Been trying to show all these tips to bowlers that struggle on wolf and cheetah. They ask me to tecach them and i tell them get closer to 1st arrow [not 4th], change your hand position, dont slow hook the lane, use solids. Lastly, i tell them to drop their damn house shot pride. Do they listen? Nope.

9:55 “one of the most utilized tools on the PBA tour…. Or at least it was, thanks a lot..” LOOOOL

For some of us older guys, including me, it is like bringing back the late 80s/early 90s in the days of the Blue Hammer and Blue Nitro dominating the bowling scene. League conditions were in that 32-36 foot area and it was dominated by urethane playing outside the track. However, when it comes to sport conditions, I wish I had heard this info 20 years ago. In the earlier days of reactives, I fell victim to this very thing. As soon as my ball went left; I made a huge jump left to open my angles only to either have the ball hook at 35 feet and go brooklyn or I would amp the ball speed and throw it out the window and the ball would not recover. My first USBCs in Reno 1996 or 1997; my goal was 1800 AE just to say I averaged 200 my first try on a sport shot. Ended up with high 1700s because I fell victim to this very thing in team event. I believe I shot 520 with a 140 last game. If I did not get it right it hooked at 30 feet and as soon as I was sliding at 50 and trying to push it through the early hook; I remember taking 3 off the right. Talk about being humbled when I went into that with a league average near 230. Good stuff Nick! On the way to 30,000 subscribers and beyond!

Appreciate the video. My issue with short patterns is always ball speed as I'm a no thumb one hand bowler. The other problem is getting the ball near the gutter too but urethane is usually my go to balls 😂

Absolutely spot on Nick! Great video!

Have watched this video over and over. It has been one of the most beneficial videos. Thank you

Thanks for the advice, Nick. I will definitely need this after finally returning to active competition from a 14+ year "vacation."

Great video Nick! What an eye opener.

Hey Nick, great video again... Can you maybe do a video on hand position, axis rotation and how open/closed fingers help etc? In the example in this video where you say to stay more behind the ball I don't really see much difference in your hand position between both shots so more details will help to better understand. Thanks

Thankfully the guy at my pro shop at my bowling alley taught me a lot about short patterns. He always says if you want to win on short patterns, build up your speed. When he drilled up my Black Widow Pink Urethane, he told me your going love it on short and in transition, and he was right. When I won my Purple Hammer at Bowlersmart, he laughed and said it's about tike you got the GOAT ball.

Just started league in town and my first experience with a short pattern. After an abysmal average i started to figure it out. Moving right was one of the things I tried and It definitely helped.

Love the Video! Great information. Nothing more needs to be said!

Excellent video!! Good job,!!!😊

I just love ur methodology. Excellent.

Thanks for sharing. I also hit the ball very poorly on the short pitch today. After reading your explanation, maybe I can use the ball or ball design to improve my launch point. At least I won't think about whether someone is messing around.

Thank You for the video. I had never bowled a short oil pattern and you helped me to increase my second week of league score by over 150 pins

Aloha Nick, Happy New Year. I saved this video for future reference. Also shared this video with a good friend who together we are working through his issues. Thank so much for putting words into video, Aloha.

I followed your advise from a previous video about the Purple Hammer Urethane being your favorite/best ball. I got one and I LOVE IT. As I've learned to use it more, I moved out, as this video suggests, and rolled a 233 last week with it (normal average 290). During game 3 of 4, I switched to a reactive ball and rolled a 798 (4 game series). I'm thinking of getting a spare Purple Hammer and leave it undrilled just in case something happens to this ball and Hammer is no longer making them. Thanks so much for your great videos.

Good video!!!! Ball selection is key. Always turn to the purple goat.

Saving for my next short pattern tournament.

This is one of your best videos

Great information! You do a great job on your videos

Great video Nick. You ticked all the boxes. As a 1950/60's style Full Roller with low ball speed (12 mph) and low revs (135 rpms) I love short patterns. I just take my urethane ball, move all the way to the right and roll it easy up 3/4/5 board. It will float up the board and then roll easy across and hit hard. My slow speed does not hurt me at all getting the ball up the twig, I have no issue with that. My ball of choice is the Brunswick U Motion with a 3/4" Full Roller Leverage layout. If you are interested you can see it in action on the 35 ft Boardwalk pattern on my channel, Video #146

Good video!!! Fast balls up the rail!!!!

Great video Nick

I have tried about a dozen urethane balls, a majority being purple hammers, in a multitude of different combinations of layout, surface and release, and for some reason I just can’t make it work or look good to my eye. That being said, what I have found that I think is super close and has been monumentally better for me is the use of Pin in PAP bowling balls, specifically, the Big Time S.E.. I have a much easier time reading that ball and trusting it than I do the 12 or so urethane’s I’ve drilled and I think the reaction is great for conditions where I want to control the backend or shorter patterns. I bowled a New Year’s Day tournament this year and went +187 for 8 games across 8 pairs never switching out of that ball. I think it’s a great alternative to urethane for those who may struggle but want that same reaction, especially during a time where rules are changing regarding the use of urethane bowling balls.

Ipi subbed because for bowling tips content thank you!

awesome video! If only I could get my ball speed with two hands over 16mph with ease

I have Urethane (purple) the NU and a short pin ball. Plus I learned (as a no thumber) how to throw reactive dead straight up the outside of the lane.

I hope the tease at the end about a video on urethane and when to move out of is really coming in the future

GREAT VIDEO, not just urethane but being versatile with your hand positioning.. PRACTICE???? LOL

Great video. Do you have a video on long patterns?

Great video, I like short patterns, it's the medium sport shot ones, that mess me up.

How does urethane perform on a beat up house shot? Useful or forget it?

Thanks Nick, 68 yr. old throwing a purple 15 lb, but still don't have the ball speed to keep it from high hits. Any other ball in a 14 that you would recommend for short oil, house shot? Thanks again, keep em coming!!

Would short pin layouts also be something that could be helpful on short patterns?

Thanks for the advice! Been kicking myself in the head since my local center started out our own sport shot league a little over a few months ago and i’ve been trying to play these lines but i have an interesting problem, it feels like no matter what i use i have to make the 5 board my gutter because no matter how much rotation is on the ball going past that and it might as well be in the channel, so what would be your advice when the lanes don’t allow you to play those extreme far right angles?

Good advice. How come you didn't throw the Hammer NU Blue?

I wonder if I can use my Radical Spy with 500 cover on a short pattern? It’s very condition specific, but I’ve had some success using it far right on fried conditions.

Such a great video. I think I’m gonna get a purple hammer now. My wife thanks you 😂

So a quick question, Nick. Would this be a situation where you could possibly use a pin down drilling with a symmetric core? In your pin down drilling video, you indicated this drilling is very condition specific, the differential would be lowered and narrows flare rings. If I understand correctly, a pin down symmetric might not overreact but would be controllable and smooth. Not that I am opposed to urethane, except I currently don't have urethane in my arsenal. Thanks in advance. Really enjoy your videos.

One of my problems on short is eye-dominancy. If I think I'm hitting 8, I'm really hitting like 10.5. If I'm trying to get the ball to the 2 board, it's a struggle

Hey nick i tend to throw the ball faster, how do I lower the ball speed?

Would a pin down ball be good for a shorter pattern?

What would be wrong with using a plastic ball like the old Brunswick Axis with a little surface on a short pattern? Couldn't find much info on the subject.

What kind of surface are you recommending??

Will a Solid asymmetric ball work,too ?

Curious of thoughts on "I only need one ball" views. My father grandfather and great grandfather all very good bowlers (220-240 avg), had 1 ball had 1 mark and would move feet as needed

You made a comment about Asym's being smoother off the spot. Is that a general rule - asyms are smoother downlane?

What surface were you using on the purple hammer? @brunsnick

"Start too far left" You must have been watching me or something!

Can’t wait to use these tips the next time I play on cheetah

Low axis tilt is not an issue?

I recently got the NU Blue. Should I still look into a Purple Hammer? I intend to only use it on short patterns in tournaments.

I just bowled in a regional a few weeks ago and I started off with a urethane in the first game and shot 221 when I moved lanes for the second game I feel like the breakdown had already happened and I could not get the ball back to the pocket if I made a slight adjustment, it would go through the nose. I changed to reactive and struggling until the later games what should I do to change that? What is the move so that I know I canstay with urethane longer?

Go figure this pops back up after we started summer league last night on 32' Wolf. Just kill me now.

Should you buy a solid or or Pearl purple hammer

Info would’ve been super helpful 2 weeks ago when I bowled Wolf and struggled mightily. Turns out I did everything you weren’t supposed to do..,.lol

For those that want to avoid Urethane specifically, what about using a Hammer NU instead? Is it a viable option in lieu of having Urethane in your bag?

Some short patterns outside of 5 is OB… really flat patterns it’s gonna require u to hook the lane and start deep

Im speed dominant. Pso told urethane not for me

I always get a kick out of players that stand left on short patterns and stay confused for a full 5 games as to why they can’t score. Gotta get outside the comfort zone.

Would love to see why you suck at Long patterns. Thank you

Don’t listen to him. Stay stubborn. Be anti-urethane. It makes it easier for me to win. 😂

Tip #6 You just suck at bowling! All joking aside I naturally stay right and love playing the gutter. Just like my personality.