That pretty much sums up my experience. I stayed too long trying to forced what worked in teams during doubles/singles and got burnt that first game. Quicker adjustments, having confidence in playing multiple lines and being accurate are a must. In the end though it was very playable it is certainly not impossible. I feel with a little more exposure to this shot the scores will go up. I wish a THS was more like this and not what it is now.

Nice going Mike. Did you get in any brackets? Should have cashed in some.

It wasn't as intimidating as you thought, was it?

Mike, here are the lowest scores to cash, so far.

Doubles: 1102

Singles: 565

All Events: 1738

I returned from my trip to Vegas last night. All in all, it was a great time. I loved the Cashman Center atmosphere with all of the vendors, the grand entrance onto the lanes, the thunder of the pinsetters across 60 lanes, etc.

I just wish I bowled better. My scores...
Team: 202, 186, 174 = 562
Doubles: 199, 213, 145 = 557
Singles: 182, 178, 196 = 556
All Events: 1675

I felt the shot was challenging, but playable. Over the course of the 9 games, I threw...
43 strikes (avg 4.8 per game)
20 nine-counts (avg 2.2 per game)
19 splits (avg 2.1 per game)
2 misses (avg 0.2 per game)

The splits are what killed me. The lanes transitioned surprisingly quick, and I was moving a lot, especially at the beginning of each set. The good news was, even with the below average scores, I managed to make some money in brackets. Luck of the draw, I guess. Unfortunately, the 145 game in Doubles was a real buzz-killer as it knocked me out of both the regular and reverse brackets.

The number one thing I learned was to bring all of my equipment. When I bowl local tournaments, I would not think to go without bringing my usual 6 bowling balls. What was I thinking spending all of the money to go to Nationals and only bringing 2 bowling balls?

The balls I brought included a Rogue Cell, sanded to 320, layed out 3-3/8 x 3-3/8, mass bias on VAL. All this ball knows how to do is hook, set, roll, then roll some more. The other ball I brought was an XXXL, drilled pretty much over label, for spares.

After watching some of the other bowlers before our squad started, I was concerned about the 320 grit, since I did not see anybody struggling to get the ball to hook. But, being left handed, I think that worked out okay. The guys with the shiny balls and a lot of revs seemed to be having a lot of trouble controlling the breakpoint.

The line I played varied from 6 to 10 at the arrows with a little swing. Each lane played a little different. The doubles pair was the most different, with one lane tight, the other hooking. While I would say my ball reaction was good, it was still sensitive to every variance in my release, posture, speed, etc. Welcome to Nationals!

I am already looking forward to next year, and hope to be better prepared.

Dennis I won some brackets the first day and lost the 2nd day so I broke even. For doubles we are at 1114, singles was 571, all events Im at 1783 or something like that.

It wasn't as bad as I thought. I heard a lot of stories of how the ball wouldn't turn and on and on. I can't say it was a cake shot but it was playable and with more experience I'm expecting better outings.

Joe I agree with you, the Cashman Center Atmosphere was a big part of why I enjoyed the trip. If you enjoy bowling there is no way you cant enjoy a setting like that.

Joe you didn't do too bad for only having one strike ball and a spare ball. I know people who brought their entire arsenal and didn't do as well.

This is why I say the USBC National shot should be used for all sanctioned leagues, because it is fair to everyone, and requires you to make good shots. It will get easier the more you bowl on it. I really enjoy bowling on it because I know I earned every shot.

Joe and Mike, when I was there, the Cashman Center was so hot inside, a couple of bowlers actually walked off the lanes. Seems the earlier Team squad complained it was too cold, so they turned the A/C down. That was the 2 squad. And, when we came in for the 5 pm squad, the mid afternoon Sun just baked the building. And, it took quite a while to cool the building down. I was sweating bullets in Doubles.

Thanks, Coach Jim. Before going out to Vegas, I had a chance to bowl on a local bowling center's version of the National shot. It was after a 6-game tournament, and there was still a lot of oil on the lanes. To get any pocket angle on this practice shot, I was rolling a sanded ball pretty much straight up the three board.

So, in my mind I expected to see lots of oil and carrydown. That's one reason I decided to bring an aggressive ball that I could use to play up the boards. Surprise! Even on the fresh team shot, this ball was too much, and not having a weaker ball forced me to move a lot more and a lot faster than expected.

One of the guys I bowled with did something a little crazier than me. He only brought his spare ball with him. He wanted to have a new ball drilled up onsite. Unfortunately, he did not get a change to practice with it, and when we bowled the team event it was hanging up on his thumb nearly every shot. He was so frustrated by the middle of the second game, he started throwing the ball with no thumb, something he does not usually do. Needless to say, his scores and the team total for those games was quite forgettable.

I agree with you about the Nationals shot being challenging and having to earn every shot. By the end of the first set, I was feeling much more aware of everything I was doing and how it was affecting each shot. I was thinking how great it would be to practice on such a shot.

I can only imagine how hot it must have been. Every day I was there the temperature was over 100 degrees outside. Getting into a car that had been sitting in the sun was like stepping into a toaster oven.

Wow, sounds like you guys are having quite an experience. I would like to try this some day, when I get good enough. Just 1 question, though: you go all the way to Vegas just to bowl 9 games?