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Thread: Six Unbelievable Ways to Raise Your Average

  1. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by GrumpyCatFace View Post
    You may be right, but the idea isn’t going anywhere. It’s a convenient scapegoat for people, and there’s no real way to know with certainty.

    If somebody can come up with real evidence, like a way to measure the oil pattern mid-game, it would dispel any myths.
    Actually, there is a way, and I've done it. I had a tape run after a four-game trios league. There were only two streaks of carry down past the end of the pattern, and both were only 2 units of oil. Reactive resin will not respond to two units of oil. Besides, the whole idea of this thread was to get bowlers to open their minds to the changes in modern bowling. You're right, it is a scapegoat. It's a way for bowlers to avoid actually seeing the reaction of the bowling ball before it gets to the pins. It's the layman's way out, and it costs bowlers big time. All I can do is try to help. You can lead a horse to water, etc., etc., etc.

  2. #12
    High Roller vdubtx's Avatar
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    Making spares is the best way to increase your average. Watching for transition is great if you know how to see it. I am still learning to watch for changing lanes every time out on the lanes. But, if you can't convert what you leave then you're not gonna get very far.
    High Sanctioned Scratch Game - 300(12) Hi Sanctioned Scratch Series - 822(3)
    2016/17 Book Average=221, 2017/18 Composite Average=223
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    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

  3. #13

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    How right you are. One of the only good things about being forced to throw plastic is that using a ball that cannot overpower anything, the only option that I have is to see the transition and anticipate it. I've gotten pretty good at it. I only wish that there was something that could be done to repair my spine so that I could get enough ball speed to throw reactive again. I firmly believe that I could be the bowler I always wanted to be if that could happen.

  4. #14
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    I'm usually a few frames behind the transition but alot of that is because I am not consistent enough to hit my mark every shot. I'm still trying to get my old form back that I had 20 years ago when I quit. Seems I need a few frames to be sure it's the lanes and not me.

    As for spares, I agree 100%. Even pros would be way worse than they are if they couldn't convert spares. I have been pretty erratic since I came back. I either throw a bunch of strikes and miss spares or I get my spares and no strikes. My scores are usually higher when I'm hitting my spares than I am when I'm hitting strikes. Last week was one of the few weeks where I did both (2 opens all night and 635 series). In my previous bowling life I was a spare killer but not a high strike % bowler. I had a 193 average when I quit in 2002 (elbow injury and surgery).

    I have never been strong at reading transitions but being a lefty that plays way outside I don't usually see much transition. Last week I was a couple boards further right than usual (still throwing 1st arrow). I did move to about the 7 or 8 board midway thru the 2nd game because I wasn't comfortable moving any further right and throwing over the 1st arrow. If I missed outside the 1st arrow it wouldn't come back. We have 3 lefties on our team and the other 2 throw 2nd arrow and a little higher rev than me. When it does get really dry I will move to the 2nd arrow and have thrown 3rd arrow a few times but my ball is pretty much a straight ball at that point and I have rarely ever had to move that far in.

    Even with 20 years of league experience I was never much on the technical side. At the point I left there wasn't much technical information out there for the league bowler. Just starting to learn this stuff.
    Last edited by boatman37; 11-18-2018 at 04:31 PM.
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  5. #15

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    Look at #4 in my original post. You say you're not consistent enough to hit your mark on every shot. Consider these two things: 1. You can learn a lot about transition by watching your bad shots as well as your good shots. A lot of lining up is knowing where you can and cannot miss at any given time. Every imperfect shot still gives you valuable information. 2. There is a reason that the pros refer to lining up with their feet and their eyes. Pros don't talk about target, just about looking with their eyes for the simple reason that where you are with your eyes gives you a direction. It is not a target that needs to be hit to throw a good shot.

  6. #16
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    I always looked at my target. It's what I was taught when I was about 10 and just have always done it. I have noticed I don't focus on it as much as I used to. I can rarely tell you exactly what board my ball rolled over because I'm not focused enough or something. Seems like I used to be able to tell you exactly where my ball went but not so much anymore. I attributed that to the fact that I'm thinking about so many other things. It used to be muscle memory and I didn't have to think about it but now seems like I still have to think about every movement on my approach.
    Arsenal "15# Global Eternity Pi-45x4.5x40" "15# 900 Global Xponent-60x4.5x40" "15# 900 Global Zen Soul-60x4.5x40" "15# Roto Grip Idol Helios-90 x 2.25 x 45" "15# 900 Global Altered Reality-50x3.625x30" "15# Brunswick Uppercut-80x3.625x35" "15# Brunswick Igniter-70x5.5x35" "15# Raw Hammer Pearl 45x5.75x40" "15# Brunswick T-Zone"
    Rev Rate about 270 @ about 15.5 MPH at the pins* High Game: 290 - High Series: 733. PAP: 5 1/8"x1" up; tilt 20*, rotation 75*. YTD highs - 290-733
    Oh, and LEFTY!!!

  7. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by RobLV1 View Post
    For those of you who have followed my writing in BTM over the past decade, you know for the past year and a half, my physical condition has dictated that I have to use a plastic spare ball with a pancake weight block a great, great majority of the time. Over the time that I have been using plastic, I have learned a great deal. First, I must say that throwing plastic, I am enjoying bowling more than I have in many, many years. Obviously, my average is lower, hovering around 180, however when I am able to throw the occasional 600 series, I know for a fact that I earned every stick.

    Along the way, I have learned a few things that can help most every bowler, however I realize that many of you will refuse to believe what I’m about to tell you because it goes against so many things that you’ve believed for so long. That’s okay. My hope is that a few of you will be able to open your minds enough to consider the examples that I will give you as proof, and accept that many things have changed in bowling since you first threw your first shot in the sixties, seventies, eighties, and even the early nineties.

    This season I am bowling in two leagues: a recreational trios league, and a fun time no-tap league. While both leagues bowl during the day, neither is exclusively for seniors. Each league has a mix of current or former serious bowlers and purely recreational bowlers. I also practice occasionally with two or three 200+ average bowlers. This mix of league bowling with low average and high average bowlers has taught me a whole lot about myself and about lane conditions. Following are the unbelievable ways that you can raise your average. Feel free to question them at which time I will be glad to give you anecdotal proof of the events that led to my beliefs.

    1 Carry percentage increases when you simply hit the pocket rather than trying to strike.
    2 To stay ahead of transition, you must watch every shot thrown by every bowler on the pair.
    3 You cannot over-power the lanes, so you must be aware of lane changes immediately.
    4 You don’t have the luxury of waiting for a perfect shot to make an adjustment for changing lanes.
    5 You must learn to differentiate between oil absorption, carry down, and lane topography.
    6 The only way to gain control of your bowling is to accept the fact that you have no control.
    No tap tourneys taught me point number 1 greatly. I throw a plastic ball with pancake about 50% of the time. Point #2 was learned easier in no tap because I’m more concerned with missing the pocket and everything moves so much faster.

  8. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by GrumpyCatFace View Post
    You may be right, but the idea isn’t going anywhere. It’s a convenient scapegoat for people, and there’s no real way to know with certainty.

    If somebody can come up with real evidence, like a way to measure the oil pattern mid-game, it would dispel any myths.
    I was in a league where the alley did not change the oil every week! Carrydown was a definite problem (you would see pins slide from 3 to 10 lol)

  9. #19
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    Boatman you just gotta concentrate those 30 seconds! My average is up about 25 pins from last year. I can basically tell within the first rotation if my ball is gonna be a 9-10 or 7-8

  10. #20
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    What type of plastic ball do you use? I use an old Columbia white dot most of the time on my Wed league because the last are too dry (and wood) to use reactive. I have a blue hammer urethane and that works some nights. I am left handed and play the 5 board most of the time. I am looking to replace my white dot with a plastic ball that has a little stronger finish.

    Thanks,
    Brian in MI

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