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

[Aslan]

Friday Mixed League: THS

520 Series: 176-160-184

Struck 4 out of 5 times on the right lane before pulling a shot through the nose in the 9th frame. On the left lane, didn't strike until the first shot of the 10th frame. Opened on a couple very make-able spares though...so wasn't happy about that.

Game 2 was miserable. Four opens...one was a 6-7 split...the other 3 were single corner pins. And, of course, two of the 3 missed were in the 9th and 10th frames...which is very helpful to scoring in bowling.

Just like last week, Game 3 I switched to the Rhino Gold. I had used the Grudge and Mystic in Game 1, Mystic and Exile in Game 2...and by Game 3 it was the Exile and Rhino Gold....quickly just using the Rhino Gold on both lanes of the pair. After opening on a pocket 8-10 in the first frame, I was clean the rest of the way...just couldn't run any strikes together.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 9.09 pins
Strikes: 37%
Spares: 60% picked up

Single Pin spares: 69% (9/13)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (5x)
Also left a single 4-pin (3x), 6-pin (3x), 7-pin, and 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 42% (3/7)
Most common multi-pin leave: n/a

Splits: 0% (0/3)

Average over 3 games: 173.33.
Average had I picked up all single-pin spares: 188.00

Two straight weeks with a 520 series. Last week was disappointing because I was coming off a much better performance the week before...and it wasn't consistent (155,140,225). This week seemed even worse because I just needed to make spares...makeable and single-pin spares...and I could have averaged 10-11 pins higher...easy. And, at least last week I had a high score in the 3rd game...this time I was more consistent (176,160,184)...but consistently "blah".

[Aslan]

Thursday Men's League: THS

456 Series: 166-170-120

Game 1 I was clean through 5...then opened on a 4-6 split followed by a chopped 3-6. Clean the rest of the way...but no carry...only one strike.

Game 2 I started with a chopped 2-4-5...then was clean until the 7th when I opened on a 4-10 split. First missed single-pin was a 10-pin in the 9th. But, managed to strike a handful of times...nothing I could run together much.

Game 3 I missed another 10-pin in the 2nd frame. I then opened 5 of the next 6 frames...before finishing with a couple spares. 3 of the 5 opens were the same leave on the same lane...a 4-6-7 split. Each time I adjusted by moving in...only to leave it again.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.36 pins
Strikes: 21%
Spares: 50% picked up

Single Pin spares: 71% (5/7)
Most common single-pin leaves: 10-pin (3x)
Also left a single 2-pin, 3-pin, 4-pin, and 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 41% (7/17)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 6-10 (4x)

Splits: 16% (1/6)

Average over 3 games: 152.00.
Average had I picked up all single-pin spares: 159.33.

Embarrassing. I don't think I'm ready for this league. I think maybe its time to face the facts and maybe next fall join a couple "fun leagues" rather than men's leagues with quality competition. It's embarrassing to be the low man most nights. Do I win the occasional high game? Yes. Do I rack up individual points for the team? Yes. But...most of these guys are averaging over 200 and throwing occasional perfect games...700-800 series...and I'm struggling to put up a consistent 550.

[boatman37]

Don't give up. At least for me the stronger competition makes me work harder. I tend to play down to my competition. For 1.5 years I was low man on my team and about 70% of the bowlers were ahead of me. Our summer league is very competitive and I was almost at the bottom of that league the first year and even early on my 2nd season in it. I'm talking of about 80 bowlers I was ahead of about 4 or 5. Pretty embarrassing but it made me work harder and I learned from those better bowlers. Right now only 40% of the bowlers are ahead of me (47th of 113). If I had been in a 'fun' league with weaker competition I'm sure I'd still be down there.
The biggest thing for me was getting back to basics and quit trying to get those high revs that look so cool. I went back to being simple and consistent. I'm also much better at adjusting and understanding what the lanes are doing and what I need to do to work with that. Keep it up and good luck.

[Aslan]

Don't give up. At least for me the stronger competition makes me work harder. I tend to play down to my competition.

I don't know. I also tend to play up to competition, but you have to draw a line at some point. I've never bowled at the master's or entered the WSOB...because there's no point to it. The question is, where is that line for me?

The biggest thing for me was getting back to basics and quit trying to get those high revs that look so cool. I went back to being simple and consistent. I'm also much better at adjusting and understanding what the lanes are doing and what I need to do to work with that. Keep it up and good luck.

I think I have an above average understanding of the technology, lane play, and techniques. I've spent thousands of dollars on lessons with pros at the highest levels. But what does it matter if I don't have the physical skills?

Friday Mixed League: THS

456 Series: 151-133-172

Spare shooting...can't figure out where my spare game has gone. Maybe I need to practice more. This is getting ridiculous. Missed a 10-pin, 5-pin, and twice missed a 6-10. More issues in Game 2: missed a single 2-pin, 4-pin, and 10-pin...chopped a 3-6.

Game 2 was miserable. Four opens...one was a 6-7 split...the other 3 were single corner pins. And, of course, two of the 3 missed were in the 9th and 10th frames...which is very helpful to scoring in bowling.

Game 3 was splits. I was clean and managed to strike a few times...but a 4-6-10, 2-4-8-10, and 2-7-8 killed that.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.40 pins
Strikes: 23%
Spares: 57% picked up

Single Pin spares: 37% (3/8)
Most common single-pin leave: 2-pin (3x)
Also left a single 4-pin (2x), 5-pin, and 10-pin (2x).

Multiple Pin spares: 53% (8/15)
Most common multi-pin leave: 3-6-10 and 6-10 (2x each)

Splits: 0% (0/4)

Average over 3 games: 152.00.
Average had I picked up all single-pin spares: 169.00

Two straight nights with a 456 series. Very embarrassing.

I just couldn't find a line that would work. At one point I was playing very different lines one lane to the other. By the time I realized just how dry the lanes were that night, I was already almost done with Game 2.

Just surfaced the Exile to 360 and then added polish. I figured that might enhance the skid/flip characteristics...but every time I use polish, the ball just doesn't want to turn. Even with that 360 surface, playing outside 10, and laying it down at the dots...the ball just slid all the way down and made a very minute move to the pocket. It essentially had the same reaction as my old Brunswick Slingshot. I actually had to move INSIDE, considerably, to switch to the Rhino Gold...which should be weaker than the Exile. And what happens when that polish starts to wear off (which it WILL)...now I got a skid/flip pearl that I use when there might be oil carried down to the breakpoint but the first 3/4 of the lanes have transitioned...and suddenly I got a ball with a 360 surface....

[boatman37]

I think I have an above average understanding of the technology, lane play, and techniques. I've spent thousands of dollars on lessons with pros at the highest levels. But what does it matter if I don't have the physical skills?

I started understanding it several months ago but I had trouble converting that to 'reality'. I'm finally starting to be able to do what I'm seeing in my head. I was at your point a few months ago. I started figuring I was only a 175-180 bowler and that's what I would be. Seems like shortly after that is when I started doing better. My average the last 18 games is 206 and I'm missing alot of spares that I shouldn't be. According to my app if I had been making those spares my average would be about 219 in that span. Before this 18 game stretch I was at 177 and I'm now at 192.
Maybe try relaxing and not putting so much pressure on yourself. That is kind of what I did and I started bowling better almost instantly.

[Timmyb]

I think I have an above average understanding of the technology, lane play, and techniques. I've spent thousands of dollars on lessons with pros at the highest levels. But what does it matter if I don't have the physical skills?

This is likely to **** a few off here, but I'm one of those other guys. I've never had a lesson in my life, save for being coached in junior leagues. I don't study ball dynamics, lane conditions. or any of that stuff (not to discredit anyone that does). I bowl once a week, and practice very little during the off season. My average has been roughly between 210-220 since I came back 5 years ago from a 6-7 year hiatus.

I am not someone who would ever consider myself to have "physical skills". Am I maybe just dumb lucky? Could be. I look at my scores and can see that if I got rid of half the mistakes I make each week, I could be 230's, but I don't fret much about it. Maybe the fact that I don't try to wrap my head around this might be why I do better than the average guy. Possible you're just over thinking, and should just say "f**k it, let's bowl"?

[boatman37]

This is likely to **** a few off here, but I'm one of those other guys. I've never had a lesson in my life, save for being coached in junior leagues. I don't study ball dynamics, lane conditions. or any of that stuff (not to discredit anyone that does). I bowl once a week, and practice very little during the off season. My average has been roughly between 210-220 since I came back 5 years ago from a 6-7 year hiatus.

I am not someone who would ever consider myself to have "physical skills". Am I maybe just dumb lucky? Could be. I look at my scores and can see that if I got rid of half the mistakes I make each week, I could be 230's, but I don't fret much about it. Maybe the fact that I don't try to wrap my head around this might be why I do better than the average guy. Possible you're just over thinking, and should just say "f**k it, let's bowl"?

Yep. kinda what I was saying. Just relax and don't put pressure on yourself. I do study and try to learn but it is kind of my character. When I do something I live and breath it until I understand it inside and out. My son raced karts and I studied chassis tuning for years. Started day trading stocks and lived and breathed it (still do). But I can't help myself but study anything I'm into. It definitely helped me. And yeah, against the advice of many here I have never had any lessons of any kind except a Brian Voss VHS tape I had back in the 80's and the tips I got from Mark Roth when I bowled with him but that was all informal.

As far as physical skills...yeah 30 years ago I was pretty athletic but now I'm 50, 6'0 tall and 270lbs. I have 2 bulging discs in my lower back and I cannot use my right arm at all. Not sure I would give many people a pass for physical abilities when it comes to bowling.

[Aslan]

I don't think performing a labotomy and then bowling will get me averaging 200+.

Sure, relaxation can help...but I've seen lots of players that can physically throw a nice ball...or have a ton of revs/speed...of are old and have been throwing a ball since the 1960s...all of them have the skills to go out there and roll strikes. They never leave the house they are used to...they tend not to do tournaments and wouldn't ever join a sport shot league. They are happy doing what they do. If the lanes are transitioning...they just complain that the particular house is famous for leaving 10-pins. If oil has been pushed to the break-point...they just complain the oil is too heavy. If the lanes transition and their balls start going through the nose...it's because the lanes are too dry. Everything is the fault of the house or the oil machine...unless they're bowling well...then its their skill shining through.

Every-Other-Sunday Family Doubles: THS

577 Series: 188-154-235 (clean)

Games 1 and 2 were very similar. I seemed to be shooting well, but would either miss corner pins or have to shoot at splits or washouts. Seemed like maximum penalty for anything outside the pocket.

Game 3 I was keeping things clean...got lucky on a few strikes...a couple brooklyns and one through the nose.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.90 pins
Strikes: 48%
Spares: 50% picked up

Single Pin spares: 62% (5/8)
Most common single-pin leave: 6-pin and 10-pin (2x each)
Never left a single 1-pin, 2-pin, 5-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 37% (3/8)
Most common multi-pin leave: 6-10 (2x).

Splits: 0% (0/2)

Average over 3 games: 192.33.
Average had I picked up all single-pin spares: 200.00.

Second position round. It was position round Friday night...that league is now off until after the New Year. This league has competitively ended tonight...just one more "fun week" in a couple weeks. Coming in, we were in 4th...1/2 point back of teams #2 and #3...3 1/2 points back of 1st place. So, best we could do was tie for 1st place. But, the last place team was only 3 1/2 points back...so we could fall pretty far if we had a bad night.

To tie for first place, we needed to take all 4 (which we did) and we needed team #2 to get 3 1/2 points...no more, no less. Unlikely...but even if that doesn't happen...we should be guaranteed second place.

Individually, the 3rd game was enough to tie me for men's high scratch game and should be enough to get me men's high handicap game for the season. Kinda upsets me that I missed a single 7-pin on my final shot of the 10th frame...which woulda gave me men's high scratch game outright.

[Aslan]

Thursday Men's League: THS

606 Series: 189-197-220

Games 1 and 2 were both games where I got off to a bad start, but managed to keep things clean in the final part.

Game 3 I struck on 6 of 7 shots...then a 2-4-10 split cost me a clean game and a chance at a 240+ game.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.97 pins
Strikes: 52%
Spares: 62% picked up

Single Pin spares: 100% (6/6)
Most common single-pin leaves: 10-pin (2x)
Also left a single 3-pin, 4-pin, 5-pin, and 6-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 40% (4/10)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 5-9 (3x)

Splits: 0% (0/1)

Average over 3 games: 202.00.
Average had I picked up all single-pin spares: n/a.

Best series thus far in this league. Still got some work to do...but I was keeping my body more upright in my approach and trying not to put too much spine tilt into my posting position...and that seemed to work. I was more accurate, I was getting more revs on the ball...and I even went 6/6 on single pins...which is ALWAYS a good thing for me.

[boatman37]

Nice night. I have tried standing more upright just cause of my knee and back but seem to always go back to my old style