Do you ever notice anything about the other bowlers on your lanes?

[RobLV1]

Or do you just pay attention to yourself?

[Phonetek]

Or do you just pay attention to yourself?

I notice that the majority don't know the difference between a bowling ball and a softball. Just kidding. Are you asking that if you see someone who may benefit from your assistance or vise versa? Where I'm at I notice when someone comes in who has a good understanding of the game and how it works. It's rare and quite obvious, they stand out like a bright light in a dark dessert. I often take the time to chat with them. Sadly, most of who I see would be lost if the scorer screen burned out and I handed them a pencil and a score sheet.

[Florida Bowler]

I'm still trying to figure out my own game. I do notice some things about my opponents, but not enough to help my game yet.

[rkj4243]

Watch them to see their ability/capability, where they are playing on the lanes, type of ball used, and reaction so that I can make certain what the variables are that may impact where start, and the moves I will need to make as the night or series goes on.

[vdubtx]

I am always watching other bowlers. Well, let me make it a bit more clear, I am always watching the better bowlers. Always looking to see their line, seeing if their ball is jumping off the breakpoint. Basically looking for transition.

I also notice the equipment being used. For instance, if someone is using urethane.

[Tired]

I watch to see how or if they react to lane transition. I also pay attention to the better bowlers. I might see something I might want to try.

[RobLV1]

If there are eight bowlers on a pair, that means that you have eight sources of information available to you. Every ball thrown not only changes the lane, it also provides feedback as to what is happening to the lane. While better bowlers shots will give you more information, less skilled bowlers will also provide you with some idea of what is happening, particularly with their misses.

Today I was practicing with a good friend of mine. After three games, both lanes got downright nasty. I changed from a reactive resin ball to a plastic ball. I moved my feet right, and my target left. We both shot over 200 for the fourth game. I watched as my friend became totally lost in the fifth and final game. After we were done, I asked him what he noticed during that fifth and final game. He replied that his ball reaction totally went away. He had to move right with his feet, and his target. Then I reminded him that I had changed to a plastic ball at the beginning of the fourth game. He hadn't noticed. My carry down from playing in around the third arrow with plastic destroyed his line, and he didn't notice.

Snooze, you lose!

[boatman37]

I know this violates everything Rob and other veterans here have said but when I am up there waiting for the next lane I look down at my ball or at the floor. I purposely try not to watch their shot. I guess so it doesn't affect me mentally. I'm sure at this point in my career I would be ok on the mental side but it's just something I started 30 some years ago

[Tony]

Over the past couple of years I began watching the higher average bowlers on my pair, usually I pay the most attention to two or three on my pair, and sometimes someone on an adjacent pair to see where and what they are throwing and how their ball moves.

[djp1080]

Tony, I do much the same as you. There aren't many folks in my senior league that I could get much help from by watching them, but I do anyway. In the men's league it's quite often a different story. I recall several years ago I'd walk down the league and watch where the first ball shot ended up at the range finders down lane when there were plenty of strikes being rolled. Just about all of them were in the 8 to 9 board area at about 40 feet or a little more. I learned that that's where my ball should be, too. Then finally I encountered transition for the first time as I had moved away from playing way outside and swinging the ball from left to right some in games two and three. I got really lost and had no idea what to do. These days I'm able to at least stay up with the game and there's a definite need to watch what others are doing and see if it makes some sense to help me stay lined up.