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

[Amyers]

Don't lose your confidence half of what you do in this game is mental. You've got to believe in yourself. This is one of those sports that you have light bulb moments when for no apparent reason the things you work on just kind of click and you get better. Keep after it this is also a sport that you can try to hard at maybe you need to relax, drink a beer, and have some fun with it. I have a tendcy to get too serious sometimes and tighten up luckily I bowl with some great teammates who are pretty good at figuring out when I'm working myself up to that and sit me down and hand me a beer even though I usually don't drink when I'm bowling leagues.

This is a competition but its supposed to be fun too. My wife has been sidelined with carpel tunnel in her right wrist for 2 months now she's bowling lefty just to keep active and because she loves it. Average has went from 130 to 69 she has been back up in the 90-100 level here lately I think I would lose my mind doing that. she has done it with a smile bowl for the love of the game not the scores and you may find the scores follow.

[Aslan]

Monday Practice: low oil synthetics

438 Series: 136-150-152
Game 1 wasn't great…but I was trying to find my line and which ball to use and I gave myself a break since it's been a couple weeks since I bowled in the ole house. Despite the early struggles, it was good to be home. Game 2 was inexcusable. A missed 10-pin, a missed 6-10, and two missed 1-2s as I continued to struggle adapting to this plastic ball. Game 3 was a "little" better but still struggled with washouts.

532 Series: 163-169-200
Game 4 started off a little rough…but I settled into things. Game 5 was a mirror image as I started off with 7 clean before a 4-6 split and a couple washouts to finish things up. Game 6 wasn't a 'ton' better in terms of my overall game…but my spare shooting started to settle in. Was only 1 frame shy of a clean game.

573 Series: 166-221-186
Game 7 was similar to game 6…not great…missed a 10-pin I shouldn't have…but similar. Game 8 I kinda figured things out. Suddenly, all the things I had been working on with my new approach and release…just kinda came together. It wasn't clean as I chopped a 3-5 in the 3rd frame…but it was a very respectable score and I struck 7 times. Game 9 wasn't nearly as good…but my spare shooting allowed me to stay nearly clean…just a chopped 1-2-8 in the 1st as an open.

527 Series: 152-187-188
Game 10 was disappointing as I left some difficult multi-pin spares…but I was still feeling good…just needed to remind myself not to forget about "timing". Game 11 and 12 were pretty close to each other…just a split here and there…a missed multi-pin spare here and there…but otherwise clean.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.39 pins
Strikes: 32% (1 4-bagger, 3 turkeys, 6 doubles, and 17 singles)
Spares: 57% picked up

Single Pin spares: 85% (23/27)
Most common single-pin leaves: 10-pin (7x).
Never left a single 1-pin, 2-pin, nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 43% (24/55)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: 1-2-4 (5x).

Splits: 10% (1/10)

Average over 12 games: 172.50.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 175.25.

Statistically it wasn't a huge improvement over last time I practiced, a couple weeks ago. But there were two things that I hope are a sign of things to come:
1) The 85% single-pin pick-up rate. That was with a plastic ball…shooting the spare ball at both left and right side leaves. Now, of the 4 I missed…1 was a single 4-pin and 3 were single 10-pins…so once I get a better handle on that 10-pin target…I think my single-pin statistics will be dramatically improved.
2) Things finally "clicked". Once I started gently laying the ball down rather than try to generate some "pro release"…my hand was naturally behind the ball. I didn't need to "try" and get my hand behind the ball or under the ball. It was just there. And surprisingly, once I started gently laying it down…my thumb started coming out clean without me "thinking about it". The ball was hooking…and it was hitting with more power…even though I was just "gently" laying it down. And my sweep leg…once I started concentrating on just staying low…and reducing the spine tilt just a "little bit"…being a "little" more upright…I didn't have to FOCUS on keeping the sweep foot down…it just naturally stayed down.

I talked to the league lady tonight and I HAVE A TEAM for Fall/Winter!!! Friday night got canceled due to only having like 6 teams…so she was going to either put me in a small 10-team Wednesday league or a new Thursday league that was starting in a couple weeks…but checked the rosters and found me a spot on a team on Tuesdays…which is the biggest league night at that house and the only league that is a bit more competitive AND the league that is difficult to get a team into because it's so large.

So…I feel better now. Hopefully I can keep things going in a positive direction. I have another lesson with my coach on Monday and I would prefer to have her notice my improvement and start giving me additional items to "tweak" it…rather than what I WAS facing which was to go to her and pretty much start from scratch.

[Amyers]

Congrats on the better bowling especially towards the middle and end. Hopefully your turning a corner. Just don't be surprised I have always found it to be at best 3 steps forward 2 steps back. Good Luck glad to hear about the league are you only doing 1 this fall or does your PBA league go through the fall also?

[Aslan]

Congrats on the better bowling especially towards the middle and end. Hopefully your turning a corner. Just don't be surprised I have always found it to be at best 3 steps forward 2 steps back. Good Luck glad to hear about the league are you only doing 1 this fall or does your PBA league go through the fall also?

Thats true. The good news, however, is that if I do poo the bed tonight...I'll be establishing handicap so it's a win either way. But yeah, far too many times I've had some epiphany at practice only to show up on league night and bowl a series in the low 400s.

I'll still be in the sport shot league. It goes most of the fall/winter. And that'll be enough for me. I don't plan on subbing in the Fall/Winter...don't plan on doing any tournaments...just work on my game and take lessons and hopefully at least come close to that goal of 193+.

[Aslan]

Sunday Sport League: PBA Cheetah Pattern

543 Series: 134-114-154-141
Game 1, 4 washouts and a missed single 10-pin. Game 2, 4 splits and a washout and a couple missed easy spares. Game 3, I had a few more washouts. Game 4, 3 more washouts.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.00 pins
Strikes: 24% (1 turkey and 8 singles)
Spares: 38% picked up

Single Pin spares: 57% (4/7)
Most common single-pin leave: 2-pin and 10-pin (2x each).
Never left a single 3-pin, 4-pin, 5-pin, 7-pin, nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 33% (9/27)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 2-4-5, 1-2-8 and 1-2 (2x each).

Splits: 0% (0/4)

Average over 4 games: 135.75.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 140.25.

The stats are pretty descriptive in terms of what went wrong. I can't expect to do well if I keep missing right of the headpin. Of 27 multi-pin leaves; 15 of them involved a combination of at least TWO of the 1, 2 and 8 pins. While most players struggle on the Cheetah keeping the ball from hooking into or across the headpin…I still struggle to get it back to the pocket.

Had a chance to throw a few practice games on the pattern afterwards...

511 Series: 167-193 (clean)-151

Game 1 I was a split, washout, and a missed single 6-pin away from a clean game. Game 2 was 2 strikes and 8 spares…but the first ball average was up which left me much more make-able spares like the 4-7, 6-10, 2-4-5, etc… as well as single pins. Game 3 saw only 2 additional strikes but again the spare shooting was decent. It would have been another clean game except I chopped a couple make-able spares and left a washout.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.52 pins
Strikes: 21% (1 double and 5 singles)
Spares: 73% picked up

Single Pin spares: 90% (9/10)
Most common single-pin leaves: 5-pin (3x).
Never left a single 1-pin, 4-pin, 8-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 61% (8/13)
Most common multi-pin leave: 2-4-5 (3x).

Splits: 0% (0/1)

Average over 3 games: 170.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 173.67.

Why the difference? Well, I think the time off between Monday practice and Sunday league messed me up a little. I didn't start to really feel comfortable during league and then kinda felt relaxed/comfortable during practice. A more relaxed swing, shorter steps in my approach, trying to keep my sweep foot on the floor, and trying to get a little more upright.

Still couldn't strike though…and thats both problematic and getting old.

Got a lesson tomorrow with my coach. It's been a few weeks so hopefully she can see things that have improved and things that are still not quite right. Then my first night with the new team/league on Tuesday. Last time on the Cheetah is next week, then I gotta wait till early December to see another short pattern (Sydney). The week after next we switch to the Mexico City 45' pattern which is the 2nd longest one we'll see so I'm not looking forward to that.

[Aslan]

Monday Practice: low-medium oil synthetics

386 Series: 138-115-133
A few bad games trying to figure out my post-lesson game (or lack there of)...

473 Series: 178-137-158
Game 4 went better. Missed a single 7-pin in the 1st and an 8-10 split in the 6th…otherwise clean. Game 5 was poo. Game 6 was fine early on and then poo.

578 Series: 174-178-226
Game 7 was okay but I was still struggling with spare shooting. Game 8 was better, but I got a split, chopped a 2-4-5, and missed a single 10-pin. Game 9 went very, very well. Only DIDN'T strike TWICE! Unfortunately one of those was a 4-7-10 split in the 9th so there goes a clean game.

510 Series: 178-171-161
Games 10 through 12 were all pretty solid. A missed single pin here or there, a split here or there, or a washout.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.50 pins
Strikes: 34% (1 4-bagger, 3 turkeys, 6 doubles, and 20 singles)
Spares: 45% picked up

Single Pin spares: 60% (14/23)
Most common single-pin leaves: 4-pin, 7-pin, and 10-pin (5x each).
Never left a single 1-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 40% (24/60)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: 2-4-5 (7x).

Splits: 0% (0/11)

Average over 12 games: 162.25.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 170.00.

Mainly this was just a chance to work on some things I got out of my lesson this afternoon.

1) I worked on my new stance and approach. Less bent over, more upright.
2) Worked on actually thinking of less "stuff" while in my approach. And trying to relax a bit.
3) A change to my first step to try and resolve an early timing issue.
4) And working on my new spare shooting system/targets.

It wasn't an overwhelming success. Disappointed that I've lost some of the ground and am back to a more upright stance with higher speed and loft…but I think it's a temporary situation while I fix my timing. And disappointed that the new spare targets weren't 90-100%…but it's to be expected. My accuracy is actually quite good…I just have a problem with how I'm lining up initially. So I'm hitting my target but missing…because of some unintentional squaring of my shoulders at the foul line.

But…I gotta stick with it. I can't take a lesson and then when I don't see immediate results go back to what I used to do…kinda defeats the purpose of lessons.

But I don't know what is different now than before…but physically I'm BEAT after this practice. I was limping in from the car…my foot is sore, my knee is aching, my hip is sore, the back is tight, and the thumb is sore. Normally I'm more mentally worn out than physically…so this new approach must be adding a physical element (or I'm doing it wrong). We'll see. First league night of Fall/Winter is tomorrow. Hopefully my car doesn't break down this week!

[Amyers]

Too be honest I have always wondered how you can throw these long sets and not be sore I'm okay for 6 or maybe 9 games but after that I'm trashed. Looks like you were improving as the night moves on good luck bud. How much loft are we talking about? a few feet or are you back to pitch it to the arrows?

[Aslan]

Too be honest I have always wondered how you can throw these long sets and not be sore I'm okay for 6 or maybe 9 games but after that I'm trashed. Looks like you were improving as the night moves on good luck bud. How much loft are we talking about? a few feet or are you back to pitch it to the arrows?

In the beginning, I'd get to 9 to 11 games and be physically (and mentally) spent. But with conditioning, now I can do 11 or more before physically getting tired. I still struggle mentally at after about 11 games though.

I'd say back in my "Amyers days" I was lofting 8-12ft...essentially landing the ball ON the arrows. I have gotten that down to maybe 7-9ft. Now, with the new changes, it's back to maybe 10ft. The distance isn't as noticeably different as the trajectory. In the AVI challenge there were some good shots where the ball made virtually no sound as it was laid gently onto the lane surface. As I get more "straight up and down", given my height, the ball trajectory goes from a "plane landing" to a "plane crashing". Maybe a difference of 30 degrees in terms of launch angle.

I talked about it with my coach and she said that while, yes, we gotta keep the lofting under control...from what she was seeing....the early timing was causing far more negative issues so we need to sacrafice a little "bad loft" in order to get the timing right.

The key issue...and I think this is shared by MANY amateur bowlers...is KNEE BEND. If you watch the pros you will see them have a MASSIVE knee bend that allows them to get very, very low and thats why they tend to not to loft. Amateurs tend to be straighter up and down OR they tend to bend over the foul line at the waist rather than with their knees. MWhite actually gets impressively low (yet still bounces the ball for some reason...???).

- My inital instruction was to be very straight up and down (hand to the ceiling) and loft the ball. That worked okay on wood lanes where speed played well. That became a very bad problem as oil volume increased and I bowled on slicker synthetic lanes where speed didn't play so well.

- I then got some instruction from Rob where we tried to "roll" the ball rather than "toss" the ball. We slowed the approach and moved it closer to the foul line. I also started watching a lot of Earl Anthony videos and tried to adapt the part of his game where he seemed to bend over the foul line signifcantly and lay the ball down with accuracy and precision. Sure, it's "old days bowling", but it's a bowler that is still considered the #2 bowler of all time.

- I then got some instruction at a clinic from John Gaines. He's a taller guy, like myself (except WAY taller) and he suggested straightening up and not leaning over the foul line so much. I had just met the guy and even then not knowing who he was I just got the feeling he was rather important...so I didn't want to come off as "disagreeing" with him...but I mentioned that I watched a lot of Earl Anthony video and it seemed like he leaned over the foul line quite a bit. Mr. Gaines agreed but said that if you watch Earl's knee you'll see that he also has a very, very significant knee bend.

- Then as I started getting lessons from the new coach, she has been working on me keeping my trail/sweep foot on the ground. She wants to get me straighter and not so bent over the foul line...but not standing straight up. By keeping my trail foot on it's side on the approach surface (not just the toe)...I physically can't "stand up" when releasing the ball.

And that was sort of working. I was able to stay low and found that my thumb came out of the ball easier and I was able to stay more under/behind the ball...just naturally because I was low and more upright. Still had some forward spine tilt...but I wasn't "bent over" the foul line. The 'problem' I was encountering...and Rob has told me this and mentioned it about 20 times in our lessons and conversations...I was focusing on too many things during the approach. "Bend over, not that much, get low, get lower, short first step, focus on target, keep sweep foot down, 'sweep' the foot don't 'kick' it, thumb out clean, DON'T GRIP!, Don't DROP it!!, hit your mark, trust your mark, don't forget to bring your hand up the side of the ball, but not over the top of it!" ALL of that was going through my head on just about every shot. And that is WAY too much info for a non-robot bowler.

So the NEW strategy...is just to focus on getting set up right (but comfortably), focus on one little step issue (to address the early timing)...then just stay low and focus on the target but just relax and throw the ball. If I can get lower and keep my trail foot on the ground...GREAT. But I'm not going to be approaching the foul line with a head full of what appears to be those '1's and '0's like in the Matrix movie. If I loft it too much or I'm still gripping it too much or my release isn't perfect...those are things I can work on later after I've fixed my early timing. I can't keep trying to fix EVERYTHING at one time. By trying to fix EVERYTHING, I've accomplished fixing very little. Yes, Rob did notice a big improvement versus when he saw me last. But when viewing that video of myself at the AVI...all I saw was a guy that looked very uncomfortable in his approach...very NON-RELAXED...and everything seemed "forced". As hard as it is to accomplish...it's actually an oxymoron...I need to "try" to relax. If I just relax and throw the damn ball...I can throw strikes.

I averaged 165 doing that in my first season despite not being a very good spare shooter. Last season, I averaged only 166/167...as a better spare shooter. Thats not the improvement I was hoping for.

[Amyers]

I have issues with my knees which makes more than 6 games a chore also leads to my lack of knee bend. I don't know I went back and forth on the loft had it down to about 5-6 feet for a while but I didn't bowl as well that way I try to keep it 6-8 anymore but I've talked with my proshop owner about it and he basically told me as long as its loft toward the pins and not up in the air their are worse problems to have. We have one guy that bowls in a league I sub in that does loft the ball up and I mean way up (terribly distracting to bowl near but the guy averages 220+).

I think some of the improvement I've had hear lately has been due to a couple of things 1. I've improved my timing (still late but not as bad) 2. I'm gripping less 3. I've realized that I bowl the way I bowl I may never be able to get that straight up the back with no loft release some of these guys have but that doesn't mean that I can't be effective too. I spent way too much time worrying about how things were different and trying to change and not enough time figuring out what can make me successful. I've been there too thinking about the release, when to start the ball, speed at the line, keep the elbow in, by the time I got to the release I couldn't even remember what my target was anymore.

Maybe some of this will come back to bite me if I start bowling sport conditions. Maybe I will reach a top that I can't exceed with out making changes to my release but right now I'm concentrating on my timing and the lines I'm playing.

It was funny 2 weeks ago one of the guys who good naturedly ribs me was going against my team in leagues and was joking about my style the guy who runs the proshop in my house walks by and told him he'd better watch it that my scores had improved he laughed. He was a little off shot 621 I shot 634 that night scratch he wasn't laughing so much after the end of the night just shook my hand and walked away.

I've got enough ball speed to strike, I have enough revs that I can play pretty much any line I need to, it may be different but its working at the moment. I just mainly need to keep my timing in line and my speed down. Will see if it holds up this weekend.

[Aslan]

There are a few women in my former Thursday league that were HORRIBLE lofters. And they weren't GOOD!! They were throwing balls that were obviously WAY too light...and it almost looked like an underhand softball pitch. Very loud...very annoying. And their "I just don't care" just made it worse and more annoying.

As to guys talking trash...some bowlers it works well on...some it has the opposite effect. For me, it's motivational more so than anything.

Earlier this year I was subbing on my Friday team and shot a decent 168. The one guy on the opposing team tried to get in my head by commenting to me that "a guy wearing a shirt like that, I'd have expected you'd be better." I was wearing a shiny black/white bowling shirt. So the next two games I bowled a 193 and a 190. Would have been two straight clean games but in the 1st game of the two I guttered on the first shot in the 10th and could only pick up 9 on the second shot. I think we took 3 out of 4 points and I remember their team wasn't very happy.

For me...and don't tell Iceman for AVI II....I AM my worst critic. If I'm bowling sub-par...just let me self destruct...because I will. Don't try to make it worse...because usually all that does is distract me from how bad I'm doing and cause me to focus on doing better...and then you're in trouble!