Altered Reality is now 'Faltered' Reality...lol

[boatman37]

I think the arsenal is sound. I just think you need to decide how you want to use the AR...which I think is a really good ball.

I think you have two options:

Option #1 (my preferred option because I'm a righty):

Start the night with the Igniter...you can probably play where you're comfortable...maybe a little left. I think it gives you a good look in practice about how the lanes are going to play. I think the Hammer Raw Pearl gives you a very good "ball down" option once the lanes start to break down.

If you're in a situation where you're facing 2-3 other lefties, you have the option of the AR, with a polished surface that will give you that same length to battle the chewed up lanes...but still give you a ball that has the low RG/high diff. to turn hard with carry down at the breakpoint.

Option #2: (better option for you because you're a lefty):

You could put a 3000-4000 surface on that AR...move just inside where you believe the oil line is...and find a good line in practice. Nothing extreme...just a little more aggressive than what you're used to. The Igniter would make a great option to ball down to once you move left and the line burns up and you start leaving 7-pins. If you continue moving left and start to see 7-pins with the Igniter...you still have the Raw Pearl as another ball down option for very late in the game.

But, thats the opinion of a very, very sub-par bowler.

Thankfully I don't leave many 7 pins. Maybe 2 a night average. I'd have to pull up my pinpal stats but last I remember I average like 1.7 7 pins per night. Actually I missed my first 7 in a long time the other night so looked at my stats and IIRC I was 6/7 in the last 9 league games. And 2 of those 3 weeks I struggled. Will check later and follow up on it

[boatman37]

So in 66 league games this year I have left (83) 7 pins so just over 1 per game. 6 pin is my 2nd most with 26 followed by 10 pin with 19 then the 4-7 with 18.

[Aslan]

The 6-pin (for a lefty), tells me you're too far left....that the line you're on is burning up and you're losing energy. Not burnt up enough to cause it to go through the nose...just enough to cause it lose energy.

If you leave a 6-pin, as a lefty, always move 1:1 to the right. That should strike every time on the next shot. Same thing on a 6-8 or single 8-pin.
I do the same thing with 4-pins, as a righty...I move 1:1 left for a 4-pin or a 4-9 or a 9-pin. Usually will strike on the next ball.

I definitely think if you surfaced that AR to 3000 and got a 'little' (not a lot) more aggressive with your starting line...and made the adjustment above when you see 6-pins...you'd still have a shot at being very happy with the AR purchase. I'd probably do 1000/2000/3000 on the spinner every 1.5 months and then maybe just touch it up by hand with a 3000 before league play. 3000-4000 doesn't require a ton of maintenance.

[Aslan]

So in 66 league games this year I have left (83) 7 pins so just over 1 per game. 6 pin is my 2nd most with 26 followed by 10 pin with 19 then the 4-7 with 18.

My stats, as a righty, are 'sort of' similar:
In 66 league games I have left (47) 10 pins, (26) 7 pins, and then (25) 6-10s.

I guess I tend to see more variety than you do...even if you add my 7s and 10s together I haven't left them 83 times!

The biggest differences being (in reverse order of impact):

3) I leave fewer 6-pins (17) and 4-pins (15)

2) I actually leave more 'garbage' than you do...like (19) 5 pins and (18) 2-4-5s.

1) I have nowhere near your conversion rate. So, if I leave them...well, I'm currently 89% on 5 pins, 73% on 4 pins and 7 pins, 63% on 10 pins, and only 58% on 6 pins.

[boatman37]

The 6-pin (for a lefty), tells me you're too far left....that the line you're on is burning up and you're losing energy. Not burnt up enough to cause it to go through the nose...just enough to cause it lose energy.

If you leave a 6-pin, as a lefty, always move 1:1 to the right. That should strike every time on the next shot. Same thing on a 6-8 or single 8-pin.
I do the same thing with 4-pins, as a righty...I move 1:1 left for a 4-pin or a 4-9 or a 9-pin. Usually will strike on the next ball.

I definitely think if you surfaced that AR to 3000 and got a 'little' (not a lot) more aggressive with your starting line...and made the adjustment above when you see 6-pins...you'd still have a shot at being very happy with the AR purchase. I'd probably do 1000/2000/3000 on the spinner every 1.5 months and then maybe just touch it up by hand with a 3000 before league play. 3000-4000 doesn't require a ton of maintenance.

I'm not unhappy with the AR. Still love the ball, just went longer on a surface than I usually do and saw the results of it. And I'll pay closer attention but think most of my 6 pins are just bad shots by me but never really kept track of it. Headed out in a few to the center where I got the AR and plan to bowl a few games there. The AR is freshly surfaced but it is a different center than I'm used to so there may be a little variation there.

[SRB57]

I ordered a Helios about 2 weeks ago. Not that I really wanted or needed it but I won it at a tournament. Well, I had my pick of any SBI ball. My PSO suggested the Helios with the thought of taking some surface off if we need to. Haven't got it yet (haven't heard anything from RG as far as tracking number or that they have even received my certificate). Now I have to figure out which ball to pull from the bag...lol. Thinking the Igniter since it's the oldest but it still works great.

Right now my bag is (from most aggressive to weakest):

Altered Reality (OOB)
Brunswick Igniter (3000)
Raw Hammer pearl (OOB)
T-Zone spare ball

The AR has a completely different shape than any of the others, reading sooner. The Igniter goes longer with more backend and the Raw Hammer is the longest with the sharpest snap. I really haven't compared all 3 on the same conditions on the same night. Figured once the Helios is here I'll figure it out

I think you will like the Helios as I do. I like it as it is very controllable and nice round shape and I seem to carry a lot better. Steve

[boatman37]

Could have used that Helios today...lol. Went to the center where I got the AR and bowled about 5 games. Me and my wife both bowled and often bowled each others frames so no idea what my scores were but it was $7.15/game...ouch!. And they were packed.

So took the AR with fresh OOB re-surface, the Igniter with a fresh 3000 and the Raw Hammer pearl OOB. Never took the Raw Hammer out of the bag and only threw the Igniter a few times just to see. But those lanes were wet. Way more than I'm used to and seemed to be even more than they were last time I was there. Seemed fairly flat too but I didn't get too far inside. The AR seemed to be 'floating' I guess you'd call it. If I got it out to the 6-ish board it would come back, any further out and it would go through the nose so very dry outside 5-6. If I missed inside I'd 6 pin or 6-8 pin. If I moved my feet slightly right and missed inside the ball wouldn't even make it back to the head pin. Took a slightly used 3000 CTD pad and a brand new 5000P pad. The 5000P pad is supposed to be 4000 if done by hand. Tried the 3000 first and not much change so tried the 4000 just for the heck of it and still not much change. Seemed slightly better but still inconsistent. I was able to throw a 4 bagger at one point.

But I came to the conclusion that either my home center is extremely dry or this other place is extremely wet. I don't have any recent experience at other places other than sport shot tournaments so can't compare them. And gotta say, this pattern today didn't seem too much different than the sport shots I played on but I'm sure it was a THS variation.

All in all I don't think I had the right ball for these lane conditions today. Didn't try anything further in than about the 12 board figuring it was even worse in there but probably should have tried a shot or two.

Going to throw the AR back on the spinner tomorrow and hit it with the 5000P with no polish and try that out Tuesday

[boatman37]

Here is a quick video. I was trying to determine my axis point but this is the Altered reality. 2nd shot fell off my fingertips so it was just a bad shot. really only worth watching the first 10 seconds or so but you get the idea. Standing about 20 and targeting 10 at the arrows and about 7 at the breakpoint >

[boatman37]

Went in for 2 games of practice and threw the AR most of it. Stayed inside the 2nd arrow every shot and even went as far as standing 22 and targeting 10 and was able to hit the pocket and strike both times I tried it. Once league started I just wasn't comfortable with it in warmups so grabbed the Igniter. Still wasn't getting a god feel but ended up sticking with the Igniter all 3 games and rolled a 687 (213-206-268). Thinking my house is just too dry for the AR most nights but haven't written it off yet.
Oh, and re-sanded the AR yesterday with a brand new 5000P pad, no polish this time. It may have done well tonight but I finished warmups with the Igniter and the AR wasn't doing any better so just stuck with that one

EDIT: after watching the video from practice last night I actually threw 2 shots with the AR standing about 27 and targeting 16-17 and struck both shots so that was nice. Will post a video shortly of the whole practice session.

[Aslan]

See....thats what's hard about bowling with it being so dang pattern dependent.

I can tell you to put a 3000-4000 surface on the AR and move inside the oil line...but I don't know the 'length' of the pattern. I don't know what the AR will do vertically when it gets to the end of the pattern. I still think you can find a line that'll work...maybe change your angle a little. That being said...it seems like your Igniter works very well at that house. Sometimes, if it ain't broke...

I mean, I REALLY wanted to use my Grudge Hybrid at the house I've been bowling at and at a house I bowled at on Fridays and at a wood lane house. But, I couldn't. It just wouldn't work. It burned up outside...it didn't turn the corner if I moved inside. However, my Aura Mystic worked AMAZINGLY well in those houses (until it cracked). So, why try to force a square peg into a round hole?