Aslan's Scores (of the non-lady kind) [Archive] - Page 3

Aslan

01-04-2015, 03:18 AM

Holiday Practice: low-medium oil synthetics
Brunswick Classic Lanes

543 Series: 146-193-204
Was having trouble early with my new spare shooting system adjustment. It would take the better part of 2 games to finally relax, settle down, and make the adjustments. Game 3 was solid except I chopped the 4-7 and the 6-10.

609 Series: 193-189-227 (clean)
By Game 4 I opened in the first two frames with a 2-10 and a 2-5 but was clean the rest of the way. Only a couple opens in Game 5. Game 6 I actually guttered on the first shot in the 7th frame but struck on the 2nd shot so it only cost me 7-9 pins.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.90 pins
Strikes: 47% (2 4-baggers, 2 turkeys, 5 doubles, and 8 singles)
Spares: 60% picked up

Single Pin spares: 78% (11/14)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (4x).
Also left a single 1-pin, 4-pin, 5-pin, and 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 47% (9/19)
Most common multi-pin spare leave: 6-10 (3x).

Splits: 0% (0/2)

Pocket Percentage: 61%
Pocket Carry: 78%
Double Percetage: 34%

Average over 6 games: 191.83.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 197.50.

Despite being an overall good practice, I guess my expectations were just a bit higher. I should have known it would take more time to adjust to the new spare shooting system. I wish I wrote down what the speeds were. I have a feeling I was trying a little too hard and might have had an elevated speed…which would explain why the lanes seemed 'slightly' oiler today.

Didn't need to ever make a move or a ball change. Not sure why that was…when I'd throw the ball and hit within 1-2 boards of the target…pocket hit and usually a strike. If I missed a few boards right…it would come back into the pocket. Missing more than 2 boards left and I'd hit the headpin but not the pocket per se.

Aslan

01-06-2015, 05:41 PM

Monday Practice: (Oil pattern = smeared mess) synthetics

520 Series: 171-188-161
First game I quickly realized that to get ANY reaction into the pocket I would have to apply some surface to my most aggressive ball. So I used a 1000 abralon to add a little surface. Game 2 was a 5-7-10 split away from being clean but Game 3 was a disaster of splits and bad spare shooting.

489 Series: 182-143-164
Game 4 I opened with a washout, then was clean until I left a 5-7 split in the 9th. Game 5 I was clean through 4 but then washed out a couple times before getting a 6-7 and 5-7 split...but I picked the 6-7 split up which I was kinda proud of. Then a washout to open in the 10th. Game 6 I washed out in the 2nd but was otherwise clean until another 5-7 split in the 8th..then a 6-7 split I couldn't convert in the 10th.

482 Series: 132-182-168
Game 7 was just miserable; not one strike the whole game. Game 8 I was clean except for a missed 5-pin in the 2nd and a washout in the 4th. Game 9 I was clean except for another 6-7 split in the 4th and then a chopped 2-4-5 in the 10th.

523 Series: 167-157-199
Game 10 I was clean except for another 5-7-10 split in the 2nd and a chopped 6-10 in the 4th. Game 11 was 4 open frames due to washouts. Finally in Game 12 I actually broke 190. Still had a couple open frames...but struck 6 times to keep the score respectable.

Arguably Useful Statistics:
First Ball Average: 8.48 pins
Strikes: 30% (1 turkey, 7 doubles and 22 singles)
Spares: 60% picked up

Single Pin spares: 88% (24/29)
Most common single-pin leaves: 10-pin (7x).
Never left a single 1-pin nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 46% (26/56)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: 6-10 (6x).

Splits: 8% (1/12)

Pocket Percentage: 38%
Pocket Carry: 81%
Double Percentage: 10%

Average over 12 games: 167.50.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 170.17.

This was a tough practice. On the right lane, standing left foot 21/22 and targeting 11/12 seemed to work...but any variation in my release or more than a 1-board miss in either direction and I'd miss pocket as is evident by the **** poor pocket %. On the left lane, I progressed through each of the 5 balls while moving slightly left over the 12 games. I started out targeting 9/10 or 10/11...but near the end I was throwing almost straight up the 14/15 board at the pocket. Again, a miss of more than 1 board wouldn't hold pocket. I tried to play more of an outside game early on, hoping there was dry on the far outside...but oil had been smeared all the way to the channel so there was no dry on the right side.

Strike % was higher than I thought. With the first ball average so low, I figured the strike rate would be closer to 8%. Pocket carry was solid, but I simply couldn't find the pocket on a consistent basis. The only bright note was I finally seemed to settle into the new spare shooting system/adjustments and had a single-pin spare shooting % that met my expectations.

In addition, while there was some good luck with strikes collapsing that I didn't deserve...I also opened in the 10th an astounding 5 times out of 12 games.

Form, focus, and spare shooting seem to be improving...as is evident by the consistent scores. But my release is still very much an issue. To avoid using the wrist brace, my coach had my rotate my hand from under the ball to just off to the side of the ball. Then, as long as I release it properly without bending my elbow...I get similar axis tilt and revs as I would wearing the wrist brace. But, I found myself thowing vastly different shots as that hand would sometimes get too far to the outside or not enough. I also struggled with my approach..sometimes with a straighter back, sometimes slight forward spine tilt, sometimes too bent over the foul line. I also seem to be throwing it harder for some reason...as I try to keep from bending that elbow.

Aslan

01-07-2015, 07:14 PM

Tuesday League Night: medium oil synthetics

450 Series: 135-201-114

Game 1; not as bad as the score indicates. Only 2 opens other than 3 splits...but, neither of the non-splits should have been opens.

Game 2 I thought I figured things out. I thought I had tweaked my release enough that I finally got over the hump and it would be clean sailing for the rest of the match. Started out with 6 strikes in the first 7 frames...clean. But, then a 4-6-10 split followed by two attempts to pick up a 6-10 that were both unsuccessful. On track for a 300-game...then a career best 279...then a respectable game in the 240s, 230s, 220s...to eventually settling for the match high score of barely over 200. Outbowled the other team AND my entire team...but that was a minor concilation at that point.

Game 3…just awful. Absolutely awful bowling. Only 3 clean frames...a lot of easy spares I didn't convert...only struck once...2 splits including a 3-10 in the 10th. Got outbowled by my entire team and 4 of their 5 bowlers. : (

Arguably significant/insignificant Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.13 pins
Strikes: 29% (1 4-bagger, 1 double, and 3 singles)
Spares: 31% picked up

Single Pin spares: 33% (1/3)
Missed a 9-pin and a 10-pin. Made a 2-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 31% (6/19)
Most common multi-pin leave: 6-10 (6x)

Splits: 0% (0/6)

Pocket Percentage: 21%
Pocket Carry: 150% (more strikes than pocket hits)
Double Percentage: 11%

Average over 3 games: 150.00.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 155.33.

Unacceptable. I haven't had a league night THIS bad this season. It was the first time in my short tenure bowling that I:

1) Didn't really go around and shake hands with the other team....I mean, I shook their hands...but they came to me and I just kinda sat there in despair.
2) Seriously considered that this may be my last season of bowling.

I already am committed to the two leagues I'm in. I already have a lesson scheduled for two weeks from now. And I'm already paid up for the tournament the end of January. But a 114 is unacceptable. I've put too much time and effort into this to accept that. I'm probably not even gonna post much on the boards at this point. I mean, I always joke with the "board elders" when they claim people shouldn't have an opinion when they are new...I always ask, "Well, what average do I need where I can have an opinion?" But I answered my own question last night. If you bowl a 114 game in league play on a THS...that or under you really shouldn't have an opinion about anything bowling related. Iceman may be right...it might come down to some people having IT and some people not having IT. I may not have IT. That simple.

As to what went wrong...? I can't blame the lanes. Most people were struggling because I think the league actually cleaned the lanes yesterday and suddenly people were really missing left. I was getting decent movement as well. I mean, it's very simple: I hit the pocket 6 times on 29 first shots. I actually struck more than I hit the pocket. As bad as I bowled...I got lucky. You can't have high expectations for your score when you hit the pocket only 30% of the time. And while I shot 88% on spares in practice...I went 1 for 3 when it mattered. And I left the 6-10 SIX times! I picked it up HALF the time. You just can't do that.

I changed my approach after my last lesson...I changed how I set-up, how I target, how I release, and how I follow-through. And the result is I'm all over the place, I'm throwing it too hard as a result of the changes, and I've lost my ability to make small changes to my ball motion using loft/vertical targeting. It's like I'm bowling blind...like Wes Mallott. I see the dots...I focus...I try to release it well....then I look up and the ball could have gone anywhere.

And it's friggin frustrating....seeing guys with 20 pins less handicap than me...throwing the ball completely WRONG....technically NOT sound....and they do fine. But, whatever. I got a break until my Sunday league next week. Gonna try to stay away from the lanes until then...just get away from it for a bit. Whether I can or not...we'll see.

Amyers

01-07-2015, 08:49 PM

Hey cheer up dude. I know you thought you were onto something in practice but sometimes it takes a while for things to filter into your game. Sometimes it's just a bad night. I watched a guy decent bowler 170 avg. throw 182-208-100 last week and he had to mark in the 10th to get the 100. Shi* happens. Heck I've been bowling pretty well I threw a 145 the other day you make a wrong adjustment and compound it at least that's what happened to me especially if your being inconsistent with your release

mc_runner

01-07-2015, 10:23 PM

Blacksox1

01-07-2015, 10:49 PM

114 is greater than 97

Aslan

01-08-2015, 01:12 PM

My buddy, 185 average bowled a 112 last year and had to spare the 10th to get into the triple digits. It happens to the best of us from time to time (just look at Tom Doherty's game!). Makes you not want to go back but then more often than not, you'll bounce right back.

I probably will. Maybe I need a "mental" coach. I seem to have great practices, lessons, and even tournaments...then the very next league night follow it up with vommit. Or I'll have a terrible practice and follow it up with a great league night. I still have a solid month of bowling in January in front of me and two leagues to finish...so I'm not gonna just bail. But this needs to turn around because I'm already impatient about my high 160s average...going up 1 a mere 1 pin per year...so to actually fall back into the 150s...I can't take that. Too much time/energy invested to me permanently sub-mediocre.

And yes, Mike shot a 97 in the VBT and Doherty shot his 100 game...but they both also average over 200. Mike is beatable on the right conditions...but expecting him to throw a 130 game...you might be waiting a while on normal conditions. We bowl together on Sundays...and I usually can "beat" him 1 of the 4 games...but thats about it. AND...there's rampant rumors that his 97 was a rather blatent sandbagging attempt even though like Lance Armstrong....MWhite will never admit that.

Aslan

01-11-2015, 06:05 PM

Sunday Sport League: PBA Viper Pattern

594 Series: 113-161-161-159

Game 1 was more of the miserable that started in the 8th frame of the 2nd game Tuesday. It was clear that something was terribly off. So, I decided to forget the new release for now and go back to wearing the wrist brace; at least until I have my next lesson a week from tomorrow.

Game 2, frame 2 I threw the ball in the gutter on the first ball. But other than that I was clean through 7. Only other open was a missed single 10-pin in the 8th frame. Spare shooting looked better but still wasn't striking much. Game 3 was more of the same, a couple opens, decent spare shooting, but only a couple of strikes. Same with Game 4, a few strikes, mostly spares, just an extra open frame to take out my chance at a tail end triplicate. Could have probably gotten it (-161-161-161) but I had a 4-7-10 split on the second ball of the 10th and decided to try and pick it up rather than just take the count.

Argueably Useful Statistics:
First Ball Average: 7.63 pins
Strikes: 18% (1 double and 6 singles)
Spares: 54% picked up

Single Pin spares: 64% (9/14)
Most common single-pin leaves: 10-pin (7x).
Never left a single 1-pin nor 6-pin..

Multiple Pin spares: 47% (9/19)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 1-2-3-4-5-7-8 (3x).

Splits: 0% (0/2)

Pocket Percentage: 44%
Pocket Carry: 42%
Double Percentage: 12%

Average over 4 games: 148.50.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 162.00.

Almost identical stats from 4 weeks ago. I probably played a little better than I did 4 weeks ago but the big minus was the single-pin spare shooting. And it was a weird night because I went 6/7 for the 10-pin but couldn't hit the 4-pin nor 7-pin on the left side.

After Game 1 I changed my release back to how it was before my last lesson and after just a couple frames in Game 2 I also changed my targeting back to how it was pre-lesson. Targeting the dots makes them easier to hit…but any slight miss and it magnifies the miss. Not saying I'm rejecting the new ideas; but I need more work on them before I can put them effectively into practice.

Not "happy" about the performance…but after Game 1…things weren't looking good. Making a change back to what I was used to and then getting scores in the 159-161 range kinda brought me back into my comfort zone.

RobLV1

01-11-2015, 07:00 PM

When are you coming back to Vegas?

Aslan

01-11-2015, 10:17 PM

When are you coming back to Vegas?

Sometime in early March…or end of February. Hopefully I'll be at least semi-improved by then…I was planning on being VERY improved but am now hesitant.

Amyers

01-12-2015, 09:47 AM

Aslan

01-12-2015, 03:11 PM

Bowling seems to be two steps forward three steps back sometimes. Keep at it. Are you really only putting the ball in the pocket 21% of the time? How strict of a "pocket" are you using that seems really low? Maybe sport pattern had something to do with that.

It's gotta be at least a semi-flush pocket hit. If I miss right but 'barely' knock over the headpin, I usually won't count that.

That 21% was an error. That was from my league night Tuesday and I forgot to change it.

Generally I hit the pocket around 60-70%. The 44% is what I'd expect of a sport pattern effect. You just don't have any room for error on a sport pattern.

As to why it was in the 20% range on the 5th and 6th...well, thats how I knew something just wasn't right. The combination of my new stance/approach and release mixed in with my new closer targeting...made the shot path much more prone to variance. As to why it is usually in the 60-70% range (if that still seems low); I think it's a stat where we all tend to think we hit the pocket more than we actually do. Even during a perfect game...lets say 1 shot goes through the head and one goes brooklyn...thats 83% pocket percentage. You throw a game in the 150-170s...a washout, a split, a brooklyn strike, and gutter then spare...now you're at 67%.

Not sure how useful a stat it is. Thats why I'm tracking it...to get enough data to take a look at it.

But no, it shouldn't be in the 20s unless something is very wrong. Thats why I had to give up on my "new technique(s)" much sooner than I normally would. I'm a firm believer in giving techniques you learn from coaching a very solid chance and not just giving up because it's "hard" or "different". I think thats what seperates me from other bowlers and makes me a good student. Someone like an Iceman, he's gonna get taught some stuff...then the next league night is just gonna go back to what works. Unless he sees a substantial and immediate improvement...he's not gonna do it long term.

I'm the opposite in that I will commit to the changes for a long time. Over the course of 3-15 weeks...I may set one thing aside or make some alterations...but the way I look at it is; "if I'm committed to being coached, I'm committed to whatever comes out of the coaching." You'd be surprised how FEW bowlers believe that. And case in point...if I WASN'T like that...how many times would I have switched back to high/bad loft? Trust me...the temptation has been there...many, many nights it has been there. But I know that I can't acheive the level of performance I'm after with that type of a release. And until I meet a coach that says "foo! Thats the PERFECT release!"...I'm committed to adopting a better, more modern style.

Amyers

01-12-2015, 03:46 PM

That makes more sense I haven't played on sport patterns much although I intend to try some this summer. I agree with you on sticking with new techniques people see their scores drop a little and just say that didn't work way to quickly.

fortheloveofbowling

01-12-2015, 03:47 PM

Amyers

01-12-2015, 03:55 PM

You switch back and forth on the wrist brace i know. What is the difference for you when wearing/not wearing it? I have read posts where you talk about not really liking to wear it from the standpoint of almost thinking of it as cheating it seems. But there are plenty of great bowlers that have worn them and continue to do so. So if it helps your game, wear it.

I have wondered about the wrist brace thing too but after working with my wife and daughters with one I have learned a few things. It really helped my wife who had issues with keeping her wrist in a strong position but not so much with staying behind the ball. With my oldest daughter it didn't help her at all she struggles to stay behind the ball and has a tendency to come up inside the ball in a backup ball style it didn't help correct that at all.

I know aslan struggles with wrist/hand position and staying behind the ball it could help with the one but not the other.

Aslan

01-13-2015, 09:01 AM

Monday Practice: low oil synthetics

446 Series: 168-142-136
First series I got out the old Columbia300 Blue Knight urethane, conventional grip, 14lb ball and used it. I just wanted to get back to basics. Had 3 strikes in the first game and NONE the rest of the way; so it was really a game to practice my spare shooting.

443 Series: 149-145-149
This was a series of trying to find a ball to work on these dry lanes. Went through 4 balls in 3 games.

512 Series: 157-166-189
Game 7 I was having trouble with splits; a total of 3. Game 8 I only struck once and missed two single-pin spares. Game 9 I was clean until I chopped a 1-2-4 in the 8th and then chopped a 1-3-6 in the 10th.

560 Series: 223-181-156
Game 10 I was clean except for a 4-6-7 split in the 4th. Game 11 was also clean except for a 3-5-7 split in the 8th and a 4-6-7-10 split in the 10th. Game 12 it was a 5-6 split in the 7th and some generally bad spare shooting late.

489 Series: 142-210-137
Game 13 was blah. Game 14 I opened in the first frame and then was clean. Game 14 was just miserable.

Arguably Useful Statistics:
First Ball Average: 8.18 pins
Strikes: 28% (2 4-baggers, 2 turkeys, 4 doubles and 24 singles)
Spares: 60% picked up

Single Pin spares: 69% (18/26)
Most common single-pin leaves: 9-pin and 10-pin (5x each).
Never left a single 1-pin nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 48% (40/83)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: 2-4-5 and 6-10 (6x each).

Splits: 11% (2/18)

Pocket Percentage: 30%
Pocket Carry: 102%
Double Percentage: 20%

Average over 15 games: 163.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 167.93.

Another disappointing practice. After the urethane ball experiment the first series, I wore the wrist brace for the first 3 series. Had to take it off for the final series because it was causing me some pain where it was rubbing on my wrist uncomfortably. Other than that, I stuck with the arm extension but abandoned the "targeting the dots" for the practice. I think I'll leave the brace off for tomorrow's league play. As long as I have good form, good focus, and extend my arm towards the target…good things seemed to happen. The brace gave me better revs and rotation, but it sorta messes with my spare shooting and just isn't comfortable.

Carry definitely wasn't a problem. But pocket percentage left a lot to be desired. Lanes were uncharaistically dry…so the ball wanted to go through the center or brooklyn a lot more than usual. On the left lane, at one point, I moved very far inside standing as far as 43 and targeting as inside as 23.5…but that was a near impossible angle for me to play well.

Aslan

01-13-2015, 10:10 AM

You switch back and forth on the wrist brace i know. What is the difference for you when wearing/not wearing it?

It improves my release. Gives more more revs. Gives me better axis tilt and axis rotation. Better carry when I actually hit the pocket. And it keeps me from breaking my wrist on my backswing.

The downsides are; it makes me less accurate at spares…especially the single-pin, corner variety. It's bulky and uncomfortable and has a tendency to come loose. It has the potential to be a crutch and a hinderance to my overall development.

And while, 'yes', some high level bowlers wear them…virtually no pros wear them anymore.

We'll see. Maybe I'll dial the angle down a bit and try wearing it tomorrow for league play.

Amyers

01-13-2015, 11:44 AM

One of the reasons you don't see them on the PBA tour is until recently none of them have been willing to pay the PBA licensing fee. I believe Mongoose just did so you might start seeing some soon.

Hampe

01-14-2015, 03:56 AM

Another disappointing practice.I'll say. The most disappointing thing from my point of view is that your still just going to the alley and rolling 15 games for score everytime you practice. How about some single pin spare training? A minimum game? How about forgetting the score and just worrying about doing what your coach told you to work on?

It's not just about how much you practice......it's about how well you practice. Going to the alley and rolling 15 games for score every time....I wouldn't call it a waste of time (I guess it's better than nothing), but it's certainly not the best use of your practice time.

vdubtx

01-14-2015, 06:16 PM

I'll say. The most disappointing thing from my point of view is that your still just going to the alley and rolling 15 games for score everytime you practice. How about some single pin spare training? A minimum game? How about forgetting the score and just worrying about doing what your coach told you to work on?

It's not just about how much you practice......it's about how well you practice. Going to the alley and rolling 15 games for score every time....I wouldn't call it a waste of time (I guess it's better than nothing), but it's certainly not the best use of your practice time.

Whole heaping ton of truth to this. Practice with purpose.

Aslan, you are so analytical, coming up with a practice regimen should not be hard. Spares one day, targeting, footwork, timing, arm swing, lane play......

RobLV1

01-14-2015, 07:50 PM

How about this: each time you go to practice, pick one physical thing that you are going to work on. Work on that one thing until your last game, and THEN bowl that game for score and keep track of your stats. I tried keeping stats for a while last year, but gave it up because I found that my own attention to maintaining or improving the stat, actually impeded my progress on improving the parts of my game that need improving. For example, if I am working on increasing the length of my fourth step, worrying about missing a spare because I was thinking about the length of my fourth step prevents me from trying to increase the length because it causes me to miss too many spares.

Aslan

01-14-2015, 11:35 PM

I think the disconnect is that just because I'm keeping track of the score; doesn't mean I'm not focusing on something or even practicing my spares.

Given my 30% strike rate, I get in a great deal of spare shooting practice. Trust me…more than I want.

Also, tracking the score on PinPal also gives me a great deal of statistical information.

I think if I was at a higher level…like FTLOB, VDUB, or RobM…I might NEED to just focus on spares or something like that…because your game is already dialed in and you strike a lot…so there's not much opportunity to practice spare shooting.

Usually when I practice, I am focusing on certain things. Last Monday it was the new stuff I learned at my lesson…stance, arm extension toward the target, and the change in my spare shooting targeting. This recent Monday I practiced the same things.

One statistic that has really been an eye opener is tracking pocket %. I mean, if I'm hitting the pocket at < 60%…the I really, really need to fix that. More than spare shooting…more than strike rate…more than first ball average. If I hit the pocket, I tend to get good carry with my 16lb arsenal. But recently I've been all over the place. And thats a product of the wrist brace/no wrist brace situation and the new techniques.

Not to be argumentative, and I appreciate the feedback; I just think I'm not at a high enough level where a structured, regimented practice session would get my game to the next level…not with a 20-30% pocket %.

Aslan

01-15-2015, 12:16 AM

Tuesday League Night: low oil synthetics

494 Series: 166-166-162

Game 1 didn't shoot spares very well. Ended the game with a 4-bagger to salvage the 166. Game 2 I started by throwing the ball in the gutter but then struck to salvage a spare…and it didn't hurt me as much with it being the 1st frame. Only struck once, in the 3rd, but only opened twice including picking up a 2-7-8 split along the way. Game 3 I started off horribly so I was kinda just distracted with whether or not I was going to get the triplicate. Picked up a lot of spares, but had a few open spares.

Arguably significant/insignificant Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.12 pins
Strikes: 26% (1 4-bagger and 5 singles)
Spares: 62% picked up

Single Pin spares: 72% (8/11)
Never left a single 1-pin, 2-pin, 4-pin, nor 6-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 53% (7/13)
Most common multi-pin leave: 1-2-4 (2x)

Splits: 50% (2/4)

Pocket Percentage: 29%
Pocket Carry: 90%
Double Percentage: 44%

Average over 3 games: 164.67.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 175.00.

Didn't live up to my expectations. Like yesterday's practice, the lanes were drier than the last couple months so I really struggled to keep the ball right of the headpin. With my lower rev release, it's a bit unnerving to watch as my ball hooks the lane and hits the 4-pin. It was exciting to almost nail the triplicate and I bowled every game above my league average so that helped ease some of the disappointment. And the numbers were an improvement over last week. Not "great", but I'll take the improvement as at least a moral victory.

A little rest now and then a LOT of bowling in the end of the month. Sunday league, Monday lesson, Tuesday league, 3 lunchtime practices (Wed-Fri) at the center where my tournament is going to be held, and then 4 squads of tournament bowling the 24th and 25th, then Monday practice, and Tuesday league again. So, 9 days straight. Should be tiring, but also enjoyable.

Hampe

01-15-2015, 06:56 AM

I think the disconnect is that just because I'm keeping track of the score; doesn't mean I'm not focusing on something or even practicing my spares.The fact that you are focusing on the score means you are taking focus and concentration away from what you're working on.

Given my 30% strike rate, I get in a great deal of spare shooting practice. Trust me…more than I want.

Also, tracking the score on PinPal also gives me a great deal of statistical information.That's part of the problem. You are practicing just the spares that you leave that day, and not the spares you struggle with. Your app tracks separate pin/leave percentages, no? Try spending a game or two a week JUST shooting at the pin or leaves you have trouble with. Forget the score....shoot both shots at that pin/leave.

I think if I was at a higher level…like FTLOB, VDUB, or RobM…I might NEED to just focus on spares or something like that…because your game is already dialed in and you strike a lot…so there's not much opportunity to practice spare shooting.

Usually when I practice, I am focusing on certain things. Last Monday it was the new stuff I learned at my lesson…stance, arm extension toward the target, and the change in my spare shooting targeting. This recent Monday I practiced the same things.

One statistic that has really been an eye opener is tracking pocket %. I mean, if I'm hitting the pocket at < 60%…the I really, really need to fix that. More than spare shooting…more than strike rate…more than first ball average. If I hit the pocket, I tend to get good carry with my 16lb arsenal. But recently I've been all over the place. And thats a product of the wrist brace/no wrist brace situation and the new techniques.If pocket % is an issue then that's what you should be practicing. Try spending a practice session JUST throwing your strike ball. Forget the score! Getting to the pocket requires accuracy and consistency. You don't need a full rack to work on either of those things. Track your ball down the lane and see if you hit both points you're aiming for (did you hit your spot by the arrows? did you hit your break point board?). Try different lines (different aiming spots and breakpoints), not to see if they strike, but to see if you can hit them. If you can hit your two points consistently, you will be able to find the pocket on any pattern with any ball you have.

You're an analytical guy.....you can even keep a journal or something and keep track of every shot. Which points are you aiming for? Did you hit your aiming spot, yes or no? Did you hit your breakpoint, yes or no? If not, how far left or right did you miss? Stuff like that.

Not to be argumentative, and I appreciate the feedback; I just think I'm not at a high enough level where a structured, regimented practice session would get my game to the next level…not with a 20-30% pocket %.A structured, regimented practice will help any bowler of any level. It will help you improve that pocket %.

If you are working on your game, really, the worst thing you can do in practice is shoot for score.

Amyers

01-15-2015, 02:26 PM

Aslan

01-15-2015, 09:03 PM

How is it that you are only hitting the pocket 29-30% of the time? Is your release truly that inconsistent that you really have no idea where the ball is going? I've wondered about this with you for a while now looking at your stats with the number of washouts and things like that. I won't say I throw a perfect pocket shot every frame of every game or that I never have a washout or pull one and have a Brooklyn it happens occasionally but missing 70% of the time I'm just not sure how that's possible for someone who bowls as much as you do.

It depends on "when" you're asking the question.

Late 2013...I had a "bad loft" release which drastically decreased my ability to:
A) Hit the target consistently
B) Keep the ball from hooking too early.

..and because it was also a speed dominant type release...when it didn't hook early...because it had some "mustard" on it...it couldn't react with the lane and "find" the pocket...it was traveling too fast.

During most of 2014, the issue was that I had lost what little rev rate I had and was sort of just throwing a very straight ball. When the lanes were drier (early 2014) I did quite well. I was more consistent, I had worked out many kinks in my approach and timing and release...and the lack of revs didn't hurt me as much. Then they put in synthetic lanes in my home center...and suddenly the ball wouldn't come back to the pocket...unless I "made it" or drastically reduced the speed from 16-17mph down to closer to 11-12mph. "Making it" is almost always a BAD idea. And slowing it down drastically knocks your timing out of whack. So the first 4 months bowling on those lanes...I had a lot of adjusting to do. I had to change targets, I had to reduce my speed, I had a new arsenal to figure out....etc...

Then in the last couple months of 2014...with my frustration mounting...I turned to regular coaching. Rather than a lesson here or there...and some internet guidance...I decided to just pick a coach and as long as things were going okay...stick with it. Well, thats a great idea...but it means re-inventing a lot of things. Some things I thought I was doing fine...now needed to be changed. In the short 3 months of regular coaching....we've addressed this LIST of things:

- sweep leg
- sliding leg knee bend
- head level during approach
- initial stance (ball level)
- thumb fit (in every ball)
- spare shooting targets
- arsenal progression
- lateral movement vs. ball change strategies
- getting rid of loft
- adding loft back in the "right way"
- arm bend during swing/release
- changing targeting on strike shot
- wrist brace or no wrist brace?

Thats > 12 things in 3 months. And there's probably more that I forgot. I'd bet the VAST majority of bowlers on this site haven't changed 12 things in their game in the last 3 YEARS much less 3 MONTHS. Plus...add in a few changes I've chosen to make on my own either due to articles or watching PBA bowling events. It's a LOT of changes. A LOT of trial and error.

But RECENTLY...like the last two nights where there was that low pocket %...I wasn't missing the SAME way I missed before. It wasn't a ball constantly missing right and leaving the 2-4-8 or the 1-2-4-7 or 1-2-4 or dreaded 1-2-4-10. Lately the misses have been LEFT through the center. My release is better (especially with the brace on)...I'm getting better movement...but now I'm at the mercy of lane conditions much more so than in the past.

And the final problem/issue...which I mention very tenatively because it's an excuse everyone seems to use...probably over-use...is MOST of my bowling is in one of two houses. One house is a sport shot league. If anyone thinks a 40% pocket percentage is rediculous...try a sport shot league and make a video. There's very, very little room for error. MWhite is an exceptional bowler and there was a game or two Sunday that he was missing the pocket worse than I was. And...the OTHER house...is a low average house. I'm in a league over over 160 bowlers with only ONE bowler > 200 average. < 10 average 190 or more. Compare that to some other houses on league secretary. I think our average for the league as a whole is in the 150s. First they switched from wood to synthetics...which was a monster of a change. Remember...I beat MWhite HANDEDLY on those old wood lanes. Then, just as people got used to the new conditions...they decided in December to stop cleaning/re-oiling before leagues and flood the lanes in the morning and just leave them. That has created a NEW challenge..where plastic house balls smear oil up the right side of the lane leaving virtually no dry area.

So...before Mudpuppy cliff notes me....the summary is:
1) Lots of changes to my game in a short amount of time.
2) More challenging conditions than a bowler who has only been bowling since August 2013 can deal with effectively.
3) There's a possibility (and it's starting to look more and more like this is the issue) that I'm just a horrible bowler. I lack the GIFT. Marshall Holman and IceManGod agree...if ya aint got that magic...ya aint gonna learn it. I average 165 my first full league...166 my second full league...average a 166 composite now...and this past league night rolled a 166-166-162. Do you see a trend? Me neither. I see a bowler that is a mid-160s ability level despite multiple coaching attempts to change that. And that MAY be it. I may just have to face that reality.

But here's some 'possibly' interesting numbers to illustrate how the centers have played a part (averages at each center):

Home center (wood lanes): 168

Centers SINCE then:

Red Rock Lanes (LV): 206 <---RobM stomping ground
Fountain Bowl: 185 <----as seen on TV
Forest Lanes: 183 <----almost "too" dry...made me finally decide to use a plastic ball for spares
Arlington Lanes: 181 <---MWhite's home center...dry lanes
Suncoast Bowling Center (LV): 173 <---AVI Challenge!!!
AMF Carter Lanes: 171 <---- an epic ****hole. Used to be the toughest lanes in Orange County...but I think they've lossened them up
Brunswick Classic Lanes: 168
Home center (synthetic lanes): 166
LaHabra300: 162 <----home of the Glenn Allison infamous 1st ever (unofficial) 900 game
AMF Friendly Hills: 161 <----a Bowlmor FAIL!
Tustin Lanes: 161 <----- where I get my lessons, semi-dry conditions
Riverside Lanes (Laughlin, NV): 161 <----my ONE (and only) sweeps in Laughlin
Irvine Lanes: 155 <---- abta tournament...very heavy oil conditions; not my forte
Brunswick Classic Lanes: 149 (sport shot average..adjusts to 173)
Temecula Lanes: 138 <----the infamous 1ABHMAVZSCI...where MWhite was defeated on what he claims was a reverse-block pattern. :rolleyes:

So, that means the center I bowl at most regularly (684 games since synthetics)...is about in the middle in terms of average. The next most bowled at would be Brunswick Classic where I've average a combined 159...but most of that is on sport patterns...so it's more like a low 170s...and thats over 139 games. All the other centers range from 2-28 games...< 30. SO...

Does that indicate that there's something significantly challenging about the home center...where after almost 700 games...a person (me) SHOULD be bowling better? Home field advantage and all??
OR
Does it further the premise that I'm a 166 average bowler...my center is the median...the midpoint if you will. Average the 15 centers together....168. Average if I take into account all my games at every center (including wood)...165. Average post wood lanes at every center...165.

Maybe I should lower my expectations and reduce my goals to simply averaging 160-169...and getting as many triplicate series' as possible?

And before I forget to answer Rob's last question...I'll be out your way in the elegant and morally superior city of Las Vegas on March 21st!! Mark me on your calender for a lesson on the 20th if there's some free time. If you have TWO open spots...I might have ya give my daughter a lesson as well. I'm thinking I might give up on my delusions of bowling greatness and try to live vicariously through her accomplishments. I'll probably arrive Thursday the 19th...not sure. When it gets closer I'm gonna have to announce that I'm coming on social media...and I'm almost positive my cousin and an old high school friend will want me to visit. The old high school friend is in Cirque so I might get tickets and take the daughter to that one of those days. Or I'll take her to the Hoover Dam or something. I'd like to see the Grand Canyon...but thats kinda a drive if I recall correctly...so we'll see. My parents might also meet us there in their motor home...it's still up in the air.

Mudpupppy Cliff Notes:
Aslan sucks at bowling...there's lots of reasons...deal with it.

Amyers

01-15-2015, 11:38 PM

Wasn't trying to come down on you just seems hard to figure out and yes I know making changes is rough. I spent a lot of time fixing stuff over the summer and I just changed my push away over to the hinge maybe why I'm doing better but I've thought that before only to regress.

My issues seem to deal more with how the ball hits the pocket not so much if I hit it of course I have an advantage from my youth days of bowling in some ways although in others it seems to cause problems. I've felt like it wasn't ever going to get better then it did too. Keep working at it I'm sure it will improve.

Blacksox1

01-15-2015, 11:42 PM

- sweep leg
- sliding leg knee bend-------------------X
- head level during approach------------X
- initial stance (ball level)----------------X
- thumb fit (in every ball)----------------X turbo switch grip
- spare shooting targets
- arsenal progression
- lateral movement vs. ball change strategies
- getting rid of loft------------------------X
- adding loft back in the "right way"
- arm bend during swing/release
- changing targeting on strike shot
- wrist brace or no wrist brace?
-hand position throughout the shot-----X
-visualize your shot, 1-2 seconds after getting on the approach--------------X
-using some type of spare shooting system---------X
Work on the X's and the improvements will follow.

Hampe

01-16-2015, 04:32 AM

Aslan don't beat yourself up. Bowling isn't easy (unless you play at the lanes Iceman plays at :P). I was in the same spot you were in a few years ago.....practice for me meant showing up at the alley and rolling a bunch of games and drinking a few beers. And for some reason, my average just wouldn't go up like I expected or hoped it would. Look at my averages in my main league since I started bowling with a hook:

2009 - 152
2010 - 169
2011 - 171
2012 - 173
2013 - 199

Guess which season I finally stopped just showing up to the alley to roll a bunch of games for practice, and started working with a coach and practicing with a purpose. I'm not getting on your case about your practice habits just to pick on you. I'm trying to help you not waste time the same way I did (I wasted two years!). It takes time and work to get good at bowling....and your improvement will probably not be linear. As you've also started to notice, averages are pretty relative.....200 in one house is not the same as 200 in another, so don't get too discouraged if your average isn't at the number you'd hoped it would be. You've made quite a bit of progress so far, and if you fix your practice habits, you will likely make a lot more in the next year. Keep at it, dude!

Aslan

01-19-2015, 03:43 PM

Saturday Practice: medium oil synthetics

474 Series: 183-152-139
First 2 games I was using the Bullet Train; spare shooting was good but I couldn't find the strike ball. Switched to the Rhythm for Game 3 and did a little better but struggled with splits and single-pin spare shooting.

566 Series: 204-167-194
Game 4 was clean except for a 1-2-10 washout in the 2nd frame. Switched to the Encounters for games 5 and 6. Game 6 looked great through 6 frames but I finished off with three missed single-pin spares and a missed baby split to really derail that game.

476 Series: 160-165-151
Game 7 was better than the score indicates. I left a 5-7 in the 6th and a 5-7 in the 10th. Other than that, just a chopped 1-2-4 washout in the 9th. Switched to the Slingshot at the end of Game 7 and used it for Games 8 and 9. Game 8 was clean except for a 1-2-9 washout in the 2nd and a chopped 1-2-5-9 in the 8th. Game 9 I left a 1-2-4-8 washout in the 1st frame, missed a 5-pin in the 4th, and couldn't convert a 1-2-3-5-10 in the 9th.

Arguably Useful/Rediculous Statistics:
First Ball Average: 8.52 pins
Strikes: 27% (1 5-bagger, 1 turkey, 2 doubles and 14 singles)
Spares: 60% picked up

Single Pin spares: 70% (22/31)
Most common single-pin leaves: 7-pin (6x).
Never left a single 1-pin nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 52% (20/38)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: 6-10 (5x).

Splits: 12% (1/8)

Pocket Percentage: 27%
Pocket Carry: 108%*
Double Percentage: 8%

Average over 9 games: 168.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 177.78.

Mainly only did this practice because I wanted to get some video of my approach. It's been awhile since I've posted a video; probably not since the AVI Challenge. And I know everyone has offered some suggestions but it's always when you have the video right there in front of you.
Granted, the quality was horrible due to the lights being off for cosmic bowling…but there's not a ton of good, quality place to practice with the lights on; on a Saturday. I had to wait almost 40 minutes just to get that lane.

* MWhite pointed out at Sunday morning bowling that my "pocket carry" shouldn't be greater than 100%. That is TRUE. HOWEVER…that stat is most often based on someone hitting the pocket MORE OFTEN than striking. Since I apparently can't find the pocket with a GPS…I actually strike more than I hit the pocket. Mike mentioned that I should only count "pocket strikes" in the equation…and again…he is correct. But, that would mean I would need to re-calculate all my numbers and add yet another manual entry data point…so I'm gonna just leave it how it is…add an "*"…and hope that I can start finding the pocket more often than 30% of the time so we won't see any more. It'll still be slightly elevated due to an occasional brooklyn…but it won't be > 100% (if I ever can find the pocket).

Sunday morning league scores to follow…but I gotta get in the shower and get over to my lesson this afternoon so they'll have to wait.

Aslan

01-20-2015, 01:50 AM

Sunday Sport League: PBA Viper Pattern

584 Series: 135-122-174-153

Games 1 and 2 were just kinda miserable.

Game 3 was pretty good. I left a few tough multi-pin spares. Game 4 was more of the same…a missed single 6-pin and a couple tough multi-pin leaves.

Argueably Useful Statistics:
First Ball Average: 8.00 pins
Strikes: 29% (1 turkey and 10 singles)
Spares: 45% picked up

Single Pin spares: 70% (7/10)
Most common single-pin leaves: 10-pin (3x).
Never left a single 3-pin, 4-pin, 5-pin, 8-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 33% (7/21)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 1-2-4 (3x).

Splits: 0% (0/2)

Pocket Percentage: 27%
Pocket Carry: 108%
Double Percentage: 8%

Average over 4 games: 146.00.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 153.25.

This was my last Sunday sport shot league game until at least the end of June. I'm gonna skip the next season. I got some child care issues I need to deal with from now till June not to mention I need to get much, much better before trying my luck in a scratch league much less a sport league.

Amyers

01-20-2015, 09:06 AM

Aslan

01-21-2015, 02:56 PM

Tuesday League Night: low-medium oil synthetics

481 Series: 129-211-141

Game 1 was washout after washout. I think I tried too aggressive a line...and the lanes were more "medium oil" than "low". After last week being drier and knowing that we were on the driest pair in the house (next to the door)...I made an educated guess that a slightly more aggressive line would play. Nope. Game 2 was solid and clean through 8 frames. I was on track for a career high game and then a 1-2-4 washout in the 9th and a chopped 5-9 in the 10th slammed me back down to earth. :( Game 3 was kinda erratic, and I missed a couple single-pin spares (after being perfect up until that point).

Arguably significant/insignificant Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.13 pins
Strikes: 25% (1 5-bagger, 1 double, and 1 single)
Spares: 45% picked up

Single Pin spares: 75% (6/8)
Never left a single 1-pin, 3-pin, 4-pin, 6-pin, 8-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 28% (4/14)
Most common multi-pin leave: 1-2-4 (3x)

Splits: 0% (0/1)

Pocket Percentage: 29%
Pocket Carry: 89%
Double Percentage: 38%

Average over 3 games: 160.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 165.67.

I wasn't too hard on myself after Game 1. I mean, it was disappointing...but it was the 1st chance to try the new techniques from my lesson with no practice so it's gonna take some time. But I think the horrible finish to Game 2 just mentally killed Game 3. It looked like I was going to finish with something like a 290...then maybe a 261...then a 236...224....222....220???...but nope. POOed the bed and got a 211. Still 2nd highest of the 9 bowlers (my team (-1) and there's...including 3 190+ average bowlers)...and it helped us take 2 of 4 points that evening...but still disappointing. And that just carried over to Game 3.

I tried to play an "inside" line on the driest lane...left foot on 28, targeting 18. I probably shouldn't have done that. It led to some weak pocket hits or brooklyn hits. I just had no room for error with that line at all. I tried to move right a little to cut down on the aggressiveness...and then I'd go brooklyn. I'd try to move left to compensate and then miss the pocket to the right completely. NOT a line I usually play...and for GOOD reason. I shoulda stopped...moved outside to my A-Game line...and just adjusted a bit or balled down to counter the drier lane...not jump to my C-game and hope for the best. But; it was like I was just stubborn and needed to prove that I could play that 3rd line. Stupid.

The numbers are very similar to the last couple outings statistically speaking. The only difference was this night my multi-pin spare shooting was horribly off. Another night (in a row) where my most common multi-pin leave was the 1-2-4...and I missed converting it all 3 times. The lanes were just playing much slicker than I thought they would. It 'seemed' after last week that the center might be playing drier...averages in the league have been creeping slightly upward these last 2 weeks across the board...but still outside my comfort zone.

And it's frustrating...because my teammates ask me questions about bowling, balls, the PBA, the USBC, etc... and are amazed that I'm so knowledgeable about stuff. I mean, the guy on the other team with a 190 average didn't know you could get interchangeable thumb inserts and asked what the things were in my bag (inserts). And the guy on the other team that I was bowling opposite made the point to tell me I had a great stroke/shot/form....but who cares if I'm still stuck in the 160s?? Who cares if I can break down ball dynamics or talk about the sport of bowling or even have a "nice form" if at the end of the day I can't break a 500 series?? It's borderline depressing. :confused:

And I tried to RELAX....and when I was hitting the pins well and scoring...I was relaxed. Then...I mess up...poo the bed...now I'm not relaxed anymore. And the less relaxed I get...the worse things get. 6/8 on single pins is fine...but I was only 50% on corner pins. Missed the 10-pin 2 out of 3 times. And once I missed it...and left it again...I KNEW I was going to miss it again. It's like I put up some kind of imaginary shield around it or something.

And this was even more disappointing than usual because I had this match-up circled on my calender for about a month. Us facing a very good team...on lanes that tend to be drier (my advantage). This was a chance to physically and mentally go up against some very skilled bowlers. And instead of earning respect...it looks like all I did was show them that I'm a blind squirrel that if given 3 games will find a nut once.

The bowling marathon continues. 3 days of practice (lunchtime) before the tournament this weekend. So I'll be posting again shortly on how the practice goes and how the lanes at that center seem to be playing. I consider it a medium difficulty house/center. I average about 162 there in the 8 games I've played. Hopefully I can get at least 7-8 games of practice in there between now and the weekend. It's a center near my workplace so I'll be practicing instead of eating lunch the next few days.

Aslan

01-21-2015, 06:55 PM

Lunchtime Practice: medium oil synthetics
LaHabra 300 Bowl

542 Series: 168-163-211

Lunchtime practice session #1 at the center I'll be bowling the tournament at this weekend. Game 1 was really just trying out the Bullet Train on different lines and the Rhythm on different lines to see what was working best. That being said, I was only a chopped 1-2-8 and two splits away from a clean game.

Had some struggles with the headpin in Game 2. I left the single 1-pin in the 2nd frame and missed it. I then was clean through 7 until I chopped the 2-pin off the 1-2 leave...again leaving the headpin staring at me. Then a 5-7 split I almost (but didn't) converted in the 9th.

Game 3 I was relaxed, confident, and the score is indicative of that. I was clean through 8 and my only open was a 1-2-4-10 washout in the 9th.

PinPal Stats et al:
First Ball Average: 8.53 pins
Strikes: 40% (1 4-bagger, 1 double, and 7 singles)
Spares: 63% picked up

Single Pin spares: 83% (5/6)
Most common single-pin leaves: 1-pin (2x).
Never left a single 5-pin, 7-pin, 8-pin, 9-pin, nor 10-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 53% (7/13)
Most common multi-pin spare leave: 1-2-4-7 and 1-2 (2x each).

Splits: 0% (0/3)

Pocket Percentage: 19%
Pocket Carry: 217%
Double Percentage: 15%

Average over 3 games: 180.67.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 184.67.

A good practice in that it gave me some insight into some inconsistencies.

1) I'm coming in light. The Bullet Train seemed like it was hooking too soon at 1000 abralon. But the Rhythm seemed like it wasn't hooking soon enough at 1500 abralon. I think I'll work on the Rhythm with a 1000 abralon pad before next practice and see if that gives it that little bit of extra "umph" to not leave the 1-2.

2) I need to follow through more and stay low. When I finish low, balanced, and my arm follows through...I knock down 9 or 10 pins and find the pocket a fair amount. When I don't do those 3 things...I have problems.

I struck enough and did well on spares to score in the mid-500s...but I'll need a better pocket % to compete for 1st place this weekend. With the pocket carry so abnormally high while the pocket % is so abnormally low...thats a LOT of LUCK....a lot of brooklyn strikes going my way. That won't hold up.

It took a 583 to win the Citrus Belt BVL in my division (which I didn't get to participate in for stupid rule reasons so my 593 got me nothing!). Based on last year's results I'm anticipating needing something in the low 600s (series). It's unlikely anyone will roll in the 650s for my division (< 170 average)...but just as unlikely that nobody will crack 600. It's a larger tournament than the Citrus Belt Roll Off...lots more bowlers and more talent in the lower divisions.

Amyers

01-21-2015, 09:08 PM

Aslan you adjust your surface to fine tune your reaction not to find the pocket. Changing the surface isn't going to make you hit the head pin.

Aslan

01-21-2015, 09:44 PM

Aslan you adjust your surface to fine tune your reaction not to find the pocket. Changing the surface isn't going to make you hit the head pin.

But if you're coming in a bit light...maybe leaving the 2-4-5-8 bucket...it seems that you can:

1) Make a lateral adjustment...which could cause you to go through the nose.
2) Ball UP to a ball that will either hook sooner or have a stronger backend...but I usually start with my strongest ball so if I balled down...I'm not gonna ball back up.
3) Adjust surface
4) Adjust your target (eyes) vertically up and down the lane...which I'm a proponent of...but only if I'm hitting the pocket...just not getting ideal carry (like leaving a 10-pin) or if I'm missing just a tiny bit toward the headpin...but it still carries...I might adjust vertically.
5) Adjust speed...which is usually a bad idea because it messes up the timing which once thats messed up...forget about it.

Back in the old days...you just did #1 and hoped you could find that sweet line. But now, arsenal bowling...sanded balls, etc... most of the higher level bowlers seem to have many ball options and do a great deal of surface work.

I've never liked messing with the surface. Once you sand it a bit...then it breaks too much and you gotta go in the other direction...and back and so on and so forth. Seems better to just have a complete arsenal that you can make ball changes. But in THIS case...my arsenal seems to be "non-ideal":

1) The Bullet Train was designed to be a hybrid cover ball down option for the solid cover Rhythm...but it's (Bullet Train) cover stock is too strong...so the Rhythm ended up being the ball down option.

2) The next two in the bag...are both Pearls...and despite the surface difference and drilling difference...are very, very close in overall reaction (a couple boards tops).

3) The "skid/flip" option is the Slingshot which was originally added as my spare ball...it doesn't have the kind of core or cover necessary to be a true skid/flip option. Don't get me wrong...it's got a nice snap at the end if things are broken down enough...I rolled a 243 with that ball on 12/22/14...but that was the 9th game after the lanes were broken in. I tried to use it as my first option (fresh oil) in my summer league and it was miserable...weak hit after weak hit.

So given that balls 1 and 2 are close...and then there's a gap...balls 3 and 4 are almost identical...and then 5 is a $57 glorified spare ball...I have to try to creat some separation. I thought brining the B.T. to 1000 and the Rhythm to 1500 would make it a more noticeable difference...and it has...but for some reason the B.T. is crossing over and the Rhythm isn't hitting the pocket solid. I don't want to bring the B.T. to 2000...because then as soon as I hit heavy or long oil I'm screwed. So it makes more sense to add some surface to the Rhythm.

Thats the thought process anyways. And no, drilling ball #7 (I use 5 and a spare ball now) is NOT an option. My coach already tried to get me to add a true skid/flip ball to the mix and I declined. I'm embarrassed enough dragging around 6 balls to league night and shooting a sub-500 series every damn night...I look like a fool. No sense in adding even more fuel to that fire.

Hopefully the Rhythm isn't "dieing". It has about 350 games on it...far more than any other balls I'm currently throwing. But I want to do a wholesale arsenal change to 15lbs the end of this year...I don't want to retire the Rhythm and then start throwing a 15lb ball with the 16lb balls. That felt too weird when I did it with the Frantic.

And despite my 13-ball undrilled "collection"...I don't have a 16lb replacement for the Rhythm. Solid, symmetric core balls aren't as plentiful. Of my 16lb "collection"...5 of the 6 are assymetric cores...and 4 of them are pearls. The other two are a weak symmetric core pearl and a assymetric hyprid cover. I haven't really put much effort into building my next "16lb arsenal" because;

A) I don't know if I'll fall in love with 15lbs or not.
and
B) Even if I switch back to 16lbs...it won't be till like late 2016.

I shoulda picked up a Meanstreak Beatdown when I saw it on clearance. That would be a good replacement for the Rhythm. If I had to buy one new...I kinda like the Rotogrip Rumble...I'm just worried it won't be strong enough to stay my #2 option.

But...a ball shouldn't be dead after 350+ games. I mean, it should at least last 400...probably 600-1000. Just as a precaution, I'll de-oil it again in my dehydrator before the tournament. The solid cover Rhythm comes out of that thing dripping with oil compared to the other balls where it's less noticeable.

Amyers

01-21-2015, 11:55 PM

You are making this way to complicated as usual. Anyone of those balls can be thrown in the pocket on most conditions especially medium oil. Changing surface and balls is to improve reaction not to find the pocket. Make lateral moves until you find the pocket. Then you should know which of your balls is how many boards different and throw it use whichever gives you the best reaction. Pretty simple really.

If you need to change the surface to give more separation between the bullet train and the rhythm then fine but it's not to get to the pocket that's what your feet and target is for.

Aslan

01-23-2015, 03:40 PM

Lunchtime Practice: medium oil synthetics
LaHabra 300 Bowl

436 Series: 144-136-156

Lunchtime practice session #2. Game 1 and half of Game 2 were spent trying to figure out the best line and best ball to use. Game 1 wasn't too bad...just missed a couple single-pin spares that really hurt me. Game 2 I was all over the place. Game 3 was 'okay'...but the release was off and I was coming in light on most of the shots.

I was so pissed/distraught that I knew I'd have to bowl a few more games...couldn't leave on THAT note. If I wasn't getting ready for the tournament there...I would have left OR I would have just starting high lofting it OR I'd have went out to the car and grabbed the 14lb urethane ball or something. I was at a near catastrophic level of frustration.

509 Series: 135-175-199

Game 4 started out just as bad. Missing right, washouts...I'd say 50% of the frames were a 1-2-4 or a 1-2-8. Same thing for Game 5...50% were either 1-2-10s or 2-4-5s...still missing way right. I just struck more and converted more of the washouts so the score didn't look as bad. I can't say the problem was "cured" in Game 6; still left a 1-2-8-10 in the 7th and a 1-2-4-5 in the 10th...but was converting all of the multi-pin spares...I was actually a missed single 6-pin in the 6th frame away from a clean game >200.

PinPal Stats et al:
First Ball Average: 8.12 pins
Strikes: 33% (2 turkeys, 2 doubles, and 12 singles)
Spares: 42% picked up

Single Pin spares: 50% (4/8)
Most common single-pin leaves: 4-pin, 6-pin, and 10-pin (2x each).
Never left a single 1-pin, 2-pin, 3-pin, 8-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 40% (13/32)
Most common multi-pin spare leave: 2-4-5, 1-2-4, and 6-10 (3x each).

Splits: 0% (0/4)

Pocket Percentage: 37%
Pocket Carry: 92%
Double Percentage: 27%

Average over 6 games: 157.50.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 164.33.

A BAD practice. I have to figure out why I'm prone to either drop the shot, push it right, or just release it flat. It feels bad enough that there may be a timing issue. Not the kinds of problems I need before the big tournament. :( :mad:

Aslan

01-23-2015, 08:53 PM

Lunchtime Practice: medium oil synthetics
LaHabra 300 Bowl

539 Series: 170-202-167

Lunchtime practice session #3. I lucked out and the guy running the desk asked me if I wanted to have some practice/warm-up time before my games started. I was SHOCKED! I've bowled in 19 different centers all this area and some in Nevada...and not ONCE has a person asked if I wanted warm-up time before my games started. Not ONCE! Cudos to this establishment! That allowed me to at least get a general idea of what ball and line I wanted to play on the right lane before my games started. I still needed a few shots on the left lane to see if I wanted to go with the Rhythm or the Bullet Train...but it was nice to know my ball and line choice midway through game 1 rather than midway through game 2.

Game 1 I had 3 opens...an 8-10 split and two single 3-pins. NOT a usual pin I miss...I'm over 80% on that one...but...I did. Game 2 I only opened once when I barely missed converting a 3-10 baby split. Game 3...only two open frames...both splits...another 3-10 baby split in the 3rd and a 4-7-10 in the 9th.

PinPal Stats et al:
First Ball Average: 8.73 pins
Strikes: 39% (1 turkey, 1 double, and 8 singles)
Spares: 68% picked up

Single Pin spares: 71% (5/7)
Most common single-pin leaves: 3-pin, 6-pin, and 10-pin (2x each).
Only other single-pin leave was a single 7-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 66% (13/32)
Most common multi-pin spare leave: 3-10 split (2x).

Splits: 0% (0/4)

Pocket Percentage: 36%
Pocket Carry: 108%
Double Percentage: 23%

Average over 3 games: 179.67.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 187.67.

A MUCH better practice than yesterday that's for sure. It isn't at the 600+ level series that I'll probably need to win...but it was helpful to give me a little confidence boost and to help me figure out what I should probably do tomorrow and Sunday in the tournament.

One thing I've decided, as much as I stubbornly hate giving up on certain things...I have to go back to a 2-line system and abandon the "inside" line. I just don't have the rev rate to make the turn with this set of equipment. Sure, sometimes it works just perfectly and I cross "just" over the middle and into the pocket...but far too often it hits brooklyn or goes through the nose. As MWhite would say, "you gotta have some dry to get the ball to turn!" Throwing it up the 18-board...hoping it catches a little dry just in front of the pindeck is just too risky at this stage in my bowling development.

It also helped to de-oil the Rhythm. I de-oiled it before practice...and again after practice...and there was so much oil in that ball that both times some was dripping off of it.

I'm in 2 squads tomorrow and 2 squads on Sunday. I think on these lanes I'm capable of maybe rolling a low 580s series. Anything higher than that and I'm gonna have to catch some breaks. And I think I'll need to be at LEAST mid-590s to take 1st place. I might be able to win some $ in sidepots or even take some bracket money rolling in the 550-590 range...but in this tournament it's really all or nothing because 1st place goes to the state tournament (from each division) and 2nd place and lower go home.

mc_runner

01-24-2015, 03:20 PM

Good luck, let us know how it goes!

Aslan

01-25-2015, 02:07 AM

Good luck, let us know how it goes!

OCUSBC BVL Tournament: medium oil synthetics

SQUAD 1
447 Series: 198-117-132

Pretty epic fail after a decent start to Game 1. I was clean through 9 in Game 1 and then pulled my shot in the 10th and chopped the 1-3-6. And that led to just a complete collapse. I mean, it was just sad. The other players on the pair were actually feeling sorry for me. Game 3 was better, but my spare shooting was off.

SQUAD 2
527 Series: 170-175-182

Better. I was struggling in practice so I completely changed my lines. My lines have been getting tighter and tighter to the point that I think I was pulling shots left trying to hit a target that was inside my body/swing plane. So, needless to say…I didn't get much practice shots in because I was messing with my paperwork trying to write down stuff.

Game 1 I opened twice to start but turned things around and was clean until the 9th when I missed a single 4-pin. Then I couldn't convert the 4-6 split in the 10th to finish with a very unexciting 170. Game 2 was better, but I chopped a 6-10 in the 4th and then couldn't convert the 1-5-7 in the 5th. But I was clean the rest of the way. Game 3 I was a missed single 2-pin in the 7th away from a clean game.

I was semi encouraged after Squad 1 because the highest series in my division was a 509. That definitely left the field wide open. In addition, they announced that the state tournament would be on March 21st…same weekend as my league sweeps in Vegas…which was kinda a bummer…but also took some pressure off because if I lost I go to Vegas…if I won I go to the state tournament.

I outperformed the one guy I knew for sure was in my division…but I have a feeling one of the other guys was in my division as well and he had a heck of a series; in the 640 range.

PinPal (and other) Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.11 pins
Strikes: 30% (1 turkey, 4 doubles, 8 singles)
Spares: 53% picked up

Single Pin spares: 67% (8/12)
Most common single pin leaves: 6-pin and 10-pin (3x each).
Never left a single 1-pin, 5-pin, nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 48% (15/31)
Most common multi-pin leave: 1-2-3-4-5-7-8 (3x)

Splits: 40% (2/5)

Pocket Percentage: 33%
Pocket Carry: 90%
Double Percentage: 26%

Average over 6 games: 162.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 168.67.

In the first Squad, I was missing right…leaving washouts…especially when I switched from the Rhythm to the Encounter. So, I sanded the heck out of the Encounter to try and get it back into the pocket better. But then…they didn't re-oil the lanes between Squads so that ball became less useable…especially on the right lane that seemed to hook much more than the left.

As for technique…I was really trying to relax in Squad 2…just let the ball do the work….try not to muscle the swing at all…but stay focused.

I'll be back again tomorrow…but I think I'll need a near career high series at this point IF the guy I think was in my division, that rolled a 642-647, was in fact in my division. Broke even in brackets though. Got in 2 the first squad and 3 the 2nd squad…spent $25…won $25. Actually I guess I lost $5 since I tipped them $5. Oh well.

Aslan

01-26-2015, 01:08 AM

OCUSBC BVL Tournament: medium oil synthetics

SQUAD 1
460 Series: 138-146-176

Started Game 1 with a couple washouts, then pulled a couple shots, then 2 more washouts, a strike, 2 more washouts, a pulled shot, and a strike. I wasn't happy…but I thought I could turn things around in Games 2 and 3.

Game 2 I started out by missing 2 straight single 10-pins, then a few spares, then a missed single 2-pin in the 6th…finished okay but another disappointing score. I knew I couldn't pull anything off in the 3rd game…but I was still alive in a bracket and figured a good game might give me momentum for Squad 2.

Game 3 I started out clean through 5 before a 6-7 split. Then a 1-2-4-7 washout…then finished clean, but a disappointing 176.

SQUAD 2
435 Series: 169-145-121

This is where things went really downhill. Other than a missed single 10-pin in the 3rd and single 7-pin in the 4th…I was clean through 9 and even picked up a 4-9 split. Then in the 10th; chopped the 4-7.

Thats when I got worried. I knew I needed to average about 190 each game to get first place. I was feeling good because I was really finding the pocket…about 70%..but knew I needed 200+ games the rest of the way and would need to strike eventually.

Game 2 I watched as my potential score slowly fell from the 260s to 220s to 190s. Started off with a 4-7-10 split…but was then clean for a few frames…then a missed single 3-pin, then a couple more clean frames…but NO strikes. Finally struck in the 9th but then a chopped 5-6-10 split in the 10th for a mere 145.

Game 3 I knew I'd need something like a 236 to keep my hopes alive…and the last game knocked me out of my last bracket…so I had the daughter go get my Grandpa's old, 14lb, urethane ball from my trunk…figured I'd just finish throwing that. Started with a 5-10 split…spare…then chopped a 6-10. I was out of 1st place after 5 frames but didn't switch to the urethane in the 6th because I had struck with the Rhythm in the 4th frame so I threw it in the 6th. But when I threw a - - in the 8th…I was done. I threw the urethane ball in the 9th and converted the 1-2-4 leave. Then left a pocket 10-pin in the 10th and missed it.

PinPal (and other) Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.16 pins
Strikes: 17% (2 doubles, 7 singles)
Spares: 55% picked up

Single Pin spares: 64% (14/22)
Most common single pin leaves: 5-pin and 10-pin (5x each).
Never left a single 1-pin nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 48% (14/29)
Most common multi-pin leave: 1-2-4 (4x)

Splits: 33% (2/6)

Pocket Percentage: 35%
Pocket Carry: 50%
Double Percentage: 18%

Average over 6 games: 149.17.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 163.34.

What was truly disappointing is the leading scorer was only a 550 series after the first day. I rolled a 593 when I was in the Citrus Belt BVL…I knew I was capable of it. I don't know. I'm at the point now where this might be my last season of bowling. It's just not fun bowling like this. I've put as much time and $$$ into getting better as anyone…and I'm worse this year than last. And I'm tired of learning how to bowl properly and then watching bowlers with worst form in the world rolling 600 series.

I mean, I'll be back at it tomorrow…getting my Monday practice in (if the lanes aren't packed)…but at this point…I don't really want to bowl…I don't want to watch bowling or hear about bowling or read about bowling. Maybe I'll practice tomorrow…maybe not. I'll bowl Tuesday night…and that'll be the end of the marathon.

Aslan

01-27-2015, 03:38 AM

Monday Practice: low oil synthetics

Warm-Up Game: 199
Clean except for a chopped 2-8 in the 5th frame. Not bad for a warm-up game.

562 Series: 146-202-214
Game 1 was a letdown. Only threw 1 strike and spare shooting was off. Game 2 wasn't great, but a 5-bagger helped to keep the score high. Game 3 went better with only one open frame (missed single 4-pin) in the 4th. Switched to the Rhythm for the right lane midway through Game 3 and it was hitting pretty strong…even playing my most inside line…which I usually don't have much luck with. Too bad I couldn't shoot a 562 over the weekend…might have won my division. :(

583 Series: 174-193-216
Game 4 I was a 7-10 split in the 2nd frame and a missed single 10-pin in the 10th away from a clean game. 4/5 shots on the right lane struck versus zero of the 5 shots on the left lane. Game 5 I opened in the first frame with a missed single 7-pin…but was clean the rest of the way. Game 6 was clean through 9 frames…but I missed a single 7-pin in the 10th.

Arguably Useful Statistics:
First Ball Average: 9.01 pins
Strikes: 43% (1 5-bagger, 1 4-bagger, 1 turkey, 4 doubles and 12 singles)
Spares: 67% picked up

Single Pin spares: 70% (14/20)
Most common single-pin leaves: 7-pin (6x).
Never left a single 1-pin, 3-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 65% (13/20)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: 1-2-4 and 1-2 (3x each).

Splits: 25% (1/4)

Pocket Percentage: 62%
Pocket Carry: 70%
Double Percentage: 31%

Average over 7 games: 192.00.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 201.57.

Well, it was a good enough practice to snap me out of my depression and back into my hopeful, bowling self.

The main things I was working on was my balance arm and less muscling of the swing. It seems that if I remember to use my balance arm…it pushed my head over the ball and keeps me from pulling or pushing shots…and that helps me stay consistent and find that pocket.

Since I was finding the pocket okay…I played a game of low-ball and scored a 63. Only hit the gutter once and only missed what would have been a corner pin spare one other time.

Finished off by just messing around a couple games throwing a 10lb house ball thumbless. I think I scored a 118 and 136.

Downsides? Well, I have a feeling the lanes had a lot of action during the day…that may have soaked up some of the oil and given me more ideal conditions for my game. And none of this matters if I can't duplicate it when it counts. We'll see tomorrow.

bubba809

01-27-2015, 08:13 AM

Nice shooting Aslan. Glad to see you "like" bowling again.

Amyers

01-27-2015, 09:59 AM

Looks like some good scores and actually finding the pocket some Nice!!!

Aslan

01-28-2015, 04:07 PM

Tuesday League Night: medium oil synthetics

534 Series: 149-224-161

Game 1 was clean though 6...then a 1-2-7 washout, a 4-6-7 split, a missed single 2-pin, and a 7-10 split in the 10th. So, obviously a huge disappointment after a decent start...but really it was only the single 2-pin that really stung.

Game 2 was clean through 7 including converting the 3-10 baby split in the 7th. Then I whiffed on converting the 6-10 in the 8th...my only open frame...but that was all it took to kill any chance at beating my season high 233.

Game 3 was 9 /, 9 /, 9 /, 9 / then a strike...so I was clean through 5. Then back-to-back 1-2-4-10 washouts...a spare, a strike, then I missed a single 5-pin in the 10th to add further insult to injury.

Arguably significant/insignificant Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.77 pins
Strikes: 35% (1 5-bagger and 6 singles)
Spares: 60% picked up

Single Pin spares: 80% (8/10)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (3x).
Never left a single 1-pin, 6-pin, 8-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 40% (4/10)
Most common multi-pin leave: 1-2-4-10 (2x)

Splits: 33% (1/3)

Average over 3 games: 178.00.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 185.00.

I didn't keep track of pocket hits...I forgot until Game 2 and just said, "screw it"...but it was better than the recent league nights.

Positives:
- I went 5 for 5 on single-pin corner spares.
- My average was up.
- 2nd highest series this season.
- Met my 2nd (of 2) goal of a 525+ series.
- Was hitting the pocket more.

Negatives:
- Not ONE clean game.
- Team (currently #4 and 1 point out of a 3-way tie for 1st) only managed 1 point against the 1st place team.
- Outside of Game 2, strike rate was rather low (2x per game). Seems like I had trouble striking on the fresh oil...then got in my grrove as the lanes broke down...but then struggled to make necessary moves later as the lanes broke down even more.
- This SHOULD have been a 596-598 series had I picked up a few easy spares (2-pin, 5-pin, 6-10) and not left washouts (1-2-4-7 and 1-2-4-10 (2x)).
- Really struggled when I balled down to the Encounters...my release is still a bit too erratic for the assymetric cores...I threw the less aggressive Encounter 3 times...hitting my mark all three times...and the ball went left of the headpin twice and right of the headpin once.

Overall it was a decent night. I seemed to have fixed a lot of the issues I was having most of January. It was a bummer to have our team bowl as well as we did...yet still lose 3 of 4 points to the 1st place team. But their lead-off guy only opened twice the whole night and their anchor was in the running for a 300-game in the 5th frame of every game...in the last game he made it to the 10th before opening. Thought it might be the first 300-game of the league/season...but he over-powered it and left the 3-6.

Aslan

02-03-2015, 07:15 PM

Monday Practice: heavy oil synthetics

464 Series: 167-174-123
Game 1 I started off okay; only a few opens...but the lanes were slick/heavy/long (whatever you wanna call it) and it was clear it was going to be a long evening of practice. Game 2 was more of the same...lots of 1-2s, 1-2-8s, 1-2-10s, 2-4-5s, etc.. Game 3 I was all over the map. I tried to combat the weak reaction...but would pull the shot and miss left...then I'd fix that...weak reaction...miss right. And mentally, it killed me.

378 Series: 99-166-113
Game 4 I struck once and spared once...continuation of Game 3. Game 5 I had more of the same...but managed to pick up some spares. I think I only hit the pocket once. Game 6 was more of the same.

553 Series: 199-176-178
Game 7 I was still struggling, but I calmed down, my release improved, and I started to see some ball reaction down lane. Clean until a 5-10 in the 10th...even picked up a 1-2-10 en route. Game 8 was a 6-7 split in the 2nd (which I almost picked up) and a missed single 4-pin in the 6th away from being clean...but not much striking. Game 9 was much of the same...a chopped 2-5 in the 2nd and a missed single 10-pin in the 7th away from clean...but not a lot of striking.

Arguably Useful Statistics:
First Ball Average: 7.95 pins
Strikes: 25% (7 doubles and 11 singles)
Spares: 51% picked up

Single Pin spares: 68% (11/16)
Most common single-pin leaves: 10-pin (6x).
Never left a single 1-pin, 2-pin, 3-pin, nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 46% (24/52)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: 1-2-8 (7x).

Splits: 0% (0/6)

Pocket Percentage: 36%
Pocket Carry: 71%
Double Percentage: 20%

Average over 9 games: 155.00.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 159.67.

Haven't had a practice this frustrating in a long, long time. Obviously, one of my longer term goals is trying to figure out how to play heavier volumes of oil or longer patterns of oil and still find some success. Last week I averaged nearly 200 on lanes that had been bowled on and broken in...then I go in for practice last night and there's no movement at all. At one point I was standing with my left foot on the 8-board trying to throw it straight at the pocket. I tried to bring my speed down to compensate...but then you run into timing issues and suddenly I'm yanking the ball and pulling shots and then the next shot I don't get turned and throw it in the gutter.

And I have to work on my relaxation and my mental game. Once I threw the 123 game (#3)...I was so frustrated and just upset...that I punched the couch...and I NEVER take out my frustration on equipment...as a rule...but I was on the verge of just throwing the ball 25mph or going out and getting the urethane ball out of the trunk and doing some 15ft lofts. But...once I calmed down...once I got my concentration back...suddenly the game became better, my release got better, my targeting got better, and I started hitting the pocket 62.5%.

So...who knows what the conditions will be tonight for league play. But we have the most crucial game of the season...probably will determine our fate...so hopefully I got at least something in the tank.

Aslan

02-04-2015, 03:57 AM

Tuesday League Night: medium-heavy oil synthetics

510 Series: 172-167-171

Trivia. Whats the lowest you can score in a game with only 1 open frame? 90. But if I had to guess the average score…I'd say it's 181 on the low end to probably 226 on the high end. I got a 172. Two frames away from an all-spare game. I struck in the 5th and opened with a 3-7-10 split in the 6th.

Game 2 was similar to Game 1; lots of spares and few strikes…but it was slightly different in that I struck twice and opened twice…including a 4-6 split in the 10th.

Game 3 the lanes finally started breaking down enough where my shot carried. I struck more often but early on had some issues with splits…a 2-9 in the 1st and a 3-10 in the 4th….and missed my second make-able spare of the series, a 6-10 in the 2nd.

Arguably significant/insignificant Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.62 pins
Strikes: 25% (1 double and 6 singles)
Spares: 73% picked up

Single Pin spares: 100% (10/10)
Most common single-pin leaves: 4-pin and 7-pin (3x each).

Multiple Pin spares: 53% (7/13)
Most common multi-pin leave: 1-2 (2x)

Splits: 0% (0/4)

Pocket Percentage: 50%
Pocket Carry: 50%
Double Percentage: 0%

Average over 3 games: 170.00.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 170.00.

Played one of the other top teams/contenders so it was a big game. The competition wasn't unbeatable and both teams struggled with the oil volume/length. I was able to survive with solid spare shooting, but it wasn't until about the 5th frame of Game 3 that my ball showed any noticeable down lane movement.

We lost all 4 points…the last two games they beat us by 2 pins then again by 2 pins. Another consistent night…but not that memorable. I was happy with the spare shooting; especially the singe-pins.

Amyers

02-04-2015, 09:21 AM

Aslan

02-04-2015, 05:26 PM

Hey what you should have been happy with was at least managing 50% pocket percentage on what's adverse conditions for you. Take your victories where you can get them. still should be much higher but a lot better than 30-35% crap you did have going on.

I've found the pocket more the last couple outings. For me, the best part was the 100% single-pin spare shooting. Especially when about 70-80% of those were corner pins. I gotta be patient and hope that the strikes will eventually come...but I need to keep my spare shooting game at a high level while I'm waiting.

Mike White

02-04-2015, 05:31 PM

I've found the pocket more the last couple outings. For me, the best part was the 100% single-pin spare shooting. Especially when about 70-80% of those were corner pins. I gotta be patient and hope that the strikes will eventually come...but I need to keep my spare shooting game at a high level while I'm waiting.

Wait, if you can hit the head pin 70-80% of the time now, we need to cut your handicap down 50 % :)

Blacksox1

02-05-2015, 11:57 PM

I gotta be patient and hope that the strikes will eventually come...but I need to keep my spare shooting game at a high level while I'm waiting. Aslan you hit the bulls eye with this sentence. Grow that mental game. :)

Aslan

02-10-2015, 04:03 PM

Monday Practice: medium oil synthetics

Warm-Up Game: 163

530 Series: 188-157-185
Missed a single 6-pin in the 4th and chopped a 3-5-6 in the 9th...so it was a rather disappointing result given the overall performance. By the 4th frame of Game 2 I was coming in right. Sometimes it was not getting my shoulders square and pushing the ball right...sometimes it was just a flat release. But could only convert half of the 4 washouts. Game 3 I started out with a 4-bagger but then chopped a couple make-able multi-pin spares and left a 4-6 split to bring that score down to sub-reality level.

600 Series: 204-213 (clean)-183
Game 4 I chopped a 1-3-6-9 leave in the 3rd frame; my only open. Game 5 I picked up a 1-2-10 in the 5th to save a clean game. And Game 7 was a lot of 9 /s where my only open was a missed single 7-pin in the 8th.

Arguably Useful Statistics:
First Ball Average: 8.54 pins
Strikes: 36% (1 4-bagger, 2 turkeys, 5 doubles and 9 singles)
Spares: 71% picked up

Single Pin spares: 86% (19/22)
Most common single-pin leaves: 10-pin (6x).
Never left a single 1-pin, 5-pin, nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 56% (13/23)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: 2-4-5 (3x).

Splits: 0% (0/2)

Pocket Percentage: 44%
Pocket Carry: 82%
Double Percentage: 34%

Average over 7 games: 184.71.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 188.57.

This practice the lanes weren't quite so heavy/long in terms of oil...and my adjusted, less aggressive lines seemed to play better. I was playing more of a straight line into the pocket...laying it down about the 6-board and about 7-10 board area at the arrows. Even playing that far outside...any attempt to just play it up the 5-6 boards and have it catch dry downlane...it wasn't going to happen. Misses even 2 boards right were at best a 2-4-5 leave and at worst I'd only knock over the 6-9-10 or 6-8-9-10.

But, the drawback to a straight at the pocket kinda shot is you have carry issues and very little room for error. > 1 board miss left and I'd go brooklyn. > 2 board miss right and I'd be lucky to hit the headpin. Carry seemed "okay"...I definitely had a few collapsed pockets that padded the numbers. And playing this type of game...with less carry and very little room for error...the difference between bowling in the 170s/180s versus 140s/150s/160s is how good your spare game is that particular day.

The stats were improved over last practice. Strikes were up, single-pin spare shooting was solid, and I was hitting the pocket a fair amount...and I'm always glad to bowl a clean game...I'm just still struggling with consistency. Something is still not right with my timing, thumb fit, release, and shoulder position that is causing me (even when I hit my mark) to miss the headpin. Sometimes timing is off and I pull it, sometimes I drop the ball as it is about to come off my hand, sometimes I get very little rotation, sometimes I come over the top, and sometimes it just seems like I don't get square/parallel with the foul line...so the ball isn't going in the direction you want it to...even if you hit your mark.

We'll see how Tuesday league play goes. It would be nice to roll a few 180+ games, or maybe a 535+ series, maybe a couple clean games, or maybe just a 245+ game. But, I'm worried that usually after a good practice I have a league night letdown.

Aslan

02-11-2015, 02:03 PM

Tuesday League Night: medium-heavy oil synthetics

Had time for a few warm-up games: 514 Series: 179-168-167

This was good because even though it wasn't on the lanes I was playing on...it gave me a good idea what ball to start with and how the lanes were playing. I didn't have to waste 1/2 of Game 1 figuring that out.

456 Series: 186-116-157

In practice I threw 6 straight strikes to start. 4 of them I wasn't even trying, I was just trying to burn in a line to the right of my line for 'miss room'. So obviously, I was feeling pretty good and pretty confident that it would be a big night. :)

Game 1 was 'okay'. I chopped a 6-10 in the 4th and then couldn't convert the 1-2-10 washout in the 8th...otherwise clean with a decent amount of striking.

Game 2 was 2 splits, 2 missed single-pin spares, and 3 washouts. Didn't strike once. Opened every frame after the 4th.

Game 3 I finally broke down and put the wrist brace on. I just wasn't getting hardly any axis tilt on the ball and zero axis rotation. And I was QUITE tired of watching my ball hit right of the headpin. Well, that was a disaster. It took me a frame or two to get used to it...and the ball was hooking SO much off my hand that I was missing WAY left. I tried to move in, I tried to ball down to the Encounter and then to the less aggressive Encounter...no luck. And I didn't have time to switch lines...because I'd have needed a drastic shift to counter what the wrist brace was doing. EVERY shot was left. I had 3 strikes, ALL brooklyns. I only hit right ONCE and that was with the weakest Encounter when I missed my target about 3.5 boards right and it left me the 1-2-4.

Arguably significant/insignificant Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.44 pins
Strikes: 26% (5 doubles and 7 singles)
Spares: 53% picked up

Single Pin spares: 75% (12/16)
Most common single-pin leaves: 7-pin (5x).

Multiple Pin spares: 41% (13/31)
Most common multi-pin leave: 1-2 (4x)

Splits: 20% (1/5)

Pocket Percentage: 25%
Pocket Carry: 106%
Double Percentage: 11%

Average over 6 games: 161.67.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 168.33.

Miserable. My release is just NOT right. Something is VERY wrong with it. Another night of leaving the 7-pin (for a righty?) a bunch of times and my most common multi-pin leave was the 1-2...unable to get back to the pocket. And it's GOTTA be release oriented...because as soon as I put the wrist brace on...I was having trouble picking up the 3-6 because the Rhythm wanted to hook SO much. The same Rhythm that PRIOR to wearing the wrist brace...was consistently missing right in Game 2.

We'll see. I have my lesson this evening.

And the REAL frustration...is I'm just tired of trying to do things the RIGHT way yet see LESS results than bowlers out on the lanes throwing the WRONG way. I'm tired of watching bowlers just go up there and drop the ball...and wow...they got a nice 7-bagger going!! Yet here I am...trying to not loft the ball...trying to stay behind the ball rather than up the side...and I'm bowling in the 150s. And when you strike roughly 25% of the time...that means your spare shooting has to be perfect. It's REALLY hard to relax...when you KNOW your spare game has to be perfect JUST to salvage a score in the 180s.

We'll see. Something has to change though. I've passed on the sport shot league for the summer and if this continues I won't bother re-joining in the Fall. I was thinking of trying my luck in some tournaments...but that seems like a silly fantasy at this point. And to be honest, if I can't fix this in time for the Summer season...I might not bowl any league. Put my effort into something else. Because at the end of the day, it's supposed to be fun. And 116-157...NOT fun. Embarrassing. And rediculous. The team has absolutely POOed the bed...went from 1st place to last I checked 12th. Our two good bowlers have slumped. Our two horrible bowlers are unable to improve. And I haven't improved at all. So...I know...mini rant...but what a frustrating way to end a night that at the onset looked like it was going to be a good evening. Only took 1 point from a team that was horrible.

Aslan

02-16-2015, 11:12 PM

Monday Practice: medium-heavy oil synthetics

Warm-Up Game: 157?? 159??
I didn't keep score. Was trying to find my line and ball.

482 Series: 192-162-128
In Game 1 I missed a single 2-pin in the 5th and then chopped a 2-8 in the 9th. Otherwise clean even though I didn't strike much. A couple 1-2-10s and a chopped 6-10 kinda killed me in Game 2. Game 3 I only made one spare. Granted, 2 were washouts and 3 were splits.

571 Series: 168-204-199
Game 4 I was 2 splits away from a clean game…but mostly spares. Game 5 I ran a few strikes together late and was only a couple splits away from a clean game. Game 6 I started with a 4-bagger but left a 4-7-9-10 split in the 7th and chopped the 1-2-4 washout in the 10th.

515 Series: 159-173-183
Game 7 I had a washout and a couple chops to deal with. Game 8 I still couldn't strike; but only opened on a 1-3-5-6-9-10 chop in the 6th. Game 9 I chopped a 6-10 in the 4th and then a 1-2 in the 8th…otherwise clean.

Arguably Useful Statistics:
First Ball Average: 8.60 pins
Strikes: 35% (1 4-bagger, 2 turkeys, 3 doubles and 18 singles)
Spares: 60% picked up

Single Pin spares: 83% (20/24)
Most common single-pin leaves: 4-pin (8x).
Never left a single 1-pin, 3-pin, nor 5-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 45% (17/37)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: 1-2-8 and 1-2 (4x each).

Splits: 0% (0/7)

Pocket Percentage: 43%
Pocket Carry: 80%
Double Percentage: 20%

Average over 9 games: 174.22.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 176.44.

Similar to last week's practice. Despite the positive lesson, I was struggling to find a release that consistently got me to the pocket.

Much of that was thumb fit. The new IT insert gor the Bullet Train is too small. The ball kept getting hung up. I tried powder, I tried thumb tape…I tried switching inserts…adding tape to the next biggest insert…just a nightmare. I also had to add some tape to each of the other balls I was throwing as well. Trying to find that dang "perfect fit"…not dropping it…not throwing it through the ceiling.

And the lane conditions weren't helping. I ended up playing with my left foot on the 10-board and targeting just outside of the 5-board. To pick up left side multi-pin spares using my strike ball…I had to loft the right gutter. NOT the ideal entry angle to strike! But there wasn't much dry and my release was screwed up trying to get my thumb situation fixed…so it was either move way right and throw straight at the pocket…or miss right constantly and get the 1-2-8 or 1-2. Left a lot of 4-pins….more than usual. That makes me think the straighter entry angle is coming in high and kicking the headpin sideways, clipping the 2-pin, but not driving it into the 4-pin. More splits than usual because a miss slightly left and you're in splitsville. A miss slightly right and it's the 1-2-8. Maybe a board each way to work with.

Aslan

02-19-2015, 03:39 AM

Tuesday League Night: medium oil synthetics

460 Series: 194 (clean)-121-145

Game 1 I didn't strike much; but it was clean and I was happy about that. Figured once the strikes started coming, I'd be golden.

Game 2 was a collapse, just like last week. 4 splits, a 1-2-8-10 washout, and a stone 8 in the 10th that I missed. I was disappointed, for sure, but this was BETTER than the 116 I threw in Game 2 last week. It was better, because I really only missed 1 make-able spare…and that was on a bad luck stone 8. Only one strike though.

Game 3 I opened on a 3-6-10 in the 3rd by missing right with my spare ball. Then in the 5th I opened with a 3-6-10 again and used my strike ball and clipped the 3 off. In the 6th I left a 1-2-3-5-7 because the ball got stuck on my thumb. Then I managed to strike a couple times before I chopped a 1-2-4-8 washout in the 10th.

Arguably significant/insignificant Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.10 pins
Strikes: 19% (6 singles)
Spares: 60% picked up

Single Pin spares: 87% (7/8)
Most common single-pin leaves: 10-pin (4x).

Multiple Pin spares: 47% (8/17)
Most common multi-pin leave: 3-6-10 (4x)

Splits: 0% (0/4)

Pocket Percentage: 41%
Pocket Carry: 46%
Double Percentage: 0%

Average over 3 games: 153.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 157.00.

Miserable AGAIN! I mean, I like the clean game, I like the spare shooting…but the carry was non-existent.

This time was different than last time. I wasn't missing right…I was missing left. Again…these dang lanes…if they don't oil before league play…there's no way to plan for what you're going to get. Monday I practiced and adjusted my approach due to how slick the conditions were. I de-oiled the Bullet Train and even gave it a once over with a 500 Abralon pad. Used the Bullet Train in Game 1…balled down to the Rhythm in Game 2…then the more aggressive Encounter in the first half of Game 3 and the less aggressive Encounter the last half. The lanes were slightly drier to start with…and just seemed to transition quicker than what I'm used to.

I guess I'm not out of the slump yet. Too bad with the OC Open this weekend. : (

Aslan

02-22-2015, 02:27 AM

OC USBC Open Tournament: low oil synthetics

Doubles:
473 Series: 182-162-129

Started out 9 /, 9 /, X, 9 /, 9 /, X…then a converted washout, then I picked up a 1-2-10 washout…looking forward to a clean game…but I chopped the 2-5 in the 9th…ended clean in the 10th for an 'okay' 182.

Game 2 was a mirror of #1…X, X, 9 /, X, 9 /, 9 /...but then I missed a single 10-pin in the 7th and mentally collapsed ending with a washout, split, washout.

Game 3 I just couldn't snap out of it. split, missed single 4-pin, washout, split, washout to start. I managed to get a few marks before chopping a 2-4-8 in the 9th. Salvaged a 129 with a decent 10th.

Singles:
529 Series: 186-154-189

Strike rate went up when we switched to the singles pair. In Game 1, I only opened with a 6-7-10 split in the 2nd and a chopped 1-2-8.

Game 2 I only made one spare but struck a bit to combat all the opens.

Game 3 I felt I was getting lower and making better shots…only had 2 opens; a 4-6 split I nearly converted in the 4th and chopped 1-2-4 washout in the 10th.

PinPal (and other) Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.52 pins
Strikes: 34% (2 turkeys, 3 doubles, 10 singles)
Spares: 48% picked up

Single Pin spares: 75% (12/16)
Most common single pin leaves: 5-pin (4x).
Never left a single 1-pin, 2-pin, nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 32% (8/25)
Most common multi-pin leave: 1-2-8 (3x)

Splits: 0% (0/7)

Pocket Percentage: 41%
Pocket Carry: 84%
Double Percentage: 36%

Average over 6 games: 167.00.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 172.83.

I was happy with my single-pin spare shooting. The lanes were drier than usual so I couldn't play too far outside….and more splits than usual. Still wrestling with an inconsistent release. Not sure if it's a wrist position issue, or a thumb issue, or a relaxation issue, or what. But I'm just not seeing a good roll.

Aslan

02-25-2015, 02:57 AM

Tuesday League Night: medium oil synthetics

458 Series: 144-170-144

Good times. :(

Game 1: A whole game of missing right…only 2 strikes.

Game 2 was clean through 9 frames except for a chopped 1-3-6 in the 3rd. I decided to put the wrist brace on…I mean I had my most aggressive ball sanded down and was still missing right…so the only option I had was putting the wrist brace on and try to create some revs. Didn't shoot at my first single-pin spare until the 5th frame of Game 2. Missed left every frame until the 8th…when I balled down and then started missing right including a 1-2-10 in the 10th.

Game 3 I opened with a missed single 10-pin…so that didn't put me into a good mood/mindset. Had to ball down again and while the less aggressive Encounter seemed to do fine on the left lane (X, 9 /, X, 3 /, X 7 /)…the more aggressive Encounter missed left all 3 frames; all 3 open (5 2, 7 2, 7 2).

Arguably significant/insignificant Stats:
First Ball Average: 7.69 pins
Strikes: 21% (7 singles)
Spares: 60% picked up

Single Pin spares: 75% (3/4)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (2x).

Multiple Pin spares: 57% (12/21)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 6-10, 3-6-10, 1-2-4, 1-2-3-4-5-7-8 (2x each)

Splits: 0% (0/1)

Pocket Percentage: 31%
Pocket Carry: 70%
Double Percentage: 0%

Average over 3 games: 152.67.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 156.33.

Mudpuppy Cliff Notes: Garbage.

Aslan

02-27-2015, 03:08 PM

Thursday Practice: medium-heavy oil synthetics

Warm-Up Game: 176
Wasn't trying too hard...just warming up and looking at a couple different lines.

552 Series: 209-174-169
Game 1 I only opened on a 1-2 leave in the 2nd. Hit the pocket well...only a couple washouts and I actually picked up the 1-2-4-10. Game 2 I had a couple missed single 6-pins; otherwise clean. Again, a couple washouts...still found the pocket okay...but less carry than game 1. Game 3 I left a 1-2-4-8-10 washout in the 2nd that I couldn't convert...then chopped a 3-5-6 in the 8th...otherwise clean.

556 Series: 179-179-198
Game 4 was okay; but missed a couple single-pin corner spares. Score would have been higher but my only other open was a chopped 2-5 in the 10th. Game 5 I opened on a 1-2-5-7-9 in the 1sr frame and then a 6-7 split in the 3rd...otherwise clean and was hitting the pocket really well...just not much carry. Game 6 my only open was on a 1-2-7 washout in the 9th.

On a league night...I might see that 179-179 and start thinking about perhaps playing for a triplicate...especially when I'm staring at a 179 after an open 9th. All I would have had to do is gutter twice in the 10th for 179-179-179. But in practice who cares? Besides...I don't think thats in the "spirit" of the triplicate...to essentially take a dive in the 10th just to acheive it.

570 Series: 187-199-184
Game 7 was my best game in terms of hitting the pocket. Only missed the pocket twice. Just missed a single 4-pin in the 1st and chopped a 2-4-5-7-8 in the 8th; otherwise clean. Game 8 was my WORST game in terms of hitting the pocket...only 3 times...but I kept things clean until a chopped 1-2-4 in the 10th. Game 9 I still wasn't hitting the pocket very well, but managed to strike enough to keep the score respectable despite 3 open frames.

543 Series: 202-167-174
Game 10 was clean except for a missed single 6-pin in the 6th frame followed by a 4-6 split in the 7th and was making it to the pocket well. Game 11 was a few open frames including a missed single 10-pin. Game 12 was okay until the last few frames when I chopped a 1-2-4, then chopped a 2-7-8 split in the 9th, then couldn't convert the 9-10 split in the 10th.

Arguably Useful Statistics:
First Ball Average: 8.83 pins
Strikes: 39% (7 turkeys, 9 doubles and 17 singles)
Spares: 62% picked up

Single Pin spares: 71% (27/38)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (11x).
Never left a single 1-pin, 3-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 53% (22/41)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: 1-2-4 (5x).

Splits: 25% (2/8)

Pocket Percentage: 56%
Pocket Carry: 70%
Double Percentage: 35%

Average over 13 games: 184.38.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 192.62.

While statistically I was disappointed in the single-pin spare shooting and the lack of games in the 210-250 range...I really like:
1) Every game was above my current average.
2) The pocket percentage was improved.

I'm continuing to work on my pushaway/first step. Continuing to try and stay fluid (not step, then pause, then step, etc...) without rushing my feet. Still trying to get lower...both in the knees and bending over. And still working on a more relaxed shot...slow it down...easy release without grasping it.

Still working on thumb fit...as my release gets "better"...and the thumb comes out better...I have to keep adding tape or getting smaller inserts. If I don't...I've had problems where I just'll drop it and thats where I end up with the really bad first shots where I get a 3-count or 5-count on the first ball.

Going to change my lines a bit...I feel like as I'm getting better...my arm swing is getting closer and closer to by slide foot. That has led to some lines where I feel like I'm throwing across my body (because my left foot is too close to my target) and that leads me to drift left to try and compensate. So I'm gonna try and give myself a 4-board cushion from my left foot to my target board....which is a lot less than what I used to do...but hopefully enough room that it doesn't make me want to drift left.

Need to work on the single-pin spares some more...I can't settle for anything less than 80% until I get to the point where I strike more than 35% consistently. And I'm kinda mixed on the consistency issue. I like that the scores were relatively consistent...hopefully that is evidence that my approach and release and timing are getting more consistent...but I'm also a bit frustrated that maybe I've hit a ceiling of some kind and all I'll ever be is a 180s average bowler at best.

Amyers

02-27-2015, 03:18 PM

Pretty nice set of games their Aslan keep it up! By the way being a 180 average bowler is much better than being a 150-160 average bowler where you were for a while.

fortheloveofbowling

03-01-2015, 03:53 PM

I saw your post the other day talking about your foot position and target board. I refrained from comment because i get you want to do your own thing and learn from your experiences. But you made a very good point and i think you are really on to something in relation to your drifting and throwing across your body. I do think it is beneficial to drift at least a little, i like to consistently drift about 2 boards and use shoulder positions at set up to see my angles the right way. You mentioned 4 boards at set up difference between i'm assuming the middle of your left foot and target board with your eyes. That would be impossible to hit walking straight and not play down and in or pulling the ball. Your mind and body because of hand eye coordination makes you drift to compensate for that. Next time you go bowling stand on the approach with your target foot on whatever board and lay the ball next to your ankle at whatever distance right you think it passes. You should be able to see it pretty closely by watching one of your videos. You will see the middle of the ball is going to be i'm guessing for you 7-8 boards. If i'm trying to play pretty straight my my buffer is never less than 6 boards and that is really rare for me to do that and factoring in 2 boards of drift. Generally i like the look of 8-8 1/2 boards on a normal house shot which makes me feel confident with my swing plain. It is all about making that angle in front look comfortable and fit your eye. It is going to make it much easier to keep that elbow inside if you are directing your pushaway towards a target a little farther right. Just a suggestion.

Aslan

03-02-2015, 06:26 PM

@ftlob-

Yeah. Initially I measured the difference between my swing plane and my left starting foot...and it was about 10 boards. On drier conditions...I might target a spot 14-16 boards right of my plant/slide foot. On slicker/heavier conditions...that might shrink to 8-10 (essentially straight at the target from laydown).

As I've been improving my approach, timing, release...I find that I'm releasing the ball much closer to where my plant/slide foot is. On a couple occasions I've even hit myself in the inner part of the leg during the swing because I'm THAT close to my slide/plant foot. So NOW, I can't target 10 boards out unless the lanes are really dry. Now I'm targeting more like 2-6 boards right of my slide/plant foot.

I think this is also why I'm still missing right a lot. I'm still trying to hit a target that is too far right of my laydown spot...too far for my low rev rate. And it's also why I'm struggling with consistency and will sometimes miss way left. Because, if I don't release it close to my foot...if I don't get low and revert back to my old lofty ways...I'm then throwing at a target inside my swing plane...which will always pull the ball left.

I think one thing I need to work on, in addition to Rob's advice about keeping my arm behind the ball...is to keep the ball under my head...in line with my head. I know thats a big part of Mark Baker's program. But if my head is in line with the ball...and the ball is swinging 5" right of my slide foot...then I should be in a good position.

I agree that a little, consistent drift isn't necessarily a bad thing. But I only feel that way if it's very consistent and just part of your approach. As soo as people start drifting when they don't normally...there's usually "off" that they are compensating for. For me...it's targeting inside my swing plane. My mind is able to see that target...and while I'm stepping...is making an educated guess that if I don't move left...we'll be throwing the ball directly at the 4-pin...so my feet adjust left to compensate. Just like we subconsciously may stop/start during our approach...slow/speed up....etc... Sometimes our mind knows that the ball isn't where it's supposed to be relative to the foul line...and it makes the adjustments subconsciously.

Since drift isn't something I usually have in my approach...then I should probably fix it. Given my struggles right now...I certainly don't need another variable (drift) to worry about.

bubba809

03-03-2015, 12:25 PM

but I'm also a bit frustrated that maybe I've hit a ceiling of some kind and all I'll ever be is a 180s average bowler at best.

Wait Wait Wait.... you are frustrated you think you've peaked with a 180 avg?? I thought you averaged in the 150's/160's?? I have been following your Pinpal statistics for well over a year now. This may be one of your most consistent 13 game sessions I have seen you post! I am not being harsh, but usually there are many 130's, 140's and 150's in there. I would think you would be ecstatic. Furthermore, I could also understand if you have been averaging a 184 for the past few years. Then one needs to question why they are not improving and can "hit a ceiling". This was one session...greatly above your average, and you are questioning if you've maxed out?? Wow. This would be like a 200 avg bowler, rolling a 700 series and saying, "Well, I guess I've maxed out at a 233 Avg." No, that is NOT there average and I'd bet they'd be pretty happy rolling this series (if for at least one day). First, I would say..... Let's try to maintain that 180's average, huh?

Like I said, I've read you for awhile and know how you've dedicated yourself to this sport. I do admire that and your writing style. You should be celebrating your improvements not questioning it. It's still a mystery to me how your mind works Aslan.

vdubtx

03-03-2015, 01:41 PM

Wait Wait Wait.... you are frustrated you think you've peaked with a 180 avg?? I thought you averaged in the 150's/160's?? I have been following your Pinpal statistics for well over a year now. This may be one of your most consistent 13 game sessions I have seen you post! I am not being harsh, but usually there are many 130's, 140's and 150's in there. I would think you would be ecstatic. Furthermore, I could also understand if you have been averaging a 184 for the past few years. Then one needs to question why they are not improving and can "hit a ceiling". This was one session...greatly above your average, and you are questioning if you've maxed out?? Wow. This would be like a 200 avg bowler, rolling a 700 series and saying, "Well, I guess I've maxed out at a 233 Avg." No, that is NOT there average and I'd bet they'd be pretty happy rolling this series (if for at least one day). First, I would say..... Let's try to maintain that 180's average, huh?

Like I said, I've read you for awhile and know how you've dedicated yourself to this sport. I do admire that and your writing style. You should be celebrating your improvements not questioning it. It's still a mystery to me how your mind works Aslan.

Have to agree Bubba.

Aslan, you have made some really good progress with your game, to quit now, since you think you may have hit a plateau, would certainly be very early in your bowling "career". You have a ways to go, but don't give up. You have shown that with hard work you can get that improvement. Keep at it and maintain now, then add some more to you get that increase in. Not going to happen over night as you have experienced.

Aslan

03-04-2015, 02:15 PM

Apparently Bubba and VDub are more "glass is half full" types. :eek:

But thanks for the encouragement.

I was certainly happy with that practice and how every game was above my average. And patience has never been one of my strong points.

I guess I was more frustrated with the "background" and not the "scores". Since it's practice...everyone tells me to ignore the scores anyways...and they're right...I just keep track of the scores because it's automatically kept track of when keeping track of more useful data. I was more frustrated with primarily 2 things:

1) My single pin spare shooting was a little off. It's probably the biggest focal point of mine now and lately.

2) I'm still wrestling with the concept of a "more relaxed shot".

Everyone keeps telling me I need to relax and not try so hard and that I don't need muscle or speed, etc... And my coach...it seems like every time I "drop" the ball...according to the coach "that was a good shot". And I've even seen more rpms come from a more relaxed shot. So, there's something to the idea for certain. But it's very difficult to "try and relax".

Also, I'm experimenting with getting low, and trying to have that more protypical style that most high level bowlers have nowadays....BUT...I seem to perform better when I emulate a style like Mika or Earl Anthony...a very relaxed, precsision-based style.

And also my release...trying to get to more of a "Tweener" release where maybe on favorable conditions I can start opening up the lanes a bit rather than playing between the 5-12 boards every night. And I don't want to wear the wrist brace...even though my team is a big fan of it...but I still haven't got that good release with the right amount of axis tilt, axis rotation, and staying behind the ball.

So yes...I'm happy with the practice...I am pleased to see the pocket % number moving up a bit...and consequently the strike rate up slightly. I think I'll be a better and happier bowler (and community/forum member) once I start hitting the pocket consistently and striking in the 40-45% range. Those of you with higher averages and strike rates have no idea how hard bowling can be if you only strike 10-20%. If I have a game of all spares and a strike...clean game...I've thrown the ball 20 times and scored a 186. In contrast...a thumbless bowler steps up...and despite their muscling and weird timing/approach...and all the "fundamentals issues"...and their inability to pick up even single-pin spares...a couple open frames....they score a 233 and only threw the ball 14 times. So imagine...at the end of the night...the physical and MENTAL exhaustion of having to throw the ball 60 times during league play AND if you're not PERFECT....in every single spare opportunity...your 186 games quickly become 165...155.

Got my results for the OC USBC Open:

- Doubles 78th
- Singles 108th (of 298)

My doubles partner got 29th in singles which was pretty good. It was just something to try for fun so the goal for next year will be to do a little better...maybe even find a couple more interested parties so we can do the team event as well.

Aslan

03-05-2015, 01:58 AM

Weekday Practice: AMF Carter Lanes: heavy oil synthetics

I threw 4 games while waiting for a league meeting to start. I didn't have my equipment so I just threw the urethane ball I keep in my trunk…conventional drilled…14lber.

157
Hit the pocket 7 or 8 out of 10 frames. But when I left 2 or more pins…I couldn't convert.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.60 pins
Strikes: 10% (1 single)
Spares: 65% picked up

Single Pin spares: 100% (6/6)
Most common single-pin leaves: 4-pin and 10-pin (2x each).
Only left the 4, 5, 7, and 10-pins.

Multiple Pin spares: 0% (0/3)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: n/a.

Splits: 0% (0/1)

Average over 1 game: n/a
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: n/a

I like the single-pin spare shooting. Not too concerned about the rest since I wasn't throwing my usual equipment. It'll be interesting to see if my average differs in this new center. I'll still be in the league at my other center…I just wanted to give another center a try. And while it's too early to really make a decision…I must say some of the building improvements this AMF house has made recently..WOW. The outside of the building is all re-painted and has neon lights. They re-did alot of the interior as well.

Aslan

03-06-2015, 02:47 AM

Thursday Practice: medium oil synthetics

Warm-Up Game: 167
Wasn't trying too hard...just warming up and looking at a couple different lines.

573 Series: 187-186-200
Game 1 I had a couple opens but good carry. Game 2 I only opened on a 1-2-4-8-10 washout in the first…clean the rest of the way but not much carry. Game 3 was clean except for a chopped 2-4-5 in the 9th.

467 Series: 140-176-151
Games 4 and 5 I lost the pocket…but I managed to strike more in Game 5. Found the pocket in Game 6 but after being perfect on single-pin spares through warm-up and 5 games…I managed to miss 3 in the final game.

Arguably Useful Statistics:
First Ball Average: 8.49 pins
Strikes: 33% (2 turkeys, 4 doubles and 11 singles)
Spares: 60% picked up

Single Pin spares: 80% (12/15)
Most common single-pin leave: 7-pin (6x).
Never left a single 1-pin, 3-pin, 6-pin, nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 51% (17/33)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: 1-2 (3x).

Splits: 33% (2/6)

Pocket Percentage: 58%
Pocket Carry: 56%
Double Percentage: 28%

Average over 7 games: 172.43.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 177.29.

Kind've a bummer after last week's practice. The two games below my average were disappointing. And despite being automatic on single-pin spares for 6 games…missed 3 in Game 7. But…not terrible. Worked on my push away and staying low. Worked on a more relaxed release. Still struggling with timing/consistency though. Seems like my feet were fast…but then when I tried to slow them down…seemed like it wasn't fluid. Also was experimenting with varying different amounts of forward tilt.

Aslan

03-08-2015, 11:27 PM

Sunday Practice: AMF Carter Lanes: low oil synthetics

Was kinda bored after watching some disappointing hockey, so I decided to go practice. I'm joining a 2nd league next season and it's at a different center. I wanted to get exposure to more than one environment and haven't found a travel team yet…so I joined a league at a nearby center. Thought I'd go there and get some practice…see if the lane conditions were drastically different.

Warm-Up Game: 212
Once I got dialed in, I struck out with a 5-bagger.

550 Series: 234-168-148
Continued to pound the pocket and strike in the first game. Game 2 I lost the pocket a bit. And Game 3 it felt like I couldn't get the pocket back so I balled down to the Rhythm…but had to make a couple adjustments before I could find both the pocket and the carry.

689 Series: 300-176-213
!!!

:eek:

Really?! :confused:

Yes kids and ladies…Aslan has finally done it. Finally, Iceman's gift has wore off on him. I must say…it really didn't occur to me that I'd be throwing a perfect game until after the 4th frame…which was my only non-pocket strike. But even after the first 8…I was pessimistically thinking that I'd eventually leave a 7-pin or a 10-pin. Game 5 I had to make a ball change early…and that was just not working. Neither Encounter would stay right of the headpin. I finally was able to find the pocket with the Slingshot to finish strong in Gamea 5 and 6. Game 6 was quite strong, but I left a 6-7-10 in the 10th.

Marginally Interesting/Useful Stats:
First Ball Average: 9.15 pins
Strikes: 60% (12-bagger, 6-bagger, 5-bagger, 3 turkeys, 5 doubles, and 6 singles)
Spares: 48% picked up

Single Pin spares: 76% (10/13)
Most common single-pin leaves: 10-pin (6x).
Never left a non-corner-pin spare.

Multiple Pin spares: 27% (5/18)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: 3-10 split (3x).

Splits: 14% (1/7)

Pocket Percentage: 70%
Pocket Carry: 85%
Double Percentage: 56%

Average over 7 games: 207.29.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 211.71.

Spare shooting was a bit off, but I found the pocket and I struck.

So…not sure if I wanna further re-cap here…nah…I think I'll start an "Iceman-esque" thread thats a little more entertaining to do justice to THIS topic!!

Mark O

03-09-2015, 08:38 AM

Nice shooting Aslan!

Amyers

03-09-2015, 09:26 AM

Nice Shooting Aslan that puts you a step ahead of me I've never even thrown one in practice not to get one in league so it counts. Looks like those lanes suit your game pretty well

Hampe

03-09-2015, 09:43 AM

Wow....Aslan got a 300 before me :O. I guess the lanes in the US are even easier than I thought they were. Now, excuse me while I go stick my head in the oven....

Just kidding :).....congrats dude.

bubba809

03-09-2015, 10:37 AM

I think those were Depends the Iceman had on not tighty whiteys.

Wow, congrats man! You can always say you bowled a 300 now. Sanctioned or not, you rolled a 300. Doesn't matter what anyone says.

When I rolled mine, guy from work got a bowling pin and heat sealed lettering with my name, "300 Game" & date. I have it sitting on my mantle in the man cave. I highly recommend doing something like that. It will always make you smile.

--Just surprised you of all people do not have video of this momentous occasion.

Aslan

03-09-2015, 01:45 PM

Wow....Aslan got a 300 before me :O. I guess the lanes in the US are even easier than I thought they were. Now, excuse me while I go stick my head in the oven....

Just kidding :).....congrats dude.

Like I tell all the cosmic bowlers that come on here talking trash...and the Missouri based bowlers that bowl on tilted lanes...if it ain't sanctioned...it didn't really happen. :( I know...I know...thats a bummer for Camp Aslan...but it's true.

Bowling on only ONE lane (versus alternating) is a HUGE advantage when it comes to scoring high. Rob M always preaches that lanes vary a lot from one to another...and thats true. Many a league night I've used different balls on different lanes. The only 'trick' to doing it on ONE lane is:
1) Keep throwing the same shot.
2) After 8 strikes...be brave enough to push that target out just a tad...or you risk coming in through the head before completing the feat. Thats not easy to do...to change ANYTHING when you're that close to perfection...but many a 300 are ruined because playing the same line for 8 frames with a reactive ball...you're changing the shot.

Wow, congrats man! You can always say you bowled a 300 now. Sanctioned or not, you rolled a 300. Doesn't matter what anyone says.
Well, it doesn't matter what anyone says...but even I admit that it doesn't really count for much. Practice conditions, no mental pressures, no waiting between shots, no alternating lanes...just too many things that made it easier to acheive.

--Just surprised you of all people do not have video of this momentous occasion.
Like I said...I was fully expecting...right up until the last shot...that I'd eventually make a mistake or get a bad break. It didn't occur to me until that very last shot that I might actually complete the perfect game. I was so wrapped up in it...it didn't even occur to me to video it.

Funny story though...my daughter was there and she was listening to something on her iphone...totally NOT paying attention to me bowling....so after the 11th strike...I tapped her on the shoulder and said, "You might wanna look up." She stared at me oddly...then looked back at her phone. So I tapped her on the shoulder again...same response. Finally after the 3rd time...she looked up and after a couple seconds of processing was like, "Holy cow!"

I could have rolled that perfect game...and nobody but the guy at the desk would have known. Nobody was really near me watching. The only guy watching was the guy at the desk. I noticed him watching after about the 7th frame. I was kinda hoping he'd announce it over the PA speaker or I'd get a prize or something...but he didn't even bother to say congratulations or anything.

The hardest thing about throwing a 300-game...is pressing that "next game" button. I just wanted to stare at it forever. Im not much of a social media guy...but I took a picture and posted it to Facebook, sent it to my coach, and sent it to MWhite. I'm sure the Vegas odds regarding the upcoming Aslan vs. ZDawg 2nd Annual Invitational just changed significantly!

fortheloveofbowling

03-09-2015, 06:03 PM

Congrats on the 300 Aslan. Hope you get one in league soon.

Aslan

03-09-2015, 06:43 PM

Congrats on the 300 Aslan. Hope you get one in league soon.

Thanks. The biggest and really only real advantage in throwing it is I can now comment about how easy it is without VDub reminding me that I should actually roll a 300-game before talking about how easy it is.

So there...it was easy. Too easy. And I know from 1st hand experience!!

Hampe

03-10-2015, 04:10 AM

Like I tell all the cosmic bowlers that come on here talking trash...and the Missouri based bowlers that bowl on tilted lanes...if it ain't sanctioned...it didn't really happen. :( I know...I know...thats a bummer for Camp Aslan...but it's true. Well hey....don't sell yourself too short. You still have one more 300 that didn't really happen than I do :D.

The hardest thing about throwing a 300-game...is pressing that "next game" button. Haha.....I can imagine :D.

bubba809

03-10-2015, 10:44 AM

]Like I tell all the cosmic bowlers that come on here talking trash...and the Missouri based bowlers that bowl on tilted lanes...if it ain't sanctioned...it didn't really happen. :( I know...I know...thats a bummer for Camp Aslan...but it's true.

Bowling on only ONE lane (versus alternating) is a HUGE advantage when it comes to scoring high. Rob M always preaches that lanes vary a lot from one to another...and thats true. Many a league night I've used different balls on different lanes. The only 'trick' to doing it on ONE lane is:
1) Keep throwing the same shot.
2) After 8 strikes...be brave enough to push that target out just a tad...or you risk coming in through the head before completing the feat. Thats not easy to do...to change ANYTHING when you're that close to perfection...but many a 300 are ruined because playing the same line for 8 frames with a reactive ball...you're changing the shot.

Well, it doesn't matter what anyone says...but even I admit that it doesn't really count for much. Practice conditions, no mental pressures, no waiting between shots, no alternating lanes...just too many things that made it easier to achieve.[/I]

I still do not agree with that. A 300 is a 300. Let others have the same conditions as you had. I.E. "Practice conditions, no mental pressures, no waiting between shots, no alternating lanes..." and see how many 300's are still rolled. I realize all these things may add up to "easier" bowling, but it is still NOT easy, especially to those under a 200 Avg.

You may not get all the glory and accolades from being sanctioned but you still did it. When people ask what's your highest game, you say, "A 300". You DON'T say, "A 300 but it was under practice conditions, no mental pressures, no waiting between shots, no alternating lanes...just too many things that made it easier to achieve." But then again, I forgot to whom I was talking to. So maybe your proud grand moment will sadly be downplayed by an Aslan dissertation of the History of Bowling and how you did not deserve that 300. You will probably rationalize to yourself that your loft was not PB III approved or the fact there is no video, there is no 300 (in your special alternate universe).

Dude please don't over analyze this one. You did something a lot of bowlers haven't (under ANY condition). Embrace it and do something to commemorate it (like with the engraved bowling pin).

-Oh and please don't put the screen shots of the 300 on your Match.com profile. Regardless of what you think, this isn't a turn on for women.

Amyers

03-10-2015, 11:23 AM

I still do not agree with that. A 300 is a 300. Let others have the same conditions as you had. I.E. "Practice conditions, no mental pressures, no waiting between shots, no alternating lanes..." and see how many 300's are still rolled. I realize all these things may add up to "easier" bowling, but it is still NOT easy, especially to those under a 200 Avg.

You may not get all the glory and accolades from being sanctioned but you still did it. When people ask what's your highest game, you say, "A 300". You DON'T say, "A 300 but it was under practice conditions, no mental pressures, no waiting between shots, no alternating lanes...just too many things that made it easier to achieve." But then again, I forgot to whom I was talking to. So maybe your proud grand moment will sadly be downplayed by an Aslan dissertation of the History of Bowling and how you did not deserve that 300. You will probably rationalize to yourself that your loft was not PB III approved or the fact there is no video, there is no 300 (in your special alternate universe).

Dude please don't over analyze this one. You did something a lot of bowlers haven't (under ANY condition). Embrace it and do something to commemorate it (like with the engraved bowling pin).

-Oh and please don't put the screen shots of the 300 on your Match.com profile. Regardless of what you think, this isn't a turn on for women.

It was a great accomplishment, it is no where near the same as doing it under league or tournament conditions. I would be proud of it if someone asked me what my high was though it wouldn't be 300 it would be whatever my league high score is. Not trying to take anything away from him or the accomplishment but it's just not the same thing. I have had 700 series in practice before if anyone asks me high series it's 689 my league high series what you do in practice is just practice.

bubba809

03-10-2015, 11:35 AM

It was a great accomplishment, it is no where near the same as doing it under league or tournament conditions. I would be proud of it if someone asked me what my high was though it wouldn't be 300 it would be whatever my league high score is. Not trying to take anything away from him or the accomplishment but it's just not the same thing. I have had 700 series in practice before if anyone asks me high series it's 689 my league high series what you do in practice is just practice.

My point is he bowled a 300 regardless of the conditions. In my book, he rolled a 300. If it was that easy to roll a 300 in practice, everyone would have one. Again, there is no doubt there are many other factors in league bowling that may make it more difficult to obtain. This doesn' change the fact that he rolled 12 strikes in a row in a single game. You think he should just toss it aside and say he didn't actually do that??

Whatever you view, the outcome was a 300 game.

Amyers

03-10-2015, 11:42 AM

My point is he bowled a 300 regardless of the conditions. In my book, he rolled a 300. If it was that easy to roll a 300 in practice, everyone would have one. Again, there is no doubt there are many other factors in league bowling that may make it more difficult to obtain. This doesn' change the fact that he rolled 12 strikes in a row in a single game. You think he should just toss it aside and say he didn't actually do that??

Whatever you view, the outcome was a 300 game.

I would never mention it as being my high game. That's just me I will say I have never done it and I was the first on here to congratulate him on it but it's just practice. It was 12 strikes in a row and that's a great accomplishment not trying to take away from it but at the end of the day it doesn't really count for anything. It's throwing a 300 in a nonsanctioned league at the end its nice but doesn't really count for anything and I would even say that's 10 steps above doing it in practice.

bubba809

03-10-2015, 01:19 PM

It's throwing a 300 in a nonsanctioned league at the end its nice but doesn't really count for anything

Exactly. I already acknowledged he does not receive the accolades like rolling it in a sanctioned league. It's pretty simple to understand. Bottom line is Aslan can always say he rolled a 300. That is a fact.

*For the record, I will say the biggest factor was only bowling on one lane instead of two. This is a dramatic difference.

Mike White

03-10-2015, 02:41 PM

Exactly. I already acknowledged he does not receive the accolades like rolling it in a sanctioned league. It's pretty simple to understand. Bottom line is Aslan can always say he rolled a 300. That is a fact.

*For the record, I will say the biggest factor was only bowling on one lane instead of two. This is a dramatic difference.

I think the bigger factor would be bowling alone, less wear on the oil pattern.

fortheloveofbowling

03-10-2015, 06:04 PM

The man shot 300 period. if someone asks what is your highest game the answer is 300. He will be no more nervous during league more than likely than he was during the practice game. That game could have been better bowled than 1/2 mine who knows? It is not like 300 league games are heavily downplayed by most of us. You don't hear guys say thanks but my 2nd, 4th, and 8th frames were horrible and i shouldn't have even shot 240. Throwing 12 strikes in a row is not easy to do anytime, anywhere, or under any circumstances. It requires a certain degree of skill and luck as well.

Aslan

03-11-2015, 03:34 AM

Tuesday Practice: medium oil synthetics

Warm-Up Game: 169
Wasn't trying too hard...just warming up and looking at a couple different lines.

509 Series: 159-185-165
Game 1 was lots of spares; not many strikes. Game 2 I struck more but missed a single 6-pin in the 5th and opened on a 3-7 split in the 10th. Game 3 I lost the carry again and ran into a couple 4-6-7 splits.

483 Series: 145-157-181
Game 4 I opened 4 times early and then recovered. Game 5 I only opened 3 times; all on splits…but no carry. Game 6 I found the pocket again but had a couple opens early that kept the score down.

Arguably Useful Statistics:
First Ball Average: 8.31 pins
Strikes: 27% (4 doubles and 13 singles)
Spares: 62% picked up

Single Pin spares: 87% (14/16)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (6x).
Never left a single 1-pin nor 3-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 51% (19/37)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: 1-2-4-8 and 1-2 (5x each).

Splits: 0% (0/10)

Pocket Percentage: 44%
Pocket Carry: 72%
Double Percentage: 10%

Average over 7 games: 165.86.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 168.57.

Kind've a bummer after throwing a 300-game. But it was necessary to bring me back down to Earth and re-adjust to the home center conditions.

Told the pro shop guy about the 300-game and he commented that the AMF house was changing their shot and he's heard a lot of people are bowling high scores there. So, thats a bummer that apparently my 300-game was probably bowled on a 'possibly' legal condition. Oh well. It'll be interesting to see if there's a big average difference between houses. If things stay the same…I bet my average there will be 190ish Thats about 30 points higher than my home center. Whats interesting about that is, I averaged high 140s in a sport shot league…only 10 pins lower than my house average. But I think the difference between two centers will be 3x the sport/non-sport difference.

Bradski9

03-11-2015, 09:51 AM

Congrats on the 300 aslan, even if it was just practice. It still gives you quite the confidence boost as a bowler :)

vdubtx

03-11-2015, 10:45 AM

Good job on shooting a practice 300. Now go out and get one in league or competition.

Not to belittle the achievement(really I am not) because you can certainly say you have rolled one, but, single lane in open bowling is vastly different than on a pair of lanes with 7-9 other people bowling with you.

Hampe

03-11-2015, 10:49 AM

manke

03-11-2015, 04:24 PM

I agree with hampe, it makes a big difference if you do it at practice. You don't have all the different variance in condition or people watching and two lanes. But congrats on the 300 now go do it when it counts.

Aslan

03-11-2015, 05:50 PM

Tuesday League Night: medium oil synthetics

562 Series: 209-177-176

Game 1 was solid; only open was a chopped 1-2-4 in the 3rd frame. Took me until the 7th frame to really find the pocket consistently...but I made my spares to keep me alive until I could find it.

Game 2 I only opened twice; both times were a 1-2-4-10 washout...same lane. But then I opened again in the 10th on a 6-7 split. My own fault really. I left a 6-pin in the 8th on that lane and should have probably pushed my shot out just a bit...but I didn't make an adjustment...figured it was just a bad shot that would correct itself...and the next shot...left the 6-pin again but this time the 7-pin stayed up.

Game 3 was a nearly identical game; with 3 open frames total. A chopped 1-2, then a ball that stuck on my hand and left the 1-2-4-5-8, then a chopped 1-2-9 washout in the 9th.

Arguably significant/insignificant Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.62 pins
Strikes: 43% (1 4-bagger, 1 turkey, 2 doubles, 3 singles)
Spares: 58% picked up

Single Pin spares: 100% (4/4)
Most common single-pin leave: 6-pin (2x).

Multiple Pin spares: 46% (6/13)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 1-2, 1-2-4, 1-2-4-10 (2x each)

Splits: 0% (0/1)

Pocket Percentage: 34%
Pocket Carry: 43%
Double Percentage: 28%

Average over 3 games: 187.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: n/a.

Looks like the practice earlier that day paid off and I was able to navigate this tougher center a little more productively than usual. Our top bowler was out so I kinda put some additional pressure on myself to step it up. We bowled a team of 80% 180-200 average bowlers so it wasn't going to be an easy night...but my first game helped us at least salvage 1 point. Our older bowler struggled all night with a hand injury he sustained the previous weekend and our anchor was having an off night...so I was kinda carrying the team hoping the other team would make some mistakes which they rarely did.

I was encouraged by the single-pin spare shooting and the strike rate. Ended up being my highest series of the year without my usual "1 good game and 2 horrible games". But still a bit of a disappointment after bowling so well at the other center Sunday.

My new league at the other (AMF) center starts tonight. I'm very, very, VERY interested in seeing what the difference might be. Two centers that have apparently gone in opposite directions...but I'll expand on that in another post.

Aslan

03-12-2015, 05:20 PM

Wednesday League Night: low-medium oil synthetics

493 Series: 158-182-153

Game 1 I was hitting the pocket but no carry. Game 2 I was still hitting the pocket and struck a bit more, but had a couple splits and a chopped 2-4-5. Game 3 I was striking on the right lane and opening on the left lane. Then I failed to make the necessary adjustmet in the 7th so the 8th-10th were a struggle on both lanes.

Arguably Significant/Insignificant Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.42 pins
Strikes: 36% (1 turkey and 9 singles)
Spares: 55% picked up

Single Pin spares: 85% (6/7)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (3x).

Multiple Pin spares: 38% (5/13)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 1-2-4 (3x)

Splits: 0% (0/3)

Pocket Percentage: 54%
Pocket Carry: 66%
Double Percentage: 16%

Average over 3 games: 164.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 168.00.

The hard thing about rolling a 300 is you then expect another one…and don't get it. This was a new league, new team. The team is a couple female bowlers…one low level beginner and the other one is average. We also have a really old guy and we have a young, thumbless lefty.

The shot wasn't as good as I predicted. It's obvious that it's better than before…but it's also obvious they are still "tinkering" with it.

I think I've fixed most of the timing inconsistencies…but I still have a release inconsistency that needs to be addressed. Too many shots that hit the target and just drifted right of target with no real axis rotation and minimal axis tilt. A lesson tomorrow so we'll see… I feel like I'm on the "verge" of success…fixing all kinds of issues with my stance and approach and timing and ball fit, etc… But there's still a LOT of work that needs to be done and much of that needs to address my release.

I was establishing…so no bigee.

mc_runner

03-15-2015, 02:42 PM

A little late to the party but congrats on the 300! Even if it's practice now you know you have it in you to roll 12 in a row - since you know you've done it before!

Aslan

03-16-2015, 11:14 PM

http://youtu.be/6FQLVSUKE7U

Two league nights and then off to Vegas for a couple days of practice, my 3rd installment of "Rob M. tries to teach Aslan to bowl", Tuesday League Sweeps, then back home in time for another 1-2 league nights before the REAL event….the 2nd Annual Billy Hardwick Memorial Aslan vs. ZDawg Southern California Invitational the following weekend.

I'm sure my many mentors on the site will like at least a couple of the new elements in the video. Finally started working on my release and adding an earlier release to a lower release (that I've been working on for a few weeks). The negatives of the video are I'm still not low enough and I didn't uncock my wrist ideally.

But it'll take some time to get used to the earlier releases. I have to think of rotating my hand much sooner as well as releasing the ball much sooner than I'm used to. But I think it's a big reason for my lackluster rpms…waiting until the ball is already rotated and out in front of me…and THEN trying to almost go over the top or up the side.

Hampe

03-17-2015, 11:33 AM

I have to think of rotating my hand much sooner as well as releasing the ball much sooner than I'm used to. But I think it's a big reason for my lackluster rpms…waiting until the ball is already rotated and out in front of me…and THEN trying to almost go over the top or up the side.Not sure it's the timing as much as your wrist and hand position (also, you're not really supposed to be rotating the ball or your hand during release). If you pause the video right when you get to the line to release, your wrist is broke back, and your hand and fingers are still on the top of the ball. You'll NEVER get any meaningful amount of revs on the ball that way. You've heard it on this forum a hundred times already, but you MUST get your hand behind the ball, and you fingers inside/underneath (as much as possible).

Here's a pic showing what I mean using myself as a comparison(I think I even posted one last year but you're still at the same spot at release):
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc150/paulh82/Aslan_comp2.jpg

Here's the video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=zfJx7UyoRtA#t=14554) where I got that capture from, taken a few weeks ago. Even with my wonky backswing I still get pretty good revs on the ball simply because my hand is behind at release.

Really, your form is looking a lot better from when you started. Only two glaring things I see are maybe your steps being too big (especially the first one) which makes you run a little bit to the line, and your release. I'm not a coach, but if I were to prioritize fixing one of those two, it would be the release for sure.

vdubtx

03-17-2015, 11:44 AM

That first step is a BIG one!! Wow, with first step that huge, I would certainly move closer to the line to shorten it and get more flow in the delivery.

Your release has gotten a lot smoother. I like the no loft that you displayed, and you look nice and balanced at the line.

You have certainly come a long way from the bunny hopping you were doing awhile back. :cool:

Mike White

03-17-2015, 12:48 PM

fortheloveofbowling

03-17-2015, 12:52 PM

Your game is looking better and better every time you post a video though.

Aslan

03-18-2015, 02:13 AM

Thanks all. Yeah, the wrist/release/position I have a feeling is going to be a work in progress for quite awhile.

Aslan

03-18-2015, 03:14 AM

Tuesday League Night: medium oil synthetics

457 Series: 123-153-181

Game 1 and 2 I couldn't find the pocket. Game 2 wasn't quite as bad as the score indicates…but I went - 4 in the 10th coming off a spare. Game 3 I settled down and seemed to make better shots. Other than a chopped 6-10 and a pocket 8-10…would have been clean.

Arguably significant/insignificant Stats:
First Ball Average: 7.81 pins
Strikes: 28% (2 doubles and 5 singles)
Spares: 52% picked up

Single Pin spares: 83% (5/6)
Most common single-pin leave: 5-pin (3x).

Multiple Pin spares: 40% (6/15)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 6-10 and 1-2-8 (3x each)

Splits: 0% (0/1)

Pocket Percentage: 31%
Pocket Carry: 90%
Double Percentage: 11%

Average over 3 games: 152.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 155.67.

A tough last night to the season. I didn't have much practice time between my lesson and league play so I was learning as the night progressed. Doesn't bode well for sweeps this weekend though.

Aslan

03-19-2015, 07:06 AM

Wednesday League Night: low-medium oil synthetics

544 Series: 181-195-168

Game 1 was clean through 5 until I missed a single 10-pin in the 6th. I was then clean through 9 including picking up the 2-10 split in the 9th. All that turned out to be a useless waste of time since I made a bad shot in the 10th, my first non-pocket shot, and left the 1-2-4-7; which I chopped, to open in the 10th and crush my score.

Game 2 I started out with some real bad luck when I left a pocket 8-10 followed by a pocket 7-10. Thats like 4 pocket 8-10s in two weeks…seems like it's something with this center because I rarely leave that at my home center. But, I recovered and was clean the rest of the way; never scoring less than 9 pins on the first ball.

Game 3 I put together a turkey near the end to salvage a decent score…but it was a real disaster of a game. Two missed single 10-pins, a chopped 2-5, a chopped 3-6-10, and a weird 2-4-8-10 split that I can't recall ever leaving before. So only 6 marks that game…but 5 of them were strikes so that helped.

Arguably Significant/Insignificant Stats:
First Ball Average: 9.00 pins
Strikes: 41% (1 turkey, 4 doubles, and 3 singles)
Spares: 50% picked up

Single Pin spares: 72% (8/11)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (7x).

Multiple Pin spares: 14% (1/7)
Most common multi-pin leaves: n/a (all 7 were different).

Splits: 25% (1/4)

Pocket Percentage: 88%
Pocket Carry: 46%
Double Percentage: 42%

Average over 3 games: 181.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 190.67.

Even though it was a tiring drive in the middle of the night to Vegas…I gotta admit I was glad to get a positive bowling experience in before sweeps. I found the pocket all night…made very few bad shots…and managed to run some of the strikes together which made up for a sub-par spare shooting performance.

Our team, led by the old guy nearly throwing a 600 series and my strong Game 1 and Game 2 while our anchor finally showed up in Game 3 to bail me out, took all 4 points and are 8-0 thus far early into the season.

Aslan

03-20-2015, 05:50 AM

Practice for Sweeps in Las Vegas: synthetic lanes/heavy oil

Warm-Up Game: 137

505 Series: 174-178-153
Game 1 I had a couple opens and a couple splits but struck well. Game 2 I only had a couple opens with no splits (other than the 3-7 I converted in the 5th); but didn't strike worth a damn. Game 3 was only a couple opens and a split…but striking/carry woes continued. Glad to see the series was over 500 though.

519 Series: 189 (clean)-161-169
Game 1 was 3 strikes and the rest spares. Very few people can say they rolled a clean game < 190. But I'll take it. I guess I'd rather be good than lucky. Game 2 had 4 opens and should have been a worse score but I struck out in the 10th to salvage a 160+ game. Game 3 I had a few opens early but was clean in frames 5 through 10. Too little too late though.

492 Series: 209 (clean)-151-132
Game 1 was another spare-fest but I managed to run a few strikes together to get over 200. And then things started falling apart mentally. Game 2 I lost pocket; only hit the pocket twice the entire game. Only had a few open frames…but only struck once. Hard to strike as it is without adding missing the pocket to the equation. Ad that mentally killed me. Game 3 I just started missing right, my timing was off…and the worse I'd do the more pissed I'd get and the more tense I'd get and the worse I'd do. I shoulda just bowled 9 games and went back to the room.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.39 pins
Strikes: 27% (3 turkeys, 3 doubles, and 16 singles)
Spares: 61% picked up

Single Pin spares: 100% (22/22)
Most common single pin leave: 10-pin (7x)
Never left a single 1-pin, 5-pin, nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 46% (26/56)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 1-2-8 (5x).

Splits: 30% (3/10)

Pocket Percentage: 41%
Pocket Carry: 69%
Double Percentage: 23%

Average over 10 games: 165.30.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: n/a.

I compared these numbers to the last time I bowled before sweeps in Vegas about a year ago. Obviously, the numbers for everything but strike % improved significantly since last year at this time. So thats a good thing. Unfortunately my expectations have risen at an even faster pace. I need to find a way to be more patient.

The first step/goal in this practice was to fix my current lines. My lines are just too tight. I was starting out with my left foot on 10.5 and my target was the 9-board at the arrows. That meant I was trying to lay the ball down on about the 8-board…targeting the 9-board…which makes me throw it across my body. So I had to fix those lines a bit.

I then tried to avoid the tendency when I missed right…to move right. Otherwise…the lines tighten back up. Instead, I was trying to move my target point (eyes) closer to me than the arrows. I fiddled with the idea of reducing my speed to compensate for the "las vegas style" heavy-oil lanes…but only the pros can honestly change their speeds without screwing up their timing so I abandoned that idea rather quickly.

I balled down to the Encounters and then started having thumb fit issues. The Encounter (A) is a bit big while the Encounter (N) is a little tight. I don't usually throw those balls in league play so I haven't really done a good job on the tape for those balls. At one point the Encounter (N) stuck on my hand and almost carried me down the lane…and of course that messes with you mentally the rest of the night.

The biggest positive for me was the 2 clean games and the 22/22 on singlepin spare shooting. It's rare for me to go 100% on single-pin spares…but to do it on tough lane conditions, otu of my usual comfort zone and over 10 games with 22 opportunities is really quite a feat for me. If single-pin spare shooting becomes "automatic"…that'll really free up my time/efforts to fix the carry/strike rate issue.

The problem right now is I'm thinking of 4 things on the set-up through delivery. I've been trying to keep that at about 1-2 with 4 being the absolute maximum. But…the 4 things are KEY to me having success. If I thought about all 4 and focused…I made good shots and had clean games and even managed to strike. When I left out just ONE (or more)…I made bad shots.

Lesson with Rob tomorrow morning should be fun and helpful. Always look forward to getting that opportunity. Then, assuming the knee is fine and my thumb isn't too beat up…probably 7-10 more practice games tomorrow night to get me ready for sweeps on Saturday. It would be nice to do well in sweeps for a change and actually take home some $$$. Not to mention this league is full of sandbag-a-sauruses that I'd like to stomp on.

Amyers

03-20-2015, 09:30 AM

Congrats on the 100% single pin percentage. I'm pretty sure I've never done that over that many games.

Hampe

03-20-2015, 09:55 AM

Have a good lesson and good luck with the sweeps!

vdubtx

03-20-2015, 10:55 AM

NiCe job on the single pins Aslan. Good luck in Vegas and have fun at your lesson with Rob.

Aslan

03-21-2015, 07:09 AM

Practice for Sweeps in Las Vegas: synthetic lanes/moderate-heavy oil

Warm-Up Game: 180

498 Series: 174-178-153
Game 1 I had a couple opens and a couple splits but struck well. Game 2 I only had a couple opens with no splits (other than the 3-7 I converted in the 5th); but didn't strike worth a damn. Game 3 was only a couple opens and a split…but striking/carry woes continued. Glad to see the series was over 500 though.

497 Series: 189 (clean)-161-169
Game 1 was 3 strikes and the rest spares. Very few people can say they rolled a clean game < 190. But I'll take it. I guess I'd rather be good than lucky. Game 2 had 4 opens and should have been a worse score but I struck out in the 10th to salvage a 160+ game. Game 3 I had a few opens early but was clean in frames 5 through 10. Too little too late though.

Assorted Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.40 pins
Strikes: 29% (2 turkeys, 1 double, and 14 singles)
Spares: 65% picked up

Single Pin spares: 70% (12/17)
Most common single pin leave: 10-pin (5x)
Never left a single 1-pin, 6-pin, nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 62% (22/35)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 6-10 (5x).

Splits: 50% (3/6)

Pocket Percentage: 53%
Pocket Carry: 55%
Double Percentage: 18%

Average over 7 games: 167.86.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 176.00.

So lets see…I ended with a 492 series last night…then shot a 498 and 497 tonight. My total spread for the last 5 series on these lanes ranged from 492-519. Most of the numbers from last night to tonight (like first ball average and strike rate) were virtually identical.

But the ones that were different tell the story. Last night I struck the same amount but was able to string more of them together. Last night I struggled on multi-pin spares and was perfect on single-pin leaves. Tonight I was less than perfect on single-pins (always missing inside) but made some adjustments to pick up the multi-pins. I even improved on the 30% split pick-up rate picking up the 2-4-10 and 4-9 in addition to the baby 3-10.

Because the lanes are so slick, I've had to move my targeting in from the arrows to almost the dots to get the ball on the lane sooner. That seems to be working and is much more preferntial to trying to mess with speeds/timing. The downside is it really throws off any 3-6-9 or 4-8-12 spare adjustment system which I don't use for corner pin leaves but do use for the 2-pin, 3-pin, 5-pin, 8-pin, 9-pin, and most multi-pin spare leaves. So I had to push my target back out a bit for those leaves and that helped the multi-pin spare shooting.

Only worked a little bit on what I learned in my lesson with Rob. I try not to incorporate new things into my game until I've gotten adequate practice time working on the items…but his help on my release may be something I have to incorporate out of necessity. Doesn't matter how early I deliver the ball or how lightly I set it down on the lanes (vs lofting) if I can't get any axis tilt.

De-oiling the Bullet Train in the homemade ball dehydrator I brought with me. Figured I'd type this while waiting and then jump in the shower real quick before going to bed ( a bit later than planned). Thanks for the well wishes. It would be nice to actually win some money in sweeps tomorrow…God knows I ain't gonna win any in Vegas gambling. I played slots a bit last night and was up $30 but gave it back. Then tonight I dropped about $135. I've NEVER won in Vegas. It's so bad I rarely even gamble much…no fun in it. I spent $90 trying to get the little progressive wheel to spin and when it finally did I won $3. *#^%ing Vegas!

Aslan

03-22-2015, 10:36 PM

Sweeps in Las Vegas: medium-heavy oil synthetics

591 Series: 223-190-178
Game 1 was 7 strikes in the first 8 frames. Left a 1-2-8-10 washout in the 4th on a bad shot and then fouled trying to pick it up. Started losing pocket in the 8th but made spares to finish clean.

Game 2 I again started out with a turkey and was dialed in to the pocket..but then lost it. Only had two opens but 1 was a 3-10 in the 9th.

Game 3 was probably a better game than Game 2 in that I only had one open in the 3rd; another 3-10 baby split. But I only struck once every 3 frames and ended with a disappointing sub-190 game for my efforts. I tried switching balls on one lane, and that helped get back to the pocket…but the other lane was bad shots, not the ball per se.

PinPal Stats: (compared to my last sweeps on these lanes 1 year ago)
First Ball Average: 8.85 pins
Strikes: 48% (1 4-bagger, 2 turkeys, and 6 singles)
Spares: 75% picked up

Single Pin spares: 100% (6/6)
Most common single pin leave: 2-pin (3x)
Never left a single 1-pin, 4-pin, 5-pin, 6-pin, 8-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 60% (6/10)
Most common multi-pin leave: 3-10 (2x).

Splits: 0% (0/2)

Average over 3 games: 197.00.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: n/a.

Our team didn't do that well but I had a pretty good outing. This was the first sweeps (of 3) that I felt like I was in the running to finish top 3 when handicap was factored in. And while the strong strike rate in game 1 was a big factor, it was really the fact that I didn't really miss any make-able spares. I missed a couple weird ones and a couple splits…but that was it.

While it's been a struggle week to week and season to season, it's obvious that when you compare year-to-year; I'm improving. Even if you compare $$$ won at sweeps, 2013/2014 (Vegas) $0, 2014 (Laughlin) $26, 2014/2015 (Vegas) $172. And in terms of the stats above, the items in BOLD I actually did TWICE as well as I did last season.

Ended up finishing 5th place with a 747 handicap. The men's winner was the high average bowler who I know has competed at higher levels but I'm not sure if it was collegiate or PBA regional…but he ended up with a 748 scratch and was around 796 with handicap. The differnce between me and 3rd place was only 20 pins but I'd have had to average about 214 over the 3 games to beat the ringer when he's averaging just shy of 250.

The ringer that won it last year won it this year and the ringer female that won it last year won it again. It kinda makes me mad because when I played the ringer's team…he was dogging it…only really putting any effort into it if he was in line for a 300. And the female ringer when we played against her actually SAID that she doesn't really try that hard during the season because it's all about sweeps. Not really in the "spirit" of handicap…but I digress...

Rather than be bitter that those two scratch level bowlers keep winning the pots, it just further motivates me to get better and BECOME the ringer that everyone else complains about. And it'd be nice to win in the $900-$1000 range so the trip actually doesn't cost anything. Granted this time it cost me more because it was 1/2 bowling and 1/2 mini-family vacation…but still. And now that I'm in two Vegas leagues in different houses…it may be 4x as expensive a habit.

Amyers

03-23-2015, 11:12 AM

Congrats man that was a good showing. Keep it up you've definitely started to put some things together.

NewToBowling

03-23-2015, 01:07 PM

Good bowling. So is this a national tournament in Vegas? How do you qualify?

Aslan

03-23-2015, 01:58 PM

Good bowling. So is this a national tournament in Vegas? How do you qualify?

No. "Sweeps" is just when the league you play in meets to compete for money. A lot of leagues make a trip out of it and go to Vegas or in some cases Laughlin or Reno. But in the midwest and east coast a lot of leagues do similar "sweeps" at locations more local. It's more popular out on the west coast becasue Vegas has a ton of bowling alleys at casinos and Vegas is only 4 hours away. So the vast majority of sanctioned leagues sweep in Vegas.

There ARE national tournaments that also meet in Vegas. I know the ABT does two big tournaments out there with a lot of $$$ at stake. But I look at those tournaments as probably less likely to win than a PBA tournament because not only are you facing elite competition...but you're dealing with sandbaggers and their handicaps as well. I played in a couple local tournaments in the ABTA and the general consensus is that the tournaments are rigged. The same people seem to win each time....and they are usually closely tied to or related to the people actually running the tournament. And unlike USBC tournaments...they really don't do as dilligent a job of checking handicap validity.

NewToBowling

03-23-2015, 02:10 PM

Ok, gotcha

Aslan

03-25-2015, 09:41 AM

Tuesday League Night: medium oil synthetics

524 Series: 188-144-192 (clean)

Game 1 was the only game I really felt good and was finding the pocket. But I had a couple opens in the 5th and 6th frames and the score was only as high as it was because I strung 4 strikes together at the end of the game.

Game 2 was a disaster. In frames 3 through 6 I had 3 washouts that I couldn't convert and chopped a 6-10.

Oddly enough, Game 3 was my WORST game in terms of pocket %. I really only hit the pocket flush ONCE. 4 of the frames I left the headpin. 4 of the frames I completely crossed over. And thats part of the reason the score was so low despite the game being clean. I wasn't striking….just leaving garbage and picking it up…including picking up a 5-6 split in the 6th to keep things clean.

Arguably significant/insignificant Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.29 pins
Strikes: 32% (1 4-bagger, 2 doubles and 3 singles)
Spares: 66% picked up

Single Pin spares: 75% (3/4)
Most common single-pin leave: n/a.
Left a 3-pin, 6-pin, 8-pin, and 10-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 64% (11/17)
Most common multi-pin leave: 1-2-4 (3x)

Splits: 50% (1/2)

Pocket Percentage: 29%
Pocket Carry: 110%
Double Percentage: 18%

Average over 3 games: 174.67.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 178.00.

A disappointing night overall. I mean, I got a clean game and won $5 in the poker game…and helped my team to what might be 3 points once they figure out handicap for the bowlers that were establishing. But the 144 is just unacceptable. I want to be a league leader in average this season…190-205…in that range and I can't acheive that with these occasional "off" games.

I felt confident and loose and relaxed…especially in that first game. I think the strong performance at sweeps has helped me mentally. But the release is still a work in progress. I was doing an above average job of hitting my mark…but missing left and right. Didn't seem to be a timing issue…so the likely culprit is my release. And it was visibly obvious on some shots that the ball just had no axis tilt and never really made a move to the pocket.

fortheloveofbowling

03-25-2015, 12:08 PM

Nice set at the sweeper and except for the 1 bad game would have had another 570+ set following. It seems to me that you are about to step up another level. It probably feels that way to you as well.

Aslan

03-25-2015, 08:12 PM

Nice set at the sweeper and except for the 1 bad game would have had another 570+ set following. It seems to me that you are about to step up another level. It probably feels that way to you as well.

I think sweeps might have been a turning point, at least in terms of confidence. But, we'll see. I've thought I've been at turning points before only to find that they were minor bends in the road.

RobLV1

03-26-2015, 08:50 AM

I think sweeps might have been a turning point, at least in terms of confidence. But, we'll see. I've thought I've been at turning points before only to find that they were minor bends in the road.

Remember our discussion last week. If you won't believe in yourself, believe what I told you. You don't have to wait and see. You have the ability. Now just make it happen. Noone controls the scores you bowl but you. Have a plan before each shot, set, and go. That's all there is to it.

Mike White

03-26-2015, 09:36 AM

Remember our discussion last week. If you won't believe in yourself, believe what I told you. You don't have to wait and see. You have the ability. Now just make it happen. Noone controls the scores you bowl but you. Have a plan before each shot, set, and go. That's all there is to it.

The problem is, Aslan likes to make an 84 page plan.

Aslan

03-26-2015, 11:29 AM

Wednesday League Night: medium oil synthetics

511 Series: 191-172-148

Game 1 was a solid effort. Game 2 I only opened on a single 2-pin in the 3rd and then again in the 10th on a baby split. Game 3 I was doing okay until a rough patch in the 7th, 8th, and 9th frames.

Arguably Significant/Insignificant Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.47 pins
Strikes: 28% (1 turkey and 6 singles)
Spares: 59% picked up

Single Pin spares: 75% (6/8)
Most common single-pin leaves: 2-pin, 5-pin, and 10-pin (2x each).
Never left a single 1-pin, 3-pin, 4-pin, 6-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 50% (7/14)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 2-4-5 (2x).

Splits: 0% (0/2)

Pocket Percentage: 19%
Pocket Carry: 150%
Double Percentage: 22%

Average over 3 games: 170.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 176.67.

Very disappointing. Another sub-525 series due to one game being terrible. I was just unable to find the pocket the whole night starting about 3/4 through Game 1. And without the pocket…strikes are few and far between…which means my score hinges on being perfect at spare shooting. Multi-pin spare shooting was a plus tonight…but you can't always count on that.

There were some (+)s, if you will…another > 500 series…still shooting single-pin spares between 75%-100%, our TEAM (where there is no "I") took 3 out of 4 from the 2nd place team so while we're no longer undefeated…we're still in 1st place….AND I won the 2nd game poker hand so I cleared $5 from poker hands last night and $15 more tonight.

Something is still very "off" with my release. My coach wanted me to start turning my wrist and releasing the ball sooner…which combined with staying low and relaxing my shot would create more revs and better axis tilt. Rob taught me a simpler way to accomplish the same thing in terms of hand position and that seemed to work in Vegas. The staying low and relaxed release are working fine…but I'm still seeing a huge variance in ball reaction/axis tilt/axis rotation from shot to shot. Either my wrist is not in the proper position or it's over-rotating or whatever…but I'm hitting my mark and watching the ball hit the headpin and both sides of the headpin…so it's either timing or release (or both). Hopefully I can get some practice in today and then the big Aslan/MWhite/ZDawg tournament on Saturday evening.

Amyers

03-26-2015, 11:49 AM

The problem is, Aslan likes to make an 84 page plan.

I wasn't aware that he had shortened it.:rolleyes:

Aslan

03-27-2015, 09:18 AM

Thursday Practice: AMF Carter Lanes: low oil synthetics

Was debating whether to practice or not. Done a lot of bowling recently. And my thumb is a bit raw. But…I really needed to focus on my release and I can't do that during league play. Decided to do a comparison between the different release ideas from my two lessons and compare those to me wearing the wrist brace.

Warm-Up Game: 157
After a handful of frames I decided to try a more inside line (like Rob M. would play) but it wasn't working so for the comparison I went back outside. The lanes seemed quite a bit drier than during league play. I couldn't even use the Bullet Train and started the comparison using the Rhythm.

Release: "Release at the Line: Start turning hand before getting to the line": 148-189
I started working better near the end of Game 2. But, in general, I felt like I had trouble hitting my mark, like I had less control over the ball's direction. And if I didn't stay low or I bounced up…then I couldn't keep my hand behind the ball.

Release: "Inner edge of hand (not thumb) to the ceiling": 168-212
This felt better than the first release (above). It just felt easier; more natural.

Release: Using wrist brace: 173-203
The problem with this set was I needed to change balls anyways; but switching to the wrist brace is almost a 4-2 move and a ball change in and of itself. So I primarily used the less aggressive Encounter in Game 1 and then the Slingshot for Game 2. Noticeably more revs and a better axis tilt with the brace on…but not necessarily better results than above. The 2nd game was probably my best game as I struck over 50% and the only open was a chopped 3-6-10 in the 9th.

Marginally Interesting/Potentially Useful Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.70 pins
Strikes: 42% (2 4-baggers, 1 turkey, 5 doubles, and 12 singles)
Spares: 53% picked up

Single Pin spares: 66% (6/9)
Most common single-pin leaves: 8-pin (3x).
Never left a single 1-pin, 3-pin, 5-pin, 6-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 50% (16/32)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: 3-6-10 and 3-10 split (4x each).

Splits: 14% (1/7)

Pocket Percentage: 57%
Pocket Carry: 75%
Double Percentage: 36%

Average over 7 games: 178.57.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 182.43.

More red than really justified; but these numbers are being compared to the last time I practiced at this center and I happened to roll a 300-game that time. Not sure if I figured my release issue out…OR…I just continue to excel when conditions are dry or both. But I feel better about the release than I did coming into practice.

I think I'll keep the wrist brace off for now and focus on option #2 (above). The wrist brace DOES give me more angle to the pocket…but at the expense of accuracy AND it'll require me to make adjustments to me starting lines as well as cause me to add more tape to the ball thumbholes…which I then will have to remove when I bowl without the brace on.

Aslan

03-31-2015, 05:31 PM

2nd Annual Billy Hardwick Memorial Aslan vs. ZDawg Southern California Invitational: Brunswick Cal Oaks Bowl/medium oil synthetics

596 Series: 170-246-180
The video is posted for everyone to view so no game-by-game analysis is really necessary.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 9.10 pins
Strikes: 51% (1 6-bagger, 1 turkey, 3 doubles, and 1 single)
Spares: 50% picked up

Single Pin spares: 50% (4/8)
Most common single pin leave: 10-pin (4x).
Also left a 2-pin, 7-pin, 8-pin, and 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 50% (3/6)
Most common multi-pin leave: 2-4-5-7-8 (2x).

Splits: 0% (0/1)

Average over 3 games: 198.67.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 213.67!

Obviously I don't have much to complain about. But it DOES really sting that my single-pin spare shooting was only 50% after a recent 75% and before that being in the 80-100% range. I feel like I'm on the "verge" of being a 180-200 average bowler where I could bowl guys like Mike scratch…but I can't say I'm there if I'm missing 3/4 of my single 10-pins.

Lots of green up there…but realize this is being compared to last year's event where I was just horrible (despite the victory).

Aslan

04-01-2015, 10:21 AM

Tuesday League Night: medium oil synthetics

527 Series: 171-208-148

Game 1 I had carry issues and missed a few very make-able spares. Game 2 I did quite well but had a 2-5-7 split in the 5th and a 5-7 split in the 9th; otherwise clean. Game 3 I struggled finding the pocket. I think I got lazy with my knee bend and my release.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.69 pins
Strikes: 34% (1 4-bagger, 2 doubles and 3 singles)
Spares: 55% picked up

Single Pin spares: 62% (5/8)
Most common single-pin leave: 9-pin (2x).
Never left a single 1-pin, 2-pin, nor 4-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 50% (6/12)
Most common multi-pin leave: 1-2-4-8, 1-2, and 1-2-8 (2x each).

Splits: 0% (0/3)

Average over 3 games: 175.67.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 186.00.

On the good side, my best start to a season since my first full season in a sanctioned league when I shot 545 and 533 to start. And of the two leagues I'm in, that's 4 500+ series out of 5 attempts. The downsides? Obviously my single-pin spare shooting is still a bit off. And yet another night where during one game I seem to lose pocket and struggle to get over 150…which just kills the series. 3 straight league nights with one game in the 140s. And I can't believe that in Game 2, with only two open frames (both splits), I only managed to get a 208. I struck 7 times! 6 strikes in the first 7 frames! And all I had to show for it is a measely 208.

Game 3 I just think I got lazy. I stopped bending my knee..and then I stopped getting my wrist in the proper position on the release….and shots started missing right. And the oil pattern seemed tougher today. They may have shortened the pattern slightly or maybe reduced volume since last season…but they still aren't oiling before league play so whatever garbage is there from people bowling on it all day…thats what ya get.

Aslan

04-02-2015, 10:10 AM

Wednesday League Night: low-medium oil synthetics

585 Series: 203-164-218 (clean)

Game 1 was only a missed single 2-pin away from being clean. Game 2 I lost pocket a bit and struggled with single-pin spares; missing 3 of them, including a 7-pin in the 10th leaving that frame open. Game 3 I couldn't string a long line of strikes together, but was able to stay clean and finish with a respectable score.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 9.09 pins
Strikes: 46% (2 turkeys, 1 double, and 7 singles)
Spares: 68% picked up

Single Pin spares: 50% (5/10)
Most common single-pin leave: 7-pin (3x).
Never left a single 1-pin nor 5-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 100% (6/6)
Most common multi-pin leaves: n/a (all 6 different).

Splits: 100% (2/2)

Average over 3 games: 195.00.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 210.67.

Obviously this was a great series for me; the 3rd highest I've ever thrown in sanctioned play. 6 pins less than what I bowled at sweeps in March and 8 pins lower than my best sanctioned series that I rolled last December in the Citrus Belt BVL tournament.

The biggest disappointment of the night was single-pin spare shooting. Obviously at practice on Thursday I need to work on single-pin spares afer about 5 straight league nights where I'm under 80%. And last night it wasn't so much corner pins…I missed not only a 4-pin, 6-pin, and 7-pin; but also a 2-pin and an 8-pin.

And even on these good nights…where my multi-pin spare shooting was exceptional…single-pin spare shooting hurt me. I could have won hundreds of dollars last night in side pot money in the first game and third game. I think in both cases I missed it by maybe 10 pins or less.

The new release is "working"…but I need to work on my focus. If I really focus on my mark and makig sure my hand position is right…getting low and staying relaxed…I can almost always find the pocket and score well. But I have a tendency to lose that focus and then I find myself not bending my knee and releasing the ball flat…then trying to 'compensate' with bad habits.

vdubtx

04-02-2015, 10:48 AM

Nice shooting Aslan.

Gotta get that single pin pick up improved! I could see 10 pins missed, but 7 pins?

http://www.reactiongifs.com/r/6gh.gif

Keep that improvement coming along. You will be a 199 bowler just like Mike White in no time. :cool:

Amyers

04-02-2015, 11:35 AM

I know where you are coming from if I'm on with the spares I make them all but God if I miss one I'm going to miss 3 or 4. Congrats on the nice series.

Mike White

04-02-2015, 12:54 PM

I know where you are coming from if I'm on with the spares I make them all but God if I miss one I'm going to miss 3 or 4. Congrats on the nice series.

I refer to opens as potato chips, because it's hard to stop at just one.

Amyers

04-02-2015, 01:36 PM

I refer to opens as potato chips, because it's hard to stop at just one.

Nice one Mike

Mark O

04-02-2015, 01:43 PM

I refer to opens as potato chips, because it's hard to stop at just one.

Haha that is probably the most true statement I've ever heard! I can go games without opening but then as soon as I miss an easy one the floodgates open. It's all in my head as it is with most people but still funny to hear it referred to as potato chips.

As for the actual scores though nice shooting Aslan! Some real good scores lately between the competition and your league night! A 180-200 bowler is a wide range but I don't think you are on "verge" of anything, I think you are already there. Not at the high end yet obviously, but at the 180 side of the range absolutely! You've improved a lot and as you incorporate and practice these new techniques you'll build up muscle memory and you won't have to think about it as much and the consistency will come. Keep working on it and make those single pin spares! Think of each missed single pin spare as 3 pins off of your average on the night. If you're missing 3+ a week that's 10+ pins off of your average...they add up quick!

Aslan

04-02-2015, 03:45 PM

Gotta get that single pin pick up improved! I could see 10 pins missed, but 7 pins?

Yeah. That was a weird night to miss all those easy ones. I 'believe' that it's because of a slight change/adjustment I've made to my spare shooting system (explained in far too much detail...Mudpuppy warning....below):

For corner pins I have a set place to stand and target. For any combinations* or middle (1, 2,3,5,8,9) pins...I have certain lateral movements that I do:

1-pin = no movement
2-pin = 4 boards right (same line)
3-pin = 4 boards left (use imaginary line)
5-pin = no movement, but target moves down the lane slightly to accomodate for it being further back than the 1-pin.
8-pin = 2 boards right, same line, but the target gets moved a little more (than for a 5-pin) down lane to accomodate for the distance.
9-pin = 2 boards left, imaginary line, target pushed out same as above

The issue is, that when I was practicing in Vegas I found that when I used the exact same target as I would for a strike shot...and only made lateral movements to pick up middle or multi-pin spares...I was missing. The reason is that in Vegas I was targeting FAR closer (the dots) than I normally would to try to get the ball to react sooner and read the lane better. So I adjusted my spare shooting so that for multi-pin and middle pin shots, I use the arrows rather than a point further towards me/foul line. And that has greatly increased my ability to pick up multi-pin spares. Unfortunately, I've been struggling on middle pins using that adjustment. So I'm going to cancel that adjustment for single, middle-pin spares...and just continue using it for multi-pin spares.

* some multi-pin spares (6-10, 4-7, 8-10, 7-9, 7-10, 1-2-4-10, 1-2-4-7-10) I still use my plastic spare ball.

Keep that improvement coming along. You will be a 199 bowler just like Mike White in no time. :cool:
Especially if I can pay an 8-year old to spill Kool-Aid on the left side of the approach prior to competition!! :eek:

Haha that is probably the most true statement I've ever heard! I can go games without opening but then as soon as I miss an easy one the floodgates open. It's all in my head as it is with most people but still funny to hear it referred to as potato chips.
It's definitely like that for me. When I'm on...it's a very repeatable shot, nice follow-through, and I expect to pick it up. But once I miss...I get to the line and think, "dang it...I sure hope I don't miss this!"...and then I 'try' to put more hand in it and my follow-through is off or I throw it at the wrong speed, etc...

Keep working on it and make those single pin spares! Think of each missed single pin spare as 3 pins off of your average on the night. If you're missing 3+ a week that's 10+ pins off of your average...they add up quick!

It cost me even more last night (see below)
Game 1: 203/237hcp would have been a 214/248hcp. The winner of the first hdcp side pot shot a 241hcp and won $82.
Game 2: 164/198hcp would have been a 196/230hcp. (1 frame away from a Dutch 200 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_200))
Game 3 was clean and I picked up the one single-pin spare (10-pin) in the 10th, scoring a 218/252hcp, but missed the $82 hcp side pot by 4 pins to a guy that shot 256hcp.

So it cost me 15 pins of average and $82. It didn't cost our team the point in Game 2...they had a guy that shot a 276 scratch and a 140 bowler bowl a 176 so there was little we could do about that point even had I made my single-pin spares...and I did my best to win the Game 3 sidepotbut just came up short.

Thanks for the support!! And I agree with Mark O...if I can just 'tweak' by technique at this point (rather than another complete overhaul), I might be able to start having some muscle memory and not HAVE to think or remember to focus on certain parts of the approach/release...and that will be a welcome "un-burdening" for sure.

Aslan

04-02-2015, 04:10 PM

Also, Hampe, VDub, and RobM might be extra proud of me that the 218 clean game I was using different balls for each lane as the left lane seemed noticeably drier/shorter than the right lane. Two balls with similar measurements and layouts...but one drilled conventionally with tape in the hole and one drilled with the VISE IT inserts that obviously feels much different.

Aslan

04-05-2015, 07:53 AM

Thursday Practice: medium oil synthetics

Warm-Up Game: n/a
First 4 games I played "low-ball".

502 Series: 167-158-177
Game 1 was actually was way better than the score indicates. My only non-split open was a 1-2-7 washout. But, I had 3 splits that game (very uncommon for me). Game 2 I had a 6-7-10 split in the 5th, then missed a 10-pin in the 9th, then a 1-2-4 washout that I chopped in the 10th. And Game 3 was clean except for an 8-10 split in the 7th and a chopped 3-6-9 in the 8th.

Arguably Useful Statistics:
First Ball Average: 8.31 pins (exactly the same as last practice at this center)
Strikes: 25% (1 turkey, 1 double, and 3 singles)
Spares: 60% picked up

Single Pin spares: 83% (5/6)
Most common single-pin leave: 7-pin and 10-pin (2x each).
Other 2 pins were a 4-pin and 6-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 52% (9/17)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: 1-2-8, 1-2-7, and 8-10 split (2x each).

Splits: 0% (0/5)

Average over 3 games: 167.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 170.33.

Kind've a bummer. But, it's a harder house/pattern/lane condition than where I bowl on Wednesdays…so, to be expected.

The numbers were almost identical to the last time I practiced there. Within about 2% on every stat.

The first 4 games of practice I only shot at corner pins. I was trying for a lowball score of 40 or less but had to settle for a couple high 50s before rolling a few actual games. And MOST distracting environment possible with a party of asian middle schoolers right next to me. I swear at one time 7 of them were on the approach at one time.

I think part of the reason for the letdown in Game 2 was I got lazy with my knee bend and release. If I focus on those things and my mark…good things usually happen. But sometimes I'll get lazy and lose that focus and then bad things happen.

On a good note….another series over 500. And I got some work in on corner-pin spares.

Aslan

04-08-2015, 11:13 AM

Tuesday League Night: low-medium oil synthetics

413 Series: 152-140-121

&^$%%^#& ($&&%^! :mad:

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 7.74 pins
Strikes: 22% (7 singles)
Spares: 41% picked up

Single Pin spares: 33% (2/6)
Most common single-pin leave: 3-pin (3x).
Other leaves were a single 4-pin, 7-pin, and 10-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 44% (8/18)
Most common multi-pin leave: 6-10 (3x).

Splits: 0% (0/6)

Average over 3 games: 137.67.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 148.33.

*#$&&% %*&$ ^%$^#. :mad:

So, playing the same team we played in Vegas at Sweeps…where I put up a 591 series (on Vegas conditions)…back in my home center…I display a 413??

In Game 1, 3 splits and a missed single 4-pin (despite 4 games of low-ball practice last week). Game 2…2 splits…a missed single 3-pin, and a chopped 1-2-4-8. And to add insult to injury…in the 10th frame I SLAMMED the ball into the inside of my left ankle deflecting it about 5ft into the gutter. Lets just say Game 3 my swing was destroyed as I was so afraid to get that ball anywhere close to my ankle (which was bruised and sore).

The last 6 games, starting at sweeps…over two leagues…I've averaged a 547 series (182). And now this. I was hoping to FINALLY answer my coaches question, "How have you been bowling lately?" with "Great actually!" But instead…I gotta answer with my usual, "Up and down".

Amyers

04-09-2015, 03:09 PM

Well at least you can say it was a total disaster. I hate those days when my strike ball is working and I just can't spare or vise vs. and u have to wonder why. Looks like the wheels fell clean off now time to put them back on again

Hampe

04-13-2015, 06:09 AM

Also, Hampe, VDub, and RobM might be extra proud of me that the 218 clean game I was using different balls for each lane as the left lane seemed noticeably drier/shorter than the right lane.Well, I can't speak for the other two, but for me, rolling a score like that while having to play a completely different line on each lane is more impressive than just playing with different balls (especially if you're playing with 2 different balls so you can play the same line).

BUT (despite what I consider impressive or not), it is good that you were using the ball that gave you the best chance to strike on each lane. That's the most important thing :D

And don't get too down regarding your most recent lapse. It happens to everybody. Bowling and golf are similar in that way.....as soon as you think you got everything figured out, a round like that comes along and knocks you back on your butt :). Some nights it just seems to snowball on you. The important thing is to just put it behind you, think about what you were doing wrong (in my experience, a lot of times I just can't figure out what I'm doing wrong while it's happening, but after contemplating on it for a day or 2 it will usually occur to me what it was), and try to do better next time.

Aslan

04-13-2015, 01:47 PM

Well, I can't speak for the other two, but for me, rolling a score like that while having to play a completely different line on each lane is more impressive than just playing with different balls (especially if you're playing with 2 different balls so you can play the same line).

BUT (despite what I consider impressive or not), it is good that you were using the ball that gave you the best chance to strike on each lane. That's the most important thing :D.

I can't remember if it was the same line or not. I usually decide on the line for each lane during practice. I try my strongest ball up the outside (5-9) and up the 'middle' (10-14). If it's going left on those lines, I may get brave and try the 'inside' (15-21)...but that usually isn't successful. I just can't create enough angle to hit the breakpoint from there and have it come back.

I then try my next strongest ball up the outside and middle...and once in a great while up the inside. I usually end up using the strongest ball and I usually end up playing the outside line. Those are my "defaults". But given that little protocol....it's very often the case that I'm using a different ball on 2 lanes or playing different lines with the same ball or even different lines with different balls. I try to let the lanes dictate what I should do rather than me just throw my strongest ball over and over up 2nd arrow.

The coach might have figured out my ankle issue. It appears I was developing a bad habit where my initial push-away was slightly out to the right. This led me to 'figure 8' the ball in the swing so the ball wasn't coming straight BY my ankle...it was coming TOWARDS my ankle.

Some signs of improvement are:

1) The ball is getting closer and closer to my ankle...and it SHOULD. I used to have a swing that was too far from my body...now it's better.

2) I bought my 6th VISE IT insert last Thursday. Apparently...as I'm gripping the ball less and my swing has become more relaxed...my thumb is coming out of the ball easier...which means previously drilled inserts are getting "too big".

Other than that...a LOT of work on release. Like most others, my coach doesn't like my loft. Thus far all attempts to eliminate it have somewhat failed. It's almost at the point where I wish I lived closer to Mika so I could get him to coach me since it's a part of his game and he's successful with it. But, I'm still trying to get rid of it. Right now we're trying to move eyes in from the arrows to the dots. I have a tendency to throw the ball wherever I'm looking (rather than TOWARDS wherever I'm looking). So we're going to try to move my eyes in and see if that allows me to release the ball only a 'little' late versus a "lot" late.

I worry about this approach for 3 reasons:
1) As our target moves in...our accuracy should increase...but if we miss...we miss much bigger down lane. (Think of a rifle barrel versus a snub nose revolver).
2) I have a tendency to limit my follow-through if I target too early.
3) It limits my ability to adjust for pin carry by moving my target forward and back.

Where it might be helpful to adopt is:
- Releasing it earlier adds revs...and it's the "good" kind of revs (hand behind the ball, etc...).

And...I need to say focused on my mark until the ball is past it...sometimes (like golf), I pick my head up too soon.

Amyers

04-13-2015, 03:31 PM

I've tried targeting at the dots and I cant do it. my accuracy goes everywhere

Aslan

04-14-2015, 10:42 AM

Monday Practice: medium oil synthetics

Warm-Up Game: (didn't keep score; 178 I think)

453 Series: 118-159-176
First 2 games I was back to missing right. Calmed down and had a decent 3rd game which would have been a higher score if I hadn't ended with a pocket 7-10 in the 10th.

574 Series: 208 clean-168-198
After really struggling to get back to the pocket, I took drastic measures and put my big wrist brace on. Missed a couple makeable spares in Game 2. Game 3 was a chopped 6-10 in the 8th away from being a clean 209. I tried to take the wrist brace off in Game 3, but almost immediately started missing right so I put it back on.

613 Series: 198-215-200
I was going to cut it off (practice) after 6 games but felt I was on to something so I stuck around for another set. I felt like I was keeping my hand behind the ball better. I took the wrist brace off for Game 1 and did 'okay'. Game 1 I chopped another 6-10 in the 6th and then again in the 10th. I put the wrist brace back on for Games 2 and 3. Game 2 I strung a 5-bagger together which made up for a - 8 open in the 1st and a missed 10-pin in the 3rd. Game 3 was clean until the 10th when I missed right and left the 2-4-5-7 which I chopped.

Arguably Useful/Non-Useful Statistics:
First Ball Average: 8.45 pins
Strikes: 39% (1 5-bagger, 1 4-bagger, 2 turkeys, 4 doubles, and 15 singles)
Spares: 59% picked up

Single Pin spares: 78% (15/19)
Most common single-pin leaves: 7-pin and 10-pin (5x each).
Never left a single 1-pin, 6-pin, nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 50% (19/38)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: 6-10 (7x).

Splits: 0% (0/5)

Average over 3 games: 182.22.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 186.22.

Kind've a bummer. But a much needed practice after my worst league night ever last week and after my recent lesson.

I don't want to wear the wrist brace…but at this point the results seem to favor using it at least temporarily. One problem I've been having is that I take lessons at one of the easier houses in the area. So even if I don't release the ball well or hit my mark…the ball tends to strike. That makes whatever I'm working on in the lesson seem like, "whoa! This is really working!" Then I get back to my home center, one of the more challenging houses in the area, and suddenly things aren't working.

I mainly focused on getting my stance right…making sure I was pushing the ball away properly…and yes, targeting the dots. Not sure I'm sold on targeting the dots just yet…but I'll keep giving it a shot. Like Amyers eluded to…a miss that close on the lanes…ends up being magnified as the ball travels and ultimately reaches the pins. I'm tempted to abandon the idea given it was supposed to help me lay the ball down sooner and get more revs…which I can get fom the wrist brace. But I'd like to use the wrist brace temporarily and really only to keep my hand in the proper position. I still want/need to learn how to generate revs properly, lay the ball down (not loft it), use the lane, etc…

The trick will be adjusting to the wrist brace. A large wrist brace does a few things to my game:

1) It negatively affects my spare game. My goals is > 80% on single-pin spares EVERY time. That will be more challenging with the wrist brace on and I hate taking it on and off between shots.

2) It changes my lines. My "lines" that I use are based on how the ball has been moving in the particular center with my standard release. I may need a couple weeks of adjustments to take into account the ball hooking more.

3) MORE TAPE. I know…I already have WAY too much tape in my thumbholes (8-9 pieces). And using a large wrist brace causes your thumb to come out even easier…making the thumb hole seem too large. So I'll probably have to add even MORE tape.

I still have 199 games left (total, not per ball) before I make an arsenal change. But I'm far too cheap to have 5 balls plugged and re-drilled with smaller thumb holes. That would realistically cost about $175 MINIMUM. Even having the holes just widened to accept the VISE IT inserts would run at least $100. But that assumes it's that easy. These balls all have slightly different layouts and some are tri-grip drilled. There may be other layout related issues that need fixing. And that $100 or $175 could suddenly grow to closer to $275. All this for 5 balls that will be retired in < 200 games. And the biggest CULPRITS are actually the tri-grip trio (the Encounters (2) and the Slingshot). The Rhythm is actually "okay" and the spare ball was drilled more recently by Mike after my game had changed a bit and that thumb hole is smaller to begin with. But since I don't often USE the Encounters or the Slingshot…it's even less incentive to have them plugged and re-drilled.

ETA: For Hampe; I did practice using alternating lanes (league style) and I played the outside line on the left lane and the middle line on the right lane. Most of the time using different balls as well as different lines.

Amyers

04-14-2015, 11:14 AM

Aslan why not just have the thumb holes slugged and redrilled? I know things are more expensive there in SoCal than they are here but I get charged $10 bucks for it here.

Mike White

04-14-2015, 01:37 PM

Aslan why not just have the thumb holes slugged and redrilled? I know things are more expensive there in SoCal than they are here but I get charged $10 bucks for it here.

If it's a round thumb hole, I charge a whole $5 to drill the thumb hole in the slug, drill the hole in the ball for the slug, and glue the new slug into place.

Aslan

04-14-2015, 01:57 PM

Aslan why not just have the thumb holes slugged and redrilled? I know things are more expensive there in SoCal than they are here but I get charged $10 bucks for it here.

It's $10-$15 to slug them. Then you have to pay another $35-$55 to re-drill. It might be lower if it's just the thumb...I'm just going off the prices I've gotten to have a used ball slugged and re-drilled.

Thats why I think buying used balls is kinda a waste of money. You end up getting a nice ball for $100 (rather than say $179 new); but then you need to slug and re-drill and now you've spent $170. It's still better than $179 + $55 = $234...but many shops drill the ball for free if you buy it from them (usually at a slightly higher than retail price...lets say $199). So it becomes a question of whether you want a brand new ball drilled once for $199-$234 out the door or if you want a twice drilled used ball for $170.

And thats where it depends greatly on the pro shop. Some pro shops mark up the balls $20-$90 and offer free drilling ($55 value) and they make their money in the mark-up. Other pro shops give you the same price as the internet but always charge the $55...so they make their money in the drilling. And just looking at the numbers...the 2nd way is more profitable because the shop can likely get the ball at below the internet cost...so they make a tiny bit in mark-up in addition to the $55 to drill.

But no, I don't think you can get one plugged AND re-drilled for $10...not around here anyways. I might be able to find a shop to drill each thumbhole for VISE IT inserts for $20 per thumbhole and then another $10-$15 for the little part the insert screws into. But thats probably my cheapest option of $30-$45 per ball x 5 balls = $150-$225 total.

Hey...another 199 games and it won't be an issue. Arsenal #2 is anxious to debut and ready to go! At my current rate of practice/league play/tournaments I should be making a wholesale arsenal change by the end of August. That'll give me 1-2 weeks to get used to it before my two leagues sweep in Vegas on September 12th.

So; 3-4 months of either dealing with the tape issue or just dropping the $200 on getting them slugged/re-drilled. Tough choice. I guess it'll depend on just how much of an annoyance the extra tape is. Also, there's an above average chance that when I meet again with my coach in 4 weeks...that the wrist brace might go back into re-retirement. Every time I've went to a positioner or brace...we've worked on fixing issues so wearing those devices would be unnecessary...and I don't see that opinion changing anytime soon.

Amyers

04-14-2015, 02:07 PM

If it's a round thumb hole, I charge a whole $5 to drill the thumb hole in the slug, drill the hole in the ball for the slug, and glue the new slug into place.

Yeah the 10 bucks covers the drilling with the slug. Who charges separately for that it's insane. Anyone getting a ball slugged needs a new hole drilled unless your going from one handed to thumbless or something.

Aslan

04-14-2015, 02:23 PM

If it's a round thumb hole, I charge a whole $5 to drill the thumb hole in the slug, drill the hole in the ball for the slug, and glue the new slug into place.

I thought it was $10 just to have it filled? And I'm kinda lost on the "slug" part. Mine don't have "slugs" inserted in them...just the hole in the ball (lined with a great deal of tape). I know many people insist on actually adding "slugs" to a drilled ball. So are you saying to fill it in and redrill the hole it's only $5? How can it be $55 to drill 3 holes but $5 to drill one? Mathematically it's going to make my head explode.

Amyers

04-14-2015, 03:14 PM

Plug- pour liquid in hole wait for drying then redrill takes about two days

Slug- Drill out hole to the size of slug, insert slug, drill hole takes 5 minutes. Most people only slug thumb holes.

Mike White

04-14-2015, 03:40 PM

I thought it was $10 just to have it filled? And I'm kinda lost on the "slug" part. Mine don't have "slugs" inserted in them...just the hole in the ball (lined with a great deal of tape). I know many people insist on actually adding "slugs" to a drilled ball. So are you saying to fill it in and redrill the hole it's only $5? How can it be $55 to drill 3 holes but $5 to drill one? Mathematically it's going to make my head explode.

Well first off, I charge $45 to drill.

That includes placing the grip center line in such a way that gives you the layout you've selected.

That also includes marking up the spans so the ball feels right.

Converting from the straight thumb hole into the ball is FAR easier than 1/3 of drilling the whole ball.

Using the Ferrari Jig, I drill a thumb hole of a specific size into the center of a slug (no pitches).

Then I measure the pitches and size of your current ball's thumb hole.

I position the ball in the jig such that I would drill right into the center of your current thumb hole.

Then drill a larger hole to fit the slug size.

Glue the slug into place, then cut the part of the slug off that is sticking out of the ball.

Finally I bevel the new thumb hole.

Now that I list it out, I should charge $10 for it as a stand alone option.

Aslan

04-14-2015, 04:27 PM

Now that I list it out, I should charge $10 for it as a stand alone option.
Or make it $12...give ole Aslan a $2 kicker for helping you realize more profit potential. Hmm??

Mike White

04-14-2015, 04:29 PM

Or make it $12...give ole Aslan a $2 kicker for helping you realize more profit potential. Hmm??

Well if you like the kicker, lets make it $15 :)

Amyers

04-15-2015, 12:15 AM

And Aslan learns something new today

Aslan

04-15-2015, 03:11 AM

Tuesday League Night: low-medium oil synthetics

532 Series: 163-176-193

Disappointed that scores weren't higher wearing the wrist brace. Game 1 I was doing 'okay'…just had a couple splits I couldn't convert and then pulled a shot at the 1-3 in the 10th and opened. Game 2 was similar but no splits. My only open cost me big though; a - 9 following a spare. Game 3 I was about ready to just give up after starting out with 3 splits in the first 4 frames and then missed a 6-10 in the 6th. But I managed to string a 4-bagger together to end things and salvage a decent 190s game.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.39 pins
Strikes: 36% (1 4-bagger, 1 double, and 6 singles)
Spares: 65% picked up

Single Pin spares: 100% (5/5)
Most common single-pin leave: n/a.
Left a 1-pin, 2-pin, 3-pin, 6-pin, and 10-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 53% (8/15)
Most common multi-pin leave: 6-10 (4x).

Splits: 20% (1/5)

Average over 3 games: 177.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: n/a.

Expectations are pretty high…so it took a little retrospection to appreciate that tonight wasn't as bad as it seemed.

1) My strong performance at the end of Game 3 helped our team take 3 points.
2) I was 100% at single-pin spares.
3) All my pinpal stats were positive including a respectable strike rate of nearly 40%.
4) I nearly threw 2 clean games…only 3 non-split frames where I opened.
5) I met my goal of 525+ and bowled my highest series that I've bowled in this league this season and 3rd highest since I joined the league last season.

I wore the wrist brace and got better revs…but I'm not sure it served it's main purpose of keeping my release consistent. By the end of the night I was standing straighter and lofting a little bit. It just felt more natural and allowed me to be balanced and follow-through and get good motion on the ball.

Aslan

04-16-2015, 03:14 AM

Wednesday League Night: low oil synthetics

To clarify…a pattern with light oil on the outside, probably a bit shorter than standard, and a good deal of oil volume in the center.

614 Series: 221 (clean)-212-181

Game 1 was clean. I missed right on a few shots but was able to pick up the spares. Game 2 started out even better until I opened for the first time in the 6th frame on a single 4-pin…then released a shot flat and left the 2-8 which I chopped. But, I finished strong and 'almost' stole the point for our team…had I struck out I think we'd have tied. Game 3, again, looked even better; clean through 6. But then I left a 5-10 split in the 7th and again in the 9th. Both times the ball stuck just a little. I was having VISE IT grip issues as my usual one was getting tight but the next size up was too big.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 9.12 pins
Strikes: 45% (3 turkeys, 2 doubles, and 2 singles)
Spares: 76% picked up

Single Pin spares: 90% (9/10)
Most common single-pin leave: 7-pin and 2-pin (3x each).
Never left a single 1-pin, 3-pin, 5-pin, 6-pin, nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 57% (4/7)
Most common multi-pin leave: 5-9 split (2x).

Splits: 0% (0/2)

Average over 3 games: 204.67.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 208.00.

Temper the excitement for a moment….
1) This is in the AMF house that has ideal conditions for my game…
and 2)…I am 'sorta' cheating by wearing my wrist brace.

But…
- it's my highest sanctioned series ever.
- it was my first sanctioned 600.
- our team took 3 out of 4 points (they lost all 4 against a bye team last week when I skipped)

The Pinpal stats seem to paint an accurate picture. The previous league night I struck about the same…but tonight I just ran them together better. The previous league night my spare shooting was off and tonight it was 76%. Whats weird is the previous league night I picked up a few hard ones; 2-8, 2-7-8 split, and 3-9-10 split. Tonight my only multi-pin misses were the 2-8, 5-10 split, and 5-10 split.

But, it felt good. The other team was stacked with a good female player and two 180s/190s guys and I beat everyone on their team and my team scratch. I was bummed I couldn't get just one more clean game. I've never had 2 or 3 clean games in one series. And I missed men's side pot AGAIN…this time by 26 pins. The wrist brace was cumbersome and I don't like it…but it keeps my hand from breaking backwards. Breaking isn't a bad thing if you can get it back to cupped as it releases the ball (like Mike Fagan does)…but it was wreaking havoc on my game as sometimes I'd get it partially back and then the next shot it would be releasing the ball from above. The brace just keeps the release relatively consistent shot to shot.

And remember…as the season started I made the bold prediction that I'd average 30 pins higher in one house versus my home center…and while so far it's been more like 12 pins higher…tonight makes it 20 pins higher. This house re-oils before league play…the pattern is very heavy in the middle and dry outside and it seems about 1-2ft shorter than a THS. I missed right on a few shots by 3 boards and still struck or hit the headpin. And if I slightly pulled the shot…it held at the 11-17 board area. This league is going to be FUN! The other one will be more of a challenge.

Amyers

04-16-2015, 09:29 AM

Hey not bad. Quit sweating the wrist brace I know some seriously talented guys and gals who use them. I've considered trying one myself I have the opposite problem I tend to over cup my wrist If I ever find one I'm comfortable with I'd use it. Congrats on the sanctioned 600

fortheloveofbowling

04-16-2015, 10:23 AM

Nice bowling Aslan.

Mark O

04-16-2015, 11:06 AM

Nice bowling man, congrats on your first sanctioned 600!

RobLV1

04-16-2015, 11:35 AM

Nice bowling! I knew you could do it.

vdubtx

04-16-2015, 12:22 PM

Good bowling Aslan. Congrats on your first sanctioned 600. Once you get that first one out of the way, more are sure to come.

Aslan

04-16-2015, 01:02 PM

Nice bowling! I knew you could do it.

Thanks All.

I'm holding off on the confetti until I roll a decent series Tuesday. I hate getting super excited about my progress only to roll a couple 119 games the following Tuesday.

The problem all last year was I knew I needed to fix some things...like timing and my push-away and my approach/footwork. But I knew in the back of my mind...that even IF I fixed all of things...my release was too inconsistent to be successful. The wrist brace seems to alleviate that problem. It doesn't mean I'll execute every time or hit my mark 100% of the time...but at least if I DO execute and hit my mark...the result should be the same (or similar). And that really helps in a lot of ways. For example...it's a lot easier to know how to adjust my target/feet if I'm confident that the lane conditions are the variable in the equation. Simple scientific methodology is to only change one variable in an experiement at a time. With my release being a variable...I never really knew what was working and what wasn't.

So now I gotta try to get the same consistent release withOUT the brace...thats gonna be the goal of practice tonight. But...if it doesn't work...I'll keep wearing the brace until I can get it to work.

vdubtx

04-16-2015, 01:05 PM

So now I gotta try to get the same consistent release withOUT the brace...thats gonna be the goal of practice tonight. But...if it doesn't work...I'll keep wearing the brace until I can get it to work.
As you well know, consistency is not going to come over night. Keep working at it. Keep working with the brace and when you are consistent with it, then try without it. Enjoy the highs and the learn from the lows.

RobLV1

04-16-2015, 07:04 PM

Thanks All.

I'm holding off on the confetti until I roll a decent series Tuesday. I hate getting super excited about my progress only to roll a couple 119 games the following Tuesday.

The problem all last year was I knew I needed to fix some things...like timing and my push-away and my approach/footwork. But I knew in the back of my mind...that even IF I fixed all of things...my release was too inconsistent to be successful. The wrist brace seems to alleviate that problem. It doesn't mean I'll execute every time or hit my mark 100% of the time...but at least if I DO execute and hit my mark...the result should be the same (or similar). And that really helps in a lot of ways. For example...it's a lot easier to know how to adjust my target/feet if I'm confident that the lane conditions are the variable in the equation. Simple scientific methodology is to only change one variable in an experiement at a time. With my release being a variable...I never really knew what was working and what wasn't.

So now I gotta try to get the same consistent release withOUT the brace...thats gonna be the goal of practice tonight. But...if it doesn't work...I'll keep wearing the brace until I can get it to work.

As I told you, my coach was watching me bowl one day and came up to me and said these exact words: "Close your eyes, hold out your right hand, and don't argue with me." After doing what I was told, he placed a Mongoose on my hand. As promised, I didn't argue, at least until we were on the golf course the next day. When I told him that wearing the brace would prevent me from staying behind the ball the way I wanted to, he replied, "I wear one, and you've seen me bowl." (as have you). The next day I averaged 228 for four games wearing the brace. The only time that I take it off now is when I really want to reduce my rev rate for a specific lane condition.

Tony

04-16-2015, 11:28 PM

Nice bowling !

Aslan

04-17-2015, 02:18 AM

Thursday Practice: medium oil synthetics

Warm-Up Game: (didn't really keep score; 157 I think)

505 Series: 170-175-160
First 3 games I tried without my wrist brace. Game 1 I had a couple opens.. Game 2 I had a couple opens. Game 3 I had a few opens.

553 Series: 178-184-191
I put the wrist brace back on since it appeared like on about every 3rd shot I was not getting good axis tilt.

Arguably Useful/Non-Useful Statistics:
First Ball Average: 8.50 pins
Strikes: 33% (5 doubles and 12 singles)
Spares: 70% picked up

Single Pin spares: 87% (14/16)
Most common single-pin leave: 7-pin (5x).
Never left a single 1-pin, 5-pin, 8-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 60% (15/25)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: 6-10 (3x).

Splits: 25% (1/4)

Average over 6 games: 176.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 180.17.

Strikes just weren't there. I was hoping I could work on my release a bit to maybe alleviate having to wear the brace. But I guess that'll take some time. With the brace on, the scores weren't heads and tails above what they were with it off…but about 50 pins and much better strike rate and first ball average. In the final game I only got less than a 9 count on the first ball once. And if I pull it…it goes brooklyn…if I push it right it'll still likely come back into the pocket…just light.

Still had some thumb issues. The Encounters seem to stick on my hand…not because the holes are too snug with tape…but perhaps it's something like the thumb position. Those two balls (and my Slingshot) are drilled Bill Hall Tri-Grip. From what I remember, that slightly alters the angle of your thumb. Well, that angle may be contributing to the ball getting hung up on my hand. Or it may just be that I no longer throw the tri-grip balls very much (with my new progression system) so I'm just not used to them. And it might be that my thumb is just a bit over-worked. 4 straight days of bowling.

Aslan

04-22-2015, 09:21 AM

Tuesday Pre-League Practice: medium oil synthetics

Warm-Up Game: didn't really keep score.

490 Series: 158-161-171
A LOT of single-pin spare problems in all 3 games.

527 Series: 136-214-177
Three 'okay' games. I was kinda rushed since league was about to start.

Arguably Useful/Non-Useful Statistics:
First Ball Average: 8.72 pins
Strikes: 35% (1 turkey, 2 doubles and 16 singles)
Spares: 57% picked up

Single Pin spares: 61% (11/18)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (6x).
Never left a single 1-pin nor 6-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 54% (12/22)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: 3-10, 1-2-8, and 4-7.

Splits: 42% (3/7)

Average over 6 games: 169.50.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 180.50.

No improvement over last week's practice. :( Not sure what was 'off'. But single-pin spare shooting was off. I had to change my targets by a board on the quarter pins. Not sure why.

Aslan

04-22-2015, 10:00 AM

Tuesday League Night: medium oil synthetics

454 Series: 171-139-144

Game 1 was actually pretty solid; only opened on a 6-7 split in the 5th then a 5-10 split in the 10th.

Game 2 I left back-to-back 4-6 splits in the 2nd and 3rd frames and chopped a 3-6-10 in the 4th and had to ball down on both lanes. And switching to the Encounter on the one lane proved problematic because of thumb fit being too tight. I had to take a bunch of tape out…then it was way too lose. Four open frames in that game; but in fairness, 3 frames were splits.

Game 3 was more of the same. A 5-7 split in the 1st that I picked up and I then proceeded to strike EVERY time on that lane. The more aggressive Encounter with the thumb-hole fixed…I had a perfect line and my release was good. On the OTHER lane, I eventually dropped down to the less aggressive Encounter, but just couldn't find my line. Ended up with 4 opens on 5 shots on that lane including a 2-7-8 split in the 2nd, a chopped 3-6-10 in the 6th, a 4-6-7 split in the 8th, and then my only single-pin miss on a 10-pin in the 10th.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.35 pins
Strikes: 29% (1 double and 7 singles)
Spares: 47% picked up

Single Pin spares: 83% (5/6)
Most common single-pin leaves: 4-pin and 10-pin (2x each).
Never left a single 1-pin, 2-pin, 3-pin, 5-pin, 8-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 33% (8/15)
Most common multi-pin leave: 3-6-10 (4x).

Splits: 12% (1/8)

Average over 3 games: 151.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 155.33.

We played the 'dry pair' closest to the facility entrance which are always noticeably drier. As is evident by the 3-6-10 leaves and number of splits…I was having trouble staying right of the headpin. Not a problem I usually experience in this house. My adjustment on single-pins from practice seemed to work.

I predicted a 160s average in this center and a 190s average in my Wednesday night center and currently it's 163/183. Not a 30-point spread just yet…but significant nonetheless.

Aslan

04-24-2015, 01:30 AM

Wednesday Pre-League Practice: low oil synthetics

Warm-Up Game: didn't really keep score.

541 Series: 171-179-191
Game 1 I missed a couple corner pin spares and had a 6-7-10 split in the 9th..but other than that bowled well. Game 2 I missed a single 6-pin in the 7th but was otherwise clean. Game 3 I missed a single 7-pin in the 3rd and chopped a 1-2 leave in the 8th…but my first ball average was really good.

Arguably Useful/Non-Useful Statistics:
First Ball Average: 8.94 pins
Strikes: 38% (1 turkey, 2 doubles and 6 singles)
Spares: 68% picked up

Single Pin spares: 60% (6/10)
Most common single-pin leave: I left each of the corner pins twice.
Also left a single 3-pin and a single 5-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 77% (7/9)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: 1-2 (3x).

Splits: 0% (0/1)

Average over 3 games: 180.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 195.00.

Obviously my corner-pin spare shooting was off in practice. Much like pre-league practice at the other center…I needed to make a slight adjustment. With my wrist brace on…I tend to miss gutter side on the 7 and 10. Not sure why. I tried to slightly alter my target…mixed success. So I figured I'd try to modify my stance a little and leave the targets alone once league play started.

Aslan

04-24-2015, 01:57 AM

Wednesday League Night: low oil synthetics

550 Series: 137-189-224 clean

I knew from practice that the Bullet Train wasn't going to play so I didn't even try it and started out with the Rhythm. Strike after strike in practice so I thought I'd be in for another big night in this league on these favorable (to my game) conditions.

Game 1 I wanted to kick or punch things…but kept my composure. It would be easy to blame it on 4 splits…but I also missed a single 10-pin, chopped a 3-6-9-10, and chopped a 2-5. For a guy that preaches accuracy over rev rate…I didn't make ONE spare. And without me having a ton of handicap..my team got destroyed with me bowling about 45 pins below my average.

Game 2 was more of the same…but not AS bad. Only two splits…and only one other open frame; a chopped 1-2-10 washout. So really, not any "makeable" spares that I missed. But things turned around in the 10th. I made a ball change on one lane after the baby split in the 3rd and the new ball behaved better on that lane. And I ended up going into the 10th off a strike and proceeded to strike out. Unfortunately, our team still lost by 27 pins and I didn't take the skins (for striking out in the 10th) because 4 other guys did as well so it carried over.

Game 3 I think my entire mentality changed. After striking out in the 10th of Game 2…suddenly the light bulb flickered and came on. I was more confident and I was more focused. I was now using the Encounter (A) on both lanes and through the use of tape and ample powder was able to keep the thumb from being a problem. I should have had the front 6 but lost focus in the 3rd frame, forgot to make a slight adjustment, and was penalized with a 6-10 leave…which I picked up. That lane would continue to give me problems. I struck every time on the left lane until ball 2 of the 10th frame. But I only struck twice on the right lane.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.85 pins
Strikes: 52% (1 4-bagger, 1 turkey, 3 doubles, and 5 singles)
Spares: 31% picked up

Single Pin spares: 50% (1/2)
Left the single 10-pin twice.

Multiple Pin spares: 28% (4/14)
Most common multi-pin leave: 3-10 baby split (3x).

Splits: 14% (1/7)

Average over 3 games: 183.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 186.00.

I think I'm gonna need a sports psychologist or something. I mean, when I'm focused and confident…I throw a 224 game, scratch, help my team take a point, and in the process win the men's side pot for that game. When I lose that focus…even momentarily…and/or I lose that confidence…I'm a bowler that can't find the pocket to save my life. It was striking out in Game 2 that really was the turning point. After that, I knew I could do well…I had my confidence back.

So, it sucks that my team lost 3 out of 4…it sucks that I didn't put up another 600 series…and it sucks that my single-pin spare shooting is SO off with my wrist brace on……but I beat out some real good bowlers to take that side pot in Game 3…AND..I bowled > 525…AND a clean game…BOTH goals of mine every time I bowl. So it's not the disaster it appeared to be early on. And I have to "fix" that in my mind! I can't let a bad shot or a missed spare lead me down a spiral to defeat. I have to accept that not every shot is going to strike…and thats OKAY. I'm not gonna pick up every spare…and thats OKAY.

jab5325

04-24-2015, 09:46 AM

Aslan, I'm right there with you when it comes to focus.

It's the toughest part of the game for me to keep consistent. I feel that now, I have a good approach, good swing, good release, good timing.....but when I lose focus, all is lost.

Amyers

04-24-2015, 10:05 AM

I can't say I have that issue with my strike ball. I have nights I can carry to some extent and some I don't. Where it gets me is with my spare shooting. I can go a whole night and never miss anything I expect to pick up but watch out if I miss one because it's not going to be the only one.

Aslan

04-29-2015, 02:49 AM

Tuesday League Night: medium oil synthetics

474 Series: 154-181-139

Strike rate was next to nothing. I was making almost all of my non-split spares…but when you strike once a game (as I did in both games 1 and 3)…ya got no room for splits or the occasional missed spare.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 7.68 pins
Strikes: 19% (6 singles)
Spares: 64% picked up

Single Pin spares: 60% (3/5)
Left a single 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10-pin. All evens.

Multiple Pin spares: 65% (13/20)
Most common multi-pin leave: 1-2-4-7 and 6-10 (2x each).

Splits: 20% (1/5)

Average over 3 games: 158.00.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 163.33.

Struck a few times in practice but only 6 times in 3 games after that. Real hard to win if ya strike < 20%.

Was trying out a new outside line at the 6-board and never truly got to evaluate the middle line nor how the Rhythm performed, not enough practice/warm-up time (thanks in part to a rack getting stuck down for a few minutes).

On the left lane, I couldn't stay right of the headpin and by midway through the 3rd game had balled all the way down to the Slingshot. I made 4 ball changes on that lane. To put that in perspective…I genuinely change after I make 1 lateral move, so at best every other frame. Half of the 30 frames are on that lane. 15/2 = 7.5. So if I changed balls every other frame on that lane I'd go through 8. I went through 4.

On the right lane, I had to make a 3 and 2 adjustment right because I was missing the damn headpin and leaving the 1-2-4-7 and 1-2-7. I played all 3 games with the Bullet Train; never balled down.

I had ZERO miss room. Less missroom than on PBA sport patterns that I've played on. If I missed a board right…I'd be lucky to leave just a 2-pin. And when I DID leave just a 2-pin…I &$^%ing missed it. A pulled shot and you leave the 1-3-8-9…a slight miss right and you leave the 1-2-4-7.

Add to that more thumb issues. Oddly enough…it was on the VISE IT ball this time. My thumb kept sticking. Not bad…but enough that I'd loft the ball way out onto the lane unintentionally. And when I did? 1-2-4-7 or 1-2-4-8. The smallest insert is too small. The next size up was just sticking a bit. The next size up is way too big. Normally this ball comes off my hand almost as well as the Rhythm…but for some reason this night it just wanted to stick. I'd powder…but then the ball on the other lane would slip or the spare ball would slip. I know, I know…I need to fix having all these different grips…but just realize it's usually not an issue because I usually only use the Bullet Train and Rhythm…both come off my hand well. But recently due to useing the wrist brace…I'm getting better revs and axis tilt…now I'm deeper into my arsenal…now these things are coming to light.

So there's the 12-page synopsis of why everything BUT me was defeating me…but the real truth of it was 95% of it was my skill. Focus was on again off again. I'd focus and the ball would stick. Then I'd think about my thumb and forget my focus. A couple times I lined up on the wrong line.

Mentally I wasn't there…because each week I come into Tuesday league thinking "this'll be the week I turn things around" and each week I roll a sub-500 series and am reminded of the alternate hypothesis where I might just be a crappy bowler. I rolled a 474…2nd highest on my team and higher than any series by the other team (yeah, they sucked but still took all 4 points). So maybe we're not having a post 900 series press conference…but how can I be dejected when I bowled better than 8 of the other 9 bowlers? I missed the single 2-pin in Game 1…and I never metally recovered. 3 open frames that game, the other 2 were splits.

And FOR GOD's SAKE!! Can we not announce over the loud speaker every single thing in the Webster's dictionary while I'm trying to bowl? I swear…if it wasn't a reminder about a lottery jackpot it was some guy bowling strike ball or some idiot's birthday or "Jesse's food order is ready at the sanck bar" or who the ladies side pot winner was. I'm trying to have a relaxed shot and focus on my mark and on my third step I suddenly hear "ATTENTION BOWLERS…" at 166 decibels. Great. I gutter on the first shot off a spare because we need a 3rd reminder that the mega millions jackpot is 87 million tonight. *$&^% the mega millions jackpot!!! So not that aggravation is on my mind.

And to add to the mental fun…it seems like I hit pocket and leave an 8-pin yet the 93 average bowler next to me throws a ball 6mph spinning sideways and she gets a double. We lost 4 damn points tonight…we're in last or near last place…yet every single week it's been a parade of 100 average bowlers that somehow magically shoot the best game of their lives.

I have two 185 average bowlers on my team and one had a 138-168-128. I have an average 20 pins lower than him and I beat him every game when I wasn't even bowling well.

Ughhh… I've become what I didn't want to be…a bowler that can average 180-200 in a super easy house but on tougher conditions can barely bowl 160. But how can I conquer a condition that's main flaw is it's not freshly applied before league play?

Okay, rant over. I hate this sport.

fortheloveofbowling

04-29-2015, 09:10 AM

Aslan, you have no business shooting 474....With as much time and effort you have put in this game that just should not happen. Like you said you are a 190-200 average bowler and based on your more recent videos i would agree. You are over complicating things in your mind and translating that into your lane play. You have enough knowledge in your equipment to find a way in practice to just hit the 1-3. Don't even worry about striking, just find a way to knock down 9 and get comfortable. Maybe try one of your less aggressive balls that has a good controlled motion and just get it to the pocket somewhere. I don't care if it is ight or half pocket just find a way in practice to hit the 1 & 3 pins and then adjust after. Try keeping it simple for a change.

Amyers

04-29-2015, 09:24 AM

I don't know I go though crap like this from time to time just finished one where my bowling has been all over the place. Throwing some of my best and worst series. I finally figured out I've been pushing the ball out too far on the push away and that seems to have fixed the problem. I do agree with Ftlob especially in this house you just have to find a way to consistently hit the d*** head pin. I know easier said than done.

NewToBowling

04-29-2015, 09:56 AM

Try not tracking your stats for one night. Just go out there and play on instinct. Go ahead and still line up your arrows and boards but just think of the pocket and toss the ball. Sometimes over thinking it is just as bad. Relax and take a deep breath and start your approach.

To me when I think too much about my form and approach I usually end up stiff and robotic and it just doesn't "flow". You want flow.

RobLV1

04-29-2015, 10:58 AM

Good points all, however one thing you wrote really stuck out to me: "I was trying out a new outside line." If nothing else, remember this one thing: the lanes tell you how they want to be played. You don't tell them, ever! Not listening to what the lanes are telling you is kinda like not listening to your wife; it will bite you in the butt more often than not.

Aslan

04-30-2015, 03:22 AM

Wednesday League Night: low oil synthetics

615 Series: 171-247-197

No pre-league warm-up or anything this time because I was at the alley when it opened to watch the Red Wings vs. Lightening hockey game. I waited till about 5 minutes before practice time to go down there.

Since my game is in turmoil…and we read lots of stupid ***t about how the game is all mental, etc…; I want to start off my stating my mental status at Game time…because maybe it actually is a bigger factor than I presumed. So, before Game 1 I was desperate and eager to avenge my previous league night and prove to myself that at least in the easy house I could bowl well. So I felt more pressure than usual. I also may or may not have still been a little high from a half a doobie I smoked in the parking lot during the Wings 1st intermission and a little buzzed from some giant cocktail I drank in the bar.

So, game 1 I X, X, 9/, X to start. The 9/ was a shot that got a tad too far left. Then another shot too far left that leaves the 6-10. So I make an adjustment on that lane. Then on the next lane a 5-10 split which I can't convert. So I make an adjustment on that lane as well. I then hit pocket a couple times for a X, 9/ but in the 9th I miss right and leave the 2-5 but I chop it on my second shot. In the 10th, my release flattens out and I leave the 2-4-5…no bigee…but I chop it. So things start out disappointing.

Now I'm feeling better physically (the high and alcohol are probably out of the system at that point) but mentally I'm fearing that I'll end up sub-500 on the EASY house and then I might as well pack it in. Game 2 I opened with a light hit leaving a 2-pin but then put a 5-bagger together before missing a single 6-pin. I spared and then struck out for my highest score of the season; a 247.

Now I'm happy. Now I've got my confidence back. But I'm also pressuring myself to actually REPEAT a game like that.

Game 3 I chopped a 4-7 in the 3rd frame but was otherwise clean through 9 before completely choking in the 10th and whiffing on the 6-10 leave.

So now I have mixed feelings…I'm happy with the series…I like that our team took 3 points…I was happy I was winning at the poker hand…BUT….but…I was haunted by the 660 sreies (188-255-217) that coulda been had I not chopped or missed some very make-able spares.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 9.22 pins
Strikes: 59% (1 5-bagger, 1 4-bagger, 4 doubles, and 2 singles)
Spares: 53% picked up

Single Pin spares: 75% (3/4)
Left the single 9-pin twice.

Multiple Pin spares: 44% (4/9)
Most common multi-pin leave: 6-10 (2x).

Splits: 0% (0/1)

Average over 3 games: 205.00.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 208.33.

Thumb stick was a HUGE issue AGAIN tonight. It must be the warmer weather. I had thumb stick issues in my VISE IT drilled Bullet Train. I actually used my 3rd smallest IT insert of the 6 which I haven't used since probably Thanksgiving time 2014. I've taken alot of tape out thest past couple days…not sure if thats a good things or a bad thing. :confused:

So I wrestled with all kinds of ideas on what to try next to snap out of the funk…and finally I decided on simplifying things a little. No more worrying about how low I am. Stance, push away, no muscling whatsoever, focus. The key was the swing. I needed to relax the swing even more. I just tried to let the ball and gravity and kinemetrics do all the work while I just focused on my mark. And that worked.

But back to this mini-mental evaluation…what is really befuddling is this. I just bowled my highest game in this league in Game 2. Didn't win the damn men's sidepot because TWO guys shot 278 cratch…but I digress. I just bowled my highest game in the league…AND….highest series EVER. Yet, I wasn't happy with my performance. Looking at the numbers compared to last week…I should be ecstatic. And now I've yet again bounced back after a bad Tuesday night. But I wasn't happy that I left 46 pins out there on simple silly misses like the single 4-pin or 4-7 or 6-10 or 2-5. And I was unhappy with the new thumb challenges.

So for those of you keeping track at home…and especially those skeptics out there that still are holding onto the notion that different centers don't vary that much… Last night my league average on Tuesday fell from 163 to 162 and lowered my USBC composite from 173 to 172. After tonight, my Wednesday league average has moved from 183 to 186 and bumped my USBC composite back up from 172 to 174. So I predicted a 30-pin difference this season between these two houses…one that floods their lanes and doesn't re-apply before league play…and another that after getting too many complaints about their former shot has created the easiest THS pattern ever. The current tally is = 186-162 = 24 pins.

Mudpuppy Cliff Notes: I hate bowling less today than I did yesterday. :cool:

fortheloveofbowling

04-30-2015, 03:37 AM

Nice bowling man.

Amyers

04-30-2015, 10:00 AM

Nice series and a good bounce back. You've heard me say it before sometimes you just got to go out there and throw the D*** ball. Thinking about all this crap and working on your game is great for practice but when the chips are on the table you've either practiced it enough that it's muscle memory or it isn't and if it isn't your not going to perfect it during your league. Congrats again on a nice set any you're right there can be a huge difference between houses all though I haven't seen one that I couldn't find a shot somewhere but my scores have sucked until I do.

Aslan

05-01-2015, 02:42 PM

Thursday Practice: low oil synthetics

Warm-Up Game: (didn't really keep score; 158 I think)

For this practice I tried 3 different methods I've been thinking about:

First 3 games: Old style, Amyers style, straight up and down, loft it out to the arrows.
Next 3 games: Same form and style, but bring the targets into the dots.
Last 3 games: Focus on getting lower. Still try to maintain form, balance, and relaxed shot...but lower.

464 Series: 179-149-136
Game 1 I only opened on a 4-6-10 split in the 8th frame...but not too many strikes. The lanes were far drier than usual. I kept trying to play the Bullet Train up the 3-8 board region but I couldn't get right of the headpin. Games 2 and 3 I lost pocket and my spare shooting was abysmal. By Game 3 I was already using the Rhythm but couldn't get that to work that far outside either.

The advantage to my lofting approach is I can get good axis rotation on the ball, it's my natural swing, and I'm getting the ball OUT towards my target. It also gives me some vertical wiggle room because I can move that target a little out or quite a bit in if I need to before I'm anywhere near the foul line (where I lose accuracy). The downside of this approach...especially on these drier conditions with my wrist brace on...is the ball wants to hook and roll too soon. And if it does...splits...if I'm lucky...a 6-10 or 4-7 and I convert for a 8 /.

432 Series: 148-147-139
Game 4 I adjusted my angles/lines a bit and now the Rhythm couldn't make the turn and I was coming in light almost every shot. I switched to the 1000 surfaced Encounter...but then started missing left again. Same story in Game 5...Encounter (A) missing left, I adjust, now it's missing right. Game 6 I was missing right so I balled down to the polished Encounter (N) and tried to get that line worked out.

The advantage of bringing the targets in are: 1) It forces me to release the ball earlier. 2) It improves my accuracy since a closer target is easier to hit. It also allows the ball to have a bit more axis tilt (vs axis rotation) and it doesn't break into the hook and roll phases too soon. The downside is the closer the targets are...the more a miss will, well, "miss". I don't feel with my targets IN, that I get a good follow-through towards the target.

600 Series: 185-213-202
Game 7 was more of the same as even the polished Encounter wanted to break left of that headpin (or directly into it) and a move left made it miss right. But, I picked up most of the spares and managed to double a couple times so I kept the score respectful. Game 8 I balled down to the Slingshot. It still wasn't perfect, but generally I hit pocket and if I didn't I'd go Brooklyn and leave something make-able. Game 9 was more of the same....just slightly less carry.

This method of "getting lower" is a work in progress. It helps me get really good rotation on the ball...it helps the ball save up energy (which was making my shots with both polished balls much better than the surfaced ones I used in the first 6 games and warm-up)...and it wasn't entering the hook or roll phases too early. The downside of the approach is I'm not consistent with it. Sometimes I bend my knee and am balanced. Sometimes I cheat and lock my knee but lean way over the foul line. And other times I drop my shoulder and usually fall off the shot.

Arguably Useful/Non-Useful Statistics:
First Ball Average: 8.33 pins
Strikes: 30% (2 turkeys, 3 doubles and 18 singles)
Spares: 58% picked up

Single Pin spares: 66% (12/18)
Most common single-pin leave: 9-pin and 10-pin (5x each).
Never left a single 1-pin, 2-pin, nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 54% (24/44)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: 6-10 (9x).

Splits: 22% (2/9)

Average over 9 games: 166.44.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 172.67.

Disappointing, but interesting. Getting lower may be something I need to continue to work on. The coach would agree and be happy that the results pointed towards getting lower as a more successful option. It really sucks that I practice at those lanes to help me improve on the tougher pattern I see on Tuesdays...yet that pattern wasn't there...and instead I was playing on very dry conditions which is rare in that house.

Still had thumb stick issues...probably because of the weather. FIRST EVER...on shot #1 I dropped the ball in the back swing which I've never done before. The IT insert apparently was too big to start with...thumb musta shrank a little bit since yesterday night. Annoying environment with kids everywhere just running up on the approach and one kid, probably autistic or something, was just screaming non-stop on the far side of the alley...3 whole games I had to listen to that.

This also tested the theory of "not thinking". The first series...that might not be "not thinking"; but it's pretty much as "less thinking" as you're gonna get with me. That was me reverting back to my old style and approach and just naturally throwing the ball...not over-thinking.

And....to cap the night off...I noticed a guy and his kids watching my last 2 games (213-202). They seemed quite entertained. And I think it actually made me bowl better knowing they were watching. Well, at the end of my practice as I was cleaning up...I walk past the guy...and you KNOW....you KNOW what he asked me. Go ahead, take a few guesses. As absurd as it is, it's happened before. Yup. "Are you a professional bowler?" On the one hand, it's flattering to some extent when someone says that. On Wednesdays, a couple guys refer to me as "the professional"...I think because on the first night I wore a Columbia polo or something...maybe also because I take notes...whatever. But yeah, it feels kinda good to impress people...even those easily impressed. And I'm glad they were entertained. But another part of me...the part that is battling the 130s me versus the 200s me...like in the Incredible Hulk TV show...

http://hulkmoviefansite.yolasite.com/resources/Banner%20Hulk%2001.jpg

...that part of me wanted to not only "pfft" at him...but throw my bowling ball at him. Because THAT part of me is so frustrated with my inconsistencies...that all his comment did was add further flame to that fire. No I'm not a pro. And no...rolling a 600 series doesn't make me NEAR a pro. But I guess when things are going well...I guess I can almost "look" the part...and I guess that can't be a "bad" thing, right?

Amyers

05-01-2015, 03:19 PM

Apparently I'm going to need to post some updated video with out me lofting the ball :rolleyes:.

Aslan

05-01-2015, 06:11 PM

Apparently I'm going to need to post some updated video with out me lofting the ball :rolleyes:.

I'm going by the 5/14 and 7/14 videos. But yes!! Lets get another installment!!

I was thinking yesterday it might be time for me to create another one. But I just made one for the 2ABHMAVZSCI...I mean how much footage of me do my adoring fans need??

fortheloveofbowling

05-01-2015, 06:30 PM

I'm going by the 5/14 and 7/14 videos. But yes!! Lets get another installment!!

I was thinking yesterday it might be time for me to create another one. But I just made one for the 2ABHMAVZSCI...I mean how much footage of me do my adoring fans need??

I'm sure many of your loyal followers would like to see your attire: short shorts and a wife beater for your next video. No wait.....scratch that i want this site to be around for a while and really don't need to see that.

Aslan

05-02-2015, 10:27 PM

I'm sure many of your loyal followers would like to see your attire: short shorts and a wife beater for your next video. No wait.....scratch that i want this site to be around for a while and really don't need to see that.

I'm pretty particular about my attire. I feel most comfortable in shorts and a bowling shirt. Sometimes if I'm wearing a bowling polo I'll wear slacks with it…especially for a tournament or something. And if it's colder, I'll wear a bowling shirt with loose athletic pants. I actually get annoyed when people wear stupid things bowling. There's a group of bowlers that bowl every 1-3 weeks and they all dress up in costume. I think it's a weird "cosplay" group or something. They seem to have fun…but I don't approve.

I used to wear shirts without sleeves but a girl once told me it's not a "good look" so I've dialed back all shirtless apparel. And I DO have a speedo…but I'm saving it for hen I hit my weight goal of 170lbs…which at this point "may" have been a bit of a stretch in terms of goals.

Aslan

05-06-2015, 08:42 PM

Tuesday League Night: medium oil synthetics

Almost didn't bowl. Got a tetanus shot in bowling arm the day before and was having a bad reaction to the shot. I ended up deciding to go but had no idea how it would turn out. I figured 20% chance I'd try to throw the ball but wouldn't be able to. I knew I wasn't going to do well…but I figured I'd at least try.

557 Series: 191-183-183

Game 1 went better than expected. Practice was a little rough and I almost went home…but Game 1 I managed to strike well on the right lane but not on the left lane.

Game 2 I was still trying to figure out the left lane and was starting to lose my strike line on the right lane. But the only opens were 2 splits and I was happy about that.

Game 3 I balled down on the right lane and that worked well. The Slingshot on the left lane was finally getting to the pocket…but not a ton of carry. But a 4-bagger kept the score high despite a 1-2-10 washout in the 10th that I couldn't convert.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.53 pins
Strikes: 44% (1 4-bagger, 1 turkey, 2 doubles, and 4 singles)
Spares: 58% picked up

Single Pin spares: 100% (4/4)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-bin (2x)

Multiple Pin spares: 46% (6/13)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 4-7 and 1-2-4 (2x each).

Splits: 0% (0/3)

Average over 3 games: 185.67.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: n/a.

Had to start with the Rhythm because due to my illness/physical condition my ball speed was down.

To support Rob's beliefs about differences lane-to-lane…I spent all 3 games mostly striking on the right lane but only sporadically striking on the left lane. I ended up balling all the way down to the Slingshot on the left lane…targeting the 14-board (which is far left for me)…yet on the right lane I only balled down once, at the start of Game 3.

This "getting lower" think might have something to it. Now I gotta see if I'm recovered the next day or still sick but I can't see sitting out on my Wednesday league where I average 185. I mean, I'm so sick I almost didn't bowl…and I bowl my highest series at that center this season…so I might finally get that 690 series I've been really hoping for.

Today's update: Still a little sick…but feeling better enough to go.

fortheloveofbowling

05-06-2015, 09:44 PM

Getting lower is a good thing, you generate most of your power from the lower body. Good consistent set also.

RobLV1

05-06-2015, 10:31 PM

Funny how you didn't expect to bowl well, but you were over your average. Does that tell you anything?!?

fortheloveofbowling

05-06-2015, 11:52 PM

Multi pin spares: aim for the one in front. Sounds dumb but in simple terms that is what your always told.

Aslan

05-07-2015, 02:44 AM

Funny how you didn't expect to bowl well, but you were over your average. Does that tell you anything?!?

That I should approach league night with sickness and depression and a sore shoulder because it'll distract my mind enough not to get in the way of good shots? Maybe.

Aslan

05-07-2015, 04:17 AM

Wednesday League Night: low oil synthetics

689 Series: 237-205 (clean)-247 (clean)

Again, like I said in my last post…wasn't sure if I'd make it in the afternoon. But I started feeling better about 2PM so I was pretty confident I could roll.

Game 1 I did great job but missed left once and chopped the 3-6-9. But I was pretty confident after Game 1 that I was not only healthy enough to play…but I felt like I was actually better, in terms of form, roll, and power than I was normally.

Game 2 the first 5 frames were a dutch 200. Then I lost my line a bit for about 3 frames but kept things clean.

Game 3 I started off with a 5-bagger but lost my line on each lane in the 6th/7th. I balled down to the Rhythm, made a couple slight adjustments, and finished strong.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 9.34 pins
Strikes: 62% (2 5-baggers, 1 4-bagger, 2 turkeys, a double, and 4 singles)
Spares: 91% picked up

Single Pin spares: 100% (7/7)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (2x).

Multiple Pin spares: 80% (4/5)
1-2-3-5-6-10, 5-9, 4-7, 6-10, and 3-6-9.

Splits: n/a

Average over 3 games: 229.00.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: n/a.

Another strong night at the easier house. I predicted a 30-pin difference in average between the two houses I'm bowling in and the current status is 191-166 = 25 pins. Not much to complain about here. I matched my highest ever unsanctioned series. I won $20 for men's side pot in Game 3 and won another $113 for being the only one (that joins the skins game) that struck 3x in the 10th. I beat a very good bowler handicap 742-738 and in the process I think I moved into 1st place in this season's High Handicap Series. And my 689 scratch would currently be listed in 3rd place for the season.

I can't explain it. I think my new approach with the deeper knee bend was the reason for the success. But also it was thumb fit. Normally thumb fit hurts me…but in this case the thumbfit was great all 3 games. It IS the easier center. And I struck at least a few times Brooklyn and once with a shot through the nose. So luck played a part…and more important than I want. But yes, outbowling (handicap) one of our league's top bowlers, bowling 2 clean games, setting 2 season highs, winning another men's sidepot, taking home over $100, setting a personal best sanctioned high series for 3 straight weeks, and carrying my team to a 2-point split, when our anchor was absent and the other 3 teammates bowled below average.

The downside to all this recent success is I really, really, don't think I'll be able to convince MWhite to give me handicap for next year's 3ABHMAVZSCI.

fortheloveofbowling

05-07-2015, 05:27 AM

Congratulations and fine shooting sir! The hard work is paying off.

vdubtx

05-07-2015, 10:34 AM

Nice shooting, ever so close to that 700!! Congrats on your night.

Amyers

05-07-2015, 12:24 PM

Nice shooting you've beat my high series 687 now. Congrats I'm pretty sure I would be pretty pissed at myself for missing out on 700. I've been close so many times but never seem to get it.

Mark O

05-07-2015, 12:26 PM

Congrats man, awesome shooting!

Aslan

05-07-2015, 03:41 PM

I'm pretty sure I would be pretty pissed at myself for missing out on 700. I've been close so many times but never seem to get it.

Nope. It didn't bother me. If I can bowl a 689 I'm sure I can bowl a 700 eventually. Ya can't get greedy. If ya bowl a 700, ya can't then say, "I just wish it had been an 800." or bowl an 800 and then say, "I was only 3-4 light hits away from a 900-series!" It'll drive you nuts. My goals haven't changed (even though my expectations keep creeping up)...525+ Series and a clean game every game. I easily exceeded the 525+ but came 1 frame shy of a clean series. That chopped 3-6-9 in the 6th frame of Game 1. Had I picked that up...it would have been my first ever clean series AND...yup...a 700 even. One frame was the difference.

classygranny

05-07-2015, 10:29 PM

Nice shooting...keep it up!

Aslan

05-08-2015, 01:31 AM

Nice shooting...keep it up!

I'm actually a bit terrified that I just witnessed my peak. :(

RobLV1

05-08-2015, 07:43 AM

Nope. It didn't bother me. If I can bowl a 689 I'm sure I can bowl a 700 eventually. Ya can't get greedy. If ya bowl a 700, ya can't then say, "I just wish it had been an 800." or bowl an 800 and then say, "I was only 3-4 light hits away from a 900-series!" It'll drive you nuts. My goals haven't changed (even though my expectations keep creeping up)...525+ Series and a clean game every game. I easily exceeded the 525+ but came 1 frame shy of a clean series. That chopped 3-6-9 in the 6th frame of Game 1. Had I picked that up...it would have been my first ever clean series AND...yup...a 700 even. One frame was the difference.

As a fellow head case, I understand your feelings completely. Before I eventually shot 700, I had at least seven or eight series in the 690's. When I finally shot seven, I was so far past the number that I didn't have a chance to choke. My first seven was 749! Hang in there. It will come!

jab5325

05-08-2015, 02:25 PM

Congrats Aslan. Great series.

bubba809

05-11-2015, 09:11 AM

Excellent bowling Aslan! See...this will be enough to make you excited all summer about bowling and for leagues in the Fall.

mc_runner

05-11-2015, 09:42 AM

Nice bowling, Aslan! All that work is definitely showing results :)

Amyers

05-11-2015, 10:41 AM

I'm actually a bit terrified that I just witnessed my peak. :(

Well if that is true then I peaked in 1992-1993.

Aslan

05-13-2015, 02:08 AM

Tuesday League Night: medium oil synthetics

589 Series: 149-200-240

Game 1 I dealt with a split, then a few weird multi-pin leaves, and my only missed single-pin; a 5-pin for crying out loud. Game 2 was pretty much a dutch-200…just couldn't figure out one lane. But I only made two bad shots, both too much speed and missed right leaving two 1-2-8s. I unfortunately missed one of them for my only open. Game 3 was a 4-bagger, a stone 8, another 4-bagger, and then…after 2 games of strong 10ths…I leave a 4-6-7 split and miss left into the gutter trying to convert it.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.79 pins
Strikes: 50% (2 4-baggers, 3 doubles, and 3 singles)
Spares: 60% picked up

Single Pin spares: 87% (7/8)
Most common single-pin leave: 5-pin and 7-pin (2x)

Multiple Pin spares: 28% (2/7)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 1-2-8 (2x).

Splits: 0% (0/2)

Average over 3 games: 196.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 199.67.

The first game was a letdown but that was probably my fault. I got a little high after work because I had some time before bowling and I think I overdid it and some of it carried over to Game 1. But the other two games I was really doing well…especially Game 3. My former instructor was on the other team and he had a hell of a good night as well. But you could tell he was impressed with my improvement since summer 2013. Afterwards he approached me and said he was really impressed with my improvement. So those are all good things.

Add to that; I bowled my highest series in that league thus far…the harder center…my average is up to 169 in that league…and my composite average is now up to 180. Timing seemed improved as I try to shorten that first step. And my small adjustment to my corner-pin shooting worked well also. Both of those items are straight out of my lesson last Thursday. So thats encouraging.

Here's hoping tomorrow isn't a letdown night in my other league.

Amyers

05-13-2015, 10:39 AM

Congrats on two more good games.

vdubtx

05-13-2015, 11:32 AM

Nice shooting Aslan. Keep it up. Don't get too many thoughts in your mind when you are bowling. Yes, I know that is like talking to a brick wall, but had to say it. :cool:

fortheloveofbowling

05-13-2015, 11:39 AM

Congrats on a good SET. I say entire set because many guys just say, well it is just a bad night after a bad 1st game and lose focus and it becomes just that. It tells me just the opposite from your scores. Good job.

Aslan

05-13-2015, 04:15 PM

I think I'm mentally different than most bowlers/competitors.

Insert multiple insults, laugh tracks, etc...

But what I mean by that is, a lot of bowlers get frazzled under pressure. I tend to elevate my game under pressure and when the pressure is off, I lose focus and my game suffers.

My best scores? Citrus Belt BVL tournament 591 in the A-Division (where I didn't belong). I also have been performing very well in my Wednesday league where I'm the highest average bowler on the team and many of the other high level guys have nicknamed me (right or probably most definitely WRONG) "the professional".

So "why" is that the case? Well...it's not that I THINK MORE (to VDub's point)...it's that:
1) I focus more.
2) I EXPECT to do well and am more confident.

That's why I don't do "social leagues" or non-sanctioned or no-tap. Yes...bowling is FUN. But if I got no real stakes in the game...if it "doesn't matter"...I don't do well. I think that's opposite of most people/bowlers.

And last night was the epitomy of that psychological abnormality. I was playing against one of the best teams in the league with 2 women who are 2 of the top 5 female bowlers in the league and 3 guys that are all 190s average bowlers (in a tough house). They only got like 172 handicap to our team's 304. But for me... I LOVE those nights!! I love proving myself against the best in the league. It's like I want to prove that I belong in the club too. And last night was even MORE significant because I was bowling against my old coach. It would be like bowling in a Vegas tournament after not seeing Rob M for a few years and we get paired up against each other. It's not that I want to BEAT Rob...but I want him to respect my game...so I'm gonna try hard, stay focused, not get rattled, etc.. Last night the SET was nice...highest in that house for me this season...highest single game in that house this season...it showed me I CAN strike in that center...thumb fit was solid (a little too loose on the spare ball, but manageable)...and I was a missed single 5-pin away from 100% single-pin spare shooting...AND I had the 3rd best series scratch...outbowling 5 bowlers that are higher average and skilled.

But all that being said...the BEST part of that night was in those last two games as me and my old coach would start off with a double in Game 2 and then a 4-bagger in Game 3...it was like he and I were equals. And not only was he very complimentary of my shots and ball motion...but he went out of his way more than once to say how really impressed he was with my improvement and current skill level. I'm not a guy that NEEDS a lot of kudos and ataboys...but to get positive reinforcement from higher level bowlers that actually watch me in person or compete against me directly...it's just really special and encouraging. When I bowled in my first league at the AMF house...I was on a 4-person team, I averaged like 135, and my only hope each night was that I'd only gutter a couple times and would at least outbowl the worst girl on our team. Now, in my Wednesday sanctioned 5-person league in that center (post-pattern change to MECHA-EASY mind you), I walk in as the guy that is in the running to win sidepot every game, that all the high average bowlers know, and my team relies on me to consistently bowl in 180+ range. I'm not the anchor in terms of order...but I'm as close a thing as we have to an anchor.

So yeah...good night...and I just need to follow it up tonight with another good set at the AMF center. I really, really hate when I have a really good "turning the corner" moment only to be followed by a 157-181-139 where I get 7 splits and miss all but one corner pin spare and chop all but one 6-10.

And yes VDub...getting my mind out of the way is a work in process. Last night I let myself think about what I needed to think about...but before each shot I kinda said to myself, "Okay...just do X and Y...relaxed and easy...and good things will happen." Even just a little reminder like that, to myself pre-shot, is what it took to just roll the ball and not get hung up in it or pull it or whatever. But relaxing my mind isn't going to be an overnight thing...that's a LOT of MIND...and it's very used to the idea of juggling 10+ thoughts simultaneously and over-thinking everything...going to take some time to ramp that down. :o

Aslan

05-13-2015, 04:27 PM

Just to give Rob some props as well...and others...

One thing I've been working on is fix that enormous first step. Still a work in progress...but I think fixing that first step will help with timing inconsistencies.

The other thing, and Rob and I talked about this in Vegas, is I brought my ball up from the 500 abralon to 1500. My coach mentioned the same thing that Rob had mentioned....which is that with my first 3 balls surfaced to 500, 1000, and 1000...there's a risk that the ball is dying before it hits the pocket and that might be why my strike rate is so low. So I brought the Bullet Train up to 1500 and the Rhythm and Encounter (A) up to 2000. I did it by hand just to give it a try...and I only used the Bullet Train last night...BUT...I was able to find the pocket and did seem to see some carry improvement. The balls still aren't designed/drilled for skid/flip...so still no angular backend...but a bit more "snap" than I usually see. I'm anxious to see how it works at the easier/drier house tonight where I may see an even more dramatic reaction down lane.

I also fixed a ball progression problem I was having. I was making only one lateral movement before balling down...and THEN going back to my original line. After talking with my coach at my lesson...I was instructed not to do that. I should stick with the same ball, continue to make lateral moves UNTIL a move left results in the ball missing right...and THEN just ball down and use the previous line...NOT the original line. That change allowed me to get comfortable with the one ball and make minor adjustments with my feet rather than ball down once or twice by Game 3.

Aslan

05-15-2015, 01:51 AM

Wednesday League Night: medium oil synthetics

Pre-Game Warm-Up: 100-168
Game 1 I tried it without the wrist brace and just couldn't get the ball into the pocket. Game 2 I put the wrist brace on and was a 4-6 split and a chopped 4-7 away from a clean game…but strikes were few and far between. Not looking good for another run at 700!

500 Series: 165-155-180

Game 1 I didn't strike until the 7th frame. Lanes seemed a bit slicker than in the previous 3-5 weeks. The ball choice just didn't seem ideal. It seemed like I was missing left on one lane and right on the other. The Rhythm coverstock seemed too aggressive on the one lane and not aggressive enough on the other. And constant thumb issues…too tight, take out tape and too loose...

Game 2 was more of the same…only struck twice. A chopped 2-5 and a missed single 9-pin early on also really knocked me out mentally. And continued thumb problems as I switched balls and had to adjust and readjust tape and inserts.

Game 3 I finally found a decent strike line on the right lane but couldn't figure out the left lane.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.58 pins
Strikes: 30% (1 turkey and 7 singles)
Spares: 61% picked up

Single Pin spares: 75% (6/8)
Most common single-pin leave: 2-pin, 7-pin, and 10-pin (2x each).
Never left a single 1-pin, 4-pin, 5-pin, 6-pin, and 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 53% (7/13)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 2-4-5 (3x).

Splits: n/a

Average over 3 games: 166.67.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 173.33.

On the bright side the team took all 4 points despite my off night AND I at least salvaged a 500 series. And while I was 75% at single-pins…I was actually to see that because I thought it'd be lower.

On the bad side…everything else!!

I think a lot of it was mental. I was having a HORRIBLE day…and I think I was just mentally exhausted.

Aslan

05-15-2015, 02:33 AM

Thursday Practice: medium oil synthetics

Warm-Up Game: 183

535 Series: 176-206-153
A couple missed single-pins cost me big in Game 1 including a missed single 4-pin in the 10th. Game 2 was solid; but again clean game lost due to a missed 7-pin in the 8th frame. And in Game 3, it was a chopped 3-6-10 and THREE missed single-pins…including another 4-pin in the 10th.

Game 4: 203 (clean)
I only had time for one more game with League play starting soon and in this game I tried to cut my thoughts down from 2-4 to 1-2 on the approach. It worked better than I thought it would…muscle memory somewhat took over.

Arguably Useful/Non-Useful Statistics:
First Ball Average: 8.98 pins
Strikes: 35% (1 turkey, 2 doubles and 12 singles)
Spares: 72% picked up

Single Pin spares: 66% (14/21)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (5x).
Never left a single 1-pin nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 83% (10/12)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: 5-9 and 3-10 split (2x each).

Splits: 100% (2/2)

Average over 5 games: 184.20.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 199.60.

Not a bad practice. I didn't get to work on a couple things due to the leagues coming in. I gotta keep working on my timing. My release still needs work. And the footwork is still a mess while I try to shorten that first step.

Amyers

05-15-2015, 09:16 AM

Working on footwork can mess everything else up quick but it's worth it if you can improve. Keep at it.

Aslan

05-20-2015, 03:52 PM

Tuesday League Night: medium oil synthetics/longer pattern

Pre-Game Warm-up:
458 Series: 111-199-148
Game 1 = no wrist brace. I was trying to improve my release with a better follow-through but it just wasn't working...not making back to the pocket. Game 2 I put the wrist brace back on and was a couple missed single 10-pin in the 8th frame away from a clean game....everything felt great. In the 2nd half of that game I started using different balls to see if I could judge the length of the pattern, how soon the balls were hooking, etc.. And Game 3 was just a continuation of that trial so the scores for the set really don't matter much...it was just warm-up and strategy/preparation. It did continue to reinforce my need to wear the wrist brace though...at least for now. : (

528 Series: 195-148-185

Game 1 I started off with a 4-bagger and everything felt great. Then I lost it in the 5th. I managed to keep things clean until the 8th...but I couldn't convert 2 straight 5-9 spares and couldn't strike out in the 10th so my 200 game was sunk.

Game 2 was a disaster. I was so frustrated that I actually displayed a rare outburst and punched the wall. I seemed to find the pocket briefly in frames 3-6...but I was all over the place and then opened in the 10th on a chopped 1-3 leave to put a cherry on the top of that turd sandwich.

Game 3 wasn't much better but I strung 4 strikes together at the end to salvage a decent game and series.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.61 pins
Strikes: 45% (2 4-baggers, 1 double, and 5 singles)
Spares: 50% picked up

Single Pin spares: 75% (3/4)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (2x)

Multiple Pin spares: 42% (6/14)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 2-4-5 and 5-9 (2x each).

Splits: 0% (0/1)

Average over 3 games: 176.00.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 179.67.

A sport psychologist may be the next step. I was so frustrated I was almost enraged...then I look at the Pinpal stats at the end of the night and realized I shot a 525+ series above my average and my strike rate was solid and I only missed one single-pin spare.

The lanes were drier than usual so most everyone was having trouble staying right of the headpin (or left for lefties). I didn't use my normal ball progression. In practice/warm-up I saw that I was getting more movement downlane from the polished balls in my bag than I was from the balls that were more aggressive and had a little more surface. So I just used the less aggressive, polished Encounter and midway through Game 3 balled down to the Slingshot on one lane. I might drop the more aggressive Encounter from the line-up for that center. I just can't seem to find a line or approach that works with that ball

Played much deeper than I ever have (and was still successful). On one lane I was throwing the less aggressive Encounter...laying down about board 23, crossing the arrows inside 15. On the other lane I was laying down the Slingshot about 18, crossing the arrows about 11.

But I wasn't missing my mark very much...but I think my timing, footwork, loft, and/or speed was off because I was getting a lot of variation for relatively small variations in how far the ball was from my mark.

The night wasn't a complete loss. I brought my average in that tougher house to 170 and helped the team take a point...but I think with the team being in dead last place, I'm the only one not sandbagging and looking forward to sweeps/Vegas. : (

Aslan

05-21-2015, 07:51 AM

Wednesday League Night: low-medium oil synthetics

605 Series: 215 (clean)-184-206

Game 1 I couldn't run more than 2 strikes together in a row; but knocked down at least 9 pins on the 1st ball on every shot except the first ball of the 10th. Game 2 was clean except for two splits; a 4-6-7-9 in the 4th and a baby split in the 8th. But I didn't strike till the 7th and then struck out in the 9th/10th. Game 3 I was also clean until a 4-7-10 split in the 5th and then I chopped the 6-9-10.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 9.14 pins
Strikes: 54% (2 4-baggers, 3 doubles, and 5 singles)
Spares: 73% picked up

Single Pin spares: 100% (8/8)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (3x).
Never left a single 1-pin, 3-pin, 7-pin, 8-pin, and 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 42% (3/7)

Splits: 0% (0/3)

Average over 3 games: 201.67.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 201.67.

I would have liked to run more than 4 strikes together. But I can't complain about a clean game, 50%+ strike rate, and a 100% single-pin rate.

Tonight I tried to implement some forward spine tilt into my game. It worked out quite well. Seemed to give me more leverage, more power.

vdubtx

05-21-2015, 10:37 AM

Nice shooting Aslan. Things sure are looking up for you. Your practice an coaching sessions are certainly paying off. Nice job on converting all of your single pins!! :cool:

The other night, I would have loved to just string 4 together. Most I had was a turkey.

One thing I learned when I started to shoot my first few 600 series, way back when. Don't set your expectations so high as to shoot a 600 every week. Just keep at your practice and they will begin to come easily to you. I would put so much pressure on myself to perform at that level, that I made it almost impossible to just bowl and not force it. You know what happens when you force it...nothing good.

I will also say this in advance.....don't get discouraged when you have a set back. They happen to everyone. Not just you, me, but even the pros go through them. Keep at it and your improvement will surely continue.

Amyers

05-21-2015, 10:55 AM

Nice shooting keep it up looks like you've really taken a step forward I'm hoping I've got myself back on track.

Aslan

05-21-2015, 12:22 PM

One thing I learned when I started to shoot my first few 600 series, way back when. Don't set your expectations so high as to shoot a 600 every week. Just keep at your practice and they will begin to come easily to you. I would put so much pressure on myself to perform at that level, that I made it almost impossible to just bowl and not force it. You know what happens when you force it...nothing good.

I will also say this in advance.....don't get discouraged when you have a set back. They happen to everyone. Not just you, me, but even the pros go through them. Keep at it and your improvement will surely continue.

All good advice. Obviously, this being an easier house shot was weighing on me (aka: "you SHOULD be bowling even better on this poo house shot"). And it was wearing on me a bit that probably 1/3 of those strikes were brooklyn. So I was still not hitting that pocket 100%…but when I missed; I usually missed left and just the right amount. And it IS a different situation mentally when you're the highest average bowler on a team near the top of the standings. Whether I should bear that pressre or not…I feel like I MUST bowl my average to help the team…which isn't a problem when my average is 150-170. But my average in that league is now 190!

But some of the mental stuff seems to actually "help" me. "feeling" like I'm one of the best bowlers in the league (vs doubting it) gives me a certain level of confidence. I walk up to the approach thinking, "okay, this'll probably strike." vs "God I hope this hits the pocket at least." Same thing with single-pin spares. On Tuesday night…I'm scacred poo-less when I see that 10-pin sitting there. I'm even scared to see an 8 or 9 pin sitting there!

So there's a LOT of mental going on. Physically…it's still working on my few items from the most recent coaching session (staying low, effortless release, focus on the target through the swing) and add to that Rob's coaching advice regarding release hand position. And then add in the new forward spine tilt I'm experimenting with. All those are physical…but mentally it's been just as important (to success or failure) to have that confidence, to feel like I AM a good bowler, that I CAN compete with these higher average guys and actually beat them.

Thats why I mentioned that I might need a sport psychologist eventually because the "mental" side is starting to be equally/slightly more/slightly less important as the physical game development.

Amyers

05-21-2015, 12:59 PM

fortheloveofbowling

05-21-2015, 01:46 PM

Nice bowling Aslan. Keep it up.

manke

05-22-2015, 12:26 PM

Keep up the good work!!!

Aslan

05-22-2015, 02:50 PM

I will tell you from my experience bowling in the 190-200 range kind of stinks your good enough to expect to compete with the big boys but not good enough to beat them on even a simi-regular basis. My Win, Lose, or Draw league from last fall was an eye opener for me on how much difference there is between a high 190's average and a 210-220 average.

The only advantage at 190 is I still get some handicap for sidepots that the 220+ guys don't get. I've won a couple sidepots because I'll throw a 240 game and even though the other guys might throw 250s/260s...I win. But yeah...I still get annoyed when I bowl a 215 clean and think I really did a good job then I look next to me and see one of the 200+ guys rolling his 2nd 250s game in a row.

In that house I have the 3rd highest season scratch series with a 689. The guy ahead of me has a 715-720...but the guy in 1st place is like 780 scratch. And that's where my game is still limited. I can catch fire and find lightening in a bottle and get near 700...but most nights I'm in the 500-620 range. Those guys roll almost entirely 600+ and sniff 800 series from time to time.

But...on Tuesdays...highest average bowler (and best non-pro form I've ever seen) rolls a 206 average. I think one other guy is at like 201. The rest of them are in the 190s. In that league I average 170. So, average can be misleading because the difficulty of the shot can vary so much. I used to always tease Iceman that he must bowl on tilted lanes in Missouri because he was rolling 700+ series and had a couple 300 games. Back then I was really just doing it to annoy him...but now that I've seen first hand the level and degree a center can affect their shot...good or bad...averages are almost useless in terms of comparing bowlers from different centers. It's why sweeps in Vegas can be so humbling or amateur tournaments so humbling. A LOT of bowlers average in the 180-230 range on some easy, shorter, heavy oil in the middle, grooved track to the pocket kind of house/center...then get to Vegas and average in the 150s. I think sweeps complaints were a driving factor in my Tuesday house making their pattern much harder than before...they got tired of league members complaining that once they get to Vegas...they can't bowl.

What they (Tuesday house) NEED to do is turn on the damn foul line buzzer for league play. It was annoying in Vegas when people all over the center were sliding over the foul line because they got so used to being able to do it in our house. During warm-up in Vegas it sounded like a fire alarm was going off as nearly everyone was sliding past the foul line. I play multiple houses and practiced on those lanes beforehand so I didn't have that issue.

Aslan

05-27-2015, 02:47 AM

Tuesday League Night: medium oil synthetics/longer pattern

497 Series: 147-199-151

Game 1 I missed every multi-pin spare I left until the 10th. Made my single-pins…but couldn't make a 7 / to save my life.

Game 2 I missed a 4-pin and a 1-9 but was otherwise clean. Put a few strikes together in the 9th/10th to at least sniff a 200-game.

Game 3 had all the makings of an all-spare game but I missed a 6-10 in the 4th, struck on a lucky shot in the 5th, and chopped a 1-2-4 in the 6th…the rest spares…until I missed converting the 4-8 in the 10th. Should have used my spare ball on the 4-8 but it's a spare I rarely have ever left so for some reason I went for it with the strike ball. I missed left…which the spare ball wouldn't have helped…but I would have lined up much differently and that would have allowed me to pick it up.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.67 pins
Strikes: 33% (1 turkey, 1 double, and 6 singles)
Spares: 57% picked up

Single Pin spares: 88% (8/9)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (4x).

Multiple Pin spares: 33% (4/12)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 1-2-8 (2x).

Splits: 0% (0/1)

Average over 3 games: 165.67.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 169.00.

The epitomy of why I average 20 (now 21) pins lower in this house. Last week I had success with my left foot on 12 targeting 6. This week I had to move the target to 9 because everything right as much as a board of that wouldn't come back to the pocket. And I had to move my left foot from 12 to 14. So I had to move my target in 3 and my feet in 2. And then it was almost a straight shot at the pocket…too much speed and you left the 10 or a 2-4-5 or 1-2-8. You pull it so much as a board…you were through the nose. I missed 2 boards right and left the 1-2-4-5-7-8. I missed 1 board left and left the 4-7-10 split.

And a lot of bad shots…particularly multi-pin spares. Chopped the 6-10, 2-4-5, 1-2-4, 4-8, 5-9…these are not difficult spares to make! But I'd leave them and be annoyed that I wasn't getting back to the pocket and the throw it too hard or pull it. Our lefty/anchor shot a 770 scratch, nearly breaking the season record for the league, so obviously there was more miss room on the left side…and again…thats what one would expect if you oil in the morning and then let people play on them all day (most statistically being righties) with plastic house balls…now you have oil smeared all over the breakpoint while the left is pretty much normal.

33% isn't terrible and my single-pin spare shooting was above average…so it's not the end of the World…but I just couldn't the axis rotation today. I had my wrist brace cranked all the way to the right to maximize the axis rotation…but some shots seemed almost end over end. The release is still causing me issues despite the wrist brace.

Amyers

05-27-2015, 09:47 AM

My summer is not off to a good start either. I had major thumb swelling issues to start the season and just now staring to get back on track. Keep at it I've got a sport league supposedly starting today :cool:

Aslan

05-28-2015, 02:47 AM

Pre-League Practice: low-medium oil synthetics

578 Series: 209-200-169
Mainly it was just a warm-up…but I tinkered with a few different approach options. Focusing on getting low, a relaxed release, and focusing on the target seemed to still be the best option. I also tinkered with more forward tilt and my hand position…which was okay. In game 3 I tried to just focus on having good form…but that was less successful.

Wednesday League Night: medium oil synthetics

600 Series: 195 (clean)-205 (clean)-200

Game 1 I was on pace for an all spares game until I lucked into a strike in the 7th. Just couldn't get a line to the pocket. Timing might have been off as well. But, I picked up all the spares and kept things clean.

Game 2 I finally figured out the left lane but couldn't figure out the right lane. Almost a dutch 200. But again; clean.

Game 3 I started out with a turkey but finally opened in the 7th when I chopped a 2-4-5-7. And then, to make matters worse…with 2 points hanging in the balance…I chopped a 1-2-4 leave in the 10th.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.62 pins
Strikes: 46% (1 turkey, 3 doubles, and 6 singles)
Spares: 88% picked up

Single Pin spares: 100% (5/5)
Most common single-pin leave: 7-pin (3x).
Only left the 5-pin, 6-pin, and 7-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 83% (10/12)

Splits: N/A

Average over 3 games: 200.00.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: n/a.

Kinda disappointed that I almost had an all-spare game, I almost had a triplicate series, and I almost had a clean series. But it was a battle all night trying to get to the pocket. The ball just wasn't moving that much. Still having inconsistent release issues. I can't rely on 88% spare shooting every night to save a 600 series.

Amyers

05-28-2015, 09:19 AM

Sometimes the strikes aren't there congrats on another 600 and what looks like a pretty decent night.

mc_runner

05-28-2015, 10:24 AM

Nice job Aslan - sometimes the games are a battle, and anytime you can get a 600 on a night where strikes aren't coming easily is a win in my book. That's why they say spare shooting is a critical part of the game!

Aslan

05-29-2015, 01:48 AM

Thursday Practice: medium oil synthetics

I split practice into 4 things I wanted to work on; 3 games for each 'thing'.

494 Series: 159-169-166
This series I was just working on bending the knee and getting low. Nothing else. Getting lower has been something I've been working on for over a month. It wasn't AS bad as the scores indicate. For example…that 166 was two splits away from being a clean game. The biggest problem I was having with getting lower was I would tend to cheat and LEAN…and then I was off balance.

478 Series: 127-160-191
This series I was working on a relaxed swing. I was trying to put as minimal effort as possible into the backswing, swing, and follow-through. But, it didn't go well. For some reason as I completely relaxed the swing I lost my accuracy.

591 Series: 185-179-227
This series I was working on forward spine tilt (fancy word for leaning over the foul line). I found last week that when I added spine tilt..I was getting more power. So, I incorpotated that in and found that I was getting a bit more hand on the shot. It wasn't "effortless"…but I was seeing more power…especially by the 3rd game of the set when I finally found a ball that would work on the right lane. The left lane I used the Bullet Train for all 12 games…started targeting 6 and ended up targeting 13. But the left lane was a disaster. The Bullet Train and Rhythm took me too far inside. The Rhythm is essentially dead….so it's currently in the pro shop getting de-oiled and resurfaced. And the more aggressive Encounter is about useless. But the less aggressive, polished Encounter…was doing very well on that right lane.

600 Series: 152-211-237
This series I was working on hand position. Rob M. showed me a trick when I was out in Vegas. Kind've a way to stay behind the ball more than the traditional "up the side" style. So I JUST focused on that. First game of the series I only had one frame where I didn't get a strike or 9 on the first ball…but my single-pin spare shooting was off for some reason. Game 2 it was 6 strikes in the first 9 frames…so that was solid. And Game 3 I struck 9 times on 12 shots…a missed single 8-pin away from a 247 clean.

Arguably Useful/Non-Useful Statistics:
First Ball Average: 8.84 pins
Strikes: 44% (1 5-bagger, 2 4-baggers, 2 turkeys, 9 doubles and 22 singles)
Spares: 54% picked up

Single Pin spares: 74% (23/31)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (10x).
Never left a single 1-pin nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 40% (16/40)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: 4-7 and 1-2 (3x each).

Splits: 0% (0/11)

Average over 12 games: 180.25.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 187.25.

Not a bad practice. It started out horribly…but once I stopped forcing the knee bend and swung more naturally (vs "easy/effortless")…with some tilt and a workable hand position…I managed to really do well.

There are some downsides of course.
1) My physical therapist is not going to be happy that I bowled 12 games in one day. As I've been working on getting lower and a better knee bend…I've managed to expose some left knee weakness and have had some moderate pain. So I try not to overdue it as much as I was previously.

2) The coach has really been pushing more knee bend and a relaxed shot…so I'm going to need to keep that as part of the process…but now I'm thinking of 4 things on the approach…and I tend to have issues if that number gets in the 4-6 range. Maybe I'll watch some more Earl Anthony stuff on the net. He had great spine tilt and a significant knee bend…a relatively relaxed swing…so maybe I'll try to find a video I haven't already seen (if it exists).

3) Theres always a chance with this many games…even on a pair of lanes…that by the last 5 games I've just worn myself a nice track. And obviously had it been league night…I'd have shot another 490s game unless they give me 2 hours to practice… :eek:

Hopefully I can still use the Rhythm The Encounter (A) is almost unuseable right now. I put some polish on it to try and give it some distance…but that ball just starts hooking way too soon and enters the pocket with virtually no energy nor angle. I really need the Rhythm as a ball down option and it's my best ball in terms of performance. But lately…it flops into the pocket like a wet noodle…just seems dead. Still 108 games (probably 4 months) away from debuting "Arsenal #2". I need to come up with a flashy name for it though…gonna have to think on that.

Aslan

06-03-2015, 02:12 AM

Tuesday League Night: medium oil synthetics

461 Series: 121-166-174

Game 1 I was all over the place. I made the mistake of trying a new longer approach that I just learned Monday evening…without practicing it…and I just couldn't adapt. Starting further back was supposed to keep me from rising up at the foul line…but instead it made me rush to the foul line and take huge steps. It just wasn't working. I need to practice it first.

Game 2 I was clean through 7 and then just lost it.

Game 3 was more of the same…a few opens…but I managed to run a few strikes together to bump the score up a little.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.10 pins
Strikes: 25% (1 turkey, 1 double, and 3 singles)
Spares: 45% picked up

Single Pin spares: 80% (4/5)
Most common single-pin leave: 4-pin and 5-pin (2x each).

Multiple Pin spares: 35% (2/3)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 2-5 (3x).

Splits: 0% (0/3)

Average over 3 games: 153.67.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 157.00.

Ughhh. NOT encouraging.

Gonna be a LONG and EMBARASSING week if this continues. I have a league night tomorrow, a pro am on Friday, and a pro am on Sunday. And there's a chance the pro am will be on the PBA Chamelion pattern…at least Friday…so scores are already going to be low…I really don't need to help the matter by bowling like "poo".

Mike White

06-03-2015, 08:20 AM

Tuesday League Night: medium oil synthetics

461 Series: 121-166-174

Sandbagger :)

Aslan

06-03-2015, 01:14 PM

Sandbagger :)

I used to think that would be a viable strategy...to have a horrible average on Tuesday to cancel out the high average on Wednesday. But since the USBC doesn't use composites for the Open...I guess it doesn't matter. It might help for amateur tournaments...but even the BVL...I'm now going to easily be Class A so trying to "squeak" into Class B isn't going to happen.

And my poor bowling ball bag isn't going to survive many more 121 games. I nearly broke it after that game slamming my ball into it in frustration.

The good news is the team took 3 out of 4 thanks to strong performances by the rest of the team...but that just means we're no longer in the running for last place...and I was kinda looking forward to winning that towel. : (

bubba809

06-03-2015, 02:04 PM

Just out of curiosity, how much longer do you have to keep the Lion avatar? I know it was given by Iceman for a year.

Aslan

06-03-2015, 02:23 PM

Just out of curiosity, how much longer do you have to keep the Lion avatar? I know it was given by Iceman for a year.

The obligation is expired. But last time I tried to change it, the site wasn't letting me. I let Bowl1820 know and he said there might be problems with it. I haven't tried again since.

I would have been more motivated had Iceman been more like me...and chosen an avatar that was super insulting or embarrassing. For Iceman, I was going to choose something like a picture of the Iranian Ayatolla....or like Al Sharpton. I wouldn't bee mean enough to choose the ISIS flag or Bin Laden....but I would have picked something he'd have hated for 6 months. But a Lion's head? I might have picked that for myself had I not had a really cool big lebowski pic to use.

Aslan

06-04-2015, 02:59 AM

Wednesday League Night: medium oil synthetics

526 Series: 153-183-190

Game 1 I struggled like hell getting the ball back into the pocket. When I didn't miss right, it was because I pulled it and missed left. Only 2 non-split opens and one was a washout. But still…I'm getting sick of chopping (and leaving to begin with) the 2-5.

Game 2 I only opened in the 2nd frame on a 2-4-10 split. But I was having the same struggles as game 1; just made it back to the pocket a little more and made more spares.

Game 3 I AGAIN opened in the 2nd…but this time on a friggin 3-6-10. And the only difference between games 2 and 3 was I strung a few of the strikes together in Game 3. I thought I found the solution midway through…seemed like it was a timing issue…but by the 8th frame I was back to sucking.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.27 pins
Strikes: 33% (1 turkey, 2 doubles, and 4 singles)
Spares: 66% picked up

Single Pin spares: 100% (4/4)
Most common single-pin leave: n/a.
Only left the 2-pin, 5-pin, 7-pin, and 10-pin (1x each).

Multiple Pin spares: 58% (10/17)

Splits: 0% (0/3)

Average over 3 games: 175.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: n/a.

Another disappointing night. I made the mistake of trying to fiddle with the surfaces on 3 of the bowling balls pre-game. I thought maybe I was having trouble striking, especially in the Tuesday league, because the highly surfaced balls were burning up and hitting light. Recently I've had some success with the more polished balls and started to buy into the "stored energy" theories. Well, apparently you need some semblance of axis rotation to take advantage of that wonderful technology…so that experiment failed. Before the Pro-Am Friday…those balls are all getting sanded back down.

I also think the center screwed something up. The patterns for everyone tonight seemed longer. A much higher average bowler than I am, was bowling on the pair next to me and he was saying the same thing…that his ball seemed to be skidding past the breakpoint…as if the pattern was longer tonight. Our thumbless bowler struggled as well as it seemed like his ball skidded a little too far before "grabbing".

Well, my days as a 190+ bowler have ended after two weeks. I'm probably still one of the top 20 (out of about 90) bowlers in the league…but it's not a "league of champions" by any means. A lot of older players, big fat guys throwing thumbless, and beginner gals averaging in the 90-110 range.

And I may start lofting it more again. The reasoning (besides sucking at bowling the "right" way) is….IF the balls having too much surface weren't striking because they were burning up and hitting weak…then reducing the loft actually hurt me. The balls can't "burn up" in the air. I believe Mika lofts because he was used to burnt up heads. What would burnt up heads do? Cause the ball to lose a lot of energy as it traveled over them, right? So lofting would delay the "burning up"?

I don't know. When I have my next practice session I'm also gonna take the wrist brace off and see if I can develop a "poor man's Mike Fagan" release. But I can't do that with the wrist brace on because it won't let me bend my wrist back. I need the wrist bent back during the swing so I can "snap" it at the end…and generate some real revs…and the RIGHT revs. And also I need to try and play the inside of the ball. I can't swing through the ball if I don't start inside…or I get very little revs. And I don't want to generate revs by coming up the side of the ball. So I need to start inside….I just never had much luck with that. And at my next lesson I gotta figure out this timing thing. I used to say to myself "push, back, back and, swing…" and that helped me stay close to in time. I went away with that as I've tried to think about other improvements during the approach…but nothing is making me better when the timing off. I miss the pocket way, way, way too often for it to be anything but timing. I've tried SO MANY different strategies to fix the timing….moving closer, shorter steps, almost no first step, pushing the ball out with the first step, pushing the ball out after the first step, relaxing the swing, making the approach fluid vs choppy….this could go on and on. Nothing is FIXING it.

Well…a day off and then the first of 2 Pro-Ams. I was really looking forward to them…now I'm kinda nervous and anxious….because there's just so much wrong with my game that it adds an embarassment factor to the already nervousness factor.

vdubtx

06-04-2015, 05:24 PM

Keep at it Aslan. Your game is gonna have a big breakthru any time now. Just you watch. 190's are on the horizon with 200 very close in the distance. :cool:

Aslan

06-04-2015, 07:14 PM

Keep at it Aslan. Your game is gonna have a big breakthru any time now. Just you watch. 190's are on the horizon with 200 very close in the distance. :cool:

Thanks for the kind remarks...but after a lesson, a 461 series, and a 526 series...my confidence is not in an ideal place.

I just need to survive the two upcoming pro-ams and try to get something out of the clinic I'm going to next week. Did I mention that? I will be in a clinic with none other than Missy Parkin (one of my favorites) and Sean Rash (not so much...but a Brunswick guy so I'll give him that). After that...I'm gonna take a mini 3-day vacation...then come back and start to focus on really getting my release better. I can't get to the next level if I have to sand my bowling balls down to 500-1000 abralon just to get them to move...and when they do they die out before hitting the pins and my strike rate suffers. 20 years ago...yeah...you could play that outside/in big arc and if you made your spares...good accuracy...you could be something. But now...if you're not rolling a 680+ series every night on a THS...you're just a glorified novice with a ball that smells like a mix of blackberries and sweaty socks.

Aslan

06-18-2015, 02:44 AM

Wednesday League Night: medium oil synthetics

499 Series: 168-155-176

Game 1 I couldn't figure things out until the 8th frame. Game 2 was a couple bad shots, a couple splits…just couldn't string the strikes together. Game 3 was okay…but a washout in the 5th and a split in the 10th…pretty much ruined any chance of rolling at least one game at or above my average. : (

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.44 pins
Strikes: 43% (1 5-bagger, 3 doubles, and 3 singles)
Spares: 38% picked up

Single Pin spares: 83% (5/6)
Most common single-pin leave: 6-pin and 10-pin (2x each)
Only left corner pins.

Multiple Pin spares: 16% (2/12)

Splits: 0% (0/4)

Average over 3 games: 166.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 168.67.

After 9 days off from bowling, I was excited to get back into it…but man was I rusty. And it didn't help that before Game 1, I realized my wrist brace was broken so I spent the night alternating between the Wristmaster II and nothing.

Lesson tomorrow. Who knows if things will improve or not. The stats are certainily negative tonight…but to be honest….the strike rate was high and only 4 of the 11 missed spares were truly "make-able"…4 splits and 3 washouts.

HowDoIHookAgain

06-18-2015, 06:37 AM

Ouch. Hope things start to turn around for you soon.

Amyers

06-18-2015, 09:30 AM

Sometimes it just doesn't seem to matter what you do. It's just off.

vdubtx

06-18-2015, 09:45 AM

Sometimes it just doesn't seem to matter what you do. It's just off.

Exactly this. Have had my share of these type of nights. Ever since coming back from El Paso, then bowling on the "easy" shots, I haven't been able to do anything. Desperately need some practice, but haven't been able to since I got back. Home improvement stuff keeps getting in the way.

Golf will starting to get in the way too. Bought a new set of clubs and have yet to try them out. This weekend will be a golf weekend for me.

Aslan

06-18-2015, 12:58 PM

I don't like to make excuses...but to start the night out by tossing my wrist brace in the garbage (because it was broken)...it just made everything "different".

The lanes seemed like very heavy oil in the middle...and quite long for a THS. But there was a ton of dry area outside of the 7-board. I tried playing up the 8.5 board to start...but it seemed like with my speed...it just wasn't hitting the dry soon enough to move. Over the course of the night...I migrated a bit left with my feet which allowed for me to hit the breakpoint better...and give me some miss room to the right...but it was still a tight shot. That last 10ft in front of the pins was almost bone dry so small misses left and the ball didn't move much at all and then jerked suddenly just in front of the pin deck.

The slower speed, older guy, he couldn't even keep his urethane spare ball right of the headpin. Me and the anchor had too much speed and he didn't have enough.

It's frustrating because there's so many elements at play during the set-up, approach, and release. And if you focus on too many...or focus too much...then you're not relaxed and everything goes south. But if you ignore one of those main elements...you're screwed as well. The wrist brace allowed me to ignore release differences shot to shot and focus on things like timing and footwork and targeting. But without the wrist brace...even if I nail those other items...the release is completely inadequate. I'm not getting good axis tilt...on some shots I have virtually zero axis rotation...so even with aggressive bowling balls and a lot of surface...I can't get back to the pocket.

We'll see how the lesson goes tonight. The coach never liked the wrist brace anyways...so, for now, I'm just gonna work on my shot without one. But after next week, I'll re-evaluate. If it looks like I just can't get any tilt/rotation without the brace...I'll order something of higher quality....like a Storm wrist brace or Robby's or Brunswick. The broken brace was just a Chinese $30 thing I bought just to "try" it.

I've been trying to just focus on form and balance. If I'm more straight up and down...if I loft it a bit...whatever, so be it. But if I can fix my timing and stay balanced at the foul line...and can hit my mark (usually not a problem)...then I can work on some of these other things later.

It's just very frustrating to take 3 steps forward...then 2 steps back...like 1-2 times a month. Just when I think I got things fixed and figured out...I poo the bed and it's back to the drawing board.

I got about 98 games left on this arsenal and then it'll be time to retire it. And right about that time I'm gonna schedule a lesson with Mark Baker...get another set of eyes on my game (or lack there of). Hopefully I'll get some practice in with the new arsenal before I head off to sweeps in mid-September.

I just hope the current coach doesn't get too annoyed that my next arsenal is already pretty much selected. And I just don't see the value in getting "top of the line", NEW, bowling balls at this point. The way I look at it is...a GOOD bowler can bowl a 175 average on a THS with old equipment from the 80s/90s. A great bowler can probably average 200+ with older equipment. The way I see it is, if I can't average 175 with lower level, older equipment...then the problem ISN'T the equipment...it's the bowler. Now, if I'm awesome...but the only thing holding me back is that my equipment isn't "top of the line"....THEN it's time for an advanced arsenal. I see far too many bowlers that just fundamentally are "bad"...but they compensate with advanced equipment. Kinda like how my release is bad and I compensated with the wrist brace.

Back to the drawing board...AGAIN!

bubba809

06-18-2015, 02:25 PM

You are being WAYYY too hard on yourself Aslan. I know you have a lot of time and money (mainly time), invested in this bowling project. We have all seen you improve just in the past year. Sure you will have dry spells, we all do, but also I remember you having a few 600's of late....no matter WHAT house is was bowled at. You seriously need to take a step back and ask yourself if you are a better bowler than you were a couple years ago. Do you have more knowledge about the game...WAIT, we know the answer to that one!!

I've said it before, I have never seen anyone so dedicated to learning the sport than you. Just read his "post history" folks, if you need to see for yourself. This alone should be commended and appriciated. Stop beating yourself up and focus on your move (unless that is done). I really enjoy reading your posts and watching your videos. I actually have learned quite a bit about the game from your observations and or complaints. You have many valid arguments. PLEASE..keep it up and just enjoy the game.

One last thing I'd like to point out. Vdub stated than you are close to a breakthrough. I have thought this myself. I don't see you in the 160's much longer. You'll be surprised how it's like a switch being turned on. Don't be afraid to try little new things in your game. I was tweeking for like 15 years before I finally matched up my game. I still need work but have climbed.

Life it too short and you have too much damn spunk to let it get you down.

mc_runner

06-19-2015, 09:24 AM

Agreed 100% bubba!

Aslan

06-19-2015, 11:05 AM

I must admit…Bubba would make a good "sport psychologist". Thanks Bubba. Much appreciated.

As the former (now probably dead or gone to some kinda Bruce/Lisa Jenner limbo) Iceman stated…I simply lack patience. And I DO lack patience.

Yes..I often want to quit bowling and throw my equipment in the nearest dumpster…hopefully landing on a homeless person and killing them…because if we're being totally honest…bible lessons aside…do we REALLY need that homeless person???

But…BUT…I live 15 feet from a bowling alley and I love to bowl. AND…I have about 16 bowling balls undrilled in my living room…so quitting is kinda more of a "fantasy" at this point.

Just remember Bubba…2 years ago…I was almost voted off the site for my opinionated tone and random other annoyances and possibly some questionable behavior. ALLEGEDLY. But…the users voted that I stay (at least 60% of them…the others are DEAD to me!!!)…so here I am to entertain and spread what some would call, "bowling wisdom". Others would call, "complete jibberish and incoherent nonsense". But to each their own.

Okay…Aslan being awesome and entertaining aside…today's scores:

Thursday Practice:
My coach didn't show…which sometimes happens when your coach also owns a couple pro shops and bowls on the tour…but yeah…kinda annoying. I "think" there was probably an e-mail that got sent to my previous e-mail account. With the move, I've had to switch e-mail addresses so I assume that was the issue.

But…I took the time to work on my game independently:

563 Series: 137-244 (clean)-182
Game 1 I was trying to start my hand on the inside quarter of the ball but couldn't seem to get the hand all the way around the ball during the release so I abandoned that strategy after 1 game; something I'll have to work on more. Game 2 actually would have been higher except I lost focus a bit after the non-strike in the 6th and forgot to make the adjustment until the 10th…and then struck out. Game 3 would have been a higher score had I not chopped the 1-2-8 in the 10th frame.

538 Series: 186-189-163
Only a couple opens in Game 1 but I couldn't seem to find my strike ball. Game 2 I was a couple missed single-pin leaves away from a clean game…but even after balling down to the Encounter (A); still couldn't consistently strike. Game 3 I was a chopped 2-5 and 6-9 away from a clean game…but again mostly spares.

Last Game: 151
For the last game I ran out of room moving left and tried to move back outside but it took a few frames just to figure out the new line and I was still struggling to strike…and chopped a couple multi-pin leaves…missed a couple single pins as well for lackluster finish.

Pinpal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.63 pins
Strikes: 35% (1 5-bagger, 2 turkeys, 6 doubles and 4 singles)
Spares: 62% picked up

Single Pin spares: 70% (12/17)
Most common single-pin leave: 7-pin (6x).
Never left a single 1-pin, 2-pin, nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 58% (18/31)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: 2-4-5 (5x).

Splits: 50% (1/2)

Average over 12 games: 178.86.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 187.00.

Disappointed that I couldn't seem to get the "inside the ball" thing to work…but it'll probably just take more practice.

AND…keep in mind this is probably #1 or #2 in terms of easy houses in the OC…

AND…the Encounter is just pretty much a useless ball at this point. And I think the Rhythm is dead. About 91 games left before an arsenal change…which I"m very much welcoming given the struggles I've had with my Encounters and especially now if the Rhythm (my most reliable ball) is dead/dying.

Amyers

06-19-2015, 11:41 AM

Aslan

06-22-2015, 12:13 AM

Aslan if the Encounters are unusable and the Rhythm is dead why don't you just go ahead and switch the arsenal? Seems kind of foolish to wait on an arbitrary number if your down to the Bullet Train and a Slingshot :eek: as useable balls.

Well, remember, I have two Encounters and the polished one still seems somewhat useable. I think there's something going on with the thumb pitch in those two balls. My thumb seems to get "held up" as it exits the ball. It may be the tri-grip…but it doesn't seem to happen with the Slingshot and it is also tri-G.

And I only "think" the Rhythm is dead. I'm not certain. I threw it for most of the games I practiced today and it seemed okay.

Aslan

06-22-2015, 02:01 AM

Father's Day Practice: low-moderate oil synthetics

Decided to get out of the apartment and go next door to bowl. First time trying out the new home center (at least it will be for next season). It's a weird center, very old school…the big old Brunswick scoring system…and 20 lanes on each side…which is not the usual set-up. I've seen it a couple times in Vegas…but this is the first time outside of Vegas.

532 Series: 198-196-138
Both games 1 and 2 were nearly identical…started out with a couple opens…then started picking up spares…then finished strong striking. Game 3 my spare shooting fell in the toilet.

160-191 (clean)
Only had time for 2 more games. Game 1 I was struggling to strike and spare shooting just wasn't there. Then the spare shooting game kinda came back to bowl a clean game to finish things off.

Pinpal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.58 pins
Strikes: 33% (2 4-baggers, 2 doubles and 7 singles)
Spares: 61% picked up

Single Pin spares: 60% (9/15)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (7x).
Never left a single 1-pin, 3-pin, 5-pin, 8-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 63% (12/19)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: 1-2-4 (3x).

Splits: 50% (1/2)

Average over 12 games: 176.60.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 188.80.

Mainly wanted to get a feel for the new lanes. Given that I now live 20ft from this alley…I figure I'll be spending a fair amount of time there. I still have two leagues to finish up at my two current centers…then fall season I'll stay at the AMF house for one league…hopefully with my old work team…and move the other league from my current 'home' center to this new alley.

I liked the feel of the place. It's very old school. It immediately felt 'comfortable'.

I tried the "working the inside of the ball" thing a bit but most of practice just focused on my form and relaxing my swing. I made a fair amount of shots where I really felt like the ball was coming off my hand cleanly.

Also had thumb issues. The thumb tends to slip out of the Bullet Train because of that smooth VISE IT slug material….and my thumb got hung up when I finally balled down to the Encounter…I think because of a thumb pitch issue. But most games I threw the Rhythm and I must say…that ball is drilled exactly right. The thumb fit is perfect…the pitch is great…and I just feel that ball coming off my hand perfectly.

As to the line at this house compared to what I'm used to…

Home Center: uncertain (does not oil fresh before leagues)
AMF Center: Generally slide foot at 17.5, target dots at 9.
New Home Center: Generally slide foot at 17, target at 11.

So, in a nutshell, I generally play just outside the 2nd arrow at the AMF Center and just inside 2nd arrow at the new home center…but both seem to be forgiving shots. I missed right alot in the beginning (new house) as I tried to adjust to this shot being maybe a tiny bit LONGER than at the AMF house…not quite as much of a dry area off to the side either.

Not a great practice. Still gotta get my swing and timing and release consistent. I feel like I'm hitting my mark…but it could be one swing or another swing…gotta get that speed and timing consistent.

Aslan

06-23-2015, 07:45 PM

Monday Late-Night Practice: low oil synthetics

Decided to try and hit 1000 games this year, AND take advantage of living next door to a bowling alley...AND take advantage of living next door to a bowling alley that is open 24 hours. It DID NOT go well.

Got there 15 minutes before midnight and had to wait 15 minutes for pricing to go down to the "day" rates. The place is also a big karaoke destination so I had to constantly listen to what sounded like people stepping on cats. When I wasn't listening to that...I was listening to the most annoying rap music I've ever heard...and I've heard some pretty annoying rap music.

428 Series: 118-152-158
All three games were just variations on the same theme...complete inability to consistently hit the pocket. When I hit the pocket, I left a corner pin. When I struck, it was usually Brooklyn. And I didn't strike very often. Spare shooting started off horribly...and multi-pin spare shooting was abysmal as I was leaving stuff like the 1-3-8, 1-2-10, 1-2-8-9...and lots of 1-3-9s.

441 Series: 136-154-151
Consistently horrible. No strikes in Game 4. Went 0 for 5 on multi-pin leaves and 5 for 5 on single-pin leaves. Game 5 was the only halfway decent game of the entire night as I only opened 3 times...all 3 times on splits. Game 6 I balled down from the Rhythm to the Encounter on one lane...so lots of missing right trying to get that ineffective pearl cover piece of garbage to do anything other than annoy me.

158-148
Game 7 was okay...but single-pin spare shooting failed me...including a missed 7-pin for an open frame in the 10th. Midway through Game 7 the lane kinda broke and rather than fix it...the guy moved me over to another pair...so I got to spend my last game figuring out the new pair.

Pinpal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.30 pins
Strikes: 20% (1 turkey, 2 doubles and 11 singles)
Spares: 50% picked up

Single Pin spares: 73% (17/23)
Most common single-pin leaves: 7-pin and 10-pin (6x each).
Never left a single 1-pin, 8-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 37% (16/43)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: 1-2-4 (4x).

Splits: 0% (0/7)

Average over 8 games: 146.88.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 154.62.

Mainly wanted to just see what it was like to bowl there at night...bowled from 12AM to 2AM. Not ideal to bowl on a Monday night that late when you have to get up for work the next day...and I think that was weighing on me a bit. But I don't know what was wrong. I have to think there must still be some significant flaws in my timing for my pocket percentage to have been THAT abysmal. I missed right a lot...getting outside my target...and having such a poor amount of axis rotation...especially with my wrist brace broken. But most of the night was a battle with the lanes to try and stay right of the headpin on those beat to he(ck) lanes. Not only was I bowling after their 4 leagues had finished...but after a couple hours of house bowlers as well. I mean, at one point I was standing with my left foot about 11-12 boards left of center and throwing just left of center...and the ball was almost making it back. If it came back, it usually hit pretty weak at that angle...but still...I rarely get more than 5 boards left of center with my feet and almost never get my target inside center on most lanes.

Not sure what the fix is. I'm trying to work on balance and form...staying focused...but it just seemed like I was out of time; out of sync. I tried maybe getting lower...I tried relaxing my swing more...but it seemed like everything I tried didn't work. I started moving my target back out towards the arrows to get my shot more on line and extend through it...but when I do that...I tend to start lofting it.

And I don't know if I should keep practicing at that center, despite it's 5 minute walking distance from my apartment, given that the league conditions I play on are so different...especially on Tuesdays.

I'm looking forward to my re-scheduled lesson on Monday...because other than the PBA50 Pro-Am where I won $170 for 2nd place...it's been a pretty miserable week of bowling 2 weeks ago, a week off, and now I'm right back to struggling.

Well, off to the hell that IS Tuesday League Night. At this point I think Vegas has my over/under for tonight's series set at 415 so...get your bets in early to win some big money! If things go south too badly, too quickly...I might just get the conventional drilled urethane ball out of the trunk of the car and bowl old school.

Aslan

06-24-2015, 02:25 AM

Tuesday League Night: low-medium oil synthetics

522 Series: 159-194-169

Game 1 I made as many good shots as bad ones…but only a few strikes to show for it. Only a few opens but struggled with thumb fit, finally adding a couple pieces of tape to the VISE IT insert.

Game 2 I missed a single 5-pin in the 4th and then couldn't convert a 1-2-3-4-5-7 on a bad first shot in the 8th. But I struck well and always was able to double.

Game 3 I lost the strike ball; only striking twice the entire game. I was clean through 6 though before missing a 10-pin then chopping a 1-2-5-9. Otherwise clean.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.18 pins
Strikes: 32% (4 doubles and 3 singles)
Spares: 59% picked up

Single Pin spares: 70% (7/10)
Most common single-pin leaves: 4-pin and 10-pin (3x each).

Multiple Pin spares: 50% (6/12)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 2-4-5 (2x).

Splits: 0% (0/2)

Average over 3 games: 174.00.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 183.33.

Not a horrible night by any means. Better than practice last night. Just continuing to work on balance and form. I took the wrist positioner off to hopefully start generating some "uncorking" of the hand. The downside was about 6 shots that missed way right as I wasn't able to even uncock the hand to a straight position (wrist still bent back) at the release point. Struggled with thumb fit a bit with the VISE inserts. The black material is just too slippery. A few bad shots were due to the thumb slipping slightly as the ball is in it's swing. The white material IT slug I have is more sticky, like a standard slug in a bowling ball…but the black ones feel more like a non-stick pan or something. Then I get afraid I'll drop it….then I squeeze….then the ball gets stuck….then I powder the thumb….then we start the whole circle again.

But…I bowled okay…I won $4 playing cards…and I struck in the 10th all 3 games which helped our team take 3 of 4 points on the night…which we badly need given we're in 2nd to last place. At this point I'm kinda hoping we just finish last so we're at least in line to win the towel. And, 2 games above my average…thats okay.

Amyers

06-24-2015, 10:25 AM

NewToBowling

06-24-2015, 10:28 AM

Yep, I swear by bowlers tape now. Couldn't go without it in my bag

Aslan

06-24-2015, 01:45 PM

Well glad to see the Urethane was able to stay in the trunk. Adjust your inserts to where you can get a couple of pieces of bowlers tape in the back of them and then they all have the same feel. IT thumbs are not an excuse not to use tape. I could be wrong about this but is there a single PBA bowler who doesn't use tape? and lots of it.

I don't know. I guess I'm not as happy with the IT system as I had hoped. Probably just because of high expectations. But I hoped to have 3-5 inserts that I could simply change in and out and never have to mess with tape again. What I ended up with is 6 inserts...two of them too big to really ever be useable...and even when my thumb does fit well...my thumb still tends to hang up with the white material and slide out with the black material.

That being said...unless I change my mind in the next month or two...I think my next 4 strike balls will be drilled VISE IT. I don't have nearly the thumb issues (other than the material problem) with the inserts as I have with my other bowling balls. And maybe adding just 1-2 pieces of black tape to the back of the black material inserts will do the trick...and I just need to, on future inserts, request the black material over the white material. Experts are probably going to say the two slugs are exactly the same material...just different colors...but it sure doesn't feel that way.

I also want to get the next set of balls drilled with the exact same thumb angle as Mike W. drilled on my Rhythm back in 2013/2014. That ball may not be "exactly" right in terms of my span...but it's close...and more importantly...the thumb angle into the ball is absolutely perfect. In contrast, the thumb angle in the tri-grip drilled Encounters is horrible. It feels like it's too much forward and also too much to the side...so those balls tend to hang up on my thumb because I just can't get the thumb out from that angle. The Slingshot, spare ball, and Bullet Train are "okay"...but not as perfect as the thumb pitch on the Rhythm.

Amyers

06-24-2015, 02:05 PM

I don't know. I guess I'm not as happy with the IT system as I had hoped. Probably just because of high expectations. But I hoped to have 3-5 inserts that I could simply change in and out and never have to mess with tape again. What I ended up with is 6 inserts...two of them too big to really ever be useable...and even when my thumb does fit well...my thumb still tends to hang up with the white material and slide out with the black material.

That being said...unless I change my mind in the next month or two...I think my next 4 strike balls will be drilled VISE IT. I don't have nearly the thumb issues (other than the material problem) with the inserts as I have with my other bowling balls. And maybe adding just 1-2 pieces of black tape to the back of the black material inserts will do the trick...and I just need to, on future inserts, request the black material over the white material. Experts are probably going to say the two slugs are exactly the same material...just different colors...but it sure doesn't feel that way.

I also want to get the next set of balls drilled with the exact same thumb angle as Mike W. drilled on my Rhythm back in 2013/2014. That ball may not be "exactly" right in terms of my span...but it's close...and more importantly...the thumb angle into the ball is absolutely perfect. In contrast, the thumb angle in the tri-grip drilled Encounters is horrible. It feels like it's too much forward and also too much to the side...so those balls tend to hang up on my thumb because I just can't get the thumb out from that angle. The Slingshot, spare ball, and Bullet Train are "okay"...but not as perfect as the thumb pitch on the Rhythm.

I don't know how you have dealt with the different drilling styles and pitches in your balls for as long as you have. It would drive me insane but I'm sensitive to the feel of my balls. try a few different tapes and see what you like the feel of best and use it in all of your balls. Switch grips aren't a bad idea especially if you change thumb sizes from summer to winter but that's what they are for not to custom tailor the thumb between individual days. Feel is important especially for someone who overthinks the way you do. I like white (rougher tape) on the pad side of my thumb and the black tape on the nail side. I usually start with two-three pieces of white in the back and one to two of black in the front. I may change too the IT system on my next ball I purchase as I had to reslug all of my thumb holes this spring. If it shrinks back down more than I'm comfortable with tape I'll probably go IT just to keep from needing to redo them between summer and fall.

Aslan

06-24-2015, 05:30 PM

Thumb fit HAS been a key to at least being able to throw an average game. Good fit doesn't guarantee success...but bad fit seems to guarantee an off night.

I like using black tape on the back more so than the white tape on the front. I have both and use both...but as often as I bowl...I find the white, rougher tape really tears up my thumb. I USE it...don't get me wrong...I have both white and black tape on every ball except the VISE drilled ball...I do whatever is necessary to keep that thumb fit as optimal as possible because it's so key to my success (probably 2nd only to timing)...but if I could use the VISE IT inserts with only 1-2 pieces of black tape...I'd much, much, much prefer that to adding the rougher white tape.

My end goal on thumb fit is to have the thumb-hole be tight enough that the thumb suction can hold the ball from falling during the swing...but with no "gripping" at all. I understand that I'll likely never achieve that ideal...but the goal is to get as close as possible. Most bowlers aren't as picky about thumb fit...most drill their thumbholes very big to give them all kinds of room to get out of the ball...nobody likes a ball carrying them over the foul line. But that requires "gripping". And "gripping"...if you're going to do it...the white tape is helpful because it gives you something to "grip". I don't want to grip at all...at any point in the swing/release. Just like ideally I don't want to apply force at any point in the swing/release...but I do...and so does almost everyone else. I've heard many bowlers say they "don't muscle at all"...but that's just not true. It's very, very hard to have a true muscle-less, pendulum swing using only gravity and momentum with ball speed generated primarily by your feet.

It's too bad more people, casual bowlers, don't learn about proper taping. I come across bowlers regularly that have horrible thumb fit situations...and some of them that actually even know about "tape"....you'll see them using it completely wrong. You'll see it in the hole sideways, you'll see thumb tape used inside the thumb hole (rather than ON the thumb)...you'll see white tape on the nail side, etc...

And the multiple balls drilled multiple ways will be solved soon enough. It's hard when you're starting out, still trying to decide on a good layout, adding balls to your arsenal piece by piece; it's hard to have a really consistent situation. That's why I'm excited about my arsenal change. 4 balls, all picked due to their specs and more importantly picked with each other in mind (so there's not any glaring gaps or overlaps). All will be drilled at the same time, with a PBA player's input on drilling layout, and with a thumb pitch based on the ball I know has a really good pitch...all drilled the same.

I still contend that balls don't make as much difference as people like to believe...and I still very much contend that how a ball is "drilled" (other than to fit one's hand) is also rather unimportant comparative to other factors...but improving my consistency from ball to ball in terms of fit/feel is going to be a welcome situation. If I wasn't making an arsenal change within the next two months...I'd consider just re-drilling them all to be the same...but at this point that would be kinda a waste.

Aslan

06-25-2015, 10:20 AM

Wednesday League Night: low-medium oil synthetics

671 Series: 201-217 (clean)-253

Felt good from the start. A much more relaxed swing…the ball seemed to be reacting well to the lanes/line without much adjustment.

Game 1 I only had one open on a 1-2-4-10 washout in the 4th that I couldn't convert; just couldn't seem to strike consistently until about the 7th. Trouble carrying the 7-pin for some reason. So, I was "happy" with a 200+ score…but disappointed as well that my goal of getting a 713+ series (to get my name back on the season high scores list) was in serious jeopardy after game 1.

Game 2 was my favorite game only because I prefer a clean game to a higher score with opens and Game 2 was clean. Again, couldn't really run any strikes together until the 7th. Biggest difference between Game 1 and 2 was I was able to convert a 1-2-4-7 washout in the 4th, in Game 2, which allowed me to finish 16 pins higher in score rather than 6 pins lower. But again…a little trouble carrying the 7-pin.

Game 3 was exciting. I had the front 8…and in the 8th I even sorta dropped the ball…but just seemed to have a perfect line to the pocket. As MWhite would say, I was "playing the oil line" so the ball just seemed to find the pocket even if the release wasn't perfect. I've never ran 8 strikes in a row before…so it was a new and exciting experience. With my "over-thinking", I was thinking 300 since frame 1…but it really started setting in after the front 7…and a couple folks were starting to notice and migrate over to our pair to watch.

But…in the 9th I just made a bad shot, well right with too much speed to come back…and left the 1-2-4-10. I WAS able to convert it…which led to some excitement from the crowd that had gathered…I think they were more impressed with that than the front 8. But…in the 10th the ball just seemed to get a little bit too far inside…and I left the 3-10 baby split….and unlike Game 1…I got the ball too far outside and wasn't able to take out the 3-pin.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 9.16 pins
Strikes: 56% (1 8-bagger, 2 turkeys, and 4 singles)
Spares: 84% picked up

Single Pin spares: 100% (6/6)
Most common single-pin leave: 7-pin (4x)
Only left the 7-pin (4x), the 2-pin (1x), and the 8-pin (1x).

Multiple Pin spares: 71% (5/7)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 1-2-4-10 and 3-10 split (2x each).

Splits: 50% (1/2)

Average over 3 games: 223.67.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: n/a.

Nothing to complain about here! Sure, I'm disappointed that I can't seem to get into the 700s…and I need to if I'm going to honestly compare myself to the other high average guys in the league. And once AGAIN….the guy running the side pot let me know that I was "close" to winning the Game 3 side pot…all I needed was a mark in the 10th. Thats happened a few times now where I missed winning the side pot by very little.

But…all 3 games over 200, only 2 open frames the entire series, a clean game, 100% single-pin spare shooting, my first 8-bagger, and I even managed to win the 1st game poker hand with a straight flush…which I've never gotten before.

As to "how/why" it happened??? Well….still working on form, balance, and focus. No wrist brace nor wrist positioner. I think the biggest difference was just further relaxing of my approach and swing. I think I have a tendency to rush the foul line AND a tendency to try and muscle the ball during the swing. Last night my foot speed was a tiny bit slower…and my swing more relaxed. Struggled still, without the wrist brace, getting good axis tilt/rotation…and each game seemed to have at least one shot where it went way right because I just had no axis tilt…but, something to work on.

It's harder than it sounds. "Just relaxing" sounds like an easy fix…but when you have to "make yourself relax"…then it's a skill just like any other skill and requires some work. Our team anchor commented that I need to "drink every night" because normally I just have a diet pepsi…but last night had a gin and tonic per game and was a bit more "lively". Normally drinking during play makes me "sloppy"…but last night it seemed to calm me down a bit…get me out of my own head a bit.

And it's a mental game as much as anything…so "confidence" is a big factor. On Wednesdays I'm a 190 average bowler and the high average bowler on my team. There are expectations that come along with that. But there's also a sense of "confidence" where I'm not going on the lanes (like on Tuesdays) "afraid" that the lanes are going to beat me. I'm walking out on the approach (on Wednesdays) and thinking "okay, you got this…hopefully it carries…but if not, hopefully it leaves us an easy spare." Same thing with the single-pin. On Tuesdays, I see a corner pin and approach it thinking, "Uh oh…I sure hope I luck out and pick this up" but on Wednesdays it's more, "You got this…you're as good if not better a spare shooter than the rest of these guys…just throw it straight, trust your line, trust the ball, trust your game."

And the team took 3 of 4 points…thanks in some part to the highest average bowler in the league being absent…but still, we'll take it after a rather poor month. And our anchor asked me to switch spots with him. He's been struggling and thinks the pressure of bowling last is part of it. So, I accepted…and will now be anchoring my team…first time I've taken on that role so hopefully it works out for both of us.

mc_runner

06-25-2015, 10:41 AM

Great series! Solid scoring all 3 games. You know you're having a good night when nerves start to set in :)

vdubtx

06-25-2015, 11:17 AM

Nice shooting Aslan. Congrats! Keep at it, that 700 is not so distant from you.

Aslan

06-25-2015, 03:07 PM

Great series! Solid scoring all 3 games. You know you're having a good night when nerves start to set in :)

One thing I notice is; when I'm having a really good night...I don't move much. This pair we were playing on...very close from one lane to the other...and I only had to make one 2-1 adjustment on one lane. I never had to ball down...only made one adjustment with my feet to turn that 2-1 into a 1-1...but the ball was working great right around 2nd arrow.

And it helped that I had the line almost to myself...which is RARE when you're a righty playing 2nd arrow. But there was only 9 of us and the 4 ladies were all inside around 3rd arrow. 1 of the guys also was more inside...2 of the guys were leftys...and one guy has really slow ball speed and played way inside.

I hate to always make excuses for my success :o :rolleyes: ...but...for those that still don't believe there is a different from house to house or lane to lane or that other bowlers can mess with your line/shot/success...I average 168 on medium oil/length in a more difficult house with inconsistent conditions...and 190 in a house with low-medium oil...a shorter pattern, lots of dry outside, and consistent conditions.

What stinks is...I was hoping to do the USBC Open next year...in the classified division...but since they don't use "composite" average....I'm going to be excluded from the classified division and have to face bowlers with actual talent..like VDub. I'm still hoping to do it for the "experience"....but wavering given I'll have no realistic chance of being competitive.

But yes...in a nutshell (Mudpuppy cliff notes)...being able to stay with a target +/-1 board...and standing in the same 3-board area the whole night...using the same ball...gave me what I believe to be just enough of an extra advantage to be competitive.