What can you say about Nationals other then its an experience.

I've bowled it now a few times and its always a struggle. This year was especially difficult. I'm not sure what they did to the shot, but it was not like it had been in previous years. Of course there's never a set rule that the shot is going to be the shot year after year. But for the last few years I've shot an unforgiving inside shot with lots of backends. I have been always proud that I could eek out enough $$s for dinner, but not much more. :-)

This year was different. The shot was different, for me at least, and much more demanding then it has been (even though that was plenty hard). Scores were down by all of whom I was familiar with. In the past I didn't really have a hard time getting to the pocket, this year I did. You know its going to be a sensitive shot, but I just wasn't finding much out there. Especially the first day. They were not oiling between squads (didn't they used to do that?) and we bowled at 2:30pm. The condition was very flat and long, hardly any backends until you crossed over the 20 board (right handers). Getting up to the pocket was difficult and creating enough angle to not leave those pocket splits was even more difficult. As we finished, a doubles/singles squad came on and I know they didn't get fresh oil either.

Then this morning we bowled doubles/singles at 7am, which means that we were there at 6am. Now just to let you know, its still dark at 6am!!! Normally I'm still well tucked into bed, not even thinking of getting up at that hour. This was an espcially difficult time for me to get up enough energy to move much less bowl. Add to that the fact that its difficult to find any food at that hour (before 6am) so that you can make it through the next hour before squad time and the 6 games. We had gone with a group, so I was not privy to the time set ups. Only hope was that with fresh oil there'd be a little bit better shot....WRONG! Plus they changed the practise rule from two balls on each lane per bowler to one ball on each lane per bowler. Nor did they oil when the next squad came down directly on our heels. All I can say is that the shot was very difficult on fresh oil and even more so afterwards.

So it was a struggle, more then it has been in the past. No money coming my way at all this year. But I did meet a fellow board member; Mike. We chatted briefly during team when he put 2 and 2 together looking at the names on the score boards....I know it couldn't have been any scoring that tipped him off. LOL

For those still going I leave you with a couple tips. Bring something sanded and early rolling. There is no skid/snap unless you have tons of hand and "turtle" speed for ball speed. If you have one of those really early times, store up some rolls or something to eat the night before. Its mandatory to have your team photo taken so do that as soon as your team is together to beat the rush. Your balls will be weighed out for legal specs, so don't be surprised if they need to punch a hole in your favorite ball to make it legal.

Take it easy and good bowling everyone.

Erin

Ouch, sounds like brutal lane conditions this year. Sorry you didn't cash, but thanks for sharing the experience and letting everyone know what to expect if they are bowling Nationals this year.

Erin, you say what??
"Bring something sanded and early rolling."

And, I just bought a new ball, Storm Shift, to bring with. I guess, I also bring my TS&A.

Thanks for the info. I'll be there the last weekend in April. When is anyone else going?

I will be there May 17 to 22.

I get there early to bowl the Bowlers Journal and Bowling This Month tournaments. Erin, did you bowl in either of these, if so what was the shot like this year.

From reading the oil pattern from the website, the shot is about 3 feet longer and the oil went from 50 units to 70 units, so about 40% more oil than last year at the Nats.

As of now I will be bringing my:
Total Shock and Awe sanded to 600 for heavy oil hard arc fresh oil doesn't over/under much.

Big One Medium heavy oil snappy back end for when I need more recovery from the ball (carry down)

Epic Battle heavy oil tame arcy back end for lanes with snapping backends

Solid Cobalt Bomb medium heavy oil hard arc back end Good benchmark ball I can go more hook or less hook from this one and it reads the lanes well.

Total NV long and strong, cuts through oil and pins great for opening up a shot to the outside (will probably ship this one and not use it, but if the shot is there I will be glad I have it).

Cobalt bomb medium oil, long and arcy for when the lanes go through a rough transition, this ball always seems to find the pocket.

Spare ball, don't leave home without it.

My wife will be bowling June 22-24 and then we'll be heading to the Bowl Expo in Las Vegas soon after that. Any of you guys who'll be out there for either or both, let me know. I'm not bowling, of course, so I can afford to "chit-chat" and observe.

This explains the difference. Thanks Jim.

I didn't bowl in any other tournaments. I'm expecting to bowl in the SP tournament in May. But as for recent ones, no, didn't bowl.

I understand that Harrahs and Peppermill might have better rates if you have their discount cards. We stayed at the Silver Legacy for $49/night. This year, the stadium was charging for parking. $8/day. Plus I did not notice the flood of service vans from various hotels in the area like I have in the past. So you might want to look into that aspect of your trip.

Erin

The lane condition on bowl.com looks harder this year. The main reason I bought my Special Agent was for Reno. Now I know that I will need it. The not oiling stinks. They have been getting trying to get people to get done quicker so I can see eliminating 1 ball but it doesn't do much with the time.

Even though the specs say they oiled at certain times, like before team event, we had people waiting for us to march down the middle of the house and they say there was no oiling. Now if they had hours (1+) before our squad then maybe. But since in both our team and doubles/singles they had the next squad literally breathing down our necks to get off the lanes, its hard to believe.

What I can say is that if we got used oil during Team, it didn't matter. Because when we bowled at 7am the next day for doubles/singles, it was still very tough and not all that much different. I bowled better in doubles/singles, but I think that was more in account that I'd put the 3 games of team under my belt. Same goes for the 1 vs 2 balls practise. It don't matter. And it won't matter.

What I did notice is that it was harder to get to the pocket. And I left more multi pin spares which were harder to pick up. That lead to a lack of spares on my part which of course brought down my scores. In addition I had a lot more splits. So when you do miss inside you will leave a split, unless you miss so much that you go totally Brooklyn then you can count yourself lucky. But if you have too shallow a pocket entry you will leave the pocket splits like the 5,7, the 4, 5, and I left the 9, 10. Add those to the ones where you slightly tugged the ball and I had a lot more splits this year then in years past.

Of course the left side had more backends. Once the ball hit the 20 ball it was off and running. Though it was not as dramatic as in years past. Still I have to say that again at the stadium, the lefties have a distinct advantage.

They were pushing for everyone to get done faster. In doubles/singles we had two people per lane. And they expected us off the lanes in 2.5 hours for 6 games. That's fast. Its so fast, in fact, that one of our senior bowlers could not finish and left the stadium with chest pains and lack of breath. He is in good health, so ongoing issues. I'm fairly young and that pace was pushing me. My breath was fine but my legs were feeling it. And the next squad was moving their equipment onto our lanes before we were finished. And the rest of the house was practicing as the lane became available. I don't really understand all the rush. I paid $150 (plus travel) to bowl, knowing that at 210 I had next to no chance to get in the money. I was not the only one. If you are 190 - 220, in the upper division and not able to get into the senior brackets you are pretty much Screwed. You're only chance is to get into the senior brackets. And there were a lot of us there, paying our money. Its not right to be pushed so much off the lanes.

Erin

Exactly the reason why I choose not to bowl. I don't like being rushed. I'd like to believe that I maintain a reasonable pace. I'm not going to waste $150 for someone to tell me to hurry. It's not worth it.

Reminds me of.....

This is the first year that I noticed being pushed so much. I don't remember doing doubles/singles with only two per lane before. I could be wrong though, most of the time I try to push that experience from my mind.

Erin