A Top-Tier Pro Sporting First

Post by **Sabo** » Thu Feb 12, 2015 10:23 am

First excursion with the new ball was a success. I don't have an official handicap, but I estimate my average is about 150-160. My first games with the new ball were 177, 181 and 211. I've only broken 200 four times in my life, and the 211 is my second-highest score ever. Gotta say I like the ball's immediate impact on my scores.

BSF21 · Post by **BSF21** » Thu Feb 12, 2015 10:28 am

Sabo wrote:First excursion with the new ball was a success. I don't have an official handicap, but I estimate my average is about 150-160. My first games with the new ball were 177, 181 and 211. I've only broken 200 four times in my life, and the 211 is my second-highest score ever. Gotta say I like the ball's immediate impact on my scores.

Great to hear man. Make sure to wipe it down after use. New balls love to soak up oil.

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Thu Feb 12, 2015 11:34 am

Post by **Sabo** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 9:00 am

So, I've been bowling at least once a week for the last 7 or 8 months and I've been very inconsistent. When I got my ball in February, I saw an immediate increase in my scoring average (from about a 160 to around a 190), but that started to decline the more I bowled. I really struggled with consistently hitting the pocket. And while I'm decent at picking up spares, you won't score well unless you string strikes together.

I played in a league this summer, and a couple of guys bowled two handed. One guy was great with that method, but the other guy was still learning and wasn't nearly as good. I studied both of their approaches and release points and soon realized bowling two handed is not as hard as it looks.

So, during my practice sessions, I would play one game where I would bowl two handed. I only throw my strike ball two handed ... I still pick up spares with the conventional method. I found I enjoyed bowling a lot more when I rolled two handed, so I'm starting to do it more frequently. Last night I decided to bowl all of my practice games two handed. And something clicked, because I had seven consecutive strikes in my first game and finished with a 246, which is my new personal best.

Unfortunately whatever clicked unclicked in the second game, and I plummeted to a 139. Still, who cares ... new best score!

And if anyone doesn't know what two-handed bowling looks like, here's an example. I don't thrown the ball nearly as hard as he does, though.

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 9:08 am

Sabo bowls a 246 using two handed approach

BSF21 · Post by **BSF21** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 9:11 am

Two handed Sabo? SMDH.

Post by **Sabo** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 9:15 am

BSF21 wrote:Two handed Sabo? SMDH.

Yeah, but 246. TWO FORTY-SIX, BSF!

BSF21 · Post by **BSF21** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 9:18 am

Sabo wrote:
BSF21 wrote:Two handed Sabo? SMDH.
Yeah, but 246. TWO FORTY-SIX, BSF!

Did you have the front 7?

Post by **Sabo** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 9:19 am

BSF21 wrote:
Sabo wrote:
BSF21 wrote:Two handed Sabo? SMDH.
Yeah, but 246. TWO FORTY-SIX, BSF!
Did you have the front 7?

No, went strike, open, 7 bagger, spare and strike in 10th.

HaulCitgo · Post by **HaulCitgo** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 9:21 am

im definitely trying that. kids do that naturally because they cant carry the ball.

BSF21 · Post by **BSF21** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 9:23 am

Sabo wrote:
BSF21 wrote:
Sabo wrote:
BSF21 wrote:Two handed Sabo? SMDH.
Yeah, but 246. TWO FORTY-SIX, BSF!
Did you have the front 7?
No, went strike, open, 7 bagger, spare and strike in 10th.

Choker.

In all honesty, 2 handing just doesn't interest me. We had a few guys in the league do it last year. They were all sandbaggers. They'd just pretend like they lost the pattern if their team was up, but when they needed it they'd pull out a Storm Optimus or Crux and rattle them off 6-9 straight. With ball tech how it is, shooting on a house pattern, 2 handing just feels cheap.

Maybe that's because the one time I tried it I threw it down and adjacent lane. Could have something to do with it.

Post by **Sabo** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 9:45 am

BSF21 wrote:Choker.

In all honesty, 2 handing just doesn't interest me. We had a few guys in the league do it last year. They were all sandbaggers. They'd just pretend like they lost the pattern if their team was up, but when they needed it they'd pull out a Storm Optimus or Crux and rattle them off 6-9 straight. With ball tech how it is, shooting on a house pattern, 2 handing just feels cheap.

Maybe that's because the one time I tried it I threw it down and adjacent lane. Could have something to do with it.

I'm using the same ball I throw one handed, so I don't feel like I'm cheating with the technology. My playing partners also throw one handed, but their balls have a greater back end movement that would be ideal for a two-handed throw. One has experimented with a two-handed throw, but it just doesn't work for him.

Sandbaggers suck, but is the league allows them to switch balls in the middle of league play, what can you do? I'd prefer leagues adopt rules that you can only use two balls in a game and they have to be declared before the game starts. That would help reduce that kind of nonsense you described.

Post by **brian** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 9:48 am

You can just as easily sandbag with one ball if you really want to, so I don't know it would do much other than piss off the equipment nerds in the league (which I'm not against, mind you). This league I'm on now really only has a couple of guys that bring their entire arsenal for league play. And at least they're polite about putting the extras in the designated area behind the approach.

BSF21 · Post by **BSF21** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 9:53 am

Sabo wrote:
BSF21 wrote:Choker.

In all honesty, 2 handing just doesn't interest me. We had a few guys in the league do it last year. They were all sandbaggers. They'd just pretend like they lost the pattern if their team was up, but when they needed it they'd pull out a Storm Optimus or Crux and rattle them off 6-9 straight. With ball tech how it is, shooting on a house pattern, 2 handing just feels cheap.

Maybe that's because the one time I tried it I threw it down and adjacent lane. Could have something to do with it.
I'm using the same ball I throw one handed, so I don't feel like I'm cheating with the technology. My playing partners also throw one handed, but their balls have a greater back end movement that would be ideal for a two-handed throw. One has experimented with a two-handed throw, but it just doesn't work for him.

Sandbaggers suck, but is the league allows them to switch balls in the middle of league play, what can you do? I'd prefer leagues adopt rules that you can only use two balls in a game and they have to be declared before the game starts. That would help reduce that kind of nonsense you described.

Are you throwing a Breeze? I can't remember what you sent me a picture of. Either way nice work on the high game. I don't think I've gone higher than my 236 yet. That's my last tag in /r/bowling.

I need to get my ball bled and decide if I going to roll this winter. I've got season tickets to the local hockey team and it makes league night hard. Most of the guys I roll with are also season ticket holders too.

Post by **Sabo** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 10:02 am

brian wrote:You can just as easily sandbag with one ball if you really want to, so I don't know it would do much other than piss off the equipment nerds in the league (which I'm not against, mind you). This league I'm on now really only has a couple of guys that bring their entire arsenal for league play. And at least they're polite about putting the extras in the designated area behind the approach.

Fair point. But I think it's a bit dishonest to change equipment in the middle of a game like that. A strike ball and a spare ball is one thing, but to change your strike ball because the lane conditions have changed is BS. Bowling is supposed to be a game of skill, not a game where having more equipment means you'll score better. I liken it to golf. When you start a golf round, you can't change your equipment, regardless of what happens. You break your putter during a round? Enjoy putting with your driver instead. Your driver is configured for a draw and the wind is blowing to the left at 30 mph? Too bad.

BSF21 wrote:Are you throwing a Breeze? I can't remember what you sent me a picture of. Either way nice work on the high game. I don't think I've gone higher than my 236 yet. That's my last tag in /r/bowling.

I need to get my ball bled and decide if I going to roll this winter. I've got season tickets to the local hockey team and it makes league night hard. Most of the guys I roll with are also season ticket holders too.

No, my strike ball is an Ebonite Cyclone, and I have a Columbia 300 White Dot as my spare ball.

I don't think my ball needs to be bled quite yet, but I really need to get some of the oil out of it. I wipe them down after each session, and I usually use ball cleaner after two or three sessions. One of my playing partners said he took a towel, got it very wet and put it in the microwave for a minute or so until it was very warm (but not super hot) and wiped it down. He was amazed at how much oil and dirt he got off the ball.

BSF21 · Post by **BSF21** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 10:05 am

Sabo wrote:
brian wrote:You can just as easily sandbag with one ball if you really want to, so I don't know it would do much other than piss off the equipment nerds in the league (which I'm not against, mind you). This league I'm on now really only has a couple of guys that bring their entire arsenal for league play. And at least they're polite about putting the extras in the designated area behind the approach.
Fair point. But I think it's a bit dishonest to change equipment in the middle of a game like that. A strike ball and a spare ball is one thing, but to change your strike ball because the lane conditions have changed is BS. Bowling is supposed to be a game of skill, not a game where having more equipment means you'll score better. I liken it to golf. When you start a golf round, you can't change your equipment, regardless of what happens. You break your putter during a round? Enjoy putting with your driver instead. Your driver is configured for a draw and the wind is blowing to the left at 30 mph? Too bad.

BSF21 wrote:Are you throwing a Breeze? I can't remember what you sent me a picture of. Either way nice work on the high game. I don't think I've gone higher than my 236 yet. That's my last tag in /r/bowling.

I need to get my ball bled and decide if I going to roll this winter. I've got season tickets to the local hockey team and it makes league night hard. Most of the guys I roll with are also season ticket holders too.
No, my strike ball is an Ebonite Cyclone, and I have a Columbia 300 White Dot as my spare ball.

I don't think my ball needs to be bled quite yet, but I really need to get some of the oil out of it. I wipe them down after each session, and I usually use ball cleaner after two or three sessions. One of my playing partners said he took a towel, got it very wet and put it in the microwave for a minute or so until it was very warm (but not super hot) and wiped it down. He was amazed at how much oil and dirt he got off the ball.

I've heard a million different methods, most of which seem to work until they dont and you end up cracking the ball. I put mine in front of a space heater last year and the amount of oil that came out of it was insane.

I've heard plugging the holes and soaking it in a bucket works, I've heard of baking it, I've never heard of microwaving it.

Post by **Sabo** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 10:07 am

He was microwaving the towel, not the ball.

BSF21 · Post by **BSF21** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 10:07 am

That makes way more sense.

Post by **brian** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 10:13 am

Check out BSF and his fancy microwave big enough to fit a bowling ball!

BSF21 · Post by **BSF21** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 10:16 am

brian wrote:Check out BSF and his fancy microwave big enough to fit a bowling ball!

Fit? Yes. Load rated for a 15lb ball the way it is hung over my oven? Doubtful.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 10:58 am

It bugs me when people have a "putting" ball on the greens only, usually a nice Pro V1 that they don't want to lose or some stupid shit like. It bothers me a lot. A whole lot.

Post by **Sabo** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 11:08 am

A_B wrote:It bugs me when people have a "putting" ball on the greens only, usually a nice Pro V1 that they don't want to lose or some stupid shit like. It bothers me a lot. A whole lot.

It's also against the rules of golf.

howard · Post by **howard** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 12:08 pm

That is just unacceptable. If it is so damn lucky/important, tee it up.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 12:32 pm

Sabo wrote:
A_B wrote:It bugs me when people have a "putting" ball on the greens only, usually a nice Pro V1 that they don't want to lose or some stupid shit like. It bothers me a lot. A whole lot.
It's also against the rules of golf.

yuppers.

Post by **brian** » Fri Oct 09, 2015 11:17 am

Will be interesting to see if this ever comes to fruition. I assume handicapping will be involved.

Post by **Sabo** » Mon Oct 19, 2015 8:23 am

Mr. 900: Bill Fong's Story

Post by **brian** » Fri Apr 01, 2016 8:56 am

So finally got that first 700 last night. Need to make some nervy shots in the 9th, 10th and 11th. Just tried to keep the ball on the middle of the alley in the 12th.

howard · Post by **howard** » Fri Apr 01, 2016 9:47 am

What was the split in 8? Nice going, strong finish.

Post by **brian** » Fri Apr 01, 2016 9:53 am

howard wrote:What was the split in 8? Nice going, strong finish.

3-10. Should have picked it up really. That and booting a 4-7 in the first game were my only misses.

Post by **Sabo** » Fri Apr 01, 2016 9:54 am

Congrats, brian!

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Fri Apr 01, 2016 10:45 am

Wow! Very impressive.

Post by **Sabo** » Fri Apr 01, 2016 10:57 am

By the way, I love your team's name.

Post by **brian** » Fri Apr 01, 2016 11:08 am

Sabo wrote:By the way, I love your team's name.

That was my doing. Though roughly 20-25 percent of all bowling team names are Lebowski-related these days.

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Fri Apr 01, 2016 11:24 am

Going to trash your average. Hard to sandbag now

Post by **Sabo** » Fri Apr 01, 2016 11:41 am

brian wrote:
Sabo wrote:By the way, I love your team's name.
That was my doing. Though roughly 20-25 percent of all bowling team names are Lebowski-related these days.

My summer league's team name this year is "We Don't Give a Split". It was either that or "Bowl Movements", which I didn't like.

Post by **brian** » Fri Apr 01, 2016 11:43 am

Sabo wrote:
brian wrote:
Sabo wrote:By the way, I love your team's name.
That was my doing. Though roughly 20-25 percent of all bowling team names are Lebowski-related these days.
My summer league's team name this year is "We Don't Give a Split". It was either that or "Bowl Movements", which I didn't like.

Yeah, the 75-ish percent of team names that aren't Lebowski related are typically bowling puns.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Fri Apr 01, 2016 12:25 pm

Sabo wrote:My summer league's team name this year is "We Don't Give a Split". It was either that or "Bowl Movements", which I didn't like.

I don't know, man. I kinda like the latter. And you could always do Bowl Movmnts or something super-duper-ultra clever like that.

Steve of phpBB · Post by **Steve of phpBB** » Fri Apr 01, 2016 12:36 pm

That's fantastic, Brian.

Post by **Sabo** » Tue May 31, 2016 9:04 pm

I had a pretty good night on the lanes tonight.

I rolled a 199 in the first game and a 203 in the second, which is pretty good considering my league average is 172.

I started the third game with a crap strike ball and ended up with a 1-2-4-10 split. I was able to get the washout and pick up the split. I then went on a run of six strikes and ended up with a 257, which is my new personal best. It's also the first clean game (all strikes and spares) I think I've ever had. And on top of that, I ended up with a 659 series, and I think that's my first 600 series ever.

Tonight was a lot of fun. We'll see if I regress to the mean next week.

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Tue May 31, 2016 9:19 pm

Nice work, Sabes!