The 5 pin.

[wimberlyt]

I HATE THE 5 PIN!! I am beginning to think the 5 pins at my center have a shield around them. At least twice in each game I left just the 5 pin. Other times it was 5 & 10. I bowled five games today after a two year hiatus and found out one thing, I SUCK! Back when I did bowl I had a 136 avg, but not today. My scores went like this 88-88-107-133-86 Currently I bowl straight (for now) and I just couldn't get the ball to go where I wanted it to.

[Graaille]

Relax, practice, relax, practice, and practice relaxing. Scores will suck until you train your body to do what you're asking it to. Give it time and it'll come. If you're a straight player and using a lighter weight ball, you will potentially have problems w/deflection, even if you stand at the gutter and heave it straight at the 5 pin, although that will actually give you the best chance of striking w/an absolutely straight shot.

[PSBA10]

It sounds like you were playing down the center of the lane. If that is actually the case, whats happening is the ball is deflecting away from the 5 pin when you hit the pocket. In order to eliminate this, the ball needs to enter the pocket at an angle. Move to the edge of the lane and throw the ball from the corner and roll it up to the pocket. The ball will deflect less and will continue through the rack hitting the 5 pin.

The other way to generate angle is to learn to hook the ball. Good luck.