 |
the Positive Source for Bowling Worldwide
 |
|
Bo-Fish Bowling News
the Positive Source for Bowling Worldwide |
|
 |
Ask Bob by Bob Korth |
Article Archive #6
June 1, 2007
Q. Recently I have been working on my release and follow through during practice sessions, and noticed that upon release I am a little off balance. I've gotten two different opinions on the cause: First one being that it could be my shoes; I own a pair of moderately priced bowling shoes...nothing fancy, maybe retail around 50 bucks; the second opinion was that I am muscling the ball too much. I've tried to work on the latter by having a looser arm-swing and found that there's a reduction in ball speed, causing it to hook earlier than I want it too. Summer league starts in June, any suggestions?
A. It could be the shoes if you aren't sliding properly (slipping/sticking) even slightly could play heck with balance. Inexpensive shoes many times have a narrow footprint as well. More expensive shoes have a wide footprint for more sure footing and interchangeable slide soles or even slide cleats for fine-tuning your slide. Dexter's have full slide soles and my favorite Dynaroo's have both full soles and slide cleats. The muscling could also definitely be the cause. To know this for sure you need an hour or so with a coach you trust. Best to get an accredited USA coach. You can find one in your state or area by going to www.bowl.com and click on instruction.
Q. Bob, I have heard many ways to clean a bowl from placing it in hot water and letting it soak to placing it in the oven to placing the ball in cat litter. What do you think is the best way to get the oil out of your ball?
A. I believe the best way is what works for you. I know guy's that soak the ball in hot water it doesn't seem to hurt them. Everyone says to plug the holes with a cork or something so as not to let water down to the core. I guess cat litter might work but without some heat I doubt it. Heat does leach out oil but if you try the oven be very careful. I have seen people actually melt and crack the ball. I won't try this myself. There is a machine on the market and at some pro shops called the rejuvenator. This seems to have good success. Ebonite makes a product called Hook Again I know people who swear by this product. I have had some success with my own equipment but putting them in the dishwasher. I use my spinner and scotch brite the cover first to open up the pores. Then dishwasher them with dish detergent I use the pots and pans cycle. If you are married don't tell your wife. Wives don't understand unless they too are bowlers. Then re-shine the ball to the surface you want. I have heard various different experts say that this is not a good idea. But as I said it works for me and I have not ruined a ball yet. So it really is up to you.
Q. Tired of getting beat up on by full rollers I throw a ¾ roller. When the lanes get dry, and you can't go around the dry. These bowlers are tough. Not being one could I use this drill pattern and fight back? Medium speed & revs.
A. The drilling pattern used by the bowlers who throw a full roller will not help you. Those drilling suggestions for the bowler who throws the full roller are meant to keep the track away from the grip holes. It has nothing to do with a weight that helps them perform on dry lanes. What helps them perform on dry lanes is the fact that the full roller does not have much if any axis tilt. The full roller is generally weak. True they could have an advantage to some degree on very dry lanes. You will have the advantage on almost any other condition. You will have to go to a weak cover, and/or high rg ball, probably with a weak drilling pattern to stay with them.
May 1, 2007
Q. I throw a 15 lb with a medium amount of revs on it and after about 2 games the inside of my wrist hurts. It feels like muscles because I can't fully grip the ball and when I do put revs on the ball there is a stinging pain that shoots through my wrist. I tried putting a wrist guard on but it didn't really help the problem because its when my fingers rev the ball my wrist hurts not when I bend my wrist. I have to ice it every night. Any suggestions?
A. This sounds like a tendon injury not muscles. I am not a Dr. so make sure with a Dr. that this is the problem. If it is tendons all you can do to heal them is rest. You will probably have to take some time off. Then you can do some exercises with dumbbells to strengthen the tendons after the soreness goes away. You also need to find out why the tendons are getting stretched. It could be your span is too long. It could also be the holes or grips are too tight. It could be the grips are too soft. If you use grips you might consider not using grips this takes a lot of pressure off the fingers. Check these things out with your pro shop. There is one other thing if you curl your little finger under this also causes lots of strain try keeping the little finger straight. You could also try drilling a hole for the pinky finger this gives the other fingers more support. I personally use this method a 4-finger ball the thumb and fingers and the pinky. It won't hurt your game I have had several 300's and 800's with my 4-finger ball. Above all have this checked out with a Dr. you don't want it to get worse. Good Luck!
Q. I have a Brunswick rampage that I've had for 3 months now. After the second month I was throwing it at a center and the ball got about 20 1/2-inch gouges in it. The center fixed it, but I wanted them to buy me a new ball. But they said they could not. Do you think they did the right thing, or should I be enraged?
A. It is a fact of life that when bowling we are interacting with a machine which sends the ball back to us. They are not perfect. Once you throw a ball down the lane they start a deterioration process. They get scratches and bumps and bruises. An abnormal amount is disconcerting, but the lanes obligation is just to resurface the ball and clean it up. It will not hurt the performance and may even help it. If they did a reasonably good job on the repair I would let it go. If it is still unacceptable as far as the way it looks. Still lots of bad scratches then I would go to the manager and push for another fix or demand some kind of solution that would be acceptable to you both.
Q. My parents are always nagging me over how many bowling balls I buy each year. Usually I use a ball for about 8 months (for example my No Mercy I bought in October 2006) and about 3 weeks ago I bought the MoRich Awesome Finish. They think I buy too many balls a year but I only usually buy 1. I see others with like 6 or 7 and my parents won't stop bugging me...what do u think?
A. This depends on whether or not you need a new ball. If you are bowling in High School tournaments or other types of tournaments you may need 3 or 4 balls. You need to have balls that will cover a range of possible conditions that you might run into. One for slick lanes one for dry. A couple of others for variations of those shots. You need to build an arsenal. However you need to have a handle on what each of these balls does. So that you will know when to use one over the other. It is important to have a pro shop you trust to help you build that arsenal and not just sell to make a quick sale. Ask them to look at what you have and make suggestions about what else you might need. If you are just buying new balls because someone else has one and it works for them that is not a good reason. There is no such thing as buying a good game in a box. What I would do is spend some of that ball money on a good coach that will show you how to improve your game from the ground up. If your average is over 210 then you may know when you need a new ball. If it is not that high then lessons will help more than a ball. I am not saying that you should never get a new ball but make sure your priorities are straight. A new ball won't help if you don't know what to do with it.
April 1, 2007
Q. I am bowling on wooden lanes for the first time and found out it is much more difficult than bowling on Synthetic surfaces. What can I do to improve on wood lanes? Balls do not hook as much on wood surfaces. What can I do?
A. Actually balls hook earlier on wood surfaces and this makes the ball roll out. This gives the impression of less hook. You will have to experiment some but I would first try a reactive ball polished and see if that will allow the ball to get thru the heads. If this works for you the ball should then be closer to your normal hook on the back ends. What you are trying to combat is early roll so you want equipment that tends to go long. This should help. There is the possibility that to keep the lanes from hooking too much the house is laying down a ton of oil. If this is the case then you will need to go to more aggressive equipment to get the ball into a roll. First try option one if the ball goes straight then try the second option. You could also ask the pro shop there they might just have your answer as to conditioning and save you some time.
Q. I have been lofting the ball lately. This is a new problem. I want to quit this bad habit but I don't know how it started. Can you give me some reasons I might be lofting?
A. Here are a few things that could cause lofting. Squeezing the ball. Early timing getting to the line ahead of the ball causing you to muscle the ball in the down swing to catch up. Aiming the ball or as some say steering the ball. If your confidence is down sometimes we try too hard to hit the mark. This can cause hanging on too long trying to hit the mark. Too loose a thumbhole can be a cause. This can cause squeezing. Too short a span can cause squeezing. Trying to turn the ball too hard or trying to make the ball hook more. Some of these things are an easy cure but guessing is never a good thing. Go see a coach and let him/her tell you. This will save a lot of time and not complicate your situation.
Q. I would like to send you some questions. I thought I sent them to the correct email address but my email keeps coming back as undeliverable. Can you tell me how to get my questions in?
A. My email address is askbob@clearwire.net this will get to me directly unless my spam filter is kicking it out for some strange reason. This gives me a reason to tout some sites that carry my column you can get me through any of them. www.bowl4fun.com this also has a chat room that I go to at times and you can talk to me direct. My handle there is bk. www.bofish.net a very good web site with many great bowling writers, and current news. My column can also be read at www.bowlingworld.com this is a print newspaper from California that puts many of its older issues on the net. I have also just joined the site www.ballselector.com at this site you can search, review and compare bowling balls from all companies. They have thousands of registered members so you can get many opinions. They have just included a question and answer forum under my Ask Bob title. You can ask a question there the site directs the question to me and I will answer you directly and also on the site. Many of my previous questions are archived there.
March 1, 2007
Q. I am from your area and read your column in the Oregon Kegler. I read the article on New Years resolutions and want to inquire about the coaching. What should I expect to get from a good coach? And where can I find one in my area?
A. Thanks for the question. At some point we all could use a coach. I go to a coach at least once or twice a year. I can't coach myself because I can't be objective enough with myself. It takes someone to watch carefully and pick out the small things that we can't feel or see. A good coach will watch you and make suggestions to you about you physical game. Help you to develop a muscle free swing that will let you repeat shots. This is the key to a great game. Not muscling the ball in the swing and smoothing out the approach so you can make good shots more often. Then after getting that part down go into the mental part of the game. We all need help with that from time to time. By the way don't expect to get deluged with information all at once. A good coach should only give you one or maybe 2 things to work on at any one lesson. Too much at once would cause overload and you won't improve at anything. You need to get one thing down at a time so expect several lessons to really see a difference.
You don't always have to get a USA certified coach. Some pro shops have personal that offer lessons. You can also ask at the centers desk some centers will know of a good non- certified coach in the area. If possible though try to find a certified coach then you are sure they have training. Good bowlers are not always good coaches. To find a USA coach in your area go to www.bowl.com click on instruction and the click on coaches in your state to find the closest ones.
Also you should know you can probably get a group of 5 or 6 lessons for around $150.00 That is less by far than a new ball and will last much longer. Good Luck with the lessons.
Q. I am 60 years old and out of bowling for 22 years. I started back a year ago and
averaged 182 and this fall league I am at 195 at three houses. I am a medium speed, medium rev stroker and the game is totally different than when I bowled before. I am a leverage bowler and everything I read is with today's balls put them on the alley early instead of "putting it out on the lanes" like I have always done. I am frustrated and need help. I still stay clean on spares but Have trouble stringing strikes. Is there a miracle ball out there that I can try to eliminate the frustration? Help would be greatly appreciated. All of the young bucks that I bowl with say that for the short time I have been back I am doing great but I carried a 220 avg before and I want it BACK.
A. Believe me if there was a miracle ball out there I would own it. Unfortunately there is no such animal. As for setting the ball down short, yes this is today's method but it is not written in stone. If you can learn to land the ball more like an airplane lands, on a lower swing plane it will help your game. I am also from your era and lift up a bit too much at release so I just try to let the ball go off my hand a fraction early but keep the follow thru strong and long. I still lift up on the ball some but the reaction on the lay down is not as touchy. Now for the ball, today we don't just have one ball as in the past. You should have a few one with high rg, one low and one in the middle. There are many other combinations out there. You will have to go to a pro shop you trust have them watch you bowl and make recommendations to you to fill out your arsenal. Also for control you will probably want to use a 15 lb. ball and maybe even 14. Most men today have gone to 15 for speed and control it will make no difference in the hitting power. Today's bowling balls have big motors and hit very hard.
Q. Why do I always leave the 5 pin standing when hitting the pocket?
A. Your entry angle into the pocket is weak. Or the ball is too light. Either one can cause the 5 pin to stand. A heavier ball won't deflect as much as a light ball. Lower weight than 14 lbs. can lead to carry problems. If your ball is 14lbs. or more then you need to create more angle toward the 5 pin at the pocket. If this is the case I would suggest getting a coach to watch you and suggest a change in your game to help. If the ball is lighter then you may still be able to help the problem by moving a board or 2 to the right (left if you are left handed) to create more entry angle.
February 1, 2007
Q. I am having problems staying down at the line. I feel in time when I get to the line but just at the release I pop up. Can you help?
A. This sounds like you are trying to too hard to get lift on the ball. You are mistakenly straightening up your leg to help with the lift and turn of the ball. The problem is when you do this it takes away from leverage and the ball is weak. One of the keys to staying down at the line is be relaxed and swing through the ball, let your arm follow an imaginary line to your target. Swing through easy and don't try to hit the ball too hard. Don't grab at the ball and post at the line till the ball hits the pins. I will explain posting in the next question.
Q. I have read that posting is a good thing. What is posting?
A. Posting is holding your finish position at the foul line. It is very important for making good shots. Posting for one thing will let you know right away if you are doing things wrong like pulling up or short arming the shot. When you are at the top of your game (in the zone) you will almost always be posting well. You stay down in your finishing position till the ball hits the pins. We quit posting when we get lazy and when our concentration leaves us. This is when trouble starts we get speed changes, short arming (cutting off of the follow through) pulling up out of the shot and other things happen from there like steering the ball and even squeezing the ball. Posting at the line is the best thing for maintaining great timing and shot making.
Q. I find myself in need of a new pair of shoes and the pro shops here just recommend what they have in stock or can get easy. I like my old Dexter's but I like the idea of the slide cleat option on Dynoroos. What do you think?
A. I am partial to the Dynoroos from Dyno-Thane the Tour Ultra. It has been a great shoe for me. It has a wide footprint for stability and the slide cleats give a lot of slide options. You can use the cleats they provide and if you want to do something different you can use the sole they send you with the holes and make up soles out of the other solid soles in the kit. The shoes come with some nice extra touches but the one other thing worth an investment is the extra heel that you have to buy. It comes with a Velcro section at the front and 3 different slide strips that go on it. Well worth it and that does not come with the shoe. The shoe does come with 3 different heels but if you buy the one with inserts you probably will never use the other heels. Go to their web site www.dynothane.com click on shoes then under shoes click on spare parts you will see what I am talking about. The other benefit of the Tour Ultras is that you will have them broke in after 3 games they are very comfortable. Not as stiff as some of the shoes. Give them a try I believe you will love them.
To ask a question write askbob@clearwire.net
January 1, 2007
Q. The lanes I bowl at have a speed (MPH) reading on them. My speed seems very slow to me 13 mph. I don't throw a lot of hook but I do turn the ball. I was wondering are those readings accurate?
A. They are accurate where the reading is taken but the reading is recorded at the back end of the lane. This means this speed is after the ball has slowed down. You will notice that when you throw your spare ball the reading will be faster by as much as 1 or 2 mph. This happens because you throw a plastic ball usually in the oil there is less friction created and this means the ball loses less speed and a higher speed is recorded. For a more accurate ball speed you will need to find a CATS system and check it on that. CATS checks the speed at set intervals on the lane and this gives the proper reading. CATS stands for computer aided tracing system. This system gives other information as well and can tell you what areas of your game need attention.
Q. I am right handed and a stroker and where I am bowling right now the lanes are very dry. My favorite line is around the 2nd arrow but the shot I am on forces me to play deep inside. Sometimes as deep as the 4th arrow, this is way out of my comfort zone. Is there a way I can adjust my game to stay out near the 2nd arrow?
A. You might be able to use a ball that hooks less such as plastic or regular urethane but that is not the best solution. The best thing is to learn to play the inside line and make it a part of your comfort zone. I always say that my favorite part of the lane is wherever the best shot to score is. It doesn't matter if it is the 1 board or the 25 board. If that is where the lane plays then it is in my comfort zone. Learning to play different parts of the lane is part of the challenge of the game of bowling.
I want to take this time to wish all of my readers a happy New Year I can't believe it is already 2007. I want to leave you with a list of bowling resolutions. I personally am going to try hard to do this in 2007. We could all use these.
1. I resolve to take some lessons this year.
2. I am going to practice more this year.
3. I am going to try harder on my spares.
4. I will take better care of my equipment.
5. I will not blame lane conditions instead I will make better adjustments.
6. And first and foremost I WILL HAVE FUN.
I really hope to get to at least the end of January before breaking most of them.
Seriously doing these things would improve our games and increase the FUN.
If you want to ask a question write askbob@clearwire.net
December 3, 2006
Q. When drilling a weight hole what is meant by the ball driller when he say's he is drilling the hole in the thumb or finger quadrant?
A. Draw intersecting lines on a ball with one line going between the thumb and fingers the other line through the middle of the thumb and between the fingers. This divides the ball into four quarters or sections each section is a quadrant or quarter. If the hole is drilled in the section where the fingers are this is the finger quadrant. If drilled in the section down by the thumb this is the thumb quadrant.
Q. I have a tendency to grip the ball to hard during the approach. I know that isn't a good thing but what does it cause and how can I stop this bad habit?
A. Gripping the ball to hard can make for an inconsistent release point. It can also cause bad carry especially corner pins. To correct this problem first go to your pro shop and make sure the pitches in your ball are correct for you. Too much reverse pitch in the thumb can make the ball hard to hang on to. This causes you to squeeze the ball to hang on to it. If the pitches are correct then give this a try. Just before you start to the line squeeze the ball hard then relax your hand and go to the line. This first makes you think about relaxing the hand and because you have already squeezed the ball you usually won't squeeze it again.
Q. I have been bowling for years and have several quality bowling balls to choose from for each league This has led to confusion on my behalf as to which ball to take to which house. Most of the time my selection is hit or miss. I have finally decided to reduce my bowling inventory and go with the balls that will cover all the lane conditions that I encounter weekly. I bowl 5 leagues a week 4 separate houses. I have searched the web, attempting to find information regard what should be the prerequisite for a bowling ball arsenal. I plan on using 6 balls for lane conditions that range from dry to medium-to-heavy oil conditions. I am a tweener bowler, not much hand turn in the ball, just attempting to come up the back. What I have read confuses me. Some articles say the RG and Differential of the ball should be the primary factor in selecting ball for an arsenal. Others say cover stock. With this in mind, I am requesting your advice. My balls are mainly Storm balls with an Ebonite Big One and Columbia TI Low RG thrown in. Can you advise me on a possible solution to my quandary?
A. The cover has more to do with ball reaction than pin placement. Pin placement does affect reaction but to a lesser degree that the cover. You want to try and match the pin and cover to the condition. I can't tell you where to put the pin exactly because everyone is different but as a stroker you will probably want to keep the pin around the ring finger. I would say in our western areas probably 3 balls on the lower rg side. Two with the pin above the ring finger one with a matte finish and one polished. One with the cg in the label and the pin just outside the ring finger and a little above, keep this one polished it will go longer and finish in a hard arc. The other with the cg kicked out toward your positive axis point. This one with a matte finish will start earlier and just arc. On the other low rg ball have it lightly polished the cg out toward the positive axis and the pin under the ring finger this will give an earlier roll and give a good midlane read. Then I would have 2 higher rg balls again one polished and one matte finish you could just keep them simple cg in the label and pin out side the ring finger. The polished one for dry lanes the matte finish for medium lanes or lanes that are too snappy. Your last ball a spare ball we all need a spare ball. These are just suggestions for a better idea see your pro shop. I am sure they call look at your present arsenal and help you select from them and add what you might need or adjust the covers on what you have to do the things I have outlined. You shouldn't have to invest in all new equipment right away.
October 31, 2006
Q. I recently joined a league after many years on the sidelines. I need a new high performance ball but I don't know what would be best for me. Can you help?
A. I can only recommend a manufacturer not which ball they make. To decide that you need to go to the Pro shop professional in your bowling center. Ask him or her to watch you bowl so they can determine the type of ball you need for your game. All the ball companies have quality equipment but I am partial to either Roto Grip or Dynothane for myself. If you are also in the market for shoes I recommend Dynoroos from Dynothane I believe at this time they are the most comfortable bowling shoes on the market today.
Q. I have heard that if you can only afford to carry two bowling balls you should have one that rolls early and one that rolls late. Is that true? And when should you use each?
A. That would be a good combination for a bowler on a budget. As a general rule you would use the ball that hooks early on fresh oiled lanes or lanes that lean toward heavy oil conditions. You would use the late reacting ball on lanes that are medium to dry. Also later in a set when the lanes begin to dry out in the heads and get oil carry down in the back. If you can afford it you should also have a spare ball.
Q. My friends keep telling me that my ball keeps going Brooklyn. What is going Brooklyn and how can I keep this from happening?
A. Going Brooklyn means that your ball is crossing over to the opposite pocket from the one you should be hitting. If you are right handed the pocket is the 1 and 3 pins. Going Brooklyn means you are hitting the 1 and 2 pins (opposite for left-handers). This can result from several different factors. You might be aiming at the wrong spot. You might be pulling the ball across your body. You could be hanging up in the ball and releasing it too late. You might just be playing your ball from the wrong angle on the lanes. I suggest that you first go to your centers Pro shop to make sure your ball fits you correctly. Then I would ask them for some help on both where to stand on the approach and what spot to hit. I would also ask them where you could sign up for some lessons. This way if it is a timing or release problem your coach can help you cure that problem. Lessons are the most inexpensive way to learn the game. A series of lessons are cheaper than one new ball and last much longer. Practice won't help if you are practicing bad habits. So get a coach, take a lesson then practice what you learn the results will be worth the price.
October 1, 2006
Q. During the summer I practiced 3 times a week to improve my game and knowledge of lane play. The first week of September came and our first night of league, the lane condition that I practiced on all summer was gone and I struggled all evening. The harder I tried the worse things got. Now the game I worked so hard on is busted what can I do to get it back?
A. Your game is not busted just dented a little. What happened is that you were out of your comfort zone. When you are in the comfort zone you are relaxed the arm-swing is loose and you get the feeling you can't be beat. When you are not in that comfort zone your swing gets tight you start aiming and things get worse, sometimes much worse. Remember you haven't forgotten the things you learned during the summer. Next league night during practice try a couple of different lines, watch those who were scoring last week see if they are playing the lanes different than you. Try to remain loose with a free arm-swing. It is not easy to maintain a free arm-swing when you are not comfortable but it is absolutely necessary. The tighter you get the more you aim, the more you aim the tighter you get. You need to trust your shot no matter what in order to regain your normal swing. Until you do it is difficult to line up properly because you are not throwing the ball in your normal way. Once you determine in practice what line you need to be playing then throw your shot with conviction, then if you were wrong you could trust the lane read that you got and make your moves accordingly. Remember the old saying " trust is a must or your game is a BUST."
Q. I throw a full roller the track goes between the thumb and fingers. I wanted to get more hook so I had my new $200.00 ball drilled according to the layouts for a ¾ roller. The ball hooks a bit more but is always rolling over the finger holes. So I now have a $200.00 ball that thumps. My question is there anything I can do to create more hook?
A. If you want to continue with the full roller and not learn a 3/4 then you have to stay with the full roller drilling patterns provided with the ball. This will keep it from thumping. To get the ball to hook more the only thing you can do is to buy the most aggressive ball you can find, both in cover stock and weight block. You may also be able to help carry by using the finger squeeze or triggering the ball. This is accomplished by snapping your fingers hard toward the palm of your hand at release; this will help the ball to drive harder into the pins.
Q. I read somewhere in the past that you use a product called thumb carpets. I would like to try them I asked at our pro shop and they had never heard of them. What do they do and where can I get them?
B. Thumb Carpets are the width of bowler's tape they are made of a carpet product. They are placed in the back of the thumbhole just like tape. One piece takes up the space of 3 pieces of white tape. The idea of them is to give a tight fit but a clean release. Because of the fibers in the carpet no suction is created between your thumb and hole. This also cuts down on swelling so it is easier to maintain a consistent feel. If more tape is necessary you can put extra tape behind the thumb carpet or add some tape to the front of the hole. I have been using this since 1997 and have bowled more consistently at a high level because of having a better more comfortable feel. They are not generally available in pro shops the gentleman who makes them just markets them himself and through a few friends. I have them available to all who want them just send me a self-stamped, self addressed envelope #10 (2 stamps please) and $20.00 for each 10. Ten piece minimum order. If you want more than 10 write to me for a price list and freight quote. My email address is askbob@clearwire.net. My mailing address is Bob Korth 750 Hemlock Ave. Central Point, Or. 97502
September 1, 2006
Q. Bowling has been controlled by the USBC now for about a year. I just wondered if you have any thoughts on how things have changed from the days of the ABC. Better or Worse?
A. As you know if you have read my article I try to keep answers short and to the point. You got me on this one I will try not to ramble but this answer will take awhile my answer is going to be in 3 different categories.
1. I had the occasion to work with the USBC to rectify a sanctioning problem that came up in tournaments that I run. I found that trying to get things straightened out was cumbersome; communications from the USBC was very poor. No one would tell me what was going on. When they did send correspondence the first time it was wrong. I was told later that they sent the wrong decision out by accident. I asked for the explanation and got no answer. I then wrote the CEO Roger Dalkin and was promised an answer within one week. I got no answer again for over 5 weeks and then only because I emailed Roger again. My grade for customer service D minus. I think they have gotten too big to care.
2. The Robert Mushtare fiasco, I know many scribes have written about this but my opinion is the USBC blew it. These two 900's were pre-bowled the USBC says the rules were followed. Ok show me, publish the details of your thorough investigation and tell me why these scores should be sanctioned. There had better be credible witnesses that saw every shot, not just some of the shots and I don't mean his doubles partner who bowled with him during one of the 900's. There should have been a league representative present to verify scores. If not, I am sorry to be skeptical but I am a non-believer. This gives the USBC a black eye from which they may never recover. My grade D minus.
3. The new USBC Women's challenge the list of names was just released and again the USBC blew it. I know this was invitational and that picking the best 16 to put on the show is a tough job but there are 2 glaring deletions. Where is Kelly Kulick I realize there could be a schedule problem with her now making the exempt field of the PBA still she should be on the list and if she had to decline so be it. I saw nothing to let me know that was the case. Then where is Wendy Macpherson you can't tell me there is a better story out there than Wendy winning the men's regular division singles at their own USBC National Championships not to mention she is a great bowler and teacher. Wendy has been a proven steady winner on the Women's Pro Tour for years. There were several women chosen whose careers aren't even close to Wendy's. My grade D minus again. My question to the USBC, where are you going and what are you doing in that hand basket?
Q. I have a question about changing the balls surface to try and match the lane conditions. I understand putting the ball on a spinner and sanding or polishing to alter the reaction. And I think that makes sense to me if you are at your house lanes but what do you do to alter the surface for a tournament? You can't take a spinner with you can you?
A. Actually you can buy a personal spinner to take with you to tournaments. There are several available. Donkee products makes one as well as Innovative Bowling Products that are meant to be travel spinners. I like scotch-brite pads. Especially for particle balls. They take off surface material around the particles and don't round off the particles themselves. They work well for all kinds of balls as well. They last a long time and it's harder to make a bad mistake with them. White is about 1000 to 1200 grit. Green is 600 grit and burgundy 800 grit approximately. There are lots of polishes out there and they all work pretty well. I especially like Quick cut from Ultimate products this is a lot like rubbing compound for dulling the ball down a little or for taking out small scratch's before polishing. For polish I like Ultimate's Black Magic works very well for gaining length when needed. All of these work best with a spinner. It is trial and error to figure out what works best for each bowler, as everyone is different. You just have to experiment. My favorite ball finish that works for me on most shots is to use the burgundy scotch-brite 800 grit. Dull it down clean it and then polish with Black Magic. This gives you polish over sanding marks. The polish gets it thru the heads and the sanding marks help to pick up mid-lane read. Still give great back-ends without losing traction due to roll out. Now if I am at a tournament and don't have a spinner or access to one I take most of my equipment polished and take a green and brown scotch-brite pad with me. If I need more bite on the lanes then I take out the ball I think gives me my best chance and hand sand the track with the pad. The green if I want to hit it hard and the brown for a little less. I sand it in a circular motion all the way around the track. If I need even less than that but a little more hook or back-ends then I sometimes spot sand the track hit the top and bottom of the track at the flair but leave it polished where the flair ends do the widest part of the flair about 2 0r 3 inches on each side. This gives less reaction than doing the entire track but more than leaving it polished. To get them back to close to factory you need a spinner or take it to a pro shop. If you have the spinner you can look up the ball at the manufacturers web site and it should tell you the box finish. You can get it close.
Copyright © 2008 Bo-Fish Bowling News, Inc.
All articles are copyrighted material of Bo-Fish Bowling News, Inc. All rights reserved. Any reproduction, distribution, or alteration without written permission of Bo-Fish Bowling News, Inc. and its writers is strictly prohibited.
Please send any questions or comments about this web site to webmaster@bofish.net.
