Alright guys, good news and bad news. First the good news... My team won our league. We took four points and the opposing team took three points and we took first place in our league. WE GOT PAID!!!

Now the bad news... In short, I pooped the bed.
I just don't get it. For those who saw my video, I was striking left and right. My ball tonight was either over hooking or underhooking. All my shots seemed off mark. I just don't get it. Why am I having so many problems staying consistent? To make matters worse, we were in the middle of a hurricane so I was dry until I got out of my car and walked into the alley. I have never seen lanes do what they did tonight and my shot was extremely inconsistent.

when the shot get like that, you either have to pull out a more consistant ball out or find another line that will give you a bit more room to play and also carry. But you have to be able to put the ball there everytime with enough speed/lift/revs to come back. Key to this game is being consistant, both mental and physical. Every day the shot will be different, every lane will be different. Just because you took video of one day and think you have to throw there every time, every day, that is the wrong idea.

The "hitting up" that was mentioned in the video thread will cause inconsistencies in reaction like you mention. Add that to the way the oil on the lane would react with high humidity and well you get the picture.

Of course anything that was mentioned that needed fixed in your video will take some time to get right, its not going to happen in one bowling outing.

Explain the "hitting up" thing that you mentioned.

from your video thread:





It's also kind of like what people used to call "lift". You do not want to lift the ball. You want to project it out, not up.

Does anyone know of a good coach in my area?

Howie,

Have a look at find a (coach) on the USBC website bowl.com

Howie,

I think jsigone hit the nail on the head and I am glad because he reminded me of an important fact that I always tend to forget. The lanes are going to be different every time and you have to adjust or use a different ball to deal with the different conditions you face. My tendency is to want to play hard and to the right and often I get stubborn and try to force it to work even when it is not working. The lanes can be very touchy and many a night I have been through the overhooking or underhooking you describe. A little too far out and it does not come back but a little too far out and it goes hooking to the head pin. It is then you have to move a few boards, try a different area of the lane, or adjust your ball speed a little. Last night it took me way too long (a game and a half) to move to the left and slow the ball down and then I was able to have success.

All of us at times struggle with consistency and finding the right line. The lane conditions some nights seem better suited for certain types of bowlers and that is just part of the game. I would not worry about it too much.

Thank you for the reference Jock. I appreciate it.

90% of the time this will work on picky shots to the pockets as long as it's not dry before the breakpoint otherwise it will come across early and smash the face. Its all about giving yourself room to get into the pocket but #1 is getting good carry or pin action.