The star bowlers today seem to have a different area that they try to hit at the pocket than the bowlers of past years. Can you shed some light on this? - Max Voltex, Baton Rouge, La.
IN PRIOR years, the idea of the game was to hit the pocket, which is located on the 17th board of the lane. The ball would make contact with the 1-3-5 and 9 pins, and the other pins were knocked down by contact with these four pins. While light hits would carry sometimes, the best bang for the buck came when your ball entered the pocket on the 17th board. Today, the stronger-hooking bowling balls and the active bowling pins allow balls to enter the pocket on the 17th board and make contact with the 1-3-5 and either split the 8-9 or only contact the 8 pin. The lack of deflection changes how the other pins interact with each other. Today, it seems the best angle of entry is light-pocket, or around the 16th board. This hit sends the pins flying at sharp angles to each other, and may be the best hit for top bowlers. Today's solid hits (17-board) leave a lot of 10-pins because the ball enters the pocket at such a steep angle.

Of all the factors determing a bowling ball's reaction as it goes down the lane, what, in your opinion, is the most important? - Myron Cox, Salem, Oregon
BY FAR the most important is surface friction. A shiny new ball will skid down the lane considerably farther than a ball that is dull. With today's highly reactive cover stocks, combined with the dry backends of most lane surfaces, the amount of skid in the front portion of the lane is of considerable importance. When lanes become dryer, the amount of skid is even more important. This is why the surface of the ball is the most influencing factor on the ball's skid, roll and hook.

I like to play a relatively straight line: 5 boards hook maximum. The main problem I have on hooking lanes is that I miss the headpin to the right about once or twice a game. The rest of the time, I hit the pocket regularly. Any suggestion to eliminate this problem? - Chet Painter, Wilmington, Del.
THE BAD shots can be caused by one of two problems, or maybe both simultaneously. When you lose the ball right, you may be drifting on the approach to the right instead of walking straight to the foul line. A second problem could be that you are dropping your right shoulder during the downswing and release. Both of these could cause the ball to hit right of the headpin. Check for these causes during your practice session and you may find the cure for those lost shots.

I have been invited to bowl a tournament at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno. This is not the ABC tournament, but I was told I couldn't bring my roller bag to the tournament. Is that true? - Marian Cox, West Allis, Wis.
WITH THE exception of the ABC Tournament, you can bring your roller bag into the Stadium. The non-roller bag rule is a rule of the ABC Tournament, not of the National Bowling Stadium. By the way, enjoy yourself. The Stadium is a beautiful facility and one that can be appreciated by any bowler. Be sure to check out the big scoreboard - it's really fantastic.

Do you believe you should watch your bowling ball cross your target? - Bob Maxwell, Aberdeen Idaho
I HAVE always been a believer in drawing an imaginary line down the lane from the foul line over the target to the hook point and back to the pocket. Since this line is an image, I seldom actually watch the ball cross the arrow or target on the lane. On today's lane surfaces and with today's bowling balls, it is much more critical to maintain consistent speed going down the lane rather to hit your target exactly.

Mike McGrath is a PBA and ABC Hall of Famer. Send your questions to him c/o Bowlers Journal International, 122 South. Michigan, Suite 1506, Chicago, IL 60603.