens and sometimes you can balance the reaction out.

[bobforsaken]

I'm new as well so I don't necessarily have the most reliable advice. It took me 2 or 3 months before I started actually watching the break point and it is so very important.
Before I blindly made 2 and 1 moves as AMeyers explained. (Move feet two boards left and eyes (your target) one board left) In theory this 2 and 1 move moves you so that you are throwing the ball in more oil and keeping the same break point.

As you start to watch your ball as it travels to the breakpoint you'll start to notice that the ball is hooking before it gets there.. or maybe skidding past it.

That starts to open up the better understanding of what adjustments you need to make. Its no longer miss left move left. miss right move right. Its more: "Hooked too early... move left to find more oil or increase speed (or ball down when you get another ball)" "Skidded too far... slow down, increase revs, move right into more dry (or go more aggressive ball). When you start going over/Under you may just need to choose a different breakpoint and abandon the 2-1 moves until you find a better line. This can happen when lanes are really burned up.

[axslinger99]

I tend to move about the width of my foot and move my aim point a little less that that. Maybe I should have started with something a little less.

Amyers, I have noticed my ball doing both; hooking before my break point as well as skidding to far and not doing much of anything. I couldn't find that "sweet spot."

[Amyers]

Well that's one of two thing you either didn't find the correct angle as I mentioned earlier moving left with the feet or the ball just may not have fit the condition. One of my local houses puts down a shot that is very wet in the middle and very dry outside ten I mean bone dry outside ten. I can score well with my euphoria there pearl ball that balances it out. if I get it outside a little early with my asylum Even a board outside its Brooklyn at best 2 boards inside it never hooks washout.

There is a art to playing inside also it takes a balance of angles to make your ball react properly and it takes practice. Lay down , target, and breakpoint are critical to understand. The last one was toughest for me and I still have spells that I struggle with it. It's understanding the relashionship of where your ball will start to hook where you want it to hook and how to get it there.

[mc_runner]

Hooking early some shots and skidding through other shots is an over/under reaction, when that happens it's time to change your line because nothing good comes from that! I'm also still trying to keep an eye on my breakpoint. I always just kind of intuitively watched the ball go down the lane and hook... and never really figured out why I couldn't strike more and why my adjustments never worked right. Honestly after joining this site I've discovered so much more in my game and in the game itself. Pretty eye opening.

[fortheloveofbowling]

The move you should make when you encounter a wet dry situation is not make bigger moves with your feet than eyes. That will make it worse more often than not because at any angle that dry spot will still hook and if standing farther left you are getting your self more inside the oil line. You need to determine where the shim (spot at the break point that is just left of that dry area) is and if you have a duller surface ball that is a arching rolly type of ball use that. Tighten up your angle through the fronts, maybe even move a board or 2 right with your feet and Keep your eyes in the same spot and play to the edge of the shim. With the duller ball you won't get as much bounce of the dry as opposed to a shiny ball and the duller ball will tend to roll up a little earlier in the wet. It is very important to determine where that shim is and where you are laying the ball down to stay in the correct area for the entirety of the lane. SHIM TO WIN

[axslinger99]

How does one go about controlling their break point?

[fortheloveofbowling]

I would say mainly speed control for a newer bowler unless you have multiple bowling balls. As you progress with your game there are many options.

[bobforsaken]

I would say mainly speed control for a newer bowler unless you have multiple bowling balls. As you progress with your game there are many options.

So is " controlling the break point" just another way of saying getting your ball to hook at the same distance down the lane? So as your line to the break point drys out and the ball starts to hook too early (Before your break point) you can increase speed... or ball down.. or move into more oil so it skids farther... thus getting your ball to reach the break point before hooking. (opposite true for skidding past the breakpoint.. ie.. decreasing speed.. going to more aggressive ball.. or moving right into more dry)