The Bowling Thread

[offsides]

I'm thinking about buying just what I need, another bowling ball. Any bowler here have any experience or information of the Storm Dark Code ball?

I've been stuck on 900 Global balls over the last year. I really liked the Reality, and decided to get a symmetrical ball this summer and have loved the Zen Soul as my 2nd ball.

I haven't seen much of the Dark Code around my league. I'll keep an eye out and if I see one, see if it is someone that actually knows their stuff.

Thanks FPF. I decided to get the Dark Code and give it a try. Getting it drilled tomorrow. I have a couple Storm Code X balls I like and was looking for something similar. Like me the Code X balls I use are getting old. I still bowl all year in two leagues so I just wanted to try something newer and fresher. Hope my wife doesn't read this.

[FLPensFan]

I'm probably the only guy who can raise his average 3 pins on the night and be upset with his bowling. LOL

I have no idea why, but my first game is KILLING me every week. In 8 weeks (missed 1 week), I have only bowled above 170 twice in the first game. Last week I wrote up a small list on my phone to look at and try and keep focus, things like don't rush to the line, follow through, eye on the target, etc. Sadly, it didn't help this week and I bowled a 149 first game. What is frustrating is I felt like I was throwing a good ball (throwing my Reality), and that I didn't change anything heading in games 2/3, other than moving around a board or two. I changed to my Zen Soul just for a bit of a surface change, but didn't feel like the Reality was an issue itself.

Threw a 196 2nd game, which included an open in the 2nd (too far outside), 8th(chopped a 2-4-5), and 10th (split) frames.
Threw a 235 3rd game clean game to end the night.

580, should have easily been a 600. On the season, I am throwing a 161 average in the 1st game, 177 2nd game, 187 3rd game. Gotta figure out how to get going in that first game.

[Pruezy11881]

What do you see happening in the first game? Is the ball not finishing? What kind of surface are you bowling on?

[FLPensFan]

What do you see happening in the first game? Is the ball not finishing? What kind of surface are you bowling on?

After this past week (27 games total), my first game average is down to 160. 2nd game average is 182.2 and 3rd game average is 181.4. That's the thing. I don't feel like I'm doing anything differently. But in the first game, I'm just not getting strikes.

This past week, Game 1, I struck opening frame. I had 6 other frames where I had a single pin leave. 2 7s, 2 4s, and 2 10s. My open frames were a missed 10 pin, a 4-5-7 split, an odd 4-pin spare caused by bad first ball. This should have easily been a 200+ game. I'm just not getting any breaks in game 1 whatsoever.

Lanes are synthetic, typically using my Reality first out of the bag but this coming week, I am likely going to go straight to the Zen Soul for Game 1.

My anchor bowler, who is usually a 200+ average, was only bowling 190 average in my league...yet, same house Tuesday nights, he had around a 225 average. There's been suspicion that they aren't putting the same league shot

In general my game has really improved, but I'm just not getting the strikes consistently early on. And now looking at my stats (yeah, I track my game with an app and have for years), I can see first game I am only averaging 2.2 strikes per game, while Games 2 & 3 I average 4.4 strikers per game. And it just takes one bad hit, one chop of a spare, etc to ruin a game that you are only sparing.

Both my balls are pretty new. I bought a new Reality down a pound to 14, and I've gone back to 14lbs across the board as I feel I am getting through the ball and coming off my fingers much more consistent at 14 than 15lbs. I bought the Zen Soul because I've typically been an asymmetric guy, but wanted a symmetric for a little bit different shape. I really don't want to buy another ball. If I did, last thing I would probably do is buy a pearl vs the sanded/matte balls I have now, although the Zen Soul is at 4-5K grit, just not polished.

I know a lot of it is frustration too.

[Zarovich]

What do you see happening in the first game? Is the ball not finishing? What kind of surface are you bowling on?

After this past week (27 games total), my first game average is down to 160. 2nd game average is 182.2 and 3rd game average is 181.4. That's the thing. I don't feel like I'm doing anything differently. But in the first game, I'm just not getting strikes.

This past week, Game 1, I struck opening frame. I had 6 other frames where I had a single pin leave. 2 7s, 2 4s, and 2 10s. My open frames were a missed 10 pin, a 4-5-7 split, an odd 4-pin spare caused by bad first ball. This should have easily been a 200+ game. I'm just not getting any breaks in game 1 whatsoever.

Lanes are synthetic, typically using my Reality first out of the bag but this coming week, I am likely going to go straight to the Zen Soul for Game 1.

My anchor bowler, who is usually a 200+ average, was only bowling 190 average in my league...yet, same house Tuesday nights, he had around a 225 average. There's been suspicion that they aren't putting the same league shot

In general my game has really improved, but I'm just not getting the strikes consistently early on. And now looking at my stats (yeah, I track my game with an app and have for years), I can see first game I am only averaging 2.2 strikes per game, while Games 2 & 3 I average 4.4 strikers per game. And it just takes one bad hit, one chop of a spare, etc to ruin a game that you are only sparing.

Both my balls are pretty new. I bought a new Reality down a pound to 14, and I've gone back to 14lbs across the board as I feel I am getting through the ball and coming off my fingers much more consistent at 14 than 15lbs. I bought the Zen Soul because I've typically been an asymmetric guy, but wanted a symmetric for a little bit different shape. I really don't want to buy another ball. If I did, last thing I would probably do is buy a pearl vs the sanded/matte balls I have now, although the Zen Soul is at 4-5K grit, just not polished.

I know a lot of it is frustration too.

Do a warm up game or two?

[offsides]

Very good night for me. Highest series so far after 60 games this season. Had 11 strikes first game. Left a 7-10 in ninth with a decent pocket hit. 264-178-206. Guess my new Storm Dark Code gets most of the credit. In two leagues this season with a 185 and 187 average in them.

[FLPensFan]

What do you see happening in the first game? Is the ball not finishing? What kind of surface are you bowling on?

After this past week (27 games total), my first game average is down to 160. 2nd game average is 182.2 and 3rd game average is 181.4. That's the thing. I don't feel like I'm doing anything differently. But in the first game, I'm just not getting strikes.

This past week, Game 1, I struck opening frame. I had 6 other frames where I had a single pin leave. 2 7s, 2 4s, and 2 10s. My open frames were a missed 10 pin, a 4-5-7 split, an odd 4-pin spare caused by bad first ball. This should have easily been a 200+ game. I'm just not getting any breaks in game 1 whatsoever.

Lanes are synthetic, typically using my Reality first out of the bag but this coming week, I am likely going to go straight to the Zen Soul for Game 1.

My anchor bowler, who is usually a 200+ average, was only bowling 190 average in my league...yet, same house Tuesday nights, he had around a 225 average. There's been suspicion that they aren't putting the same league shot

In general my game has really improved, but I'm just not getting the strikes consistently early on. And now looking at my stats (yeah, I track my game with an app and have for years), I can see first game I am only averaging 2.2 strikes per game, while Games 2 & 3 I average 4.4 strikers per game. And it just takes one bad hit, one chop of a spare, etc to ruin a game that you are only sparing.

Both my balls are pretty new. I bought a new Reality down a pound to 14, and I've gone back to 14lbs across the board as I feel I am getting through the ball and coming off my fingers much more consistent at 14 than 15lbs. I bought the Zen Soul because I've typically been an asymmetric guy, but wanted a symmetric for a little bit different shape. I really don't want to buy another ball. If I did, last thing I would probably do is buy a pearl vs the sanded/matte balls I have now, although the Zen Soul is at 4-5K grit, just not polished.

I know a lot of it is frustration too.

Do a warm up game or two?

You get 10 minutes of practice before league, and I am someone that typically throws practice balls for the full 10 minutes. A warm-up game or two would most likely:

1) Have my thumb/fingers swollen enough by 3rd game of league that I'd have to be changing grips out every night.
2) They don't oil the non-league lanes, so I'd be bowling on a completely random shot, likely burnt up shot. Might do more harm than good.

Honestly, I may just be at the point where for my game, I need to bowl more than 1 night a week to improve or gain some more consistency. But the whole 1st game thing is really weird too because, traditionally, the first game has been my best game. Last 3 years of bowling, 1st game average over the course of the season is my best.

[FLPensFan]

Very good night for me. Highest series so far after 60 games this season. Had 11 strikes first game. Left a 7-10 in ninth with a decent pocket hit. 264-178-206. Guess my new Storm Dark Code gets most of the credit. In two leagues this season with a 185 and 187 average in them.

Very nice.

[Pruezy11881]

What do you see happening in the first game? Is the ball not finishing? What kind of surface are you bowling on?

After this past week (27 games total), my first game average is down to 160. 2nd game average is 182.2 and 3rd game average is 181.4. That's the thing. I don't feel like I'm doing anything differently. But in the first game, I'm just not getting strikes.

This past week, Game 1, I struck opening frame. I had 6 other frames where I had a single pin leave. 2 7s, 2 4s, and 2 10s. My open frames were a missed 10 pin, a 4-5-7 split, an odd 4-pin spare caused by bad first ball. This should have easily been a 200+ game. I'm just not getting any breaks in game 1 whatsoever.

Lanes are synthetic, typically using my Reality first out of the bag but this coming week, I am likely going to go straight to the Zen Soul for Game 1.

My anchor bowler, who is usually a 200+ average, was only bowling 190 average in my league...yet, same house Tuesday nights, he had around a 225 average. There's been suspicion that they aren't putting the same league shot

In general my game has really improved, but I'm just not getting the strikes consistently early on. And now looking at my stats (yeah, I track my game with an app and have for years), I can see first game I am only averaging 2.2 strikes per game, while Games 2 & 3 I average 4.4 strikers per game. And it just takes one bad hit, one chop of a spare, etc to ruin a game that you are only sparing.

Both my balls are pretty new. I bought a new Reality down a pound to 14, and I've gone back to 14lbs across the board as I feel I am getting through the ball and coming off my fingers much more consistent at 14 than 15lbs. I bought the Zen Soul because I've typically been an asymmetric guy, but wanted a symmetric for a little bit different shape. I really don't want to buy another ball. If I did, last thing I would probably do is buy a pearl vs the sanded/matte balls I have now, although the Zen Soul is at 4-5K grit, just not polished.

I know a lot of it is frustration too.

I was just curious if you happen to see your ball being lazy into the pocket, hooking at your feet, etc. You have to get used to reading the lanes front to back instead of just side to side. There could exist the possibility that the ball looks alright going down the lane (Reality), but just doesn't have the ass in the last phase of the roll to consistently run the pins over...this would be due to the ball using up a lot of its energy in the front part of the lane versus saving it for the end of the pattern. Switching to the Zen Soul the first game would give you information...hell even throwing both in practice to get an idea of what's happening out there is useful. The Soul at 4-5K seems a bit extreme to me, just because it is going to lead the ball to whip a lot on the back (more of a hockey stick shape) and could be uncontrollable or unpredictable. But without actually seeing you throw it'd be tough to tell you for sure to alter that. If you see the ball overhooking the way to combat it is more surface to burn up some energy so that it isn't incontrollable on the back end. Something that I have learned within the last couple years though, is that yes, layout is important, but almost as important or in some cases more important, is the surface prep on the ball. You can't compete with great ball reaction.

I do like that you have a couple different tools in your bag. The solid assym in the Reality and the hybrid symmetric in the Soul are a decent compliment to one another. Are there any others you have in your arsenal?

I have few coming that I ordered (working in a pro shop has its benefits!). Being in Erie, PA I know that we sell balls cheaper than a lot of other places. It's not a rich town, but it is bigger into bowling. We have customers that would need a change of pants if we were selling higher end stuff for 300+ before taxes. Anyways, tournament season is coming upon us and it's always great to have a fresh cover or two ready to go. I have an Exotic Gem and a Phaze V from Storm on the way and then from the 7 brands a DV8 Verge solid and Brutal Collision. I'm pretty excited for the Collision because it has the new HK22 coverstock on it and appears like they figured something out. Where 7 brands equipment seemed to want to roll forward, Storm always had the advantage of wanting to keep climbing and going left. Well from what I've seen so far, the HK22 looks less forward and more sideways.

[offsides]

Decent night at least average wise. 197-164-225 I'm liking my Storm Dark Code. I don't have much speed or spin any more but the Code fits my old guy form pretty well. If I do things right it hits hard.
The really good part was I made all 3 of my 10 pins and 3 of 4 seven pins. Pretty rare for me.

[FLPensFan]

181-211-165

Zen Soul definitely worked better for the first game. 1st game easily could have been 200+, but I started the game by missing a 7 then a 10 pin. Later on didn't realize I had double wood and only picked up 1.

Still a little hard to judge because we were bowling a team that was post-bowling, so the lanes were not burning up as much. Good progress for next week.

[Pruezy11881]

Had our yearly TNO Doubles tournament yesterday. Teams must have a combined average of no more than 420 (based on established tournament averages of 50 games, or use book average). Everyone bowls 4 individual games (so 8 per team) across the house. This year is was skipping 3 pair to the right. Top 16 teams advance based on scratch count to eliminator style baker's matches (top team with a combined average of <400 is seeded into the finals, with a max of 3 teams fitting this criteria). During baker's one player bowls all odd frames and the other bowls the even ones, then vice versa until you are eliminated. 4 teams to a pair and you have to be top two on the pair to advance. Move to a new pair where 4 of the remaining top teams will again bowl to determine top 2 per pair. Move to a new pair for the semi's and the finals, where the top 2 teams from semi's bowl for the championship.

My partner and I lead qualifying after the last game at +311. Yours truly shot games of 246, 239, 235, and 275 including the whiffing 4 ten pins as my only opens of the day. My partner and I whacked the competition handily in the round of 16 with a 238 game with me bowling even frames to start. Game two saw us get a little bit more of a challenge from competition conditions, but managed to squeak in as the 2nd high on the pair. We get to the semi's and carry became our enemy. And that's where our journey ended as we only managed 191 as a team. We finished 4th out of a total of 78 teams.

I used the 900 Global Reality all day and felt like as the round of 16 progressed I was going to need more energy retention down the lane, likely in the semis. I couldn't bring myself to make the change, just because I had used that ball all day and was worried that I'd be totally wrong and start caving in the head pin and/or splitting. So I stuck with the Reality and just tried to give it some room to get into the swish zone (light hits are known to carry at this particular house). In hindsight, I should've trusted my gut and made the change down to the Nova or the Exotic Gem. I think the Axiom pearl would have been too far a drop in performance that I may have gotten myself in big trouble missing the pocket completely.

[FLPensFan]

Nice job on the tournament. 4th out of 78 is nothing to complain about.

Getting ready to head out for my league night, bowl over my average for the night, but still be frustrated. LOL. That's exactly what I did last week, 167-197-170...and that's the story of my game. 2 games under my average (175 currently) and one big game that pulls the others up.

I'll probably get it all figured out tonight and bowl my first 600 of the year...because I am off the next two weeks (Penguins game next Thursday vs Florida), so I'll likely figure it out tonight just in time to have a break and have to re-figure it out after Christmas.

[offsides]

Been a while since I got a 600, but got a 607 last night. 203-211-193 I got a new pair of Dexter SST 6 hybrid BOA shoes last week so I guess I'll have to give them some of the credit.

[Pruezy11881]

Been a while since I got a 600, but got a 607 last night. 203-211-193 I got a new pair of Dexter SST 6 hybrid BOA shoes last week so I guess I'll have to give them some of the credit.

Lucky to be able to get decent shoes. Supply line and distributors are very hit or miss right now. Congrats on the 600!

[Pruezy11881]

Nice job on the tournament. 4th out of 78 is nothing to complain about.

Getting ready to head out for my league night, bowl over my average for the night, but still be frustrated. LOL. That's exactly what I did last week, 167-197-170...and that's the story of my game. 2 games under my average (175 currently) and one big game that pulls the others up.

I'll probably get it all figured out tonight and bowl my first 600 of the year...because I am off the next two weeks (Penguins game next Thursday vs Florida), so I'll likely figure it out tonight just in time to have a break and have to re-figure it out after Christmas.

When was the last time you tried throwing something that was just a pearl coverstock?

[FLPensFan]

Nice job on the tournament. 4th out of 78 is nothing to complain about.

Getting ready to head out for my league night, bowl over my average for the night, but still be frustrated. LOL. That's exactly what I did last week, 167-197-170...and that's the story of my game. 2 games under my average (175 currently) and one big game that pulls the others up.

I'll probably get it all figured out tonight and bowl my first 600 of the year...because I am off the next two weeks (Penguins game next Thursday vs Florida), so I'll likely figure it out tonight just in time to have a break and have to re-figure it out after Christmas.

When was the last time you tried throwing something that was just a pearl coverstock?

I have a Roto Grip UC2 that I used for about a year or so.

[offsides]

Been a while since I got a 600, but got a 607 last night. 203-211-193 I got a new pair of Dexter SST 6 hybrid BOA shoes last week so I guess I'll have to give them some of the credit.

Lucky to be able to get decent shoes. Supply line and distributors are very hit or miss right now. Congrats on the 600!

Maybe the shoes deserve even more credit. Got another rare for me 600 tonight. 196-227-210 = 633

[offsides]

Been a while since I got a 600, but got a 607 last night. 203-211-193 I got a new pair of Dexter SST 6 hybrid BOA shoes last week so I guess I'll have to give them some of the credit.

Lucky to be able to get decent shoes. Supply line and distributors are very hit or miss right now. Congrats on the 600!

Maybe the shoes deserve even more credit. Got another rare for me 600 tonight. 196-227-210 = 633

Think I'll take credit for tonight's 600. 217-193-213. Not sure how or why but I have four 600s in my last six nights. Way way over my 185 average for the year which was 182 a couple weeks ago. In both leagues I have the same average. Just hope I can keep it up.

Edit: 1/5 Horrible first game so no 600 tonight but at least got over my average. 150-216-212.

Edit: 1/9 My Monday night league is unexplainable to me. After tonight's 610 I have four 600 nights in a row in this mixed league. I know I have never done that before anywhere.

[offsides]

I have to make a new post for this and brag some. Not sure why or how long this can last but I am bowling out of my mind. Better than I have ever done. Another 6 hundred tonight for five in last 8 nights. 238-223-212---673. Average has gone up 7 pins in 4 weeks. I'm sure the down side is coming but am enjoying it now.

[FLPensFan]

I have to make a new post for this and brag some. Not sure why or how long this can last but I am bowling out of my mind. Better than I have ever done. Another 6 hundred tonight for five in last 8 nights. 238-223-212---673. Average has gone up 7 pins in 4 weeks. I'm sure the down side is coming but am enjoying it now.

Awesome! Very nice. I'm probably counteracting your good games for you with all the bad games. LOL Every week I think I found something minor to adjust, and every week, I still stink.

I think part of it is that my league is probably 50% 120-150 average bowlers, who are bowling straight balls are just whipping the ball to an outside spot. The oil seems to get pushed down the lane more instead of getting pushed out of a common track.

I dunno. One of these weeks I'm going to find the small adjustment I need to make and get back on track.

[Pruezy11881]

I have to make a new post for this and brag some. Not sure why or how long this can last but I am bowling out of my mind. Better than I have ever done. Another 6 hundred tonight for five in last 8 nights. 238-223-212---673. Average has gone up 7 pins in 4 weeks. I'm sure the down side is coming but am enjoying it now.

Fantastic. Keep it up.

[Pruezy11881]

Awesome! Very nice. I'm probably counteracting your good games for you with all the bad games. LOL Every week I think I found something minor to adjust, and every week, I still stink.

I think part of it is that my league is probably 50% 120-150 average bowlers, who are bowling straight balls are just whipping the ball to an outside spot. The oil seems to get pushed down the lane more instead of getting pushed out of a common track.

I dunno. One of these weeks I'm going to find the small adjustment I need to make and get back on track.

What are you seeing happen with ball reaction...ball struggling to get to the pocket or overreact?

[FLPensFan]

Awesome! Very nice. I'm probably counteracting your good games for you with all the bad games. LOL Every week I think I found something minor to adjust, and every week, I still stink.

I think part of it is that my league is probably 50% 120-150 average bowlers, who are bowling straight balls are just whipping the ball to an outside spot. The oil seems to get pushed down the lane more instead of getting pushed out of a common track.

I dunno. One of these weeks I'm going to find the small adjustment I need to make and get back on track.

What are you seeing happen with ball reaction...ball struggling to get to the pocket or overreact?

If you ask me, I see me hitting the pocket and just never getting the same reaction.

My anchor, who has bowled forever, says it doesn't happen consistently, but says the ball isn't driving through the pocket consistently (like when you leave a solid 8 or even an 8-10).

Personally, I think I've tried just about everything I can. I'm really starting to believe the lack of quality bowlers in the league (probably a good 12 out of 28 teams are 150 average bowlers and below...a good amount of like 100 average bowlers, too) is the problem that I cannot get a consistent roll. There are plenty of people that still do, but, I'm just at a loss at this point. A lot of guys that are just whipping the ball to a spot and don't know how to make an adjustment, a lot of straight ball bowlers, etc. My evidence of how this effects the lanes is, my anchor bowls on this house Tuesdays and Thursdays. Tuesday nights, which is much stronger competition (maybe like a 188 league average) he's bowling a 219 average. On Thursday nights when he bowls with me, same house...should be same shot...he's only averaging maybe 195.

[offsides]

Two 6's again this week. Well above my average. 645-622 Guess I will start giving the ball some credit. A bowler in a team beside me had a 771. I asked him if that was his high series. He said nope, I've got five 8 hundreds.