Adjusting to lane conditions

Last issue we discussed customizing your ball surface, this week we will cover adjusting to different lane conditions. 

One of the biggest differences I see between professionals and really good amateur players is the ability to adjust and read lane conditions quickly. 

In most league situations the house shot is usually around the second arrow with more oil towards the middle of the lane. In bowling you want to play in an area of the lane that is most forgiving to maximize your scoring potential. If the area right of second arrow is very dry, you want to move a little left (for righthanders) or more to the right (for lefthanders); this will enable you to set your ball down where there is more lane conditioner (oil), and catch the dry area a little later. What you are looking for is a little mistake area to the right and to the left. 

If you must be perfect and have only one board (at the target area) you probably are lined up improperly or may have chosen the wrong piece of equipment. Once you have selected a ball that gives you the kind of reaction you are looking for, remember you will have to move as your league session progresses. Try to always follow the lane conditioner (oil line). 

Example: First game you are standing on the 20 board and your target is the second arrow, you're hitting the pocket and then around the middle of the first game you start going high on the head pin. Adjustment: Make a 2-1 move left (for righthanders) two boards with your feet and 1 board with your target. Remember to always move in the direction that you are missing the pocket. If your ball is not getting up to the pocket, move to the right and if you are missing the pocket to the left, move to the left (for righthanders). 

Today the reactive resin and particle shell balls have such aggressive shells that they make the lanes change more rapidly as a result you may have to make a lot of adjustments during a league session. 

Learn to get comfortable with playing different angles. A good bowler should be able to play as deep as 4th and sometimes 5th arrow and also be able to play outside the first arrow. Most league conditions won't require these extreme angles but the more tournament play you compete in the more you will be required to play these angles. 

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Is fishing a sport? Really?

(Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

I like getting out in my boat and hitting the lake. In fact, it's one of my favorite things to do in the summer (or any time for that matter - I love my Evinrude and my boat!). I've never been an avid fisherman, either, but I do enjoy tossing in a line and seeing what I can manage to retrieve from the depths...

That said, I've been having all kinds of conversations recently with a couple of good friends of mine, who also happen to be rabid sports fans. We got to discussing the difference between activities and sports. At least, that was my argument. For me, when I think of a sport I think of some truly amazing physical attributes to be excellent at it.

Things that I immediately think of when I think of real sports:

1. Football
2. Basketball
3. Combat sports (boxing, MMA)
4. Hockey
5. Baseball

My friends are of the persuasion that these following endeavors also qualify as sports:

1. NASCAR
2. Golf
3. Fishing
4. Bowling
5. Darts

I get pretty animated in this discussion because I truly can't equate one list with the other. While I don't disregard the skill it takes to be good at the second list (which I refer to as "activities"), they simply don't require the athleticism to be a sport in my mind. With the possible exception of baseball, you need to be an amazing athlete with incredible physical talents in terms of agility, strength and hand eye coordination to even have a chance to be elite at any of the items on the first list. Think about that, there are physical requirements just to have a chance to be good.

While there certainly are benefits to being able to hit a golf ball farther by being strong and flexible, you can also be a player like Tom Kite or Corey Pavin who can just play consistent golf by perfecting what they can do with a limited physical skill set. There are no slow, weak linebackers in the NFL who just practiced football to the point of being a world class elite player.

To put it another way, what are the chances you could have athletes from each list swap their training for a year to play in a sport from the opposite side. If you had to bet all of your money on an NBA player being able to compete in a NASCAR race after a year of training or a NASCAR driver trying to compete in an NBA game after a year of training? Seriously? Compare any combination on that list and tell me what you think. Again, there's the common perception that baseball may be the weakest sport, but do you think a professional bowler will suddenly be able to hit an 87mph slider or would you be able to teach CC Sabathia to throw a bowling strike consistently?

There are games of skill...or activities, and there are sports. I think there's a huge difference. I'm not an athlete, but I'll be out fishing again next year.