Starting over after a quarter century?

[Just_Steve]

Hey all, first post here. I'm getting back into it after about 25 years. Trying to figure what has changed and figure it will be ... um ... interesting. When I quit back in the 90's my average was >200 rolling Columbia white dot\yellow dot balls. I'm being purposely vague here as I don't remember exactly what it was. Still trying to find my old bag with some league sheets)

[RobLV1]

Some simple advice: take everything that you believed when you last bowled and forget it. Everything has changed. We no longer "make" balls hook, we let them hook. Oil patterns mean very little in comparison to lane topography on synthetic lanes. Pin up balls don't go longer, they are simply more angular than pin down balls. Surface is still 75% of ball reaction, but you had better not ignore the 25% that is the core. The difference between solid covers, pearl covers, and hybrid covers is primarily the surface. Unless you want to give the ball companies three times the money, buy one version and play with the surface. Speaking of surface, there is nothing sacred about the out-of-box surface. It's just a starting point. Find the surface that works for you. This is just the bare bones minimum of differences. Please feel free to post your questions, and we will all do our best to help you to find the answers. Welcome to the forum!

[Just_Steve]

Thanks Rob,
Cool that you were the first reply to me, You have a lot a great info all over this board. I've been lurking around here reading, watching utoob videos. and taking notes while waiting for the green light to post. I kinda geeked out watching Mo Pinel's video's about the new rules, balls, the effect of hole locations and such. The part missing for me to put all of his info together is my personal specs and delivery type - I think that I understand most of the theory. Is there any place to get diagrams of the various oil patterns?

I do figure that I'm basically starting over since I'm a high mileage 54 year old, stiff, fat former athlete. At this point I'm just hoping to find my Columbia White dot to use for a spare ball and just throw it a little to loosen everything up a bit. A coworker give me a used Ebonite Sidewinder. It "may" work to start out.... or may not be worth it. It's been plugged twice and will need plugged and drilled again for me and I'm concerned about how the plugs affect the balance and performance. Plug and drill will probably cost me $60 to get done. The thing I'm worried about is how it was already drilled and plugged. Almost looks like it was done once lefty and twice righty. I'll see if I can post a picture of it. I dunno how much ahead I would be money wise if I get a new ball and have to plug and drill it a couple times as my technique redevelops vs just messing with this one.

[J Anderson]

Thanks Rob,
Cool that you were the first reply to me, You have a lot a great info all over this board. I've been lurking around here reading, watching utoob videos. and taking notes while waiting for the green light to post. I kinda geeked out watching Mo Pinel's video's about the new rules, balls, the effect of hole locations and such. The part missing for me to put all of his info together is my personal specs and delivery type - I think that I understand most of the theory. Is there any place to get diagrams of the various oil patterns?

I do figure that I'm basically starting over since I'm a high mileage 54 year old, stiff, fat former athlete. At this point I'm just hoping to find my Columbia White dot to use for a spare ball and just throw it a little to loosen everything up a bit. A coworker give me a used Ebonite Sidewinder. It "may" work to start out.... or may not be worth it. It's been plugged twice and will need plugged and drilled again for me and I'm concerned about how the plugs affect the balance and performance. Plug and drill will probably cost me $60 to get done. The thing I'm worried about is how it was already drilled and plugged. Almost looks like it was done once lefty and twice righty. I'll see if I can post a picture of it. I dunno how much ahead I would be money wise if I get a new ball and have to plug and drill it a couple times as my technique redevelops vs just messing with this one.

You can go to Kegel’s website for the diagrams of their patterns. If you’ve been lurking around, you know that the oil pattern is only a starting point for how to play the lanes. Lane topography is a bigger factor than oil, and you will probably never see a topographic map any lane you’re bowling on. And after the first game the oil will have transitioned so the initial oil pattern is out of date info.

I think you’re right it not being worth it to plug and drill a ball that has already been plugged twice for significantly different layouts. And after twenty years, your White Dot will probably need to be re-fitted to your hand.

[boatman37]

I can speak to the changes. I started about 1980 when I was about 10 or 11 and left about 2002 after elbow surgery. Just started back January 2018. The whole game has changed. I was averaging 193 using a Cobalt Rhino when I left. I had been pretty stubborn about adapting but have finally come around. Everything is different. And even different between bowlers. For instance when my line starts to dry up my ball comes in light. That confused me for awhile but now I understand what is happening and what to do about it. Balls, oil, and lanes have changed. What Rob said is very true. Forget what you used to know and start over. It too me almost 2 years to figure that out.

[Just_Steve]

J Anderson, as a minimum the white dot would need the thumb enlarged and new finger inserts. Problem is that I moved 5 times since I last used it. I have no idea where its hiding.

I really am wide open to ball suggestions but I need to start somewhere - pretty soon. At this point I don't know quite where to start, but I do need to get a ball and start working on my delivery. I want to work the bugs out over the winter and maybe catch on with a league over the summer if I can find one. Then maybe something competitive in the fall if I get to the point that I won't embarrass myself. The wife and I will also be looking for a mixed\couples league that emphasizes "social" over "competitive". She has absolutely no desire to learn any advanced technique, she just wants to get out and have fun once we get the last kid off to college. She will probably be the one rolling the slow straight ball that makes the pins fall like dominoes and laughing about it.

Boatman, I see you're from the 'Burgh any thoughts on the PSL leagues at Arsenal? Any other active leagues around that I should look into? I figure that it's gonna be hard to get into a league as a single no matter what.

[boatman37]

Not familiar with Arsenal or any other center other than mine. I replied in your other post but check out Sims Lanes in Beaver Falls. Tuesday night is mens league with a womens league bowling at the other end. Wednesday is mixed league. Not sure about the Thursday, Friday and Saturday leagues. Check their site and look at the Leagues tab for the standings sheets. It tells you in the upper left when the league is. If you are interested in coming that far I can find out for you.
We have a summer league that alot of top bowlers come to because of payouts ($2000 to 1st place-2 man teams). And there are 16 teams in our current fall league and probably a couple of teams that could use a guy, or at least a fill-in occasionally.

[J Anderson]

J Anderson, as a minimum the white dot would need the thumb enlarged and new finger inserts. Problem is that I moved 5 times since I last used it. I have no idea where its hiding.

I really am wide open to ball suggestions but I need to start somewhere - pretty soon. At this point I don't know quite where to start, but I do need to get a ball and start working on my delivery. I want to work the bugs out over the winter and maybe catch on with a league over the summer if I can find one. Then maybe something competitive in the fall if I get to the point that I won't embarrass myself. The wife and I will also be looking for a mixed\couples league that emphasizes "social" over "competitive". She has absolutely no desire to learn any advanced technique, she just wants to get out and have fun once we get the last kid off to college. She will probably be the one rolling the slow straight ball that makes the pins fall like dominoes and laughing about it.

Boatman, I see you're from the 'Burgh any thoughts on the PSL leagues at Arsenal? Any other active leagues around that I should look into? I figure that it's gonna be hard to get into a league as a single no matter what.

I think Brunswick has or just had a deal where if you bought a certain ball you would get a free T-Zone. If that's not an option any more you might find a PSO willing to give a discount for buying two balls at once.

p.s. Do you still have bowling shoes that fit? A bag or tote that will handle 2 balls, shoes and all the other stuff we drag to the alley?

[Just_Steve]

J Anderson,
I figure that I am truly starting over fresh. I'm hoping the balls are in a storage unit cuz I cannot find them at this point. As for a bag, I used to carry two single ball bags and those would have been from the mid '70's or early 80's (one for sure had a blown zipper). I wanted a 2 baller, but never got around to buying one. As for shoes, I remember tossing the shoes - they were fugly anyway.

Side note, my sister found my mom's old bag with ball and shoes. Maybe the wife is set, lol.

Boatman, I thought I read that you bowled league at Arsenal... no biggie, thanks for the info.

[Just_Steve]

So do any of you have suggestions for a ball and shoes? I might be willing to go as mush as $150 for a ball if the fitting, drilling, and finger inserts are included.