What's the next step?

[trekbowl300]

Lumber I hope you have success on your goal of becoming more consistent in your shot making and higher average. I know only to well how much the average improves your overall feeling about how you bowl. Consistency in shot making was one of the major changes I had to make during my improvement. During my first few lessons with a coach I had to change some movements, which were causing me to be inconsistent from shot to shot.

If you are able to read through the many posts I mention I was a one game bowler because I could repeat the shot only that long. The changes I made have given me a more consistent ability to make the shot I want for all 3 games. I also noticed a big improvement on making the 10 pin spare shot that again comes from being more consistent in my movements and accuracy at the line. I hope you are able to pick up something from the many suggestions I was lucky to get from the bowlers on this site. I also like John K. printed out the articles that you mention in the links. That was a good tip on how to find old links and articles.

I have as always stayed with my statistics and information on what I did this past year and what I expect to do next year. Although I have a different view about average (then when I first started this "Next Step") compared to just being a better bowler.
For the first half of this past year I noticed some interesting facts about my game-by-game statistics.
Spare shooting includes all spare shots splits and all.
Game one was 64%, G2 – 70.97% and G3 – 71.08% for an overall total of 68.48%.
Since I did not keep records before this year I don’t know how much of an improvement that was but I know I made many more ten pins.
The strike % is based on how many times I had shots in a new frame, which could be 10, 11 or 12.
G1- 45.41%, G2 – 49.26%, G3 – 55.5% and overall 50% exactly.
Since I don’t know what it takes to consider yourself average or above I do know what it takes to become better. I’ll be checking to see if the second half of the season was better or the same.

Since bowling ended I have been practicing my spare shots more then ever and have finally been able to get my spare ball to roll over the thumbhole. It has taken many games and a different wrist position but I think I have at least started to get the ball to roll straight consistently. Considering I changed the inserts in my fingers from the flat bottom to an oval helped me release the ball with no lift or at least I think so. If I don’t hear the thump as the ball is rolling I check the oil line on the ball when I get it back and see how far to the left of the thumb I was. Most times between 3/8 to1/8 of an inch just missing. I have to read the article again to see where it should be.
So, changing the inserts and handgrip on the ball has helped me get the ball to go straight. Now it’s just learning the correct place to stand and marks to hit so I can line myself up. I have been trying to get the 2 pin down but if I miss by a board or 1-1/2 boards I get some cross strikes or some 2-4-7’s depending upon the miss. I have also realized how hard it is to be exactly the same from shot to shot when making the straight shot. I have tried to shoot my second ball right through the hole I left on my first ball without touching the other pins. That’s just something to try if I make a good first shot.

My next change came about from my last lesson with the coach. He had me check how far away from the foul line I stopped. I did not notice I was stopping about 12 to 18 inches behind the line. He had me walk from the foul line back to the starting position and see where I should start. Considering I take the same size steps I should be 6 inches or closer to the line when I finish. I didn’t think this would be such a big deal until I started to practice. I was and still am very uncomfortable because of the feeling of crossing the line. Even the pins look much closer not just the 12-18” closer but to me very much closer. It is amazing how a 12-18” change can feel that much bigger then it would seem to be.

I now have to check back with my coach because in practice I noticed another change that has taken place due to this closer stance. When the ball comes back I check the oil flare lines. Before when back farther the oil line closest to the thumb (left side) was about ¾ of an inch away and varied very little. The distance between the oil lines flare first to last was about 3 inches.

Now being closer I maybe changing my release because the oil line to my thumb (left side) is now around 2 or 2-½ inches from the thumb and I didn’t measure but also farther left from the fingers also. The distance between flaring lines is now 4 to 5 inches. I didn’t expect that kind of change when moving closer to the line. I’ll have to check exactly what this means with my coach but that will be a few weeks with vacations coming up. If anyone has any answer to this please let me know if you think this is better or worse or just another added technique that I can change according to lane conditions. Still I’ll again continue to practice so I can be closer to the line at my release point. I have to get over that mental thought of going over the line but if it is the correct path to improving my game it’s just another step forward. As always any suggestions or comments are appreciated.

Dennis G.

[editor]

Good luck this coming year. You sound like you're ready for that breakthrough year. Just a suggestion on your record keeping. I would separate splits & washouts from single pins, two pin leaves, and others. Your percentage of splits and washouts left can be relative for comparison purposes. Single pin conversion percentage can be also. I don't like the way the PBA does it. An 87% spare conversion rate doesn't mean the same if 10% were splits as it does if 5% were splits. You're not comparing apples to apples.

[trekbowl300]

Yes, I did the math for at least one game and below is the information. It may be boring and as my wife thinks ridiculous that I took the time to figure this out. However, for those of you who read through the information please suggest what you think I should practice most. However, I think it will be multi pin spares. If you don’t like statistics then skip to the second section and tell me what you think about the new oil track on my ball and the information I have found.

I have come up with some interesting statistics although some are not as good I thought they should be.

This is my first game totals only, for the complete season all 36 weeks or 36 games. I expect small increases in numbers for the second and third games because the average for those games are higher but you never know.

I had 398 frames that’s 11 frames per game average, 186 of these shots were strikes 46.73%.

The non-strike frames (212) were as listed below:

Leaving 1 pin was 46.70% (99 of 212), spare making - 90.91% (90 of 99).

Leaving 2 pins was 19.81%, spare making - 71.43%.

Leaving 3 pins or more pins not splits was 11.32%, spare making - 58.33%

Leaving a split was 12.74%, spare making - 22.22%.

Leaving washout was 4.72%, spare making - 20%.

What all of these statistics mean to me is I need more work on my spares to bring all non split and washouts up to 90% or better. The strike shot % should increase as my accuracy improves with spare making or at least I hope so.

I was happy with my 10 pin spare rating for game one at 91.18%, 31 of 34. However, I did not do that well for the second game and it was a disappointing 78.95% at 30 of 38. Hopefully the third game is better.

Well, my 1 pin spares I’m satisfied with at the moment however the others need lots of practice. I still need to see how many times I wrote that I made a good shot even if it wasn’t a strike. However, to many statistics too much time to calculate and it’s better to spend my time practicing.

BALL OIL FLARE TRACK
In my last entry I said my ball oil track (flare lines) has moved since I have moved one step closer to the line for my startup position. Well, it is still there so far and in my research I have found the site Bowling in Northern Ireland which shows pictures of ball tracks under the training section.

I was according to their pictures using the Semi-Roller ball track.

In another picture they show the Spinner ball track, which is now closer to what my ball is now showing. If you read their description and watch the video of the spinner method of delivery it’s not what I’m doing. I had someone watch to see if my hand was coming all the way around the ball almost in front like in the video. No, from what others could see. I will try making my own video however, I must be doing something different or the closer distance is putting the ball into the oil sooner and giving me a different roll. Any thoughts?

Regardless of the reason my ball still has the same path (line I choose between two marks) and hook pattern. What I am not sure about is the different position the ball is in to cause this track flare pattern.

I am hoping my coach in a few weeks will be able to help if it seems to affect my strike shot. I have looked at the oil track when I shoot straight for spares and it’s almost like normal except closer to the thumb or over it with no flare.

As always any suggestions or comments will be welcomed.

Dennis G.

[trekbowl300]

Just a short note as the subject line indicates I am now on Track with a new bowling ball from Track. I entered the ball-a-day giveaway and won a ball. This is a wonderful way to get regular league bowlers introduced into their company.

The best part of this is after I ordered the ball I received a phone call from Dell Warren thanking me for entering the contest. He was thanking me and I didn't even buy a ball from them yet. Even better Dell talks to me about a layout for having the ball drilled, and gives me a recommendation. More then I ever expected from someone in his position.

I keep getting impressed by the bowling community from Jim King and others who have added helpful information on this thread and answered a question from my email to the writers. It's just uplifting to have contact with those at the top who are willing to take the time and offer some suggestions. This is what keeps me focused on becoming the best I can be while still enjoying the sport.

Dennis G.

[KAJMK]

Just chiming in here. This is a very good thread, I've not read every post for various reasons but not for lack of interest.
I've never met Del or Jim, but they strike me (sorry that slipped out) as caring people, not just out for the buck, just genuine good folks that have a love for the game and of course a wealth of knowledge.

Congratulations on winning the ball.

Hopefully you'll be right on track to be the bowler you hope to be.

And the puns just keep on comin'

Take care, John K. in Glendale Az.

P.S. this website does not get the traffic it deserves nor does the magazine get the circulation it should. Good work all!

[trekbowl300]

As stated above I recently won a Track bowling ball. I have received the ball and before drilling it I would like to understand the specs. on the box label.

Pin inches states 2.5 - 3. I would like to know how this is measured? From where to where.

On the ball is a mark called breakpoint control BC (Location of the preferred spin axis) I remember reading about this however the mind does not recall the facts. Again something for me to look up in BTM past editions. How important is this to know about? Is this the CG.

I always thought balls had the CG marked? I know this may be Track specific for the BC, but other balls I have you can see the CG mark unless the BC is the CG if not I can't find where it's at. Is this important to know?

Also, I found it odd that the pin and these letters are over six inches apart, however since I don't understand what they refer to I can not be sure about what's really odd (maybe me) or normal.

So, even winning a new ball is reason for learning more about the bowling balls I use.

Any help on the above questions will be appreciated.

Dennis G.

[trekbowl300]

As stated above I asked about how the pin was measured because I always thought it was the CG to the Pin but with the new ball I thought I was wrong. Then someone on another site said that is the correct method for measuring the Pin distance.

What I also found out was that Track uses the breakpoint control BC (Location of the preferred spin axis) to mark the mass bias location, and a small punch mark to mark the CG.

So, even winning a new ball helped me to look, learn and observe all the fine points that go into a bowling ball. I expect this and a talk with my proshop driller to expand my information on what the ball should do when I have it drilled according to Del Warren's suggestion.

This now makes me appreciate Susie Minshew's article on learning to drill a ball even more.

As always any comments will be appreciated.

PS: I hope all the non bowling posts can be removed. Seems like someone just went to each heading.

Dennis G.

[trekbowl300]

My next season started with new goals and greater anticipation of being able to maintain past success. Still trying to get away from results as a measurement however, since average and scores are part of bowling I guess I never will totally separate the two.

The new season brings a different challenge then last year. At that time I just wanted the average to be at 200. Now, I want to be more consistent and a much better spare shooter. The results of being an overall better bowler will keep me at or above my past goal. What I now need to do is learn how to overcome the bad games and move on so the rest of the series is not affected. How to understand what is happening when I do not get the ball reaction I expect and how to adjust is my new goal.

I now know practice and watching what is happening as the ball moves down the lane is a key to learning the correct adjustments when needed. This watching and concentration on ball movement will not be as easy as the general mechanics of the approach, which I learned last year. With the aid of a coach and video I expect to see if I still have maintained the proper approach technique I used last year. Then there is the big test to put time in for just improving my spare game.

So, the first night proves to be a struggle. This time it all is started with my mind and it’s expected success without considering all the factors and knowing when to move on. The effort to try and stay with a ball that was not right for the lane conditions just to use it was another learning experience.

I waited a few months full of excitement on how to use all this information I’ve learned within the last year. However, after the first practice ball I think my mind went on vacation because all of the summer practice did not prepare me for a difficult beginning.

Ok, 13 weeks have gone by since I wrote the above paragraphs. I have learned how to practice and choose the ball to use that I think is the best for the lane conditions on any given night. Consistency is one trait I have become better at this year.

After week 14 last year I had already had a 299, 2 - 700 series, and 4 series of 600 or more. This year after the same number of weeks and games I have a high of 267, however 10 series of 600 or more. I have made many more spares to keep the overall average basically the same as last year. Considering that last year I had already had the 776 series and this year a high of 695. I know a change has taken place because the total wood is only four pins different then last year and this year I have +4 pins without the unusually high series, more consistent each league session.

I have also had my span changed on one of my bowling balls and different finger inserts also. This change was because I have gone to a different pro shop in an effort to make my hand and fingers feel better after bowling. By the end of last year my index finger would ache all the next day after bowling and I was getting a bump on each of the fingers where I squeezed my fingers into the grips.

I wanted a change and back to pain and fingers, bump free. My previous pro shop driller said I need bigger inserts however the span and fit were good. After trying that I was just not completely comfortable so I tried another pro shop and the larger span seems to have helped my index finger since it does not hurt anymore. A larger thumbhole by one 32nd with the larger finger inserts have made shot making much easier to be consistent and pain free. I think it has also dropped my rpm’s and given me a much more even (reduced) hook then before.

This has been the big change up to this point, more consistent with both strike and spare shots. The total number of 4 strikes in-a-row or more has dropped whereas the spare making has gone up. It is also the fact that I am shooting at more spares and I guess with this forced practice comes better accuracy. My extra goals of less hand pain and finger bumps have both become less. My finger does not hurt at all some times after bowling and the finger bumps are slowly reducing. I now can feel the difference when I try to hit up on the ball more because my hand is not used to that movement as it was last year.

Another change I have made is ball maintenance. With the spinner I now have, cleaning the ball after each bowling night is my usual procedure, not waiting until next week just before bowling again. I have tried different adjustments to the coverstock that before I could not do by hand. I also try and keep the balls setup different so I can change and get the closest ball reaction I want. This also was a big change, not always using the same ball for all conditions and trying to make it work. Now I use whichever one matches my abilities and lane conditions for that particular league night.

Well, again weeks have pasted from week 14 last above to now week 22. What have I learned? To much information and over doing shots can hurt for a long time. In week 15 I had two good games to start but by the third game the lanes had lost all the oil in the heads where I was playing. Not wanting to go deep and find oil I thought I would just throw harder to stop the hook. As I look back now that was the turning point of my season. If I had just used common sense and tried a less aggressive ball or moved I might have saved my arm and season. Instead I threw hard every shot. Didn’t score but also didn’t think what I was doing to my arm.

The next day I was at the doctor’s office with a bad case of tennis elbow and could not even hold a bowling ball. I tried bowling easy for the next few weeks but just could not get the ball to do what I once was able to. I even started some bad habits and now my shoulder is even hurting. I finally took a week off and will see if that helps. I am back to square one having my average drop to 198 from 203. Now I know what muscling the ball means. I over did and now will pay the price and hope to get better some time before the end of the season. When you’re over 50 getting better takes much longer as I now know.

I have now learned another big lesson in the art of bowling correctly. My next step is just getting back to bowling normal and learning that there is a correct way and a wrong way to increase speed and power. Maybe just finding the right line for my natural ability and not to force it would have me still bowling at my best.

I will continue to learn as I am still trying to take that next step to bowling better and correctly.

As always any suggestions and comments are welcome.

Dennis

[editor]

Glad to hear you're still working on your game. I was wondering what happened to you. It sounds like you still have some grip problems. Throwing harder with an ill-fitting grip will eventually lead to tendonitis and rotator cuff problems. I speak from experience on this. There is no substitute for a correctly fitted grip and sound fundamentals. It's hard to do one without the other. Good luck and keep posting your progress. Several posters have pmed me asking about what happened to you.

[trekbowl300]

In reviewing my last few posts in July, I thought I went into the gutter so to speak and gave to many statistics and not enough about learning to be a better bowler. I just did not want to become boring.

My intent was to make others aware of problems many under 200 bowlers have and hope that the better bowlers could suggest steps to take to improve or explain how they used the information from BTM articles to improve. Add to this the normal everyday interferences with bowling called work and family life kept me away from the keyboard. However, I will be back writing because once again I need to retake that next step.

Dennis