</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">Originally posted by Lefty:
You might want to take a better look at where you're sliding and where the ball is being set on the lane. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">ok. thanks. i know for a fact that the ball is released on board 5. i've never took note of where my sliding foot is. i'll take note of it next time. thanks. my approach may be moving slightly to the left. i might be surprised when i find out.

thanks snitgts. when i started using the first arrow i was mildly accelerating my swing on the release. this lands the ball on the 1-3 pocket. and i got a 5 bagger doing this. as i was playing more, i developed a faster acceleration on the release, thus sending the ball to the 1-2 pocket. i was thinking that i would be better off with this release. but after what you said, i'll try again with a milder acceleration.

snitgts: tried the milder acceleration and it didn't feel right. and as you mentioned, it still lands on the 1-2 pocket. getting strikes there but not gratifying.

lefty: had a good approach with right foot on 1st dot targeting 1st arrow. ball landed on board 5, passed the 1st arrow still on board 5, then hooked to the 1-2 pocket. looked down on my sliding foot and as you figured out, its between boards 10 and 11. so i must be subconsciously moving to the left to prepare the release of the ball on the correct board. i hope this is not a problem.

the good news is, i found where to stand. after moving all over the dots, i found my perfect strike. right foot on 2nd dot, target middle of 1st and 2nd arrow. as long as my ball goes through the middle, there's a good chance of a strike. got two turkeys after finding this spot.

now on to improving spares. currently at about 60%, 90% if the remaining pin or pins are on the left.

EDIT: sorry big mack. got to get familiar with boards. lane has 7 dots. so 2nd dot is on board 10. the ball get laid somewhere on board 9, then crosses board 7 or 8 on the arrows.

a million thanks to all.

Something else to consider... Generally speaking most house shot oil patterns are from 10 to 10(second arrow right to second arrow left). If you are laying the ball down on 5(first arrow) your ball is never in the oil. You say your ball is going to the 1-2 pocket. It sounds to me that your ball is hooking early? I would suggest to move to the second arrow where you can take advantage of the oil there to get the ball to the dry backend before it hooks.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">Originally posted by a4ace:

lefty: had a good approach with right foot on 1st dot targeting 1st arrow. ball landed on board 5, passed the 1st arrow still on board 5, then hooked to the 1-2 pocket. looked down on my sliding foot and as you figured out, its between boards 10 and 11. so i must be subconsciously moving to the left to prepare the release of the ball on the correct board. i hope this is not a problem.
</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">Are you sliding on your right foot? I'd guess that you're sliding on your left foot, which accounts for a large part of the difference in where you start and where you finish.

And even if you were drifting, it's not that big of a deal as long as you consistantly do it. I drift about 8 boards. Less if I'm playing straighter.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">Originally posted by Lefty:
Are you sliding on your right foot? I'd guess that you're sliding on your left foot, which accounts for a large part of the difference in where you start and where you finish.

And even if you were drifting, it's not that big of a deal as long as you consistantly do it. I drift about 8 boards. Less if I'm playing straighter. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">yes, sliding on left foot. i'm right handed, using a four-step approach.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">Originally posted by No open tenths:
Something else to consider... Generally speaking most house shot oil patterns are from 10 to 10(second arrow right to second arrow left). If you are laying the ball down on 5(first arrow) your ball is never in the oil. You say your ball is going to the 1-2 pocket. It sounds to me that your ball is hooking early? I would suggest to move to the second arrow where you can take advantage of the oil there to get the ball to the dry backend before it hooks. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">so if my ball starts on board 9 then cross the arrows on board 7 or 8, it means my ball is still never in the oil? would it be bad for my ball?

Oil paterns, no matter if they go all the way to the gutter or not, generally only go 2/3rds the way down the lane. (40ft) So no matter if they go all the way to the gutter or not, your ball will always end up on dry lane. Lanes that have been bowled on after their last oiling could also have what's called carry-down, which is oil that is dragged down and to the outsides of the lanes by balls being thrown on them. Carry down is a common problem at night leagues as they've likely been bowled on all day. You can't see the oil on the lanes, you have to watch your ball and by its actions you can tell what it's rolling on. A ball on oil will skid, no matter how much spin you put on the ball, it won't change direction, while a ball on dry lane will hook. If you throw your ball and you expect it to hook but it keeps skidding, you likely have carry-down. Your best bet is to not worry about it, just watch your ball. If it's not getting back to the 1-3 pocket, move right and hit your same target. If it's going over to the 1-2 pocket, move left and hit your same target.

By the way, what do you mean by milder acceleration? Do you mean you throw the ball or are you snapping your wrist to make the ball spin?

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">Originally posted by a4ace:
so if my ball starts on board 9 then cross the arrows on board 7 or 8, it means my ball is still never in the oil? would it be bad for my ball? </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">Nope, nothing bad will happen. But a lot of people play across the oil line to create more room. If you get it out early, it will hook earlier. If you pull it, it will hook later.

But that doesn't mean that's the way your hall is set up.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">Originally posted by SnitGTS:
By the way, what do you mean by milder acceleration? Do you mean you throw the ball or are you snapping your wrist to make the ball spin? </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">acceleration of my arm swing during the release, when the thumb is out but my fingers are still on. the wrist remains stable.