Help!

Question
Hey Susie, love your website and hearing you on the Internet Bowling show, Let's go Bowling.

Question. Ok, I am getting frustrated with a situation that appears to come up more and more lately. I will get lined up, I prefer down and in approach, roll a good ball, strike. Next time up same approach, hit target, leave a 9 or ten. So I make adjustments, get a strike, then same thing again. It seems I can't hold a line more than two frames these days, even when Im rolling some great shots. Granted sometimes Im off but when I am on and missing it gets frustrating.

One thing that has crossed my mind is all of my balls are over a year old now, and so even though i have had them re-finished, I clean them religously, and, I change the coverstock with abralon to match up, maybe the balls are just on their way to dying out? What's a good expectation of ball reaction these days in terms of how long before you probably need to look to new equipment, and keep those older balls for drier lanes and such?

thanks for your time again,
M

Answer
Yo, Michael! Thanks for the questions.

Jeez, your description sounds so familiar! Can't I play this lane the same way at least two or three frames before I need to move??? Dad gum it, sometimes not. We'll assume you are right that you are making good shots and have executed the shot the way you intended.

There are lots of things that could contribute to what you are seeing. Although several of them are out of your control, many are not. If you are not a pinfall guru, I suggest you become one. Not only is it fun, it is a key component to helping you avoid the XX9/9/X9/8/62X9/9 game. If you understand how pins fall, not only will understanding the message of the standing pins help you but more importantly, you can STAY AHEAD of the changes, the real key when lanes are rapidly transitioning. Watch your own pinfall, watch everybody else's pinfall, watch it in slow motion on the television show. You'll quickly learn tripping a 4 pin, although a pleasant strike, will be a 4-9 next time if you don't move.

As for your second question, it sounds like you take great care of your equipment. Regardless of how much you love on those special orbs, they do get tired. We've all said at one time or another, "This ball just doesn't hit like it used to." Amen. I don't know of a lifespan measurement for bowling balls. It depends on what type of lanes you bowl on, how old they are, how frequently you bowl,...you know the drill. If it were me and I took as good a care of my equipment as you do of yours, I would replace them when they stopped reacting.

Of course, it's important to know the difference between when the ball has stopped reacting and when you just have the wrong ball for the condition. Good luck!

Susie