Malott says he starts left of 20 on his first shot.

I guess I'll have to learn for myself in a year or two.

I didn't realize you were Malott. My mistake.

You will find that you have to play tighter. There is no bounce, and if you send the ball out, it keeps going. After a couple of rolls, you will be back closer to center and not as deep.

Clearly I'm not good like Malott. What I am is very rev-dominant, and also mindful that if I throw the same lines as other players of my skill level, I'll get the same results (likely worse). No matter how bad I stink, there's going to be a line out there where I stink the least.


Maybe I'll try this next time I see a straight bowler--"Oh, so you're Walter Ray Williams now?"

Good to know.

My point is that the line where the vast majority of people are going to stink the least on a tight shot like this is as straight as possible. Just because Wes plays inside 4th arrow doesn't mean that that is going to be a good place to start for 99% of other bowlers.

And the more accurate comment about Walter Ray would be to say that to someone who hits up on the ball and when you tell them they shouldn't do that, says "Well Walter Ray hits up on the ball". They're not Walter Ray either.

Wes is a freak of nature. Odds are that you don't have the fundamentals or effortless release or revs that he has. That's not a knock on you by any means. He's just a freak of nature. Even other pro's think so. So to base what you think you'd need to do to play on that shot off of what Wes does isn't a good idea. You're not him. Just like the guy who says that Walter Ray hits up on the ball is not Walter Ray.

I assure you that my mechanical flaws are on a much deeper and more fundamental level than hitting up on the ball.

I will be starting an experience league in about 3 weeks...really excited. I have always felt my game was pretty solid and this will give me the opportunity to test it out on the PBA patterns. I'm not expecting to maintain my 200+ average, but I am looking forward to trying to hover in the 180's. If I can do that, especially on the patterns I think will be toughest for me (Shark, Chameleon, Scorpion) I should be OK. I'm not a great heavy oil bowler, so the Shark I assume would give me fits to start and the Chameleon...but I'm always up for a challenge.

Fifteen weeks, 3 weeks on each pattern...if I can come out of this a little better bowler, it will be well worth the time and money. I'll keep you guys posted...wish me luck.

Also, in the new issue of US Bowler, the pro bowlers who bowl especially well on each condition talk about how to 'manage' them...I'm keeping that issue in my bag for reference.

Just have to flip it over to the left side, because I think they are all righties...

I start my PBA League this Tuesday. I don't know what we're starting with, but I think it's the same format as Show300's league. I finished my last league with a 207(modified house shot). If I average 180+ at the end I can walk away happy, but it'll still have been a good experience if I don't. I hope we get to bowl four games instead of three though. I haven't bowled on the Scorpion yet so I expect that to be a tough battle. I'm not sure if I've bowled on the Chameleon or not(there was a rumor that this was what we bowled on at Pepsi sectionals). So I've bowled on the Shark, Cheatah, and Viper.

Is it possible to play these patterns similar to how a pro, whose bowling style is like yours, plays them?