Pros on Burnt Lanes

[GrumpyCatFace]

So I’ve been watching a lot of pro bowling and Brad & Kyle videos this season, and I’ve had a question brewing in my head.

Eventually, these guys always end up walking toward the gutter and lifting the ball out to the arrows, trying to get their ball down the lane properly. Is there really an advantage to doing this versus staying right and using ‘less hand’, or balling down?

Maybe their release is too automatic to make that adjustment? Or is there some reason that this style has more carry simply due to the revs they can put on it?

[boomer]

It has a TON to do with the lane pattern and how it breaks down over the very large amount of games that they throw on them.

Like with the past two that we saw them bowl, they started right and (fairly quickly) moved left because the lanes were breaking down. There was very little volume of oil, short pattern, and very flat. So as the games went on, they had to move left to get back into the oil.

NOTE THE DIFFERENCE between what Norm was doing (looking at the Masters episodes) and what Brad went to in the brackets - Norm was always right. I told my wife that it was like Norm said, hey, anyone using this part of the lane? Cool - I can manipulate MY hand to use it and you can't so neener neener neener! LOL and Brad went to a similar line at one point.

But - visualize the oil pattern (they show it and the TV broadcast does it) and then visualize where they HAVE been and where that now-dry area is pushing them.

[GrumpyCatFace]

Ah, so it’s more a function of the bowler’s versatility. Doesn’t that imply that most of them are unable to do it, or are they just more comfortable launching the ball over gutter caps? I can’t move more than 5 boards without getting all out of whack, but I can change my release pretty easily…

[boomer]

I think it's a function of what the lanes are telling them and their vocabulary with the lanes.

I honestly wonder about that as well. You used to see Walter Ray go right up the outside over and over while Maximum Bob (Robert Jones) crank the cover off the ball from the gutter . . . it seems that the more things change, LOL

Tournaments try to combat ball tech and bowler tendencies with tougher patterns. I think it used to be that they went flat and heavy for a long time but found that pros can so easily break the lanes down to their benefit with modern balls that it didn't actually accomplish what they wanted - and now see that lighter patterns may accomplish what heavier patterns didn't. . . This is just observation and surmising but that's what it looks like to me.

And yes - it doesn't seem that many new pros have the ability or mental flexibility to do something completely outside the paradigm. They see Norm succeeding (top seed, second finish - that's success) but wonder how he does it. Same with Parker on the Left. and everyone else lofting the gutter out to the arrows. Hmmmmm

[GrumpyCatFace]

What a showing for Norm. There have never been two more different bowlers on tv.

I will always be shocked at his accuracy and skill. Just when it seemed everything in bowling was coming down to revs and power, we see a classic stroker beat them all, regardless of that final game.

[Hammer]

What a showing for Norm. There have never been two more different bowlers on tv.

I will always be shocked at his accuracy and skill. Just when it seemed everything in bowling was coming down to revs and power, we see a classic stroker beat them all, regardless of that final game.

Guys like Norm Duke who is one of my favorites and WRW Jr. prove that sometimes straighter is greater and have been doing it for a long time. I have seen Belmo in tournaments lately where his ball speed was around 16.4 to 16.9 mph. Now that really surprised me. Usually he is hitting 19.8 mph. I was surprised when he bowled a 169 game in one tournament. I saw the tournament where Norm Duke bowled his last game on TV. He is going to be just on the senior league. I really hate to see him go. I have been a fan of his since he hooked on to the PBA. All good things come to an end.