In this Debrief episode I’m breaking down how Colton and I attack a 36-foot short pattern (Junior Gold) and why “up the boards” with urethane is usually the play—especially for power players and two-handers. On short, I want smooth and controllable first, not skid/flip. We talk about how the gutter friction can be a cheat code, but only if you can control it, and how tiny adjustments matter way more than people think. With urethane, you’re not living in 5-and-3 moves—sometimes a single board is the difference between a light hit and burying the pocket. The big takeaway: when the lane starts to transition and your urethane wants to hook earlier, don’t automatically bail with big foot moves. A lot of the time it’s easier to stay in the same zone and change what you’re doing front-to-back—soften your hand, manage grip tension, and control speed—so the ball doesn’t jump off the friction. We also hit rotational control for two-handers (you know when you “get around it”), when reactive can actually work on short for the right DNA, and why spares decide your ceiling. If you can’t spare, you’re not winning—period.