picking up spares

[tracy]

i was tought to pick up my spares using the 3-6-9 board move from the strike ball position moving right or left ,whatever the pin may be. now i'm being told that the new way to teach a bowler is to first find your 7 and 10 pin pick up (because of the new oils) positions and then move in towards the strike ball position to pick up your spares. say for instance,when you find your 7 pin pick up position,you would move left 3 brds lft from your 7 pin mark for your 4 pin and 6 brds lft for your 2 pin . it works out the same but that's the way they want to teach it. i guess to me (being from old school) it is confusing but maybe to a new bowler it's a good way to learn. has anybody heard of this or what is your opinion on the new way and are there any articles on this?

[Strike Domination]

That's what I did but now I just stand in the same spot for anything right of the head pin. I'm right handed and on a house shot I will hook at my left-side spares. But on tougher shots I would probably do what you just mentioned, more or less.

[bowl1820]

While anyone could use that method, in a way it sounds like its geared for the bowlers who are always far left (or right if they are left handed) on their strike shot.

Most spare methods depend on you having room to move left or right of your strike line. But if your always playing a deep line, which has you far left or right on the approach. You might not have the room to move say 9 more boards left to pick up that 10 pin.

But that method would give you a set area to move in for spare shooting.

I'm not happy with how I worded that. I see it in my mind but I can't word it right.


Now here's what I do for spares.
I use what I call the "Walter Ray" system, A guy was talking about it in another forum one time so I gave it a try.
Basically it was once you have your starting position, pick one spot on the left to shoot all right side spares, one on the right to shoot all left side spares.

So once I find my 10 pin spot, I shoot all right side spares from there. I just adjust my target, same for the 7 pin and left side spares.

Heres what WRW said

Walter Ray-
"I have my own method for shooting spares. I like to shoot my right side spares from the same starting spot on the left side of the lane and adjusting my target depending on the spare. Likewise I shoot my left side spares from the same starting spot on the right side of the lane and adjust my target accordingly. I will adjust my target for 10 pins depending on the approaches."

[DanielMareina]

The way I teach spare shooting is by far the easiest on the brain. What I do is pick an arrow that you feel comfortable throwing over that creates as much angle as you can comfortably. For most people that would be the 3rd arrow from the right for right side spares and from the left for left side. Aim your shoulders and body at the pin you are trying to pick up. Imagine a laser pointer coming out of your throwing arms shoulder and through the arrow. Move your feet till the laser pointer (hypothetical one atleast) is lined up to the pin you are aiming at. Then when you are in your approach, walk directly at the pin. This keeps the angle the same. Throw your spare ball straight over your arrow. It will take some time to gauge your angles, but it involves a lot less math and thinking, and is very effective. I don't even look at where my feet are before I start because it is the angle that matters, not what board you are standing on. The only time I don't use this is for double wood ( ie. 2/8 or 3/9), I always throw a hooking ball at double wood. It increases the odds of making the spare.

[Jord_84]

I try not to over-think these things. I don't think there's any special technique for picking up spares. I know how each of my balls react and I play around with the boards until I find one that feels right.