Bowling Highlights Column 12-2-11

PBA TOUR RETURNS TO ESPN SUNDAY

The third annual PBA World Series of Bowling is in the books and beginning Sunday, Dec. 4, ESPN will provide millions of bowling fans with nationally-televised coverage of the PBA Tour during the 2011-12 season.
The PBA Tour’s new television season, which includes 18 Sunday telecasts, will begin with a “doubleheader” on Dec. 4 with the men’s and women’s World Bowling Tour Finals presented by the PBA airing in back-to-back one-hour segments. The PBA-ESPN season will conclude with the live finals of the PBA Tournament of Champions from Red Rock Lanes in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 15.
Supplementing the ESPN telecasts, pba.com’s exclusive Xtra Frame online bowling channel will provide pre- and post-tournament coverage of events as well as start-to-finish coverage of four new Xtra Frame Tour events during the season. For Xtra Frame subscription information click on the Xtra Frame logo on the pba.com homepage.
The 2011-11 and XTRA Frame PBA Tour Schedule is as follows (all times are Eastern):
Dec. 4, 1 p.m. – GEICO World Bowling Tour Finals presented by the PBA (men), Las Vegas.
Dec. 4, 2 p.m. – GEICO World Bowling Tour Finals presented by the PBA (women), Las Vegas.
Dec. 11, 1 p.m. – WSOB PBA World Championship, Carter Division, Las Vegas.
Dec. 18, 1 p.m. – WSOB PBA World Championship, Hardwick Division, Las Vegas.
Jan. 1, 1 p.m. – WSOB PBA World Championship, Petraglia Division, Las Vegas.
Jan. 8, 1 p.m. – WSOB PBA World Championship, Aulby Division, Las Vegas.
Jan. 15, 1 p.m. – WSOB PBA World Championship finals, Las Vegas.
Jan. 21-22 – Xtra Frame coverage of Cheetah Open presented by Ebonite, Fountain Valley, Calif.
Jan. 22, 3 p.m. – WSOB Bayer Viper Open, Las Vegas.
Jan. 29, 12:30 p.m. – USBC Masters, Las Vegas.
Feb. 5, 4 p.m. – Chris Paul PBA Celebrity Invitational, New Orleans.
Feb. 12, 3 p.m. – WSOB Chameleon Open, Las Vegas.
Feb. 18-19 – Xtra Frame coverage of Don Johnson Memorial Open presented by Columbia 300, Columbus, Ohio
Feb. 19, 3 p.m. – WSOB Scorpion Open, Las Vegas.
Feb. 26, 3 p.m. – 69th U.S. Open, North Brunswick, N.J.
March 4, 3 p.m. – WSOB GEICO Shark Open, Las Vegas.
March 10-11 – Xtra Frame coverage of Detroit Open presented by Track
March 25, 2:30 p.m. – WSOB Mark Roth-Marshall Holman PBA Doubles Championship, Las Vegas.
March 31-April 1 – Xtra Frame coverage of Dick Weber PBA Playoffs presented by Hammer, Indianapolis
April 1, 1 p.m. – WSOB Carmen Salvino Classic, Las Vegas.
April 8, 1 p.m. – WSOB Pepsi PBA Exempt Players Championship, Las Vegas.
April 15, 1 p.m. – PBA Tournament of Champions, Las Vegas.

The Bowling Tip
By Mike Luongo

Bowlers: This week the tip is for all bowlers to truly assist you on how to best use the dots and arrows on the approach as target aids.
When preparing to execute a bowling shot, whether it is a strike or spare, you must be prepared to understand the path down the lane you intend your bowling ball to take. With this in mind, when stepping on the approach you should have a focal point from which the ball will roll off your hand in the direction you intend it to go, picked out.
If you throw a hook ball, you will be rolling the ball toward the intended break point...the spot on the lane you expect you ball to change direction.
If you are rolling the ball straight , the pocket or the pin/pins will be your intended target.
The tip: Look at your intended target and bring your eyes back so the spot on the lane that you are most comfortable looking at......whether it be the dots or an arrow.
To play the modern game, the sooner the ball comes off your hand the better. If you are looking at an arrow and tend to throw or hit up on the ball instead of rolling it off your hand, bring your eyes more toward the dots.
If you are a bowler that tends to play more across the boards with a lot of traction, your focal point should be as far right (or left) as in between the lanes to get the ball to the correct break point.
If you play a straighter game with a small hook, your correct focal point may be toward the 3 pin.
Remember, there is no substitute for making a good shot. If you combine good shots with good thinking , your scores will increase.
Mike Luongo is technically certified through IBPSIA as a Pro Shop Operator and Master Instructor. He is also a Silver Level Coach with the USBC and is an Advisor along with being involved with Special Events with the Storm and Roto Grip Bowling Ball Company. If you have a question or subject you would like covered, he can be reached by telephone at 435-720-7935 or via email at mikel@stormbowling.com

This column is written by Ed Townsend, a public relations consultant to the amateur and professional sport of bowling and to several bowling writers associations. If you have a topic that would make good reading, or have league and tournament information and scores, Ed can be reached at 845-439-8177, by email at edwardctownsend@hotmail.com, by fax at 845-205-4474. For a more expanded version of this column visit our Web Page at http://bght.blogspot.com/. We are also available on Facebook.