That was NOT my fault!Originally Posted by Mike White
Well, technically it was...but I have a legitimate excuse (or two)!
See, since I change to shooting plastic at BOTH sides (including the left); my coach has given me specific targets to hit to pick up the spares. But, there were TWO problems that particular shot:
1) I have to force myself to aim left and NOT square up to the foul line. Since I'm not used to that...because I've always thrown my strike ball at the left side leaves AND squared up to the foul line...this is obviously a work in progress.
2) And more importantly...I miscounted the number of boards where I was supposed to stand and instead of standing on 15 and aiming at 15...I was standing on 10. Again...I am only partially to blame...because Brunswick is stupid and they only have 5 dots on the approach rather than 7...so it messed up my counting.
I can't believe it took me 2-3 games to figure out I was 5 boards off...but when I throw a 114 game it tends to distract the poo out of me.
In Bag: (: .) Zen Master Solid; (: .) Perfect Mindset; (: .) Brunswick Endeavor; (: .) Outer Limits Pearl; (: .) Ebonite Maxim
USBC#: 8259-59071; USBC Sanctioned Average = 192; Lifetime Average = 172;
Ball Speed: 14.7mph; Rev. Rate: 240rpm || High Game (sanc.) = 300 (268); High Series (sanc.) = 725 (720); Clean Games: 198
Smokey this is not 'Nam', this is bowling. There are rules. Proud two-time winner of a bowlingboards.com weekly ball give-away!
You should always stand relative to the center dot (which is 20) rather than relative to the far right dot which can be 5, or 10.
Even with that, I've seen some approaches where the center dot didn't line up with 20 board on the lane, so always make sure.
Sad thing to admit but I've been there and done that we have a couple houses that have the 5dot thing too and it drives me nuts.
I can talk I have bounced my spare ball off the lip of the right hand gutter cap shooting at a 7 pin
I am a proud member of Bowlingboards.com bowling forums and ball contest winner
Current arsenal
900 Global Badger Claw - Radical Ridiculous Pearl - Spare Ball Ebonite T Zone
Thanks for the input. I'm still on the fence about going to 15# on my next ball. I'm going to mull it over another few days.
I know several guys that look like linebackers for a football team, 3 for sure I have in mind. They swear by 14lb balls, and have league averages at from 225 to 230. They are huge,,, could throw a 16lber if then chose to. I have seen many GREAT THS bowlers throw 14lb, 15, and 16lb balls, around here. They all 3 work great IF YOU Know how to bowl, and have the gift! I am of the opinion that as long as the weight is not below 14lbs, on standard hose oil, I have seem men bowling with all 3 weights with GREAT RESULTS!
I think Knowing how to bowl, is much more important then the weight of a ball. I have settled on 15, myself, for no other reason other then most of the bowlers I know that are GREAT BOWLERS around here throw 15's!!
I have a few of each weight, and enjoy throwing all of them. Doesn't throw my rhythm off at all!
Don't walk on Thin Ice!
With the surfaces and cores that balls have now I think that a 14lb ball can hit hard and have good carry if the person using it has a good release with good revs and a layout that works for him/her and a surface adjusted for the condition being bowled on that person can do just as good as a 15lb or 16lb ball. Knowing how to throw a ball with the correct release is the key to having a good working ball.
Arsenal: Raw Hammer Orange/Black Hybrid 14lbs, Blue Hammer urethane 14lbs, Columbia 300 Lava Ball Plastic 14lbs, Highest scratch series 710 Bowling 38 years Never hit that 300 game. Highest game 276, had 11 strikes and one spare in the middle of that game.
It depends more on their style than their size.
I practice a LOT and you'll see college guys come in that look like they're football players and they throw 6lb bowling balls. their girlfriends are throwing 9lb bowling balls. Why? Because the guys don't care if it works...they just want the ball to go gutter to gutter because it looks cool.
If you're a high rev player, I can't see how you could throw a 16lb ball. It just simply is very difficult to get good rotation of the ball when it's that heavy. My 15lb ball I can get much better revs and axis tilt than I can with my 16lbers.
But...the downside is deflection. It's very annoying when a female player hits the pocket and then stomps her feet because she left 1-2 pins standing and can't figure out why. Ummm...because that ball is 11lbs and you should be throwing a 15lb ball. Unless you have an injury or are a very small person/stature...I think the added benefit going below 15lbs is countered by deflection. In the same respect, the added carry going from 15lbs to 16lbs is countered by a lower rev rate. Thats why 15lbs is considered the ideal weight by most pro bowlers.
That being said, I've read things and heard things recently that some pros are going back to 16lbs...
I'll have to check back in when I make the planned switch to 15lb in late 2015. I'm not doing it with the intention of staying at 15lbs...I just want to give it a try and I have a few 15lbers that would make a decet arsenal...so why not? All I'll have to do is get a 15lb plastic spare ball and I'll be all set. If nothing else it'll make the damn bag a little lighter.
In Bag: (: .) Zen Master Solid; (: .) Perfect Mindset; (: .) Brunswick Endeavor; (: .) Outer Limits Pearl; (: .) Ebonite Maxim
USBC#: 8259-59071; USBC Sanctioned Average = 192; Lifetime Average = 172;
Ball Speed: 14.7mph; Rev. Rate: 240rpm || High Game (sanc.) = 300 (268); High Series (sanc.) = 725 (720); Clean Games: 198
Smokey this is not 'Nam', this is bowling. There are rules. Proud two-time winner of a bowlingboards.com weekly ball give-away!
I made the change to 15 pound balls about 6 or 7 years ago. Doing so increased my game due to improved accuracy.
High Sanctioned Scratch Game - 300(12) Hi Sanctioned Scratch Series - 822(3)
2016/17 Book Average=221, 2017/18 Composite Average=223
Equipment in the bag - Storm Crux Prime, Storm Physix, Roto Grip Idol, Roto Grip Idol Pearl, Roto Grip Hyper Cell Fused, Storm Sure Lock, Storm Drive, Roto Grip Winner Solid, Roto Grip Haywire, Storm Fever Pitch, Roto Grip Red ball spare.
Rev Rate 400. Speed 18 at heads, 16.5-17 at pins. Axis tilt 10, Axis Rotation 55. PAP 5 5/8 x 5/8 up
I threw my 300 with a 16# ball this season. I'm not a hi rev player at all. I'm going to talk to my proshop guy and get his opinion on the matter. More than likely I'll end up with a 16# ball again, but it's like 51%-49% kinda deal right now.
The Magic is in the bowler, not nearly as much in the ball! Tyrone, a good size black bowler I have bowled against throws NOTHING BUT 14lb balls.
He use to throw 16, and then 15s, but found the magic using 14lb balls. He has great form and delivery, lots of rev's, and is a 220 to 230 average bowler depending on what league.
Like in Aslans case! He has experimented with several different weight balls, but no MAGIC! Once he gets the mechanics down I am sure he will be able to bowl with WHAT EVER weight feels best to him. His only weakness I see with my untrained eye is the release of ball off his paw,,, I mean hand!
The answer is this: Any ball weight can Work GREAT as long as its either a 14, 15, or 16! I have seen GOOD bowlers that swear by EACH WEIGHT!
Mechanics or, gift is what makes you a High level bowler!
Don't walk on Thin Ice!
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