From: rich@locus.com (Rich (the Wiz) Silva)
Subject: System for making spares
Organization: Locus Computing Corporation, Los Angeles, California
Distribution: usa
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1992 19:28:51 GMT

    Here is the System I mentioned last week that I would post.
    Remember, I am just posting this as an example, and maybe food for
    discussion.  I dont, in fact, use this system, but my own
    "modification" to it...

    The following excerpt is from:

    Bowling: Knowledge is the Key _Fred Borden_

    Without permission...

    ...

    Making a spare is not as difficult as most people think, in fact,
    its usually easier than making a strike!

    The majority of spaces can be thought of as one-pin shots.  To
    make them, you aim for one key pin -- or the spot where one key
    pin (on the outside of the pin triangle) used to be.  For example,
    if you had left only the #3 and the #10 pins standing, you would
    then shoot for where the #6 pin used to be.

    Making any spare combination is actually a matter of hitting one
    of the "seven key spare positions".  The seven key spare positions
    are numbered 1 thru 3 on either side of the head pin, with the
    head pin position having the designation "S".  As we just
    demonstrated, even if the pin is no longer standing, you still aim
    for where it used to be.  For some of the more difficult spares,
    of course, you may have to make a 1 or 2 board adjustment to hit a
    key pin on its right or left side, or to hit between two key pin
    positions.

    Adjusting and Aiming for Spare Shots

    Here is where many inexperienced bowlers get into trouble.  They
    spend long hours developing a consistent, nearly perfect armswing.
    Their accuracy for making strikes improves.  When they try to make
    spares, however, they get flustered.  They forget everything they
    just learned.  Instead of keeping their armswing consistent, they
    change it, swinging their arms in the direction they want their
    bowling ball to go.

    This cant be emphasized enough, NEVER CHANGE YOUR ARMSWING.
    Whether its adjusting to lane conditions or adjusting for spare
    conversions, dont even think about changing your armswing.

    Instead, adjust to making spares the same way you adjusted to the
    lane conditions [to make your strike shot]: by moving either left
    or right in your stance and opening or closing your shoulders.

    If you want to make a spare to the right of the head pin, move to
    the left of your strike position and open your shoulders away from
    the lane; if you want to make a spare to the left of the head pin,
    move ot the right of your strike position and close your
    shoulders in toward the lane.  Remember: Move in the opposite
    direction of where you want the bowling ball to go.  This is the
    same for right or left-handed bowlers.

    [ The following is now paraphrased to save space... this is getting
    longer then I want to bother with... ]

    Once you discover your strike position for that particular day
    under those particular conditions, setting up for your spares is
    easy.  For each pin position to the left you wish to hit, (#2 #4
    or #7) you move your starting position 3 boards to the right.
    Move your target 2 1/2 boards to the left...  For each pin
    position to the right you wish to hit (#3 #6 #10) you move your
    starting position 4 boards to the right, still moving your target
    2 1/2 boards to the left for each pin position.

    To summarize, the simple formula 12-8-4-0-3-6-9 can be used
    to figure out your spares...

So there it is... The above was written for "right handed" bowlers.
Lefties, just do the usual reversal.

Like I said, I always use "3-boards" (9-6-3-0-3-6-9) and never move
my target more then 2 boards.  Now, I also have to "force" the #7 and
#10 (I never shoot the #7, I shoot the #4 instead, my hook still covers
the #7; I straighten out, and speed up my shot at the #10).  

It seems to me that for the spares to the right, moving 4-boards per
position starts to make things confusing.... and also forces the
target to move farther, which further confuses things...  Thus I
adopted.

Your Mileage may vary...

Have fun....
Newsgroups: alt.sport.bowling
Subject: Re: Bowling story in Boston Globe
Organization: Locus Computing Corporation, Los Angeles, California

By the way, the ABC sanctioned the 11-strike game as a 300 and will be
sending the materials to the family...

Also, he met his wife at a Bowling Alley...


-- 
Rich Silva
Locus Computing Corporation		   rich@LOCUS.COM
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Newsgroups: alt.sport.bowling