So many pocket splits

[boomer]

Monday night was incredibly frustrating. I was generally in and around the pocket all night (OK, couple of times left a baby or 3-6-10 . . . ) but I've NEVER gotten so many pocket splits.

three pocket 7-10 - and I still don't get the physics of this. Good flush hit, pins everywhere, both 7 and 10 left without being touched. Ball LOOKED like it exited over the 8.

FOUR near-pocket big four splits. OK, these were juuuuuuust a bit high - call it extra high flush. My buddy - LOOOONG time bowler, very technical - had big eyes going whaaaa? Sure - like I said, just a touch high over high flush but . . . big four? Tha Heck??????

First game, with one of each, I was using my Diva going down and in. During practice, it seemed that straighter was greater. More room, and as long as I kept my hand up the back it had great carry. It did - just DO NOT MISS to the left because if you do, it will hit the pocket and leave you with crap - 1 7-10, one big 4. When I hit my mark or was a touch right, strike. 6 strikes, two spares, 3 splits and one open (Grrr, 3-6-10 chop) 175

Second game, move to Nova and swing it. Actually started in the 10th of the first game as we had sewn up the point and punched out so . . . cool, got it. Same thing though. I'm IN the frickin pocket but if it goes a touch extra flush, big 4. THREE times - 7 strikes, 1 spare and 3 big 4 splits. 168

Third game, move to the Zen Master with a fresh 1500 on it after the first two frames with the Nova, pocket 7-10 and big 4. About 4 and 3 right from the Nova. Success. Ring-10 (picked up), touch high and left 4-7 (picked up - which is what i would EXPECT . . .) and the rest strikes. 223.


I just don't get the physics of pocket corner splits. If I went extra-high-flush (i.e. high in the pocket) I expect to leave a 4 pin or 4-7 - this is normal. Head pin goes back, kicks 2 left to miss the 4. Physics makes sense.

And I'm NOT complaining about "Oh, everything was pocket, I deserved strikes" - I'm not that guy. And when Eddie has that mouth-agape look when a solid big-4 is left after a pocket hit . . . I'm not imagining things.


So - maybe ball?

Diva goes straighter and cuts in. It was going in fairly straight with not a lot of deflection.
Nova is drilled early and progressive and has a strong cover with a fresh 3000 on it. I was standing 30ish (I WAS adjusting) and targeting 13 out to about 8. When it struck, it was destructive - shall I say supernova-ish?
Zen Master is drilled to go and snap and had a fresh 1500 on it. I was standing about 25ish and targeting 10-12.

I don't know . . . frustrating to not UNDERSTAND.

[RobLV1]

Some things in bowling are out of the our control. If the splits were happening all over the house, then it was probably due to insufficient cleaning of the back ends. If they were happening to everyone on your pair, they may have been the caused by a bad rack(s). If they were just happening to you, then you were probably playing the wrong part of the lane.