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Thread: ball reaction vs inconsistent bowler?

  1. #11

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    You started out this thread by saying, "So tonight I started out with the Conspiracy as I usually do." Way back in 2007 when I wrote my first article for BTM, the subject matter was the dangers of preconceptions in modern bowling. Every year that passes, that subject has become more and more important. What ball you "usually" start with, what line you "usually" play, is irrelevant. You need to realize that there are so many things that can affect how the lanes play (weather conditions, oil machine mate nance, etc.) that NOTHING is usual. Every week is new, things change, and you have to be willing and able to change right along with them.

  2. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by RobLV1 View Post
    You started out this thread by saying, "So tonight I started out with the Conspiracy as I usually do." Way back in 2007 when I wrote my first article for BTM, the subject matter was the dangers of preconceptions in modern bowling. Every year that passes, that subject has become more and more important. What ball you "usually" start with, what line you "usually" play, is irrelevant. You need to realize that there are so many things that can affect how the lanes play (weather conditions, oil machine mate nance, etc.) that NOTHING is usual. Every week is new, things change, and you have to be willing and able to change right along with them.
    Thats what I'm struggling with. 90% of the time the Conspiracy works where I like to play but when it doesn't I'm reluctant to change anything. Hopefully the other night will help with that since I hopefully gained a little confidence that I can strike with something other than the Conspiracy. But I really like how it feels...lol. Just the fit and everything. It's supposed to be the same drilling as my others but it feels a little better.

    And in addition to moving away from my favorite ball I also moved more inside than I am comfortable with. I can consistently hit the 6-7 board but had struggled to hit the 9-10 board but I have been much better with it lately. I played 9-10 most of the night as the outside was just a little too dry for me.

    My biggest issue this past 15 months since my return has been consistency but I seem to be getting better with that so hopefully I can start fine tuning things.

    But yeah, I usually start with the Conspiracy. If it hits the pocket its usually a strike where my other balls have less success when hitting the pocket. Probably the carry or having more energy at the pins than the others. The problem is I only 'usually' hit the pocket about 70% of the time....lol
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  3. #13

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    I've always said that my "favorite" bowling ball is the one in my hand that is currently striking... whatever it is. As modern bowlers, we don't have the luxury of having a favorite anything; ball, line, etc.

  4. #14
    Bowling God Aslan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by boatman37 View Post
    Another question...the Kingpin only had a couple games on it since the last sanding where the Conspiracy had about 30 or so. Could that have been it?
    Theoretically...yes.

    If the ball had developed a significant track or had a dull/slick spot somewhere on it...a strong, assymetric core ball...yeah...you could have had the inconsistency based on something having to do with the ball surface. Unlikely, but possible.

    It's not the "ball"...because the ball doesn't change. And the Kingpin is the same ball (in terms of specs). The Conspiracy didn't just all the sudden decide to move it's core around because it was bored sitting in your bag. And, if the Kingpin worked...it's essentially the same ball...so ball specs are essentially ruled out.

    That leaves physical (release/speed), lane conditions, or surface.
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    Quote Originally Posted by RobLV1 View Post
    You started out this thread by saying, "So tonight I started out with the Conspiracy as I usually do." Way back in 2007 when I wrote my first article for BTM, the subject matter was the dangers of preconceptions in modern bowling. Every year that passes, that subject has become more and more important. What ball you "usually" start with, what line you "usually" play, is irrelevant. You need to realize that there are so many things that can affect how the lanes play (weather conditions, oil machine mate nance, etc.) that NOTHING is usual. Every week is new, things change, and you have to be willing and able to change right along with them.
    I am not disagreeing with you over the need to be open minded about what ball to use, but I would bring up a few observations about human nature.

    People seem to be programed to take short cuts. This is obvious to any one looking at where kids actually walk in a school yard compared to where the architect had the sidewalks put in. Our adult brains also want to take the shortest path. So if ball X gets strikes one week we will tend to start off with X the next week, and eventually we stop checking our other balls in practice and X has become our usual ball. Also, at least in my area, league practice is only 10 minutes, so in a five person per team league you get maybe four shots to find a line before the first game. Given the limited time it is only natural to have a “usual” ball to start with.
    John

  6. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by J Anderson View Post
    People seem to be programed to take short cuts. This is obvious to any one looking at where kids actually walk in a school yard compared to where the architect had the sidewalks put in. Our adult brains also want to take the shortest path. So if ball X gets strikes one week we will tend to start off with X the next week, and eventually we stop checking our other balls in practice and X has become our usual ball. Also, at least in my area, league practice is only 10 minutes, so in a five person per team league you get maybe four shots to find a line before the first game. Given the limited time it is only natural to have a “usual” ball to start with.
    This is the argument towards having a "ride or die" benchmark ball. Something that you can throw a few times and have an idea of what the lane is going to be asking you to do that day. Currently I have a Pyramid Curse that I had drilled as a benchmark layout and took the shine off of the ball - I always start with it in practice because after a few shots I can usually tell what ball I should start with (sadly, I'm likely replacing it this weekend because it has run its course [probably getting an IQ tour or a Web tour with the intention of putting a control layout on it to still fill the role]), I rarely actually use this ball during competition but the information is very helpful in preventing the shortcut of using what worked most recently.
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  7. #17
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    I know me, RobM, and Amyers have beat this topic to death over the years...but the way I think about it is this:

    Bowling ball selection is like club selection in golf.

    Everyone has a bag of clubs...each club is meant to do something different (and like bowling, very much related to distance).

    Most golfers start out with their driver and finish with their putter. Over the course of their 2-14 shots they take on each hole...they "PROGRESS" through their bag. Very rarely, would they start with a driver, then use a 5 iron, then get closer to the hole and use a driver. The clubs go up in number the closer you get to the hole...until you're using a pitching or sand wedge...then a putter.

    Does that mean you ALWAYS start with a driver? No. Some holes are very short...and even the oldest, female, weaker golfers would need to use something other than a driver. Some guys (and gals) have such a good swing, that they are better off starting with a 4 iron off the tee than a driver for even shorter par 4 holes. Or SOMETIMES...you have to play a hole by landing a shot somewhere near a dog leg...not drive the whole distance of the hole.

    Can you learn from what other golfers are doing? Sure. There's been many a time I've grabbed one iron and then notice that other players were using a certain iron and I thought..."hmmm...maybe I should get something else."

    Does that mean, before every hole, I take out every club from driver to putter...take a few swings with each...and figure out what the best club to tee off with is?? Ideally, that would be nice...but practically speaking...no, of course we don't. The clubs are numbered to give us a roadmap. Our strength and ability are going to vary...so that just because I am golfing with Tiger Woods and he uses a 7 iron when he's 195 out...doesn't mean I should use a 7-iron when I'm 195 yards out.

    So...you have to think about it in terms of extremes. Is it good to be a golfer that ALWAYS starts with their driver...whether it's a 660 yard par 6 or a 90 yard par3? Of course not. That's just stupidity. But if you're playing a course where every hole is 330 yards...no dog legs or trees...wouldn't you start with your driver on every hole...just because you know you can't hit your 3-wood 300 yards? Would you switch from a driver to a 5-iron because Tom Daly just teed off with a 5 iron and drilled the ball 250 yards?

    Now, in my case, I illegally carry 4 drivers...so I may have some options on the tee boxes based on topography...but thats just me.

    Likewise...if your arsenal is built like a golf bag...where you move left (or right for the disabled LHers out there) and ball down...is it really valuable...on a league night (NOT a tournament)...at a house you play every week or twice a week...to try every ball in your bag during the 10 minute practice?? Probably not. If you're lucky in practice...and you make good shots...and you get to throw more than 3 balls...and you're bowling against players with similar equipment and similar physical characteristics...and a similar path to the breakpoint....'maybe' you see something that makes you think you might want to start with Ball #2 instead of Ball #1...but unless the oil machine broke or a pipe burst under the lane...or they forgot to oil...or something funky happened...that THS isn't changing dramatically week-to-week...so neither should your ball selection process. IMO.
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  8. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Aslan View Post
    I know me, RobM, and Amyers have beat this topic to death over the years...but the way I think about it is this:

    Bowling ball selection is like club selection in golf.

    Everyone has a bag of clubs...each club is meant to do something different (and like bowling, very much related to distance).

    Most golfers start out with their driver and finish with their putter. Over the course of their 2-14 shots they take on each hole...they "PROGRESS" through their bag. Very rarely, would they start with a driver, then use a 5 iron, then get closer to the hole and use a driver. The clubs go up in number the closer you get to the hole...until you're using a pitching or sand wedge...then a putter.

    Does that mean you ALWAYS start with a driver? No. Some holes are very short...and even the oldest, female, weaker golfers would need to use something other than a driver. Some guys (and gals) have such a good swing, that they are better off starting with a 4 iron off the tee than a driver for even shorter par 4 holes. Or SOMETIMES...you have to play a hole by landing a shot somewhere near a dog leg...not drive the whole distance of the hole.

    Can you learn from what other golfers are doing? Sure. There's been many a time I've grabbed one iron and then notice that other players were using a certain iron and I thought..."hmmm...maybe I should get something else."

    Does that mean, before every hole, I take out every club from driver to putter...take a few swings with each...and figure out what the best club to tee off with is?? Ideally, that would be nice...but practically speaking...no, of course we don't. The clubs are numbered to give us a roadmap. Our strength and ability are going to vary...so that just because I am golfing with Tiger Woods and he uses a 7 iron when he's 195 out...doesn't mean I should use a 7-iron when I'm 195 yards out.

    So...you have to think about it in terms of extremes. Is it good to be a golfer that ALWAYS starts with their driver...whether it's a 660 yard par 6 or a 90 yard par3? Of course not. That's just stupidity. But if you're playing a course where every hole is 330 yards...no dog legs or trees...wouldn't you start with your driver on every hole...just because you know you can't hit your 3-wood 300 yards? Would you switch from a driver to a 5-iron because Tom Daly just teed off with a 5 iron and drilled the ball 250 yards?

    Now, in my case, I illegally carry 4 drivers...so I may have some options on the tee boxes based on topography...but thats just me.

    Likewise...if your arsenal is built like a golf bag...where you move left (or right for the disabled LHers out there) and ball down...is it really valuable...on a league night (NOT a tournament)...at a house you play every week or twice a week...to try every ball in your bag during the 10 minute practice?? Probably not. If you're lucky in practice...and you make good shots...and you get to throw more than 3 balls...and you're bowling against players with similar equipment and similar physical characteristics...and a similar path to the breakpoint....'maybe' you see something that makes you think you might want to start with Ball #2 instead of Ball #1...but unless the oil machine broke or a pipe burst under the lane...or they forgot to oil...or something funky happened...that THS isn't changing dramatically week-to-week...so neither should your ball selection process. IMO.
    Not sure what your getting at here really the lane is 40ft long no matter which ball your throwing. I can throw a strike with any ball in the bag including the spare ball at any time. it's about deciding which line will give me the most miss room not which one will get there. If I have a doubt that it will get there it's not going in the bag period in bowling.

    During your typical league you shouldn't be finding conditions regularly where a ball won't get there. Maybe in an extended tournament you see lanes so dry you can't move enough to keep in in the pocket or on a sport shot league you see conditions so wet you can't get your dryer lane stuff to pick up at all but if your finding that during a 3 or 4 game typical league setting you need to learn to bowl or find a different center ( most likely the first option)
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  9. #19
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    I typically get maybe 4 or 5 practice shots in warmups but if I miss my target on 2 of those then I really only have 2 or 3 that I can rely on. The other night in warmups I was erratic and didn't hit the pocket once. First frame of the 1st game was a pocket strike and that was about my only pocket hit until the 3rd game. I didn't try any other balls cause I assumed the problem was me.
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  10. #20
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    I guess my point is...if you always bowl at the SAME HOUSE...same THS...same lane surfaces (other than slight variations from pair to pair)...you should have a pretty darn good idea what ball to start with.

    Now, I bowl at different centers...but I have notes regarding my starting feet/target positions. So, for example, if I'm at House A, I might start out in practice standing with my left toe on 18 and my target at 7-8 just above the dots. At House B, I may start out with my left toe at 20 and my target midway between the dots and the arrows at 9. So, I vary where I stand.

    When I bowled 2-3 times a week at one center...which had lanes on two sides of the house (and they tend to play differently when on two sides of a house versus one side)...I had bowled league on almost every lane...multiple times...so I actually had a chart of where to stand and aim...for every single lane. Some nights I may have to adjust a little in practice...then I update the chart. But I almost never needed to start with a different ball...and the 1-3 times I DID...I think the center either forgot or decided not to oil before league.

    I guess thats my point...if you bowl the same house (90% do)...THS (98% do)...and the league applies fresh oil prior to league play (I'd say 90% do)...how are your lanes changing so much night to night?

    That's why I recommended that Boatman put some distance between his 1st two balls. A Conspiracy at 2000 and a Kingpin at 3000...those are essentially the same ball with essentially the same surface. It's gonna be a toss up as to which one is the better choice any given night. But if he took that Kingpin surface to 2500 and hit it with Royal Compound on the spinner...I think the Kingpin would be noticeably shinier and he'd get a better gap between ball #1 and ball #2...at which point he'd probably never want to start with the Kingpin...because it would probably go too long on the fresh.
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