Targeting strategies
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Normally on my shot, I look at a specific point at the arrows (15 feet) and connect this point to a general "area" at the breakpoint (about 45 feet) and fire away!
It's advisable to look further down the lane when the lanes are dryer (closer to breakpoint), and look closer (dots) when the lanes are really tight. But I don't follow the latter, because everytime I try to target the dots I feel like I'm going to fall on my face each time I reach the foul line.
So what do you people normally shoot at? Dots? Arrows? Area?
By the way here's a nice link for you to browse through, regarding aiming further down the lane:
http://www.ballreviews.com/Forum/Replies.asp?TopicID=24479&ForumID=16&CategoryID=5 -
Greeting:
OhhH!! It's high time for some bowling technical discussion!
Current Procedure:
Moi used to aim at arrows, I dun look at the general area of the breakpoint. Now, I aim using the dots most of the time. I felt it easier to control the ending part of the downswing (although one should have a free swing blab blab blab...). I do sometimes look at which arrow my ball goes over after my ball goes pass the dot I am aiming at.
Evalution:
One big thing I think I dun always do, which I think is a problem more than a thing and I think it is important is....I look, see, view but dun register the movement of the ball when it is going down the lane. I can throw a chio chio strike, but if someone ask me to describe my shot, I couldnt. I only know where I stand, roughly where my slide ends, and where my target is, but I dun know where my ball breaks. The most I can comment is roughly how much the ball goes out to the right.
Conclusions:
Not good enough.
Recommendations:
Dun know.
Future Objective:
Stand at 45, ball release at 40, ball goes to 5th arrow, ball skids to 2nd board, ball snaps back to pocket.....solid 10....... -
Me left-hander, so I was told (cant remember who) everything start from left.
Me stand board 15, target 10 arrow. How I target?
I use a "snooker" technique, where I look down at my feet, draw the line to the target arrow, hold for 2 secs, look further down the line to the pins, fix gaze for 1 sec, then slowly draw the line back to the arrow. Then I approach, eyes on arrows.
I think its more or less a feel of the rest. If u feel uncomfortable looking at arrows, improvise. as long as u find urself a t arget which u can consistently throw at, good enough.
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ermmm....haha snooker technique....a new one...havent heard of that ......
haha anyways...i do a similar kinda thing to P1..... -
Hmmm... stand at first dot on the right. Position yourself, glance at target, feet pointing towards it.
Walk towards target and fire and forget
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Can somebody tell me what is the standard aiming procedure???
i dun use arrows and dots to aim 'cos i dunno how.
i just aim direct at my target pin then viola! let go... -
step up onto the platform,
pick up your spare ball,
look up at the pin deck
start your approach
FIRE!!
(then, close your eyes and pray real hard........)
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i used to do the calculate boards method, u know the one that says aim at 15 board then stand and 20 board and all that...
nowadays, using the FTMethod, i target a pin, say pin 10, use a board say... 15 board, stand on the lanes, feel where i should stand, and viola. since u dun see me striking often, i guess i need more experience.
but it helps in terms of feeling and confidence lvl. it just feels better when u feel you should stand at where u tink it will work i guess. -
For outside line: 1st to 5th board: look at foul line
For middle lanes ard 2nd -4th arrow:
look at dots, board 8 which is the 3rd dot to board 14 which is the 5th dot
Playing on the extreme left, fm 5th arrow and beyond
, look mainly at the arrows and slight loft -
hahahaOriginally posted by HanZzZzZ:step up onto the platform,
pick up your spare ball,
look up at the pin deck
start your approach
FIRE!!
(then, close your eyes and pray real hard........) 
so when you didn't pick up the spares, those are da times where ur prayers are not answered -
I only know how to throw perpendicular to the start line. Anyway, this is how I aimed.
I start at a position when my bowling shoulder is in line with the centre dot at the foul line and the centre dot on the lane. I gently push the ball forward and downward and let the gravity take over. I observe my timing and steps forward with my bowling shoulder going toward the centre dot at the foul line. As my lef foot slide forward I release the ball and follow thru trying my best to be balanced. -
Asiaspin
It seems you are playing straight down the centre, which is ok for a spinner. That's good enough.
Perhaps leter on you'll develop different methods of aiming. Right now you look at the centre dot of the lane. Perhaps other lane conditions may cause you to look elsewhere for a target. At the pins themselves, for instance. -
I understand most spinners play outside line. Only a few play centre line. Maybe the chance for split is greater when playing centre line.Originally posted by harmzuay:Asiaspin
It seems you are playing straight down the centre, which is ok for a spinner. That's good enough.
Perhaps leter on you'll develop different methods of aiming. Right now you look at the centre dot of the lane. Perhaps other lane conditions may cause you to look elsewhere for a target. At the pins themselves, for instance.
Also read in a book called "101 mistake in bowling, from gutterball to strike" that when one bowl, one should concentrate only on the portion of the lane to around the arrow markings only. Aiming at the pins while confused the bowler, any comment to share?
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I pose a second question:
What do you fellas do at practice throw time? You know, the few minutes after the lights go on and before the league/tourney starts proper?
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As for me, I try to squeeze in at least 6 shots.
1) Throw my favourite line to "check" overall condition. Which is something like foot (left inside for me) on 15, drift out to about 24 and aim at 14-15. (I say aim at because I usually shoot left off my target due to master eye issues)
2) Second shot deep inside to gauge how opened the lane is. Hook early, olypmic skater... etc..
3) Third shot in Jae territory to see how hooky the outsides are, or whether we have an OB. (out-of-bounds area)
4) Pin 10. Feet on 35, aim at 20-21. (I don't drift as much when I'm standing far to the left)
5) Compute all the info gotten from the first 4 shots, and test out the "educated-guessed" strike line. In the mean time, I should already try to figure out any MAJOR differences in the 2 lanes.
6) Make any minor adjustments if any and try No.5 again, if possible on the other lane.
And if time permits, go for at least another pin 10 try on the other lane. -
Asiaspin
The book means that you look at a point on the lane throughout the approach and release. Many books use the arrows as references simply because they are there and most people find them easy to look at. You could be the minority.
As long as you keep your head steady during the approach, you'll be fine. A head that keeps moving is detrimental to aim.
During practice throws,
my 1st ball is down the 10th board *try to*. Ideally it'll be 10 - 10 or further outside.
my 2nd ball will be the next arrow, hence 15 - 15.
if i have the time, the 3rd ball will go about 7 - 7.
All three of the above shots are executed with lower speed and rotation than usual with a premium on keeping the ball in play so the ball reaction can be read.
Then i repeat on the next lane.
If i'm pressed for time, just the first shot will do. Or if there's another bowler who throws any of the above shots, then I won't have to throw any at all because i'll read off theirs.
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I pose another question to expand on the first one. How do you cahnge targeting strategies during the game? Let's say for a right hookie, she stand at 30 bd aiming at 2nd arrow to get the ball to the pocket. After a while, the line started to case the ball to hook eariler. So what adjustments do you make?
In respond to Prataman's question, I use the 10-10 line, then 5-5, and try a couple of pin 10 shots. However, due to my "cold engine", I end up throwing at wrong arrow, doing wrong release, etc. Hence the first 5 minutes is for me to get into bowling. -
Originally posted by prataman:
I adopt a 4 shot routine
I pose a second question:
[b]What do you fellas do at practice throw time? You know, the few minutes after the lights go on and before the league/tourney starts proper?
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As for me, I try to squeeze in at least 6 shots.
1) Throw my favourite line to "check" overall condition. Which is something like foot (left inside for me) on 15, drift out to about 24 and aim at 14-15. (I say aim at because I usually shoot left off my target due to master eye issues)
2) Second shot deep inside to gauge how opened the lane is. Hook early, olypmic skater... etc..
3) Third shot in Jae territory to see how hooky the outsides are, or whether we have an OB. (out-of-bounds area)
4) Pin 10. Feet on 35, aim at 20-21. (I don't drift as much when I'm standing far to the left)
5) Compute all the info gotten from the first 4 shots, and test out the "educated-guessed" strike line. In the mean time, I should already try to figure out any MAJOR differences in the 2 lanes.
6) Make any minor adjustments if any and try No.5 again, if possible on the other lane.
And if time permits, go for at least another pin 10 try on the other lane.
[/b]
1st shot, try to clear the thumb. usually i dun do the full 5 step bowling. Imagine yr muscles are still "cold" and then suddenly take up a 15lbs ball and try to hook the ball. Imagine how much strain on yr shoulders? Eeven if u have warmed up alot, but the transisition frm a hand carrying no ball to one that is preparing to throw a 15lbs ball is simply too much. That's why i never attempt to throw the 1st shot. By throwing a lighter shot and clearing my thumb, i allow my muscles to stretch a bit, but not too much.
2nd shot, pin 10
Standard procedure, stand left and throw. if left to pin 10, means area ard 1st arrow backend is dry. if right of pin 10, gutter oily. I won't throw a strike shot in my 2nd shot as muscles is still a little tense
3rd shot, pin 7
SOP as above
4th shot
Strike shot. usually 2nd arrow as benchmark
I do all 4 shots on the same lane. If i got both pin7 and 10, there is no need to repeat that on the other lane. So the next 4 shots in the next lane is on strikes. 1st on 2nd arrow, 2shot on outside line of 3 boards, 3rd shot is anyway bet 3rd and 4th arrow and last shot deep left, playing 5th arrow.
The rest are all calulated guess. So when the game starts, the 1st shot is always my calculted guess of my strike shot. Can strke good. cannot strike, well at least i alrdy know how to spare on this lane. then move again. This time any adjusements are all minor of shifting boards to get the strike shots, until that area can no longer be playable -
I suppose he's playing a 20-20 boards target line, which is suppose to go very straight, maybe resulting in a 1-5 pocket?Originally posted by harmzuay:Asiaspin
It seems you are playing straight down the centre, which is ok for a spinner. That's good enough.
Perhaps leter on you'll develop different methods of aiming. Right now you look at the centre dot of the lane. Perhaps other lane conditions may cause you to look elsewhere for a target. At the pins themselves, for instance. -
i feel that changing strategies comes with experience. i mean experience from competitions. generally, no hard and fast rule. Rather each shld go develop their way of changing strategies.Originally posted by airgrinder:I pose another question to expand on the first one. How do you cahnge targeting strategies during the game? Let's say for a right hookie, she stand at 30 bd aiming at 2nd arrow to get the ball to the pocket. After a while, the line started to case the ball to hook eariler. So what adjustments do you make?
In respond to Prataman's question, I use the 10-10 line, then 5-5, and try a couple of pin 10 shots. However, due to my "cold engine", I end up throwing at wrong arrow, doing wrong release, etc. Hence the first 5 minutes is for me to get into bowling.
One greatest barrier is whether if u are willing to come out of the comfort zone. U are playing in yr favoutite area, but after a while obviously that is not going to work anyway. are u willing to make a change or do u still want to carry on?. 2nd issue, if u are willing to change line, how fast are u willing to do that? Its no point when u change it in the 10th frame of the last game.
When u are willing to do the above, changing lines becomes easier. If u are asking a method to change strategies, i'm afraid i dun have any as i'm still developing mine too. Generally, if my comfort zone is not working, i will use the other 3 shots which i try in the warm up and see which has the best reaction and frm there work out another strike line. For me, i'm still slow in my physical observation of the breaking down of lanes.
When i was with the sch team, i have a coach and 9 team mates who can help observe if the strike line is working any more. they can help recommend alternatives lines. After all, each of us all play differently, so some will work, some may not. But as an individual now, this task becomes more difficult......... -
Think I can answer to the first question. I am willing to make a change. Since I am not playing well, then something has to change, and usually for me, it's the line. It is the second question that I have problem answering. I don't know when to change. Like you said, it comes with experience....sigh....any potions to increase experience level?Originally posted by Deamon:One greatest barrier is whether if u are willing to come out of the comfort zone. U are playing in yr favoutite area, but after a while obviously that is not going to work anyway. are u willing to make a change or do u still want to carry on?. 2nd issue, if u are willing to change line, how fast are u willing to do that? Its no point when u change it in the 10th frame of the last game. -
Sadly, noOriginally posted by airgrinder:Think I can answer to the first question. I am willing to make a change. Since I am not playing well, then something has to change, and usually for me, it's the line. It is the second question that I have problem answering. I don't know when to change. Like you said, it comes with experience....sigh....any potions to increase experience level? 
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Well, all i can say is to treat each practise session seriously. Dun mix a bowling session that is playing with frds and one that is basically on trg. If u are playing with frds, forget abt trg and vice versa. Each trg shld always come with an objective and every session is a gradual learning curve. Normally my tr session with the sch team is to play different lines. we start from spending 30mins on a lane playing different lines, then move to a new lane and play game. As the trg progress further, the time spent on playing different lines shortens till it becomes only 5min that is available to us.Originally posted by airgrinder:Think I can answer to the first question. I am willing to make a change. Since I am not playing well, then something has to change, and usually for me, it's the line. It is the second question that I have problem answering. I don't know when to change. Like you said, it comes with experience....sigh....any potions to increase experience level?
But then, that is for the team trg. So jordan , if u want to try, set some objectives and work on it. It takes time, and for hook bowlers like us, the learning curve is even longer. But at the end of it all, its worthwhile
sigh....this year i wasn't in the team. Heard frm the teacher that they are choosing bowlers to represent combined singapore varsity for the asean varsity games in phillppnes...... -
Is their pool strictly restricted to the current IVP players? If so, I think they are, in 401 terms, "over-constraint". But that's just moi humble view...Originally posted by Deamon:sigh....this year i wasn't in the team. Heard frm the teacher that they are choosing bowlers to represent combined singapore varsity for the asean varsity games in phillppnes...... -
Hmm..i dunno if it is limited to the varisty only. but if they open to all IVP participants which include polys and ITEs, then the pool of selection is much much biggerOriginally posted by airgrinder:Is their pool strictly restricted to the current IVP players? If so, I think they are, in 401 terms, "over-constraint". But that's just moi humble view...