This past weekend held a tournament at Palace Lanes which can be found in Houston Texas. Stephen F Austin State University held its first NCAA Tournament at this location. 17 Teams signed up to bowl this event. The days of the tournament were Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Friday consisted of 6 - Five Game Baker(entire team bowls one game) Sets. Saturday consisted of 6 - 5 Person Team Game(each player bowls individual game). Sunday consisted of 3 - Best of 7 Baker Matches.

The pattern was 40' and a 3:1 ratio. Not the hardest of patterns, but tough enough to require solid shot making. The bowling balls of choice for us as a team were: Storm IQ Tour Solid, Storm IQ Tour Nano, Storm Optimus, Storm IQ Tour Pearl, Storm Hy-Road Pearl, Storm Punch Out and a plastic ball for spares. Abralon pads of 1000-2000-3000 were used on some of our equipment to help blend out the fresh.

We started with the Solid and Nano when the pattern was fresh. The line we started playing was in the track area. Playing around 10-14 at the arrows to 8ish for the break point. We gradually moved left after some games were bowled. As we moved left, we started migrating to our Pearlized coverstocks. The reason we go to Pearl coverstocks is to help create enough angle down lane to carry. Pearl coverstocks go long and have a sharper response down lane.

Key factor in bowling and this will never change, is being able to make your spares day in and day out. Every single spin missed is about 11 pins thrown away. It is always nice to strike but when you don't, that spare better be made! Straighter is greater when shooting at most all spares. Next you head out to practice, don't be afraid to bowl a game shooting at corner pins.

CLICK HERE FOR THE TOURNAMENT RESULTS

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Steve Lemke - Bowling.com - SFA NCAA Coach