Q. Bob, how do you locate your PAP?

A. The easiest way is to draw a line in yellow or white grease pencil around your ball track near the top of the track. Then place it in a spinner track down. Move the ball until the track you drew with the pencil is stable. Then just put the grease pencil on the top of the ball while it is spinning and make a solid circle. This is your positive axis point. You can do it while bowling with a piece of tape. Put a piece of white tape on the positive side of the ball. That is the side away from the ring finger hole. Guess at where you might think center is then move the tape until it is stable when you first throw the ball. It will stay stable for about 30ft. Then it will move because of the flair. That's OK you are just looking for the first 30 ft. To measure your PAP draw a line through the center of grip over toward the center of the ball. Then draw a line up or down to the dot you drew or the tape from that center line. Then measure the distance over from center of grip to the line. Then measure how far up or down the dot or tape is. You will get a figure like 5 over and 1/2 up or down. This is your individual PAP Everyone is different mine is 6 over and 1/4 up. This means 6 inch's over from center of grip and 1/4 up from center of grip.

Q.   My name is Sasawat from Thailand, just out of curiosity, I have heard that "ball from the first arrow can create more powerful in pin carry and pin reaction," at the same time, it is cause of painful split does this make sense and what about your opinion?

A. The more angle you can create into the pocket the more pin carry you will have. However you can't always go to the first arrow and play if the shot at your lanes won't play there. This depends on the oiling pattern. If the lanes are too dry then the ball could hook to the nose and cause splits. As always finding the correct place to play on the lanes whatever that is, is the first priority.

Q.   I am bowling in a PBA experience league. I am normally very accurate but I seem to be very tight in this league and things aren't going well. Do you have any suggestions for my improvement?

A. I see one thing in your question that raises red flags. That is the statement Normally accurate but now tight. When we are on a normal house shot with mega boards outside we are all very accurate. When the shot is tight we are all tight. When the shot is tight it is even more important than at any other time to keep the arm swing loose. This is not an easy thing to do because when the shot is tight the tendency is to help or steer. This is the worst thing you can do. Steering the ball on a tight shot magnifies mistakes. Staying loose minimizes mistakes. It is a mental state that is not easy to achieve but worth it if you do. Your mind is saying control will win but it is just the opposite. The loose arm swing and confidence in that swing will win out.

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