Back again.....

[jimgilmore]

Ok, here I am at 59, I turn 60 this year. I have bought a brand new Storm mix drill for me a #10 ball. Sam weight I used back in 2010 when I was in NY taking care of my mom.
I'm wearing a brace on my left leg and compression wrap on my right knee and a pair of soft supports on my right arm to help with my pain issues and prevent myself from hurting myself more than necessary.
Today 3 bowled 3 games 147,153,158. Not great but for a 10 pound ball and not having bowled in 4 or 5 years not too bad. I am hoping to use the mix basically as my spare ball and have a second ball drilled that will hook more, The lanes said that my ball speeds was between 12.5 and 14.4 but mostly just under 13 most of the time.

[jimgilmore]

I started in a summer league for seniors called grandma's and grandpa's today.
So far the team I was placed with was a no show. So I bowled by myself against the other team. Being I have either an allergy or head cold bugging me I do not feel bad about rolling 118,125,144. for a 386. I was happy to be bowling but trying to make sure i do not hurt anything.
Hoping to get a second ball by week 3.

[jimgilmore]

Bowled week 2 . Now have two team mate to complete our team,,.
I bowled 139+144+158=441
Did better as I'm trying to figure out how to make my spares. Once I figure out where to cover the 10 pin from. my score should pick up.

[jimgilmore]

week3 I rolled 134+186+156 for a 476.
A little disappointed with my spare shooting.In my second game I had 5 in a row and then opened in the 8,9 and 10 missing my chance for a 200.

[jimgilmore]

Well today was week four.
I used the new Brunswick Rhino fot the first time in this league and used my Storm mix for shooting 6 and 10 pin spares.
I rolled a 150+160+171=481
My first game was pretty bad since I had a ton of opens. Still trying to get my timing close so I stop missing my mark so badly.

[LOUVIT]

improving for sure, I am about in the same boat (61 years old) only I am coming back after 20 years with a bad back and overweight. i bowl Monday mornings ($1 a game specials) and a Wed. afternoon senior meet. My scores vary from 120 to 190. i am using an old nvs 16# ball but it wont hook an inch. I for sure need a new ball that will react. good luck to both of us

[jimgilmore]

Hello, Louvit. If I read another post your in Florida. About 2300 miles from me as I am in Landiaster (Lancaster) Ca.
Good luck to you too.

[jimgilmore]

week 5
today was a total disaster.
I bowled 130+122+131=383 I could not find any way to carry the corners and threw solid pocket shots either left the 5 pin or left the 8 pin.
My spar shooting was less than 50%.
Then one of my teammates bowled badly. She was 76 pins under average and the other was right on her average.

[jimgilmore]

Today I bowled week 6 and it was an improvement.
I rolled 166+140+160=466
My first game had just 2 opens. I had crossed over leaving the 1-3-6. And my spare shot was slightly right of target and never hooked to cover the head pin.
My second open was a 2 pin in the ninth frame. Same thing i hit oil on the outside and the ball just stayed to the right.
Second game was a mess with 3 splits. 2 were the 5-7, the other was a 5-10. I had 2 other opens in that game which was a 10 pin and a 4-7.
The third game I had three more splits . A 8-10 on a pocket shot. And 2 3-10's which I made 1 and missed 1.
Over all I had 9 open frames,4 strikes and ,18 spares.

[jimgilmore]

I bowl in a practice league on Fridays. So this friday I rolled 152+202+157 for 511 first 200 game and first clean game with no opens . I even made the 5-10 split to keep it clean.

[LOUVIT]

I shot a 537 the other day with a 190 in there a 5-10 blew my 200 game. 3 months in now new ball coming this week. hope I can get used to a ball that may even hook.....lol

[1VegasBowler]

I bowl in a practice league as well, and since we have a coach I'm working to tweek my game from start to finish, and in this case I'm not looking at my scores as I am working on the adjustments to my game, including ball reaction.

The coach has been working on all facets, and the first thing we worked on was my approach. He felt that I needed to use my legs a lot more than I had been, and I have been moved back a couple of feet so I can get a longer final step and slide.

He noticed right away that I was using a Marshall Holman approach and he felt that there were two modifications needed. 1) Go longer with the approach and 2) Start by bending at the waist and then once I get moving, bend the knees. Once I did that, we found that my short arm swing became a little longer, but it created more power and revs. And the break point has stayed consistent as well.

I recently de-oiled my Vandal and Thug Unruly, and yesterday I went and bowled some of my 30 free practice games I earned during the winter season and really tested my game, and what I found out, was, I was able to open up the lanes a bit more and not have any change in my break point.

What also helped were 2 very clean balls. The Vandal and Thug Unruly were hitting stronger to have more pins scattering. And the Thug Unruly was back to its old big hook potential. (I'm still glad I never got the Grudge..lol)

While this was a good test for the THS, I'll know more when I bowl on the Scorpion pattern on Wednesday using the Vintage Danger Zone.

[LOUVIT]

I bowl in a practice league as well, and since we have a coach I'm working to tweek my game from start to finish, and in this case I'm not looking at my scores as I am working on the adjustments to my game, including ball reaction.

The coach has been working on all facets, and the first thing we worked on was my approach. He felt that I needed to use my legs a lot more than I had been, and I have been moved back a couple of feet so I can get a longer final step and slide.

He noticed right away that I was using a Marshall Holman approach and he felt that there were two modifications needed. 1) Go longer with the approach and 2) Start by bending at the waist and then once I get moving, bend the knees. Once I did that, we found that my short arm swing became a little longer, but it created more power and revs. And the break point has stayed consistent as well.

I recently de-oiled my Vandal and Thug Unruly, and yesterday I went and bowled some of my 30 free practice games I earned during the winter season and really tested my game, and what I found out, was, I was able to open up the lanes a bit more and not have any change in my break point.

What also helped were 2 very clean balls. The Vandal and Thug Unruly were hitting stronger to have more pins scattering. And the Thug Unruly was back to its old big hook potential. (I'm still glad I never got the Grudge..lol)

While this was a good test for the THS, I'll know more when I bowl on the Scorpion pattern on Wednesday using the Vintage Danger Zone.



that's something I can't do is take long steps, between my back issues and extra weight it seems impossible. I used to stand at the start of the approach, now I am at the end of the ball return taking 5 baby steps...I think it's a mind game since when I started again 3 months ago I took a few bad falls so bad my shirt was full of oil I had to crawl back to the ball return for leverage to stand up.

[1VegasBowler]

that's something I can't do is take long steps, between my back issues and extra weight it seems impossible. I used to stand at the start of the approach, now I am at the end of the ball return taking 5 baby steps...I think it's a mind game since when I started again 3 months ago I took a few bad falls so bad my shirt was full of oil I had to crawl back to the ball return for leverage to stand up.

I'm certainly not suggesting long steps for you. You have to make your approach in a way that is going to be the most comfortable possible. I'm around 40 pounds overweight myself and I know how exhausted I am after bowling 4 games..lol

The one big positive I found with the longer approach, is, my slide knee didn't hurt as much as when I was taking the shorter approach, and I use a compression sleeve and a hinged knee brace. Even today it feels good (surprisingly).

I was only pointing out what changes/tweeks were made to my approach and release. And if you have a coach for your practice league, he/she can certainly tell what will be best for you :)

[jimgilmore]

Today was week 7in the grandma and grandpa's league.
I didn't bowl too bad but by game 3 I was tired and missed a few shots that cost us the last game.
I rolled a 147+189+144=480. I opened in the 10 th frame when i crossed past the 2 pin while shooting the 2-4-5-9. Leaving the 5-9. My team is not very good and it left the door wide open my the player after meter me shot one pin and then a miss in the 10 th from on a strike in the 9 th. Any reasonable count would have made the difference but it was not meant to be and we lost the game by 2 pins. We at least took 3 points from a team that should have beaten us by at least 10 pins every game but they did not bowl their averages.

[Tampabaybob]

Jim.... Considering what you stated you were up against in your first thread AND considering you're using a 10# ball, I'd say you were doing pretty fantastic !!
Age has come to many of us, I'm pushing 70 myself, and by the grace of God, I'm still hanging ion there with some of the kids in the league. You know those show offs that throw the ball 18 or 19 miles an hour and put about 500 revolutions on the darn thing.

Keep going and always remember this; "Old age and deceit will always overcome youth and skill" !! I like to toss that out to the young guys I end up having to bowl against. Gets them thinking this old guy may kick his butt.

[1VegasBowler]

Jim.... Considering what you stated you were up against in your first thread AND considering you're using a 10# ball, I'd say you were doing pretty fantastic !!
Age has come to many of us, I'm pushing 70 myself, and by the grace of God, I'm still hanging ion there with some of the kids in the league. You know those show offs that throw the ball 18 or 19 miles an hour and put about 500 revolutions on the darn thing.

Keep going and always remember this; "Old age and deceit will always overcome youth and skill" !! I like to toss that out to the young guys I end up having to bowl against. Gets them thinking this old guy may kick his butt.

Always will too! :)

[jimgilmore]

Had another great day in the friday practice league . Rolled a 192+157+235=584 .My first game wasn't too bad. Miseed the 10 pin to start when I missed my mark, followed by a 5-7 split. Then a second split in the third frame followed by a 9 spare and a double in the 5 th and 6th. 9spare in the 7 and 8 and threw a strike in the ninth and the first 2 in the 10 th to get me to 192.
The second game I was mostly 9 spare except the 4 th frame i got wide and the ball stayed out and missed the head. I chopped the 2-4-5-7 leaving the 5 pin and in the 8 th frame i missed a second 10 pin. In the 10 th frame i went through the headpin leaving the 2-10. So I finished with the low game of 157.
The third game I slowed down and stopped forcing the ball so much. Started off with my third split 6-7-10 and just took the 6-10. struck the 2,3,4,5,6 and threw a 9,spare in the 7and 8 th, struck in the 9 th and the first ball of the 10 th frame them a 8 spare to finish off my 235. Still yet to break 600, or get over 240 ,but a good set for me. I think I am actually learning some of what works more than I have in the past.

[Tampabaybob]

Jim, for throwing a 10# ball and dealing with the other issues I think you're doing fantastic ! My gosh, if you were throwing even a 14# ball you'd be over 200 average. Way to go man, keep chucking those good scores.

[jimgilmore]

Ok, Last week was week 8 and the team had to make it up so we bowled on last Wednesday.
I rolled a 145+190+199=534
Not bad for me....
So this morning We were playing first place team.
I rolled a 243+191+150=573 series.
Not bad the first game I was on But started pulling the ball in the second game.

[jimgilmore]

today in the Friday practice league I started off poorly. had a few opens and 2 splits. Rolled 133. The next game I rolled a 9,spare, gutter ball,spare,but managed to find my timing for a 201.
The third game I was pretty much right on going spare ,5 in a row a weak pocket 8-10 split and finishing with my new highest game 256.
133+201+256=590

[Tampabaybob]

Jim, you're shooting really well with that new ball. Great job.

[jimgilmore]

Ok, I missed last week due to family but bowled week 12 today.
I rolled a 169,163,176 for a 508. We played the last place team and took all 4 I believe.
That third ame should have been better except for 2 pocket splits i rolled leaving the 7-9, and then the 4,6,7,10. A decent series for me, anyway.

[jimgilmore]

Sorry I missed posting the scores from the last 2 weeks. I was preparing to go get a haircut and got distracted to a point where I almost killed my dog. He is healing and getting better. That event has consumed my time and focus.
This morning I had a good start rolling a 212+167+142= 521. The first game had just 1 open the second was fairly clean . But the third game had 5 splits and I was only able to convert a 6-10.