From: vince@paradyne.com (Vince Ciletti)
Subject: Re: What makes the difference?
Organization: AT&T Paradyne, Largo, Florida
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 19:49:03 GMT

In article <1992Oct28.001136.4601@verifone.com> perry_b@verifone.com (Perry J. Bird - JAYBIRD) writes:
>OK, folks, here's a question:-
>
>What exactly is it which makes the difference between a "top" bowler (let's 
>define that as a 200+ ave) and a "good" bowler (160 - 180 ave, say).
>
>Is it	a) ACCURACY
>	b) SKILL in ADJUSTMENT
>	c) CONSISTENCY of RELEASE
>	d) CHOICE of EQUIPMENT
>	e) QUANTITY OF EQUIPMENT
>	f) PURE TALENT
>	g) COACHING
>	h) LUCK
>	i) HOURS PRACTICE per WEEK
>	j) LANE CONDITIONS
>	k) SOMETHING ELSE?
>
Since the game has changed dramatically over the past 15 years, you need
to realize that these answers are related to todays state of affairs:
IMHO, here goes:

	1) CONSISTENCY of RELEASE - To a certain extent.  You may throw the ball
	   differently at times to adjust to lanes, but it is done intentionally,
	   not sporadically. The important thing is that the release you have chosen
	   to use for a given shot is fairly repeatable. 

	2) ACCURACY - At least as far as hitting within a few boards of the target.
		(should have put a smily face here :-) )

	3) SOMETHING ELSE? - (KNOWLEDGE) Gained mainly from experience of bowling
	   on certain types of lane conditions, but especially related to the next
	   two items:

		4) SKILL in ADJUSTMENT - I put this ahead of equipment, because you 
		   need to evaluate when to move or change speed/release vs. change
		   balls.

		5) CHOICE of EQUIPMENT - The right ball for the right conditions can
		   easily account for 20+ pins, but it won't make a 160 into a 200 in
		   and of itself.

	6) PURE TALENT - I've seen some pretty "ugly" but effective 200+ averages.
	   And "no-thumb" bowlers - be real! (spoken like a (jealous) 'tweener :-) )

	7) HOURS PRACTICE per WEEK - A side effect of today's game is you don't
	   have to practice very much (or at all) to average 200+.  However, house
	   to house, it will catch up to you if you don't practice.

	8) LANE CONDITIONS - If they're bowling in the same houses, the lanes 
	   should not account for a dramatic difference between each bowler.  
	   However, house to house you may experience a difference of +/- 20 pins.

	9) QUANTITY OF EQUIPMENT - I assume the 160-180 bowler will have <atleast>
	   2 bowling balls?  (Doesn't everybody)  Hopefully, they made the right
	   choice in choosing their (urethane) equipment in #4 above.

	10) LUCK - luck can become a factor when things are close, but won't 
		prevail over time.  There are time when a strike-a-thon can be 
		determined on pin carry, especially if the 160-180 carries a few
		more strikes instead of missing one more 10 or 7 pin.

	11) COACHING - With video cameras more readily available, and alot of good
	    books on the market, it is easier to be self-taught.
	    A couple of good books are:
			Fred Borden - "Knowledge is the Key" is an excellent book to help
			make the jump from 160-180 to 200.  It even attempts to cover 
			equipment and weights, and what to use on what kind of condition.
			(Although it doesn't get into "exotic" weights - need to see your
			local PBA pro for those...)

			Tom Kouros - Par Bowling - A somewhat dated book, which doesn't
			consider the urethane revolution, but still good for the 
			fundamentals.  This was my "bowling bible" 15 years ago - no, I'm
			not that old, am I? :-(

Since it probably will come up in a later posting, I'll offer my opinion of 
how these rate for the game, pre 1980 (i.e. before urethane, short oil, etc.)

	1) SOMETHING ELSE? - (KNOWLEDGE) the Knowledge thing again. Really needed 
	   it then.  Needed to know what you were trying to do.  I can't recall 
	   any 200+ bowlers that didn't have it back then.
	2) HOURS PRACTICE per WEEK - This WAS how you developed #3 and #4.
	3) CONSISTENCY of RELEASE - although you made alot more hand adjustments
	   you had to have a repeatable release to obtain accuracy. 
	4) ACCURACY - did not have a whole lot of margin for error.
	5) SKILL in ADJUSTMENT - needed 1, 3 and 4 to make the adjust effectively.
	6) COACHING - usually every 200+ average had some good coaching at one
	   time or another.
	7) PURE TALENT - Again, some pretty ugly 200 averages were around then, but
	   not as many.  You could still make up for lack of pure talent with 
	   dedication and practice.
	8) CHOICE of EQUIPMENT - The choices weren't as important.  Everybody had
	   a hard ball (3-dot, a blue dot or a Roto-Rock), and a soft ball (an 
	   LT-48 and/or a Yellow-Dot - maybe even a Sure D (before durometers :-) ).  
	9) QUANTITY OF EQUIPMENT - not as important - you had 2 or 3 that worked 
	   90+% of the time, and you "toughed it out" with what you had the other 
	   10%.

	10) LANE CONDITIONS - I don't recall any conditions that would account for
		20 - 40 pins difference a game. 

	11) LUCK - Still last, but even less of a factor.  This is due to the fact 
		that everyone did not get to the pocket, so it did not come down to 
		pin carry.

That's my 2-cents worth.

Vince
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