Better Bowling: Right Here...Eventually
Taking Practicing at Home to a New Level...
Also, a Bowling Center Opens
June 9, 2010
I'll keep this here for a bit longer, only because it's so cool. This video shows a bowling lane built by my friend Bill Sempsrott, publisher of BowlingThisMonth.com.
"There are sensors that measure/compute the launch angle, target ball position, and ball speed. Those are fed into a computer where I have to input the rest of the data (info about the ball, oil pattern, axis rotation, rev rate, etc.). It then does a simulation to figure out where the ball would end up, including a pinfall simulation.
At least as far as variations in trajectory and ball speed go, it's extremely realistic. The only things it doesn't capture are variations in axis rotation, tilt, and rev rate from shot to shot. So, if I really throw one bad at the release and come right up the back of the ball on accident, for example, it won't get captured by the simulation. In the vast majority of cases, this doesn't really come into play, though. I have some old data from about a decade ago where we recorded and analyzed shot-to-shot delivery parameter variation for hundreds of bowlers. Something like 90-95% of the variation in ball path is caused
by variations in trajectory and ball speed, with the remaining ~5-10% being caused by variations in the release-related parameters."
I'm aware of only one bowling center that is now open to the public: Stars Recreation Center in Vacaville. What I DO NOT KNOW are hours and restrictions (masks, social distancing, etc.), so be sure to contact the center to find out. Gene Bruihl's pro shop, in the bowling center, is also open. Call his cell for details: 707-338-8080.
