Every month, twice a month, I write a new post on my Coach's Corner. Often, I write about something that has occurred on the lanes that intrigued me so much that I thought others might want to hear about it and try it out on the lanes. Naturally, what works for one person may not work for another. Since I teach anywhere from 7 to 10 lessons a week, I will often get there early, set up and throw a game on the lanes. I take into account what time of day it is, and if there is carry down on the lanes that will make my students frustrated and pull their hair out because their bowling ball is not reacting on the backend. Generally during practice and into the middle, or by the end or the first game the bowling balls will pick up oil from the front end or heads and deposit it further down the lane often in front of the 3 pin area, for right handed bowlers. This oil deposit or high oil in front of the 3 pin is called "carry down." If you have a five man team this can happen much quicker where you have found you have lost ball reaction only a few frames into the first game! Often your Lots of bowling balls will be drilled with what " I " call a "safe drill." The pin and CG will be placed somewhere around, or under your ring finger, and the CG will be pointing down beside your thumb. This layout will provide you with a "continuous" strong hook to the backend. When carry down or lane oil is deposited in front of the 3 pin, this continuous strong layout may quit working for you. Instead of the ball hooking back to the pins like its suppose to, it just keeps on sailing bye the headpin or it glances it slightly. (Remember - the bowling balls will pick up oil from the front end or heads and deposit it further down the lane often in front of the 3 pin area creating "carry down") Regardless of the ball hit, it often has less than desirable results. You will see it happening to someone every time you bowl. Someone out there is just frustrated to no end that "carry down" has entered their bowling life that night, pretty much like it does every week perhaps, and they can not get the ball to consistently hit the headpin. They think its their timing, they think its their release, they think its their lack of consentration or they think its because their hand is swollen or whatever. That may be the case. However, look to see if what is happening, or not happening, is a result of "carry down." Carry down in bowling, is much like sex. People know it is happening, they just don't talk about it in public. When you, or your team are participating in an event, look to see if you have lost ball reaction at the backend. Use each others experience, and knowledge to "adjust" to the changing condition. There are several "adjustments" however you have to find the ones that fit your game.
Carry down can be defeated, but first the bowler has to recognize when it rears its ugly head in competition. Not only that, you have to also be able to recognize, when this demon has subsided and left the playing field. When carry down, or that high deposit of oil in front of the 3 pin, starts drying out, the lanes will cause your shot to now start coming in high on the headpin. Don't be afraid to adjust and try something different. Don't be afraid to look at how someone else's ball is drilled. Carry down doesn't care how pretty or cute your bowling ball is, its only goal is to make you figure out a way to beat it during the game before the game ends! Don't let carry down beat you up week after week, adjust to it. Change something !!!
TrueBowler
www.TrueBowlerAdjustments.com
I thought there wasn't carry down with the newer balls. I was told that the bals absorbe the oil. Last time in league bowl I could not carry in the third game, I was leaving 9, or 10 pins (2of each) I noticed a lot of people struggle but I need to learn to better adjust when this happens. Any suggetions on this little info. games were 226,257,169
over 40 and serious
Now you know that puts me in direct conflict with the product I am selling, hahahahahaaa! I am very sure you know how it feels when someone is trying to tweak some "good" information out of you, but no big deal. I would not be doing this if I couldn't help a lot of people. You would do good to buying my booklet though, verses me steering you in a direction that has 8 different options. They are: scotchbrite, change your number of steps, loft, change your tempo, change your ball, change your ball layout, change your hand position, and change the angle of attack!
As you can see you have lots of options, and my booklet and others out on the internet should tell you why you would perform each one, and the how to perform each one and just as important WHEN to change something. Maybe one or two of those will work for you. However, it can get really ugly if you have the wrong layout, ball surface, or incorrect speed on your league pattern. Knowing why and how and when to change sumpn is a feather in your cap.
Sadly, True Bowlers can no longer sit back and let others tell them this and that about bowling anymore, often this is just setting yourself up for failure. This breeds situations of not being able to trust difference sources of information.
In your case I invision a goal of an " 800" if you haven't already shot one. A 651 is kewl if you want to carry a 217 average however having that beautiful ring knowing you deserved it by learning about the game can be an even a better feeling when you made sure you got the tools to be able to make the right adjustments when you needed too.
True Bowlers like yourself need to invest in educating yourself first hand. Especially anyone who throws scores like you did, OMG !!! Think about it... at this moment the competition is reading this very same post and ordering information because they were thinking the same thing you were thinking about oil balls, carry down and what someone else told them. I actually had 14 orders this week just because of this post. "Why?" - People are tired of getting second hand information, and on top of that, they are tired of having to pay $250.00 to $300.00 for bowling classes that are good however, those classes don't take you as far as you need to go, when it comes to making adjustments!.
Bowl well, hope this helps....
TrueBowler:Now you know that puts me in direct conflict with the product I am selling, hahahahahaaa! I am very sure you know how it feels when someone is trying to tweak some "good" information out of you, but no big deal. I would not be doing this if I couldn't help a lot of people. You would do good to buying my booklet though, verses me steering you in a direction that has 8 different options. They are: scotchbrite, change your number of steps, loft, change your tempo, change your ball, change your ball layout, change your hand position, and change the angle of attack!
TrueBowler,
I'm sure you are aware that scotchbrite can not be used after the start of a series ( rule 18 ). Your answer may give the impression a bowler could use this at any time he wants to.
What the hell.....Rule 18 !!! Okay, my bad TJ. Do not scuff or alter the surface of your ball after practice has ended. Once the game begins you can only use rubbing alcohol, or a polishing machine. If you knowing use an abrasive during play you will forfeit the game or games in which you used the ball. Even if you only used the ball in the first three frames of a game, the entire game would be subject to forfeiture. You also can be suspended and dismissed from the league. If my memory serves me right about rule 18... You are right RVBowler, thanks for pointing that out. Its been about 6 years since I was a league president. Thank God for my league secretary!
So, if you are not doing sumpn for the USBC and you are just practicing battling carry down, you may want to have a ball in your bag that has been scotchbrited or ruffed up a bit. Many bowlers only have two balls anyway. Getting out your third ball that has a ruffed up surface is a good idea. If that will work for you. I advocate a four ball arsenal anyway. Early rolling, Hook n Set, Flip drill, and as always, a spare ball. In this case the Hook n Set ball would be the one that is dulled up slightly. It may allow you to cut a groove in the lane for your next higher surfaced (shiny) ball if you should need it when things dry out the third game.
