Ball speed monitors

[Timmyb]

I find the best ball speed monitor is the pins. If I am to fast I slide past the head pin. To slow and splits. I haven't figured out what knowing a ball speed ahead of time offers.

In my case, since I'm getting older, I'd like to know if I'm starting to slip by the third game. I used to be faster as I went along. Not so much any more.

[ChuckR]

In my case, since I'm getting older, I'd like to know if I'm starting to slip by the third game. I used to be faster as I went along. Not so much any more.

I find the same thing. Thursday, I threw 248, 214, 201, 196. Looking back afterwards I realized I was getting tired and coffee was not the answer.

[Timmyb]

I find the same thing. Thursday, I threw 248, 214, 201, 196. Looking back afterwards I realized I was getting tired and coffee was not the answer.

Last time I threw 6 games, I was gassed by the end, although my six game series was 1352!

[foreverincamo]

I don't use the MPH readout as anything more than to compare what happened with any particular shot with what speed was read. If I went light, slow the next shot down and see what a mile an hour slower does anything to help. At my house it seems that the more extreme the angle entry into the pocket, the slower it reads.

[Timmyb]

At my house it seems that the more extreme the angle entry into the pocket, the slower it reads.

That would make sense. I was really bending it the last game.

[Aslan]

I don't use the MPH readout as anything more than to compare what happened with any particular shot with what speed was read. If I went light, slow the next shot down and see what a mile an hour slower does anything to help. At my house it seems that the more extreme the angle entry into the pocket, the slower it reads.

The more extreme the entry angle, the slower the ball is going.

The two thumbless bowlers on my Wednesday team have very high RPMs...put a ton of their body into the shot (as most high rpm guys do)...and you'd think they were throwing the ball super fast...but the camera reads 9-12mph.

Why? The ball must slow down to hook. The revs...simply are the "brakes" that allow the ball to change direction.

It's like a car on a slippery road. If you're going 100mph and then cut the wheel...you'll probably skid...until the wheels can gain traction and grab the pavement. During that period of time...the car is decelerating even if you have the pedal to the floor...until it is able to go slow enough that the wheels can change it's direction.

The anchor on our team is also a decent spare shooter with the same strike ball and just coming up the back of it...but when he gets really mad....he uses a light house ball to pick up the spare by throwing it as hard as he can up the back of it...and last time the camera read over 27mph. I think his normal strike ball shot is 12-14mph. It has probably 22-25mph put INTO it....but most of that energy is going in the wrong/other direction than the direction he is throwing the ball.

[bowl1820]

The more extreme the entry angle, the slower the ball is going.

In regard to the monitor sensor and how they measure speed. The angle the ball passes through the optical speed sensors located down lane, Does have a bearing on the speed measurements.

Balls traveling at the same speed, passing through the sensors at different angles will show slightly different speeds. The more extreme the angle, the longer it takes the ball to pass through the sensors and thus show a slightly slower speed.

[foreverincamo]

We have a guy who averages 23 mph on his strike shot. His spare shot on 10 pins has so much speed the ball has bounced out of the pit and come all the way back to him.

[billf]

Studies have shown the ideal RELEASE speed is 18-21mph. Where the cameras read it down lane are only useful to compare for that lane only. Oil amount, lane surface, coverstock, axis tilt and axis rotation are just a few things that will affect the down lane speed.

Release speed is easy. Most coaching programs have it built in but the old school way works still. Video with a camera and time the ball from foul line to arrows. Multiply by 4 and use the previous table to get your release speed.