Has anyone bowled ABC Nats this year? What kind of shot did they really leave out there.Since I'm a mid level bowler(165), I'm trying to decide what ball to use. Currently, I've been using a Panic with some success on a fresh oil house shot. The other ball I go to is an Eraser PBT. I'm standing around 23-25 and swinging to 10 at the breakpoint. Since this is my first Nationals, any help would be appreciated.........Rusty

Generally speaking the ABC will put down a shot that rewards accuracy over power. They don't let anyone know in advance what the pattern is, and of course your time slot on the lane will make it different. You might bowl right behind the machine, or you might bowl last before the next dressing.

Usually a wide swinging shot will not be rewarded with pinfall, but an accurate narrow shot will. Its hard to say being outside Reno, what the condition of the lanes are, but I am sure they have been thoroughly inspected before play began.

You have to be careful getting opinions back from bowlers that have been there. Take them with a grain of salt, and compare many, before deciding on what rises to the top. If a bowler has a bad day it is always the lanes fault.

Thanks for the info coach! I would just like to be able to experience it and not make myself look horrible. I've heard nightmares about this tournament but I'm still going especially since it's just an hour drive from New Orleans.Win,Lose or Draw I'm going for the fun of it and hopefully get to see some of the better bowlers from around the country.......Rusty

You've got the right attitude. Go for the experience, go for the fun. You can't go wrong with that....

Sorry Coach, I'm going to have to disagree with some of what you said here.... lol

Coach said : </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA"> They don't let anyone know in advance what the pattern is </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">Not True - The ABC pattern can be found here although of course, seeing it and understanding it are two totally different things

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA"> of course your time slot on the lane will make it different. You might bowl right behind the machine, or you might bowl last before the next dressing.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">Not quite true - All Team events are bowled on a fresh condition, and Singles/Doubles are bowled straight after Team. In other words, the Team event will have the ABC pattern above, with fresh oil and corresponding clean backends. The S/D will be on whatever the teams before you leave when they finish.

If I can offer any advice here it is to go and watch the Teams bowling on your S/D pair before you go to the squad room (only for 15 mins or so) - It will give you an idea of where they are playing, and what type of condition they may leave you with.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA"> Usually a wide swinging shot will not be rewarded with pinfall, but an accurate narrow shot will.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">Partly true. In team event, unless all bowlers are playing the same line, and creating some form of "Area" in which to play, then tighter shots will be better scoring. During S/D, in previous years the lanes have opened up after the Team event, and more of a "swing" shot can be played.

Past experience has taught me that using a ball with a little more surface, and a tighter line in Team is a good way to start, and something more polished for S/D is the way to score.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">If a bowler has a bad day it is always the lanes fault.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">Now there, I definitely agree with you....lol.

At the ABC's spares are at a premium. Before you leave for the event, go and practice your spare shooting. With thousands of bowlers playing this event, 1 missed 10 pin can be the difference between cashing and not.

Whatever happens though, have fun - This will be my 8th consecuive year at the ABC's, so there must be something about it if I keep crossing the pond to play each year

I just came back from bowling the Nationals in the beginning of March and I had a really tough time out there. I stand and roll at about the same as you do and I couldn't get it to hook much at all. I tried the straighter shot of standing around 5 and aiming for about 7-8 and it worked for a few frames but starting going Brooklyn. I found that if you hit the 5 board with the ball, it went straight the rest of the way. I'm no pro but I am holding a 206 average in my league and I didn't even hit a 200 in Baton Rouge. I went with two teams and 3 of us have 200 averages and didn't get a 600 the whole time. It seems that anyone who either bowls a straighter ball or plays inside works pretty well. One of the guys I was with did pretty well standing all the way on the left and crossing the center arrow out to about the 15 board and coming back for the pocket. Hope this helps!!! Good luck!!!

For the most part Robert is correct about the lane oiling. The only thing he forgot was the 7:30am Doubles/Singles squads, those are on a fresh shot as well. The lanes are oiled at 7:am, just before the 2:30pm team squad and just before the 8:30pm team squad.

As for a "scorable" line, from my experience you have to keep the ball left of the 10 board to have any real chance to score. Anything ouside of that will usually leave a washout or 3 or 4 count on the first ball. If you can play a deep insode line 4th arrow then you'll in general be better off.

groberge, you comment about carry a 206 average and not even breaking 200 once was interesting.

Please don't take this personally, but as we all know, the current walled-up lane consitions have greatly inflated many bowlers averages, and the fact that many 200+ average bowlers don't even come close to their average at the Nationals is no great suprise.

The ABC Nationals place a great premium on accuracy, hit you rmark consistently and you should do OK, miss it and you won't. Too many bowlers today can not hit the same 2-3 board spot consistently. If they don't have 5-7 boards to play with, they will not score.

Colin

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">bimmerman wrote:
For the most part Robert is correct about the lane oiling. The only thing he forgot was the 7:30am Doubles/Singles squads, those are on a fresh shot as well. The lanes are oiled at 7:am, just before the 2:30pm team squad and just before the 8:30pm team squad.
</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">Doh!! Yep, forgot about the very first squad, and for good reason. It's the only one in my 8 years of bowling that I've never had


</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">bimmerman wrote:
As for a "scorable" line, from my experience you have to keep the ball left of the 10 board to have any real chance to score. Anything ouside of that will usually leave a washout or 3 or 4 count on the first ball. If you can play a deep insode line 4th arrow then you'll in general be better off.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">.... which fortunately is my A game. The first year I showed up at the ABC's (in Reno in 1998), I'd got no idea of what to expect, so, I just bowled my A game of a swing shot through 4th to about 10 board, and proceeded to shoot 699 in Team. I was as surpsrised as eveyone else

Team Event is definately my best format, having only once shot below 600, and singles is my worst (with a low set of 477 )

Well I bowled a little over two weeks ago and for the most part EVERYONE is right. I didn't shoot out the box numbers but I managed to maintain my average(162). I've been told if you can shoot your average there you did great so, I'm happy with the results . This was my first Nats and I can't wait till next year! The shot on fresh oil was almost straight up 15 and as for 10 pins,I converted everyone plus a 3-10 and a 6-10. Once I hit the oil , it was skidding so I just aimed for the 10 pin instead of a mark. To all who have never bowled the Nationals, make a vacation out of it and HAVE FUN!!(That's why you started bowling in the first place).....Rusty

Rusty you did great!!! There's a lot of 200 plus averaging bowlers that would have killed for your 160 games. :-)

Main problem at Nationals, seems to me, to stay out of trouble. Don't leave unmakables and clusters, then pick up your spares. If you can do that,you'll be in the money. The shot is notoriously inside, every time I've been there. Don't throw it out to 10 or it'll keep going. Can you say OUT OF BOUNDS???

Erin