Aslan's Scores (of the non-lady kind)

[Aslan]

Aslan I am not advocating this particular drill or necessarily adding revs in the short term but if I was going to try a practice technique I wouldn't give up on it so quickly nothing is going to fix you rev problem without costing accuracy in the short term.

I think the dilemma I am having is, I certainly can add revs. I mean, I threw that plastic ball and got it to hook 30 boards. I CAN get revs. But the cost of accuracy is not something I think we should downplay. That is why I don't advocate thumbless bowling or 2-handed bowling. Yes, there's an opportunity for increased angle and pin carry…but for most bowlers that go down that road…not named Belmonte…they suffer a great deal in consistency and the ability to make spares.

I wasn't in here before when Rob gave you that advice but from reading the old posts I believe it was right at the time but I've said it before your getting close to as far as your current style will let you go. You can only score so well with a 23% strike percentage. I'm not saying it's today to change. Throwing the ball in the pocket is only going to take you so far.

This may be true. I'll be posting some scores here in a minute that might illustrate this further. And yes, the next step is certainly RELEASE and how to develop a more inside game and get more movement on heavy oil. I agree 100%. I just have to figure out how to generate more revs without an increase in speed and loft. The loft is killing the ball energy and the speed is counteracting the increased revs. Thats the next step in my evolution of my game…how to iron that out.

Aslan, Look at your videos closely and pause them when the ball is passing your ankle. When you lost it so much its because the release is really late and the thumb and fingers are coming out at the same time. That is going to cause you to overly loft the ball, look where your thumb is pointing. On the other shots where you lay the ball down earlier you can clearly see the thumb out first and you hand behind the ball. The thing that is keeping you from end of the lane motion is your wrist position. Again, pause at your ankle and you will see the wrist pointing straight down. Get that hand under the ball at release and you are there. Use those videos, they are very valuable to you. Keep working on it, you are close man.

I will continue to work on it. Maybe that is the key…getting under versus behind. I'll continue to work on it and try to take another set of videos next week.

One thing that is fair to mention though…I pattern my approach and release after Earl Anthony…with a little WRW mixed in. If you watch Earl Anthony bowl, and focus on his hand at the release point…I think you'll see a similarity.

1) His timing appears late. He gets to the line and then brings the ball through…kind've like what I tend to do.
2) You'll notice his hand position is more like a suitcase release than a modern release…same with WRW.

Now, perhaps I can move away from that style once I'm able to generate more revs…and I'll keep working on the "under the ball/elbow in" stuff. Just realize when you see my approach/release that some of the style is intentional. Earl and WRW are the best bowlers in the history of the sport. While equipment has changed…the bottom line is bowling is still primarily about accuracy and repeatability.

But yes…as you'll see in my scores tonight…I MUST compliment my new spare shooting ability with a higher strike % or league night becomes very, very difficult. I just bowled a 551 series and only struck 7 times. Thats a 21% strike rate. While I'm proud that most bowlers today wouldn't score near as well with a strike rate that low….relying on spare shooting…I am also frustrated (and tired)…having to throw the ball an extra 19-20 times.

[Aslan]

Friday League Night (substitute): low-medium oil synthetics

551 Series: 168-193-190 (clean)
Game 1 was solid. I left a 6-7 split in the 2nd and a 1-7 spare in the 5th. Other than that, a clean game. BUT…I only struck ONCE. In game 2, I was clean through 9 frames before throwing a gutter ball on the first ball in the 10th and only managing to pick up 9 pins on the second ball for my only open. Game 3 was clean…but only 2 strikes.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.66 pins
Strikes: 21% (1 double and 5 singles)
Spares: 86% picked up

Single Pin spares: 100% (15/15)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (3x).
Never left a single 1-pin nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 62% (5/8)
Most common multi-pin leave: 3-6 and 6-10 split (2x each).

Splits: 0% (0/1)

Average over 3 games: 183.67.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: N/A.

So there it is….a better night than last night, took 4 points, moved the team up a position, had a good time, bowled another clean game, met my goal of 525+, put on a spare shooting clinic, including 100% of 15 single-pin spare leaves.

Bad news? Well, I struck the equivalent of once every 5 shots…which makes for a LONG night and doesn't get me very close to my first 300-game. And, quite frankly, I got "lucky". 8 multi-pin spare leaves and only ONE split…even though the 1-7 might as well have been a split for all intensive purposes.

I was hammering the headpin all night…a lot of seemingly nice pocket hits…just couldn't knock them all down. I seemed to have more success striking when I went Brooklyn…I'd say 1/2 to 2/3 of the strikes were Brooklyn. But it also came at a price. If I hit the pocket and didn't strike, it was a single-pin spare. If I didn't knock them all down going Brooklyn, it was usually a multi-pin leave (5-9, 6-10, 3-10).

[Amyers]

Friday League Night (substitute): low-medium oil synthetics

551 Series: 168-193-190 (clean)
Game 1 was solid. I left a 6-7 split in the 2nd and a 1-7 spare in the 5th. Other than that, a clean game. BUT…I only struck ONCE. In game 2, I was clean through 9 frames before throwing a gutter ball on the first ball in the 10th and only managing to pick up 9 pins on the second ball for my only open. Game 3 was clean…but only 2 strikes.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.66 pins
Strikes: 21% (1 double and 5 singles)
Spares: 86% picked up

Single Pin spares: 100% (15/15)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (3x).
Never left a single 1-pin nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 62% (5/8)
Most common multi-pin leave: 3-6 and 6-10 split (2x each).

Splits: 0% (0/1)

Average over 3 games: 183.67.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: N/A.

So there it is….a better night than last night, took 4 points, moved the team up a position, had a good time, bowled another clean game, met my goal of 525+, put on a spare shooting clinic, including 100% of 15 single-pin spare leaves.

Bad news? Well, I struck the equivalent of once every 5 shots…which makes for a LONG night and doesn't get me very close to my first 300-game. And, quite frankly, I got "lucky". 8 multi-pin spare leaves and only ONE split…even though the 1-7 might as well have been a split for all intensive purposes.

I was hammering the headpin all night…a lot of seemingly nice pocket hits…just couldn't knock them all down. I seemed to have more success striking when I went Brooklyn…I'd say 1/2 to 2/3 of the strikes were Brooklyn. But it also came at a price. If I hit the pocket and didn't strike, it was a single-pin spare. If I didn't knock them all down going Brooklyn, it was usually a multi-pin leave (5-9, 6-10, 3-10).

This is exactly what I've been talking about at this point as far as spare shooting goes your better than me. Just straight up I don't go 15 for 15 on single pins I should but I don't. I have gOod games and bad ones with it but at the end of the day a match between us would be close and I very well might win because I strike more than you do. There's a solution there somewhere for you.

[Amyers]

The thing that is keeping you from end of the lane motion is your wrist position. Again, pause at your ankle and you will see the wrist pointing straight down. Get that hand under the ball at release and you are there. Use those videos, they are very valuable to you. Keep working on it, you are close man.

I noticed that last night the guys we were bowling against who are very good they were not behind the ball they were underneath the ball. If I can going to practice today thought I might experiment with it some.

[Aslan]

This is exactly what I've been talking about at this point as far as spare shooting goes your better than me. Just straight up I don't go 15 for 15 on single pins I should but I don't. I have gOod games and bad ones with it but at the end of the day a match between us would be close and I very well might win because I strike more than you do. There's a solution there somewhere for you.

Well, in fairness, I rarely go 100%. I'm presently a 70% single-pin spare shooter according to the stats.

But, as to a match between us…I'd likely win, since;
A) If it occurred on wood lanes, I'm used to them. Remember, on wood lanes, I beat the mighty MWhite.
B) If it were on heavier oil synthetics, you'd struggle more than me since I try to play on as many different conditions/houses as possible.
C) In straight up competition against fellow BBoarders; I am undefeated.

I noticed that last night the guys we were bowling against who are very good they were not behind the ball they were underneath the ball. If I can going to practice today thought I might experiment with it some.

The only "pause" I have is seen in these slow motion videos of the best bowler alive. I don't see hand under the ball.

Still gonna give it a shot though…always looking for little things that can help.

[Aslan]

[Amyers]

Well, in fairness, I rarely go 100%. I'm presently a 70% single-pin spare shooter according to the stats.

But, as to a match between us…I'd likely win, since;
A) If it occurred on wood lanes, I'm used to them. Remember, on wood lanes, I beat the mighty MWhite.
B) If it were on heavier oil synthetics, you'd struggle more than me since I try to play on as many different conditions/houses as possible.
C) In straight up competition against fellow BBoarders; I am [U]undefeated

Now wait a second

A. I bowl all of my leagues on wood now my wood is in good shape (not sure if your wood was really that bad or mike was looking for excuses) but even then I can loft if necessary.

B. I play on different houses also I don't have 50 to choose from like you do but I have thrown on synthetics I personally don't see much difference than my houses wood except they score higher which I've always thought was due to newer pins and backs not sure just better pin action. As far as heavy oil goes it's a wash with my current ball I'm just going to be throwing it in the pocket same as you would even out the rev differences between us but I still hit harder than you.

C. Unfortunately not any BBoarders here close to have that match but would love to give it a try. I'm sure some of you could stomp me but like you I tend to bowl up to my competition.

All in all not saying I would win just that even though your more accurate than me I would have a even chance of beating you.

[fortheloveofbowling]

Amyers, What i mean by under the ball is not breaking your wrist at release. Just like if you hold the ball in the palm of your hand. Also, by doing that you will be staying behind the ball until the thumb comes out and then rotate with the fingers.

[fortheloveofbowling]

Let me clarify some more. If you just pick up the ball and hold it in your hand that is how it should look when it passes your ankle and the thumb begins to come out. That is both staying behind and under it. The walter ray clip shows that even after he has thrown it. You see the way his hand is still straight? That is because the majority of the time is comes straight up the back of the ball to play straight and control down lane motion. A guy like pete weber on the other hand has a much higher axis tilt and tends to get on the side of the ball much more but still stays behind and under the ball just not as long.

[Aslan]

Let me clarify some more. If you just pick up the ball and hold it in your hand that is how it should look when it passes your ankle and the thumb begins to come out. That is both staying behind and under it. The walter ray clip shows that even after he has thrown it. You see the way his hand is still straight? That is because the majority of the time is comes straight up the back of the ball to play straight and control down lane motion. A guy like pete weber on the other hand has a much higher axis tilt and tends to get on the side of the ball much more but still stays behind and under the ball just not as long.

I "think" I understand what you're saying. You're just saying that when your ball gets to the release point your wrist should be "cupped"…to some degree. Correct?? I thought I pretty much solved the breaking of the wrist on release by wearing the wrist positioner. But maybe not. I tried to look at the videos and my problem might be just moving my hand up the side of the ball too soon…but, we'll see. Something to focus on anyways. Thanks.