What is Soooo Special....

[RobLV1]

... about the 2nd arrow? In my Thursday Trios League (High average senior league), we bowl two games on one pair, then move one pair to the right and bowl two more games against the same team. I always make it a habit to watch what's going on on the pair to our right (though it seems that I'm the only one who does). So today, we were following five bowlers (one team had one player absent). All five average between 195 and 215. Four of the bowlers were playing the second arrow. None of them were able to shoot 200. One bowler was playing the third arrow. He shot 215. Nobody moved! What is so special about the second arrow that long time bowlers are terrified of even trying to move left to find some oil?

[J Anderson]

Intermittent positive reinforcement. One of the most powerfull tools in modifying behavior, this is when an action is rewarded, not every time but just enough so that the subject will keep repeating the action. When done as an experiment the action is rewarded almost all the time at the start, but then the frequency of rewards becomes lower and more random.

So older bowlers became hooked on playing second arrow back in the day when it was a good place to play, and since it still works on occasion, especially at the start of a set, they get rewarded just enough keep the habit going.

[MICHAEL]

Rob on my seniors league, I played the second arrow the day I did my 834! I had a 234, 300, and 300! I didn't have to more one board! That was with 6 seniors bowling on the two lanes. I did stay behind the ball, rather then come up the side, thus getting it down the lane much further before it went into its hook movement. I do experiment a lot with my spinner! Different surfaces,,,, I think I have found a great formula for

MY SPEED, and Release. Every one is different. My Revs, and Speed have changed dramatically since we met in Vegas for our Showdown. That ONE lesson from you changed me in more ways then I have time to even reflect on at this time, MY WIFE says I am an EVEN better LOVER since that lesson!
We have a great oil machine here in Kansas city, NKC PRO BOWEL. ITs a legal automatic, lane changing, one pass unit. I can find out the model, I thing I did post it a few years ago. From what I understand its like an ink jet, rather then the common wicks used by most machines. Very precise exact patterns. I have found that Ball Surface that matches YOUR individual style can make a HUGE DIFFERENCE!

No two bowlers throw the ball the same! Out of box surface, MAY work for some, but by simply tailoring YOUR ball to YOUR Style can have huge benefits. So many things go into what surface,,, not only the individual bowling styles, but time of day you bowl, temperature, how long the oil is on the lanes before bowling, etc. I think what many bowers that haven't had that 800 series do wrong might just be moving too fast, just because of a bad result, which (might not have had anything to do with the oil changes, but rather a number of things related to the delivery.

When I did that 834,,, I was in the zone, 2nd arrow all the way, but my focus was unbelievable that day. I give a lot of credit to the surface I put on the ball that day before we bowled! It seemed to not eat the oil, and got through the heads like a dream 24 times in a row. The Deadly Aim works like non of my other balls, including one of my newer ones by hammer, the Scandal! Wish they still made the Deadly Aim,,, would buy a half dozen!

[mc_runner]

I did stay behind the ball, rather then come up the side, thus getting it down the lane much further before it went into its hook movement.

I'm a little confused on this... behind the ball should be an earlier roll, while more side roll would mean further skid before reading, no?

[RobLV1]

I'm a little confused on this... behind the ball should be an earlier roll, while more side roll would mean further skid before reading, no?

You are absolutely correct!

[Aslan]

... about the 2nd arrow?

1) Bowlers are the most stubborn of all athletes.
2) At some point in their bowling years, the 2nd arrow got them a high score...and trying new areas hasn't gotten them the same amount of success.
3) The current THS still favors this shot.

It sounds like the issue isn't the 2nd arrow....it's that the bowlers in question didn't make an adjustment. The winner shouldn't have been the guy playing 14...it should have been the guy playing 2nd arrow that recognized the dilemma and made a move inside.

There was an article I read a few years back about bowling coaches where it said the main determination in whether a person does what they're being taught...is whether it not it works. Coach technique, coach qualifications/reputation, etc... were all further down the list. And, with bowlers being stubborn by nature, they ain't switchin...cuz they once threw a 257 game doing it the way they usually do it.

On the flipside, the GOOD thing is that once you convince a bowler to do something...and it WORKS...bowlers will do ANYTHING if it gets them higher scores. The trick is getting them to stay with it long enough for it to start working.

[foreverincamo]

There are still many bowlers who know the 2nd arrow as "the track " area. That section of the lane would wear into an area that would carry better than anywhere else.

[RobLV1]

There are still many bowlers who know the 2nd arrow as "the track " area. That section of the lane would wear into an area that would carry better than anywhere else.

The key here are the words "would work," past tense. With reactive resin balls with dynamic cores bowling on synthetic lanes, EVERYTHING changed.... except the bowlers.

[Tony]

...and trying new areas hasn't gotten them the same amount of success.

Might be the number one reason that many bowlers still hover around the 2nd arrow.

[got_a_300]

I play the lanes based on where the shot tells me to play whether
it be the 1st board on the right side or the 39th board on the left
side and hook the whole lane.

I like to call those bowlers that only want to play one spot on the
lanes say the 2nd arrow and then refuse to try and move or refuse
to try something new I always call them a (one trick pony).

If a person wants to further their bowling skills they have to be
for one thing willing to get out of their comfort zone and as the
old saying goes trust is a must so they have to just trust in their
own ability to make the right adjustments.