Eddie, this thread started way before my time, I was just trying to help Amature who still posts pretty regular. It would be nice to know if any of our advice helped someone, and would help others with the same problems as well if people replied an let us know how their problem was resolved. I can't recall Gene posting here since I have been a member, but it would be nice to know how it turned out for him.

Scorchy,

Add this to your things to try. When you begin noticing you are leaving the 7 pin, look to see if you are coming high or low on the head pin. If you are coming high on the head, take about a 6" step forward from your normal stance and throw your same ball.........speed, mark and hand rotation. If you are coming in low on the head pin, then do the reverse, 6" step back and see what happens.

I can get in a rut with 7's or 10's and make that little adjustment and it helps. Hope this helps.

Live long............bowl strong.

Terry

my first thought would be moving 1 board left as if u are leaving lots of 7 pins on of the usual cases is high hits. if adjusting is not working watch where the ball is hitting if the ball is deflecting to much move right to get the ball to go high flush thats how im getting turkeys and hambones with my 10 lb ball.

by the way if you are left with constant 10 pins try moving a little right on the approach

This is a little to generalized a statement to be completely true, as there are many reasons for leaving back row pins, and each pin is different (and some have multiple reasons). The "language" of the pin fall is what will tell you what your adjustment needs to be. The reason I say this is because the adjustment to get rid of a 7 pin all depends on what the other pins in the rack did to leave it. If you see that the 5 pin is passing the 7 in front, that means that your entry angle is not sharp enough, or it could also be that the ball is deflecting due to either beginning its roll to late, or it could also begin roll to early and burn up. Therefore there are other keys to look at. What is the headpin doing? What about the 10, how does it fall? These all "tell" you what to do, but you have to be able to interperate them just like learning a new language. If the headpin flies into the wall and comes in front of the 7 as a messenger, that means the ball is rolling at the right time but the entry angle needs to be increased (on most occasions). This flat 10 look with a weak entry angle can also leave you with that infamous pocket 7-10 as the ball is hitting the headpin first, and going more head on into the 3, causing the ball to also clip the 6 in most cases (the the 3 just barely catching in on the left of the 6) and pushing the 6 into the gutter and not into the wall and belly of the 10.

It would be most benificial to find a coach, or someone with a great deal of knowledge (not everyone that has a high average actually knows what they are talking about) and have them help you intereperate what the pins are trying to tell you. These clues will help your average increase very quickly, as you can start adjusting before you leave pins. Its always nice to adjust on a strike and put 10 in the pit on the next ball, without having a spare in between. Good Luck!