There are no easy shortcuts or cheats in PBA Bowling. Just like
"real" bowling, the only way to be better is to practice. And when
you've finished practicing, practice some more. And more. Think of
it this way, getting to 300 has never been easy; if it were,
nature sure would have given us a lot more fingers and toes to
count.
On the other hand, knowing how and what to practice makes getting
real good at PBA Bowling a whole lot faster and easier than life
in the hardwood lanes. PBA Bowling's Producer/programmer Craig
Walton shared some game-playing advice with us:
The basics:
Learn to get your power, swing and targeting down so you are
rolling the exact same ball on every throw. You want to hit
consistently at the same place every time.
Initially, play as a beginner and practice rolling straight balls.
Concentrate on throwing with the same power, swing and release
every time. Work on one variable at a time until you're satisfied
that you're doing it properly and consistently. Once you have that
down, then work on positioning by moving over a bit left or right
before you begin your approach. Once you can throw consistent
strikes as a beginner, it's time to move on the throwing hooks.
Throwing hooks is exactly the same as bowling straight shots -
concentrate on throwing the same ball each time; the same swing
and release with the same power to the same spot.
Throwing Strikes:
Perhaps the most important fact to know about PBA Bowling is that,
in general, when rolling a hook shot the ball will hit the front
pins three boards over from where it was released. Depending on
whether you are left- or right-handed, each board you move to the
left or right generally translates to a three-board change in the
1-3 or 1-2 pocket.
Learn to throw strikes using the hook the same way as with the
straight ball - concentrate on throwing the same ball each time;
the same swing and release with the same power to the same spot
every time. If you consistently missing the pocket, remember that
a one board reposition to the right at the line is three boards to
the left at impact.
While it is quit possible to bowl 300's, always remember that,
even if you do everything correctly, you won't get a strike every
time. The computer calculates what will happen based on the pixel
pixels where the ball was released. While there is a lot of leeway
there, it is very difficult to notice if you're a pixel or two out
of the red zone.
Spares
Pick your targeting point for spares the same as you would for
rolling a strike. While you can increase the amount of hook in
your shot, the one board at the line equals three at the pin still
holds. Just adjust your target point.
A right-hand does need to move left and change the target point in
order to compensate for the edge of the gutter while shooting the
10-pin. . Likewise, a left-hander needs to move right when
shooting the 7.
Whether you're practicing strikes, spares, straight balls or
hooks, always change one factor at a time and see how that affects
your throw. If you work on more than one aspect at a time, it will
be very difficult to pin down, much less fix, what might be the
problem.
Lane Conditions
Some lanes are faster than others, some slicker. These conditions
will effects your shots. Always play in Practice mode first in
order to get a feel for the conditions. If your shot is
consistent, it will be relatively easy to adjust your shots to the
lane.
During league, the same lanes will change condition from week to
week. Again, always practice before you compete.
