Mo Pinel Overview - Splitting The 8-9 vs. 1-3-5-9 Strikes

[bowl1820]

In this segment, Mo Pinel takes a viewer question in regards to what is a better strike comparing shots that split the 8-9 vs. the traditional 1-3-5-9 ball path and carry.

[RobLV1]

Great explanation!

[Aslan]

Excellent.

Mo is my hero.

My biggest frustration when bowlers want "help" (from me, no less)...is when they leave something and ask, "what am I doing wrong?"

My response: "Well, did you hit your target?"
Them: "Yeah, more or less."

My Response: "Well, where were you standing?"
Them: "I don't know."

IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU WERE STANDING....YOU CAN'T ADJUST!!!

The 2nd most irritating is when the first answer is: "I don't know if I hit my target or not...I aim for an 'area'..."
Okay...the, again, I don't know what to tell you....because an "area" is a rather big target. You could hit it every time and never strike...for 3-9 different reasons...depending on where in the area you hit.

[RobLV1]

... is when the first answer is: "I don't know if I hit my target or not...I aim for an 'area'..."
Okay...the, again, I don't know what to tell you....because an "area" is a rather big target. You could hit it every time and never strike...for 3-9 different reasons...depending on where in the area you hit.

A few years ago when Team USA tested their members for accuracy, they found that the most accurate bowler, at the arrows, was Shannon Pluhowski who targets at the breakpoint down the lane. The concept that hitting a "target" at the arrows is at all important to the end result of scoring in bowling is flawed. There are no pins at the arrows, and you can hit the same spot at the arrows using three different angles and get three totally different results. I am currently bowling with a bowler who is coming back after many years away from the game and all I hear is that he missed his target... never mind that his timing is so late that he couldn't possibly get the ball to the pocket if he hit his target every time!

[Aslan]

Well, I suppose it depends on the level of the bowler and how big the area is.

Shannon, a professional, can probably hit that "area" with a +/- 3-4 boards...which at the arrows is probably < 2 boards error...so, yeah, she hits her target.

A 'new' bowler...aiming at an 8-board area that they can't really hit consistently downlane? I dunno. I think we should work our way "up" to the pro level accuracy. If you can hit a 1-2 board at the arrows 97% of the time...maybe think about moving your target out if ya want. If ya can't.....I'm not sure how you improve accuracy by making the target further away.

But yes, I agree with you the end result is a plethora of factors, with accuracy being but one. If accuracy was everything, WRW would still be dominating the national tour...rather than dominating the PBA50 tour.

I've been wrestling with this topic myself...regarding spare shooting.

On the one hand, if I can't hit a spot 10-15ft away with my shoulders in the proper position to make corner pin spares...it seems rather rediculous to just aim at the pin. Not to mention, it goes against everything we were taught for the past 35 years.

On the other hand...I've had some success just aiming at the corner pins (not the spot at the arrows). I think it's because "yes, they are harder to hit with a target that far away...BUT...by aiming AT them...my shoulders tend to automatically get into the proper position.

P.S./FYI The "shoulder issue" I mention is my tendency to "square up" to the foul line...versus keeping my shoulder/shot at the angle necessary to pick up the corner pin.