Australian Open some questions for those who made mactchplay.

[philby]

Hi Guys

I bowl at Keon Park and whilst im no hack I average rather well on the house shot. Before everybody starts talking about ditches yes it isnt hard. This is not a problem with me as i am aware of how much this makes a difference to my final average. My question relates to the pattern put down for the AO from monday night before easter up till the end of match play on Sunday. We played the AO pattern on monday night and to say everybody struggled would be an understatement. A few of us fronted up Tuesday night to have another go and it was probably harder. Lots of washouts and what appeared to be a reverse block sort of pattern. Out of bounds outside 10 board with the centre of the lane very reactive.

Now for my questions. What equipment did the top bowlers use to overcome these issues and open up the lanes for high scoring that was experienced. When i mean equipment. Name of ball, surface prefered etc. Was it necessary to continue moving or did the line you chose hold up for the entire squad.

I hope you can answer my questions as the frustration on the faces of some league bowlers in the week leading up to the AO can be averted next year when we face the same or similiar conditions.

Cheers
Phil

 

[KnuckleHead]

Phil,

I used a 503C by Track and surface was 2000 used Saturday and Sunday every game both days. I started on 5 board and made small adjustments and ended up on sunday in the last couple games my break point was 5 board and going through 6 and 7 at the arrows. You could basically stay in the same area all day.

This was based on my info from last year as well on this pattern. Yes a year on it did play a little different and my ball choice was a complete change as well.

 

[Robbie T]

Not that I made the matchplay but i agree with Chris. Lanes played very similar to last year, with most people having success down the outside boards. When i made the right decision on the second day i had a good area through the arrows and breakpoint around the 3-7 boards. Only need to make slight adjustments with feet and angles but the shot mostly held up with a down change in ball required after i cross the lanes of some hi rev players.

I used a Storm Frantic and Storm HyRoad all weekend. The Frantic is OOB surface and HyRoad was rubbed lightly with 1500 abralon.

It probably played like a reverse block because of the angle most league bowlers are used to playing. Throw it right and watch it come back. Bowling down the edge well takes practice and confidence knowing the ball is near the gutter.

Hope this helps a bit

 

[amagill]

Also, I think the fact the lanes were washed and oiled 7 times in 3 days made a difference in the way they played. On Friday, C squad, I used a Roto Grip Bandit @ 4,000 abralon, up 5 board all night, bu I couldn't use that same ball up 5 on Saturday. I switched to a Rising Star @ 4,000 abralon, then polished, and was able to belly it out to 5/4 with some good results, then after about 5 games, I switched to a 2,00 abralon + polished Shooting star with the pin under the bridge, and played 14 through to about 7/8 board at the break point, with a good look there....

 

[chucker]

Hi Phil
After not bowling on the pattern the year before I decided to get to the bowl early and check out how different people played the pattern as I heard it played more edge the year before and after bowling disgracefully at Geelong on the same pattern thought it might be best to check out how people attack it.
So after watching A and B squads during Friday and noticing that nearly every time someone went searching inside they left 2-10 combinations I therefore decided to play the edge the whole squad and see what would happen if I was patient and just took the carry I got. Bowled the whole first day with my Track 503C and in hindsight a great decision and got of to a pretty solid first day.
The second day similar choice but had to play a bit wider more like three board with my Track 716C at 3000 abralon.
In matchplay I was able to play more like the first day around five ish with my 503C until about game 8 when I made a decision to move in for the first time as some of the guys had played a touch deeper. So I changed to my Ebonite Pursuit/s at 3000 abralon throwing more 14/15 out to the same breakpoint.
I found the main part of success with this pattern was getting the ball down early and getting the ball through the heads to the breakpoint which was a pretty open area?
Cheers

 

[becka_girl]

Yeah i didnt make the cut either but I found around 5 board was the place to play.

On Friday I made the mistake of bowling with a Virtual Gravity down the edge, it was giving me 200's but not high 200's so after speaking with my coach and a few of the others bowlers, on the Saturday I decided to use a Hy Road down about 4 board. After about 3 games I then changed to my Prodigy and was still able to play the same line.

 

[yomama]

Hi Phil,
What the other guys are all saying is correct. The edge shot was where the score were if you had the right roll to suit. After watching the latter half of B squad on Friday night and seeing where people with similar shots to mine were throwing and scoring, it was a no-brainer for me to jump straight to the edge from the get go. I started both qualifying days with an Ebonite Mission X, 3000 Abralon Finish (Box), straight down 5 board and only problem was entry angle at some stages, which just required a small move of my feet. I then made a drastic change to my Brunswick Avalanche Urethane as the Mission X was rolling too early after 4-5 games. This gave me a more consistent read through the heads and midlane, with a smoother reaction in the backend to help kick out the corners. Late into matchplay however, the edge had become quite fried due to the amount of traffic bowling there, and i ended up throwing a Brunswick Nexus Solid to get me through the end, because the roll was much more even rather than hard and sharp.
Getting the ball to the correct breakpoint and having the correct ball shape was needed to shoot the higher scores. And of course, the ability to play straight down the boards with good speed control.

Cheers
Chris Watson

 

[scooba11]

Hi Phil
After not bowling on the pattern the year before I decided to get to the bowl early and check out how different people played the pattern as I heard it played more edge the year before and after bowling disgracefully at Geelong on the same pattern thought it might be best to check out how people attack it.
So after watching A and B squads during Friday and noticing that nearly every time someone went searching inside they left 2-10 combinations I therefore decided to play the edge the whole squad and see what would happen if I was patient and just took the carry I got. Bowled the whole first day with my Track 503C and in hindsight a great decision and got of to a pretty solid first day.
The second day similar choice but had to play a bit wider more like three board with my Track 716C at 3000 abralon.
In matchplay I was able to play more like the first day around five ish with my 503C until about game 8 when I made a decision to move in for the first time as some of the guys had played a touch deeper. So I changed to my Ebonite Pursuit/s at 3000 abralon throwing more 14/15 out to the same breakpoint.
I found the main part of success with this pattern was getting the ball down early and getting the ball through the heads to the breakpoint which was a pretty open area?
Cheers

And who helped with that decision lol

 

[jason_doust]

Great question Phil!

I wasn't there, so can't help directly, but I suspect from previous observations that a lot of the league players were probably too far inside on the approach, making their angle to the breakpoint too great for the ball to turn the corner and make the pocket. Or else they played too far in and there wasn't enough friction in the usual spot, leading to the same problem.

In the spirit of helping out, I think that where people laid the ball down at the foul line would be helpful information for you and other keen players to learn. Some feedback from the Open players about where they played through the front part of the lane probably holds a big key for the aspiring players. I suspect that a lot of folks played around what Chris has described, but it would be interesting to know if there was a definite "place to be" in the front, midlane or breakpoint. (There usually is a "place to be" at the breakpoint.)

i.e. What were your laydown, target and breakpoint boards, folks? I think that information would help Phil too.

Cheers,
Jason

 

[JWhitty]

This is an observation again, not a dig or a criticism. It's not intended to be derogatory at all...

I think Jason's beaten me to the punch but not pointed it out, the solution to the problem was in target/area/line, not in equipment. The leagues struggled because they're league bowlers, not the countries elite, so they didn't work out how to play the lanes with what they had. The solution is not in buying any of the equipment listed and attempting to do the same thing, the solution is in learning to adapt your shot with what's in the bag. Granted without that equipment, what you're carrying might not be 240 material though.

All of that said, if anyone hears of a Driver that will keep the golf ball out of the trees for me; I want to hear about it