Attack of the killer 10 pins

[Phonetek]

Last night I bowled 9 games. It seemed that I couldn’t consistently buy a strike to save my life. I mean I got strikes but I just left one 10 pin after another. I tried every adjustment I could think of. It would work for a couple shots then the same old thing.

I tried a few different balls, different lines and no matter what the bowling gods weren’t having it. I counted 34 10 pin leaves in 9 games! On the upside I picked up all but 2 of them. I threw the first ball in game 10 and yep… 10 pin. I just put my stuff away, time to call it a day.

I cannot remember the last time if ever this happened to me. Hopefully it doesn’t ever happen again because it’s sucked. Where the hell were all these a couple weeks ago in that no tap when we kept leaving 8 counts? Bowling is such an odd and unpredictable sport.

[J Anderson]

At least you were making them. Not counting warm ups I dumped three or four balls in the gutter and and over corrected on another two attempts before making a couple in the third game on Thursday.

The whole league seemed to be struggling to get strikes. While it is just a fun league there are a few bowlers who can really string them when they get in the zone. No one had anything longer than a turkey that day.

[Phonetek]

Over those games I strung only a couple times 4 and five in a row once each. Most weren’t great strikes, they all came to a halt the same way. It was a tough outing, rather frustrating, just an off day.

That was the first time I actually got sick of throwing at ten pins. The only thing that kept me interested was the fact that every ball I went to throw the family to the left of me found it necessary to go up next to me. I was really working hard concentrating on extending my leg kick. Sadly I didn’t quite get it extended far enough to accomplish my goal.

[Phonetek]

Truth be told I shouldn’t have bowled at all yesterday. I bowled 10 games the day before. Then right after we opened I had two pallets of bowling pins dropped off on the sidewalk. I had to bring all 52 cases down 26 steps and into the back room by myself. My shoulder was on fire!

I took some ibuprofen and felt good by the time I punched out to bowl. I was stuck there because my daughter had homecoming last night. So I sampled a couple new beers which I rarely do and felt good enough to bowl to waste some time. I am however paying for it today. Nobody to blame but myself.

[boatman37]

our league got hit with corner pins last week. I left 7 in 3 games. I typically only leave 2 or 3. Like you I tried different lines, different speeds and different balls and I wasn't the only one.

[Aslan]

I'm starting to wonder if the weather is having anything to do with it as we've been having high heat and transition to fall.

I only say that because it seems like multiple bowlers here, including myself and my teammates, are having this same issue.

I know there ARE solutions to 10-pins with ball specifications and changing lines and stuff...and me and RobM discuss that all the time on here...but last night I couldn't run anything together. Just when I thought I figured it out...there was some small adjustment that needed to be made.

It also 'might' be bowling on the same AREA of the lane. I've noticed me and 2-3 of my 5-man team teammates tend to all bowl in that 8-12 board area at the arrows...very similar speeds and rev rates. Usually, they end up having terrible game 3s and I usually do rather well....because I end up balling down and going to my skid/flip ball. So I got a ball that goes long and hits hard. They are leaving 10-pins and trying to figure out why...and even though they are better bowlers than I am...they don't understand bowling balls at ALL. None of em know what an "RG" even is. So, they just "experiment".

So, some things to think about?

- Weather? Is it changing in your area? Getting cooler and less humid? Has the center made adjustments to their oiling to account for that? Or do they oil the same regardless of season?

- New Teammates? Are you all bowling in the same part of the lane? On top of one another's line?

I'd love to start out a couple boards inside of whichever bowler on my team starts furthest left. That way, not counting the other team, I'm not as affected by their shots. BUT...given I'm more speed dominant than the other 3 bowlers...I'm usually furthest right. So, the other 3 guys are targeting 9-12 and I'm out in the 7-8 area. On nights when I have bad 3rd games...it's often because I end up experiencing fast transition...likely because I've transitioned into their area...which is completely destroyed by that point. I've thought about making a 1:2 adjustment after every shot...even if I strike...because they move THAT fast.

[RobLV1]

Yes, Aslan snd I do agree occasionally!

In looking back over this fairly short thread, I find it interesting that nowhere is there any mention of what KIND of corner pins are being left behind. A great majority of bowlers, when asked, will tell you that they are leaving ringing ten pins (or seven pins). In fact, a great, great majority of the corner pins that I see left in leagues are soft, or weak, tens. This is important, because the adjustments for weak tens are totally different than the adjustments for ringing tens. Most of the move up and back on the approach suggestions are based on old-time bowling when ringing tens were dominant.

The important thing to keep in mind is that corner pins are never accidents. They are all caused by something, and most of the causes can be overcome. If, however, they are being caused by topographic issues or bad racks, just hope you can pick them up, because they are a fact of life for all, or most, of the current set.

[Phonetek]

I'm starting to wonder if the weather is having anything to do with it as we've been having high heat and transition to fall.

I only say that because it seems like multiple bowlers here, including myself and my teammates, are having this same issue.

I know there ARE solutions to 10-pins with ball specifications and changing lines and stuff...and me and RobM discuss that all the time on here...but last night I couldn't run anything together. Just when I thought I figured it out...there was some small adjustment that needed to be made.

It also 'might' be bowling on the same AREA of the lane. I've noticed me and 2-3 of my 5-man team teammates tend to all bowl in that 8-12 board area at the arrows...very similar speeds and rev rates. Usually, they end up having terrible game 3s and I usually do rather well....because I end up balling down and going to my skid/flip ball. So I got a ball that goes long and hits hard. They are leaving 10-pins and trying to figure out why...and even though they are better bowlers than I am...they don't understand bowling balls at ALL. None of em know what an "RG" even is. So, they just "experiment".

So, some things to think about?

- Weather? Is it changing in your area? Getting cooler and less humid? Has the center made adjustments to their oiling to account for that? Or do they oil the same regardless of season?

- New Teammates? Are you all bowling in the same part of the lane? On top of one another's line?

I'd love to start out a couple boards inside of whichever bowler on my team starts furthest left. That way, not counting the other team, I'm not as affected by their shots. BUT...given I'm more speed dominant than the other 3 bowlers...I'm usually furthest right. So, the other 3 guys are targeting 9-12 and I'm out in the 7-8 area. On nights when I have bad 3rd games...it's often because I end up experiencing fast transition...likely because I've transitioned into their area...which is completely destroyed by that point. I've thought about making a 1:2 adjustment after every shot...even if I strike...because they move THAT fast.

My center is basically in the basement. It's 28 stairs to get down. Weather isn't really a huge factor. The temp doesn't vary all that much regardless of what's going on outside unless it's extreme. Nonetheless, the weather that day was pretty average to what is been for the last month.

Whatever was going on was probably to do with me more than anything else. My shoulder issue had flared up because I had to carry in a ton of new house shoes and all those cases of bowling pins.

I was probably favoring the shoulder without realizing causing my ball to roll slightly different not giving me the optimal pocket angle causing all the 10 pins. In this case I'm much quicker to blame myself rather than the bowling gods or mother nature. Sometimes we just have to eat crow and blame ourselves. I'm just hoping I didn't screw my shoulder up again to the point where in 6 months I'll be where I was at the beginning of 2020 needing another surgery. The pain isn't going away which has me concerned. That's how it started last time.

[Phonetek]

Yes, Aslan snd I do agree occasionally!

In looking back over this fairly short thread, I find it interesting that nowhere is there any mention of what KIND of corner pins are being left behind. A great majority of bowlers, when asked, will tell you that they are leaving ringing ten pins (or seven pins). In fact, a great, great majority of the corner pins that I see left in leagues are soft, or weak, tens. This is important, because the adjustments for weak tens are totally different than the adjustments for ringing tens. Most of the move up and back on the approach suggestions are based on old-time bowling when ringing tens were dominant.

The important thing to keep in mind is that corner pins are never accidents. They are all caused by something, and most of the causes can be overcome. If, however, they are being caused by topographic issues or bad racks, just hope you can pick them up, because they are a fact of life for all, or most, of the current set.

The majority were ringing 10's. There was nothing weak about them. I'm not going to blame topography because Lane 8 is actually one of my better lanes I score well on usually. I did ask the mechanic to see if the pins are on spot. No issues there. The kick back panels have recently been replaced so it's not that. I could blame it on the pins that are beat to death?

Instead I'll just be the bigger person and blame it on myself which I elaborated on with the previous post. New pins are going in soon, if I continue to have this happen then I will have to evaluate what I'm doing wrong rather than finding something other than myself to blame it on.

Who knows, it could have been a fluke one and done? It may have just been something I was doing wrong that day? Don't worry I haven't given up, I will figure it out and I will bounce back.

[boatman37]

I don't usually leave alot of 7 pins but have put a note in my phone. Can't remember where I got it or if it still applies but here it is:

Ring 7 move 1 board left (1 board right for a righty)
Flat 7 move back 1/2 step

Looking through my stats for this year so far in 15 games I have left (20) 7 pins so about 4 per night but 1 of those nights I left 7 of them. Picking them up is a different story...lol. Working on that. Last night I left 3 and they were all in the same game. Only covering about 50% of them but made an adjustment 2 weeks ago and since then 6 for 9