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Thom P. Tiers posted:Enjoy nationals. If you have never bowled on a sport shot, be prepared to struggle and don't be disappointed. Otherwise, have a ton of fun! I've heard the horror stories about those sport patterns, but since I'm expecting it, I'm pretty much of the mindset of "whatever, I'm in Vegas!"  I'm not sure if all of the associations are merging or not - but I know this is our last season for our state women's association as well. I was thinking it had something to do with numbers dropping. (Our youth is getting lumped in as well, I didn't mention that.)
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Mar 8, 2017 18:11
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State associations are being forced to merge by the fall 2018 season. I would assume locals are also but our local is already merged so I'm not 100% on that.
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Mar 8, 2017 18:42
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Caught Cubs Posting
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First round of the playoffs tonight and it was best two of three to advance, we were even handicap with the opposing team so it was a scratch fight. First game we ran a train and won by 117, then second game we were tied after 8. We proceeded to get beer frames in 9 and 10 (almost twice in 10) to win by an even 100.  My first open frame was after a strike ball on frame 10, game 2. Poque fucked around with this message at 04:34 on Mar 9, 2017 |
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Mar 9, 2017 04:28
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Technically that isn't an open frame! You marked in the tenth (your strike) and you proceeded to open on your bonus/fill balls. So two years ago our team accomplished a pretty cool feat, we all had 200+ games and 700+ series on the night. Last night we almost did it again. We accomplished everybody over 200+, but two people fell 25 pins short each of their 700's 
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Mar 9, 2017 17:28
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So, just getting back into bowling after a good 12 year break. I picked up a Brunswick Rhino, properly fitted and such got a few practice games in and managed some decent scores (125, 168, 185). What would you guys recommend i focus on in the beginning as far as getting consistent, or should i just invest in some lessons with a coach? Also is there a recommended average you'd shoot for to join up in a league, or just jump on in? this may be difficult as most of the leagues are ending in a few weeks from now and not many seem to have any spots for rotating subs. Thanks for the feedback.
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Mar 16, 2017 02:59
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Chuckle posted:So, just getting back into bowling after a good 12 year break. I picked up a Brunswick Rhino, properly fitted and such got a few practice games in and managed some decent scores (125, 168, 185). What would you guys recommend i focus on in the beginning as far as getting consistent, or should i just invest in some lessons with a coach? Also is there a recommended average you'd shoot for to join up in a league, or just jump on in? this may be difficult as most of the leagues are ending in a few weeks from now and not many seem to have any spots for rotating subs. Thanks for the feedback. Welcome back! To address your points in no particular order, just as things jumped out at me: Subs - you're pretty spot on about finding it difficult to get in on that action. Most of the leagues I am involved in have rules stating that the last 6-8 weeks, no new bowlers/subs are allowed in as to keep teams from bringing in ringers at the end of the season. (This isn't ALWAYS the rule, one of my leagues is struggling with vacant spots, and we voted, as a team, to allow a new bowler to join in just last night, with 6 weeks left.) Can't hurt to ask around though. Sub bowling = free bowling in many cases and free bowling = awesome. I'm not sure I share the same opinion with others, but as far as being consistent or getting lessons, I can appreciate wanting to go it alone and figure out what you can do first. However, getting some lessons may be something that your coach would be able to see the way you're throwing, see what your form is like, how your timing is, etc, and make corrections so you don't stay consistent, rather, you improve. Can also help curb negative habits before they become worse. (I fought tooth and nail with my bf about getting lessons, I didn't want to believe I needed them, but they really have helped.) Another thing to look into is maybe an adult instructional league if there are any in your area. With that, summer leagues are coming up pretty quick too - they are usually a lot less stressful (in my opinion) and I always used them to work on things like my timing, maybe try a different way to hold the ball at the approach, etc. Don't sweat the average. Unless you're in a scratch league, you'll have handicap to work with to make up for a lower average to start. The goal is to improve upon whatever average you set. (Also don't freak out if you set a stupid high average and you tank the next few weeks. I did that with one league I'm subbing on - set a 172 average the first week and dropped like a stone back to my normal 150-155 range average over the next few weeks. But it is inching up slowly!) Worst case, find out if any centers in your area have cheap bowling days - mine happens to have $1 games on Thursday nights (if you can get a lane, it is pretty popular) or even a flat rate deal, and practice with no pressure. Get a feel for how your ball reacts, try different ways of throwing it, etc. Then look at maybe the summer leagues and get ready for fall! hockeyfrog fucked around with this message at 16:54 on Mar 16, 2017 |
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Mar 16, 2017 16:30
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Get in a summer league for sure. And most centers have a discount on open play for their league bowlers so try to take advantage of that to get some practice in. They're more likely to give it to you cheap during non-peak hours so see if you can sneak in a couple games on your lunch break or whatever. Just throwing some games on a semi-consistent schedule helps a lot.
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Mar 16, 2017 18:32
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Let's talk about motherfucking candlepin. I bowled a 97 the other day which is drat near the highest score I ever threw in candlepin bowling in my life.
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Mar 17, 2017 06:01
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Turdsdown Tom posted:Let's talk about motherfucking candlepin. I bowled a 97 the other day which is drat near the highest score I ever threw in candlepin bowling in my life. That is pretty drat good for candlepin. My bf and I go when we're out NE to visit his family. I think my high is a 68. I keep trying to hook the drat ball which obviously doesn't work when you're essentially chucking skee balls at the pegs. As frustrating as that game is, I still enjoy it. (Also i'd much rather carry a set of candlepin balls up my three flights of stairs, rather than carrying my 2 14lb balls, geebus.)
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Mar 17, 2017 16:45
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I love ten pin just as much as candlepin, but when you live in MA and the nearest ten pin alley is about an hour away, there aren't many reasons to justify the trip, so candlepin is mostly all I got. Very little is as satisfying as hitting a strike in candlepin. It makes you feel like some kind of wizard.
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Mar 17, 2017 18:38
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I hear you on the distance thing - we'd go to Woonsocket to 10 pin bowl. There is a bowling alley in Milford, but really it is just a cover for it being a bar/arcade/generally terrible place to bowl at. I only managed a single spare the entire time I've done candlepin. Not even close to a strike! I was pretty ecstatic just with that spare, I can't imagine how I'd be with a strike.
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Mar 17, 2017 19:57
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When i was living in MA the only places for ten pin we had nearby were Town and Country in shrewsbury and Auburn Ten Pin, both over 30-40 minutes away, thankfully i've got 3 lanes within 15 minutes of me now.
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Mar 17, 2017 20:47
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I've got 7 alleys within 20 minutes of me. Used to have more, but unfortunately the business is what it is these days.
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Mar 17, 2017 21:06
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We ended up coming in third again this season (16 teams). First round was last week, and we beat our second round opponent pretty handily as their best bowler ended up throwing scratch like 60 below his average. We were in it until the end in the final four, but they simply marked more than we did to finish out the game. I think we get too fatigued in later rounds.
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Mar 17, 2017 21:09
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hockeyfrog posted:I hear you on the distance thing - we'd go to Woonsocket to 10 pin bowl. There is a bowling alley in Milford, but really it is just a cover for it being a bar/arcade/generally terrible place to bowl at. Townline in Malden (I think) is the closest place to me, it's a pretty great if not really expensive place for 10 pin. Plus they've got a whole pro shop there, so if I ever made the plunge into purchasing a ball or equipment, I'd probably head there. gently caress. Now I'm gonna go to Haverhill and bowl a couple strings. See what you've done, bowling thread? *shakes fist angrily*
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Mar 17, 2017 21:22
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Welp, it happened. I was elected president of our 2017-18 (and 18-19) soon to be merged association. Nervous, but excited. I feel like there are a lot of things our association is lacking in *cough*communication*cough* but it seems like our new officers is a good mix of men, women, and youth, so I'm looking forward to it. Any other association presidents out there that have any advice?
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Mar 20, 2017 16:15
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Bowled my first 600 series tonight with a 603 during league. Was pretty psyched. My Dark Legend did so much work tonight. Our team has been holding steady in 7th place out of 23 and we really needed a good night. We've got two nights left and I'm hoping we carry some momentum through to the end.
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Apr 22, 2017 05:10
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I CAN'T loving BOWL ANYMORE
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May 11, 2017 03:12
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Wait, like literally? Or are you in a slump or something?
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May 11, 2017 14:19
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that was just sheer frustration from a weeks long slump. immediately after that i got mad and mean-mugged 5 strikes in 6 frames. then i sprained my wrist so i actually am out 
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May 11, 2017 16:35
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I finished the season with a lifetime high 199.9, from 185 at the start of the season. The very last week I needed a 635 to bring my average up to 200 (which I've never averaged.. yet), and things were looking good after the first two games (2nd game was a 278) and then I pulled the mother of all chokes. I couldn't get it together in the 3rd game and ended up with a 160. Missed it by 8 pins. Oh well, looks like I have a goal for next year!
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May 14, 2017 04:42
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Survived my first association meeting as president. Once we get through all this merger bs, we can actually work on fun stuff like things actually bowling-related. BF talked me into doing a sport shot league this summer and it is kicking my rear end. 6 games a night. We're on the Alcatraz pattern right now, and once I got to the 6th game last week I figured out what I was doing. Set a 125 average, which is disheartening, but... it is good practice. It'll get better though, I know it will. Two weeks until USBC Open Nationals, I *am* pretty excited for that trip!
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May 15, 2017 18:09
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hockeyfrog posted:Survived my first association meeting as president. Once we get through all this merger bs, we can actually work on fun stuff like things actually bowling-related. Hey! I bowled on the Alcatraz a few weeks back in a doubles tournament. drat short-ish and dry patterns! It was tough, but managed to average 190 for 4 games. Not enough to make the cut unfortunately Have fun out at USBC. It's the hardest I have ever seen it, especially for team event. I shot 1840 and our team broke 3,000. I could have had more individually, but couldn't get anything going after a 240 start in doubles. My adjustment to the break down was poor Breaking 3,000 for team was really, really fun though.
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May 15, 2017 18:54
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Do I let the ball go with my wrist locked straight or do I rotate it from locked straight to a pistol grip position? I bought a ball and got it drilled. Felt like poo poo but I scored as well as with a house ball
Longpig Bard fucked around with this message at 18:23 on May 27, 2017 |
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May 27, 2017 18:04
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coupbrick posted:Do I let the ball go with my wrist locked straight or do I rotate it from locked straight to a pistol grip position? I bought a ball and got it drilled. Felt like poo poo but I scored as well as with a house ball Did you get the ball drilled conventionally (like house balls are), or with finger tip grips (inserts that go inside the drilled holes)? That is going to make a difference in how you want release the ball.
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Jun 1, 2017 19:32
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I'm usually pretty good at navigating the rulebook but I've got a dumb question here: Does pinfall accrued during a forfeited game count towards total series? I had a team tonight that didn't have a legal lineup for game one, but their second regular bowler showed up for games two and three. Even if you count the absent bowler's score as a zero for game one, his team has more total pins in series. My BLS wants to count the entire team's game as a zero. Game one is obviously a forfeit, but what counts towards series? I can find a ton of items in the rulebook about when a forfeit occurs, but none on what a forfeit actually is. Any idea here?
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Jun 16, 2017 04:46
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How was the bowler illegal? I believe the pinfall still counts, it's just the illegal bowler has a zero. You can always e-mail rules@bowl.com They are super quick about getting back to you (at least for me they are).
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Jun 16, 2017 17:17
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Bowler was absent for game one and league has a rule that you need two regulars to have a legal lineup. So game one they just had two subs and one reg.
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Jun 16, 2017 17:27
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Ever get those games where you forget how to walk? What the eff I couldn't remember if I start with my left or right foot.. rolled some comically bad looking 3 step and 8 step shots.
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Jul 4, 2017 17:31
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bumming your scene posted:Ever get those games where you forget how to walk? What the eff I couldn't remember if I start with my left or right foot.. rolled some comically bad looking 3 step and 8 step shots. YES. I had a whole night like that a few months ago. I pretty much was ready to just feign injury and have the team bowl me blind the rest of the night!
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Jul 5, 2017 15:04
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I don't bowl but I did read the OP and am curious about the effect of equipment. Imagine two players of equal skill are bowling. The first has his ideal ball/oil pattern/lane length/etc for his style while the second has the absolute worst possible setup. In percentage terms, how much of an advantage will the first player have over the second?
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Jul 27, 2017 15:14
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Gobbeldygook posted:I don't bowl but I did read the OP and am curious about the effect of equipment. Imagine two players of equal skill are bowling. The first has his ideal ball/oil pattern/lane length/etc for his style while the second has the absolute worst possible setup. In percentage terms, how much of an advantage will the first player have over the second? If we are talking about sport shot patterns, an enormous advantage. Matching up a ball and play style to a tough oil pattern gives you a ridiculous advantage over someone of equal skill that doesn't have those matchups. Not saying the second person would suck, but that second person would have to play a line that they wouldn't normally play with a ball they wouldn't normally be using for the given conditions. Room for error would be a LOT less and thus, the person would be missing the pocket a lot more.
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Jul 27, 2017 15:48
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I am dredging this up. I'm a poo poo bowler. At my very best I tossed 210's and rejoiced. Recently, I got the spirit to got back into the game, and just bought my own ball for the hell of it and want have it drilled. I'd like terrible advice on this and for you to tell me I'm I terrible person as to why, much as I'd tell you you're an awful person for picking out your own golf ball, etc. but I digress.. Anyone in the Green Bay area want to school me specifically before I just waltz out there? I don't have any playing partners currently other than my wife. I meant to add an e: "this isn't a personals ad" but that last line just doesn't really sell it. It's just all cosmic bowling for days around here. Dunno where to get a decent lane. Big Beef City fucked around with this message at 03:55 on Oct 18, 2017 |
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Oct 18, 2017 03:47
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Ashwaubenon is a great house near the Green Bay area. They actually just held the USBC Masters tournament in 2015. Check out the pro shop there and see if they can help you get that ball drilled. Other than that, just join a league or ask to sub in leagues. Wisconsin is a big bowling community, specifically the Green Bay area, Madison area, and southeastern Wisconsin areas.
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Oct 18, 2017 21:42
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I started bowling in February in a non-sanctioned league. My dad, a lifelong bowler with 30+ 300 games and 11 800 series, sent me a plastic ball. After a few weeks I decided I wanted to learn how to bowl for real. Since then my dad has basically financed all my equipment because he's excited one of his sons is bowling. I average roughly 180 in practice but haven't joined a league due to relocating right after the season started. My dad bought me two balls new but he spends a fortune on bowling balls then decides he doesn't like them and gives them to me to get plugged and redrilled I currently have a code red. sure-lock, Fight, and a hot cell drilled for me. He just gave me a pitch black and a daredevil trick that I haven't gotten plugged. Which of those 2 will fill a gap that I might have in my current setup?
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Oct 28, 2017 05:02
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I'd probably get the daredevil trick seeing as you really shouldn't need more than one urethane ball in your bag (Hot Cell and Pitch Black are both urethane). How you drill a ball also has a lot to do with what they do and how they react, but I'm sure you know this already. Dare-Devil, Sure Lock, and Fight are all solid reactive coverstocks, get your dare devil drilled differently than those two. Tell your pops to give you a straight pearl ball for something you are missing in your bag  (you have a hybrid in your Code Red, which is a great ball).
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Oct 28, 2017 14:41
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Belmo throwing a backup ball in the last qualifying round in the US open. Had a 214-248-146 so far https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrPixpxd7BE
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Oct 31, 2017 23:39
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Many thanks to the dude who recommended Ashwaubenon Lanes - I figured they might have a pro shop given their reputation. What I didn't expect was that the dude who measured me for drilling was the guy my wife and I lived next to in our first duplex back in the day. Nice. While I got a cool ball (online based on a lot of maybe pointless but I thought well planned research based on what I was looking for) - Storm torrent 14lb. It's finish it's just too matte for me (not cosmetically, it looks cool as hell in person), and I am way, WAY too inexperienced to know how to polish it up properly, using the machine at the proshop that offers a bill feed and a tacked on chart and literally 18 different buttons and gauges of 'sand level' and 'polish level' with no other reference. ... err..I'll digress. The way they drilled it, and the inserts, the weight, and even the way the ball travels, I can tell it could be just killer. But holy loving poo poo, with my grip it's like the last few literal, and I mean literal feet of the lane have it carrying across the entirety of the rack and I will be lucky to clip the 7 pin. Speed up, speed down, revs up, revs down, "she gone" I have never seen a bowling ball cut straight left like this does. Woops. Well. Like I said. I'm going to polish it up some, a notch, and try it. I'm going to tweak it and me, as I know my form is terrible, until I find a sweet spot...hopefully. Big Beef City fucked around with this message at 04:40 on Nov 1, 2017 |
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Nov 1, 2017 00:29
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I'm glad Ashwaubenon worked for you. I bowled against the proprietor's son a bunch in college, he was a nice guy. Move your feet left. Out of curiosity, how fast are you throwing it? You certainly can polish it up, but keep in mind you bought a solid coverstock ball which are usually meant to hook (and early). A pearl ball would go "longer" down the lane for you and come polished pretty much. But really, move your feet left. The majority of the oil is going to be in the center of the lane. If you are having trouble keeping it in the pocket, you are going to want to push the ball through the center of the lane as much as you can (so it slides through the oil), with your final break point really far down the lane and right of the pocket. Also I'm not sure if you were just practicing at some random time, but there might not have been a lot of oil to begin with either. New balls do tend to hook a lot, and it should also smooth out the more games you get on it. These are my random thoughts! ayb posted:Belmo throwing a backup ball in the last qualifying round in the US open. Had a 214-248-146 so far Hilarious.
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Nov 1, 2017 16:34
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Thanks for the advice, I am starting left. My approach essentially begins with my heel almost touching the 'top' end of the ball return (assuming it, too is to the left) and releasing as close as I can to the left most board, with the intent to get the ball as far right and long as I can, and it's still pulling, literally, entirely back across the lane and into the left gutter. I've thrown 1 series +2 games with this, spread across two different bowling alleys now (Ash. lanes and Village lanes up in Howard closer to where I live (half-way from the NEW zoo to Pulaski)) Same results. My speeds are atrocious. 14.5-15 throwing 'straight', 11.5 throwing 2-finger 'hook' (or at least with this new ball and my most recent series). Which, I know, 'real' bowlers hate. It's how I taught myself, it's what I am used to and comfortable (or was) doing. It's what I intended to do here. Please no flak. My hook has always been a looping curveball, and I'm cool with that, but when I was younger I could generate more speed. But, these are basically my first three/four 'real' series after being away from actually caring about bowling for like 16 years, so... e: I am waiting for the ball to hook so strongly that it actually U-turns and starts heading back towards me to punish me for my sins. Big Beef City fucked around with this message at 00:29 on Nov 2, 2017 |
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Nov 1, 2017 23:01
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