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

[Aslan]

Friday League: Wood Lanes/low-moderate oil

481 Series: 153-165-163
Game 1 was HORRID! Splits, poor spare shooting, inability to strike. Just abysmal. I managed to salvage it a little at the end, but overall disappointing. Late in Game 1 I lost the Frantic. I missed a 4-7 spare and the Frantic hit the gutter hard and bounced up over the 7-pin into the pin setter and back. When I got up to bowl the next frame I noticed two MASSIVE indentations in the overstock. The size of quarters with about a 1/4 inch depth. I turned it into the front desk and had to use the Rhythm for Games 2 and 3.

This took some getting used to starting in game 2. I don't usually use the Rhythm on wood lanes and I never use it for right side spares but since I only have 2 balls in my ARSEnal…I didn't have much choice unless I wanted to use a house ball. Game 2 was "okay". Game 3 was "okay". But both were slightly below my average.

But the team won 3 out of 4 points against the team in the spot above us so we moved from 5th to 4th…and thats what counts.

[Aslan]

Monday Practice: Wood Lanes/low-medium oil

476 Series: 135-178-163
Mostly just getting used to the new ball. Had a decent second game but started out with a couple splits. Spare shooting was off as I was trying to figure the ball out.

433 Series: 140-157-136
More splits and bad spare shooting.

508 Series: 139-164-205
Game 3 I was a frame away from a clean game. Left a weird 1-3-9-10 and couldn't get all 4 to fall.

490 Series: 148-147-195
Was having trouble keeping the ball on the right side of the headpin so I went back to throwing more of a straight shot to finish the last few games. In the last game I was a 4-10 split in the 10th away from a clean game.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.35 pins
Strikes: 33% (3 turkeys, 6 doubles, and the rest singles)
Spares: 43% picked up

Single Pin spares: 63% (19/30)
Most common single pin leaves: 6 and 9 (6x each).
Never left a single 1 or 8.

Multiple Pin spares: 32% (17/52)
Most common multi-pin leave: 4-7 and full rack (4x each).

Splits: 0% (0/10)

Average over 12 games: 158.92
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 167.58

New ball. Tri-Grip drilled Brunswick Slingshot. Destined to be my back-up ball in a month and a half…but will use it a bit as a strike ball on wood lanes and low oil in the meantime. It had a little more "bite" than I thought it would. At low speeds I had trouble keeping it right of the headpin.

Tried to work on sliding more than "planting"…but I couldn't get the hang of it. Was still working on DYDS and my balance arm. Tried staying behind the ball…but as predicted….that just caused a end over end straight ball…so I gave up on that for now. Mainly just getting used to the new ball, working on my balance arm and non-sliding leg and making sure my shoulders get square with good aim. I started with my heels almost on the back dots to give me more space to the foul line and that helped my timing a bit.

[MICHAEL]

The Sling Shot is not a high end ball at all! But a good one, I have one I use for spares drilled weak. It works great for me shooting 10 pins! I also throw it with my palm up, to eliminate side spin and hooking. It works better then my plastic when throw THAT WAY! Having never bowled on WOOD, I am not sure how my balls, with my style of bowling would react!

Do you like the Tri-Grip? It feels great to me!!! It exits the thumb faster, and with ease, plus gives me more revs!

I think you would have to admit, if its truly a Tri-grip, it feels VERY COMFORTABLE without a doubt.

Then its a matter of just getting use to its very comfortable feel, and hitting your target.

I know without a doubt that several friends of mine have it bowl higher scores with the grip. James had throw 2 300s in the last couple months. We had a lady here in our circle that threw her First 300 game using the Grip!

Take a good picture of your ball, so I can get an IDEA of how its laid out

[Aslan]

The Sling Shot is not a high end ball at all! But a good one,

Agreed Iceman. Thats why I really wanted one and once the Strike King came out, I knew I had to act fast and scoop one up before they went the way of the do-do bird. Fortunately, since the Strike King got released, a Slingshot can be had for < $58.99 shipped. I think it's a great ball and preferable to plastic or urethane or urethane/reactive hybrids becaues it has all the positives of a reactive resin ball, with the straight line tendency of those lesser technologies for around the same price point.

I have one I use for spares drilled weak. It works great for me shooting 10 pins!

Mikey White drilled mine and I told him it is destined to be a "spare/back-up ball" so he says he drilled it to go straight. Right now I need to use it as a strike ball on wood and very low oil...but thats only for a month and a half until my house switches from wood to synthetics.

I also throw it with my palm up, to eliminate side spin and hooking. It works better then my plastic when throw THAT WAY!

I have done that before, and have done it unintentionally trying to keep my "hand behind the ball". I don't like to do that if I can help it. I seem to throw more accurately if I keep my same release. But yes, I think many pro-plastic spare ball guys would be shocked at how straight you can make a reactive resin symmetric ball go by simply leaving your hand behind the ball and throwing palm up. When I throw my Rhythm palm up, a ball with a PerfectScale rating of 211.3...it goes striaght as an arrow. Not sure if that would be the case with an assymetric core...I doubt it...but I've never thrown one so I don't know for sure.

But I agree with a statement you made previously on this topic. The nice thing about using a weak reactive resin ball as a "spare ball" is if you do make a little miss right (for rightys)...it'll grab and do a little hook back into the pin...especially useful for single-10s. The only downside is I've chopped 6-10s twice in as many weaks because it hooks a "tad" more than I wanted.

Having never bowled on WOOD, I am not sure how my balls, with my style of bowling would react!

I'd have to see you bowl to know for sure. But it's very forgiving, very much catered to straighter bowlers and higher speeds. Not a good condition for matte, solid coverstocks that want to grab early...because there's more to grab. Low speed, high rev bowlers usually struggle because it's hard to keep the ball on the right side (for rightys) of the headpin. But players that shoot straight with polished, lower end-medium performance balls tend do much better than on synthetics. Lots of people throwing mid-performance and entry level stuff like Slingshots and Tropical Breezes.

And a ball like the Slingshot, even with that low differential...on wood lanes is gonna hook. I stand with my left heel on center and lay the ball down over the 14-15 boards, crosses the 8-9 board and it comes back to the pocket. And it would never make that turn (unless you bowl thumbless or high rev) on synthetic lanes.

Do you like the Tri-Grip? It feels great to me!!! It exits the thumb faster, and with ease, plus gives me more revs!

I think you would have to admit, if its truly a Tri-grip, it feels VERY COMFORTABLE without a doubt.

I tried it once before and didn't like it. It felt like I was "dropping" the ball. Part of it was the thumb angle was a little "off". Once I added some tape it was better. But it tended to chew up my thumb a bit more than fingertip. It DOES feel more comfortable. I was throwing a 16lb Columbia WD and it actually felt lighter than my 15lb Frantic. And now, the 16lb tri-grip Slingshot feels NOTICEABLY lighter than my 16lb Rhythm. It IS comfortable. But after bowling 12 games last night, my thumb is getting chewed up again. I think I had Mike make the thumb hole too big or the angle still isn't perfect or maybe I'm gripping too much with the thumb. But it's calloused and I actually tore the top layer of skin off the inside of the thumb. I tried to adjust the thumb hole with 4 pieces of electrical tape on the back of the hole and one piece of gripper tape on the front of the hole...but I'll have to keep an eye on it. Might just be a matter of a slight rounding of an edge or something minor.

Then its a matter of just getting use to its very comfortable feel, and hitting your target.

That's really where I'm at right now. It's WAY too early to tell if this is superior to a standard finger-tip grip yet. It feels comfortable (except the thumb issue)...and I seem to be throwing it fairly well. I mean, how many bowlers do you know nowadays that can take a Slingshot and bowl straight at the pocket and get a 195 and 205? I'm not "bragging"...this site certainly has the talent to best that...but it just goes to show you that straighter can still be greater...even in the land of modern bowling. And I WOULD have done much better but this is the FIRST time I threw this ball ever...so my spare shooting was off as I had to adjust my targets slightly. The Frantic hooked more, more arc...so I had to "play the hook" more so than with this ball (Slingshot). The Slingshot plays more like a plastic ball where it's almost a straight cross-alley Norm Duke style shot at that 10-pin.

Take a good picture of your ball, so I can get an IDEA of how its laid out

I will. Mike has the actual "numbers" of how he drilled it...but I'll take a pic of it. And hopefully Friday I can get my destroyed Frantic back and take a picture of the damage as well...just for entertainment purposes. Ball bouncing out of the gutter into the pinsetter = pinsetter wins.

[Aslan]

Here's the photo of the new ball that Iceman requested:


Tri-Grip drilled 16lb Brunswick Slingshot. Pin slightly above the finger holes and quite a bit more right than on my other balls.

[Aslan]

Friday Night League: Wood Lanes/low-medium oil

470 Series: 165-165-140
Well…a BIG SURPRISE!!! The FRANTIC HAS RETURNED!!

I don't believe it, but the pro shop guy repaired the thing. So, it's back into the line-up!! Unfortunately, this meant having to completely change my spare shooting after getting ready on Monday to use the Slingshot. So game 1 was just horrible spare shooting atop horrible spare shooting. Game 2 was better, but I couldn't strike.

Before game 3 the league secretary told me if I got another 165 I'd get a "triplicate" patch. I was actually somewhat hopeful to win it…at least I could win something!! But, after a couple gutter balls where I didn't get my shoulders straight, it was out of the question.

Individually, NOT a good night. But as a team we split 2-2 against the top team in the league so that wasn't too bad. Better than most Valentine's Days anyways.

[Aslan]

Kinda bummed out right now about this recent string of games.

In Week 10 of leagues I shot a 448 series which was my 3rd worst of the league season. After that, I had 5 straight weeks of increasing scores; 479, 519, 537, 548, and 565.

Then in Week 16, the bottom seemed to have fallen out: 446 followed by 481 last week and now 470.

I thought I had crossed a bridge, was consistently throwing in the 500s and watched my average climb from the low 160s to high 160s. Now, it's back down to the mid 160s.

I'm trying to avoid the urge to go back to high loft/high speed. Many, many of the successful bowlers in this league (wood lanes) are high speed players and many are high loft players. And these guys carry 190-200 averages. And I KNOW I could strike more if I went back to that style. But I want to get better the RIGHT way…in a manner that will allow me to excel on all kinds of lane conditions…and when these lanes switch to synthetics, will give me an advantage over others in the league. But dang. Throwing a 140 is NOT what I wanted to do.

[Aslan]

Tuesday Practice (wood lanes/medium oil)

486 Series: 154-151-181
Continued working on the DYDS method. Seems to work. I just sometimes was having trouble getting revolutions. I'd be so focused on my balance arm (important in DYDS) and not lofting the ball and trying to keep my hand behind the ball...that I don't focus on the all important "release". A couple "misses" into the gutter (unfortunate side effect of DYDS and not squaring up to the foul line) and about 4-7 weird multiple pin leaves kept scores down. Not to mention inability to strike much.

551 Series: 166-190-195
A few bad shots kept the 166 down. THen the lights went out for "cosmic bowling" ( ) but it actually made me bowl BETTER!! The 1st and 2nd games were similar. But in Game 3 I was a couple missed single 10-pins away from a clean game.

492 Series: 173-158-161
The 3rd game I actually struck 6 times...but my spare shooting was abysmal. In game 3 I switched balls (and weights) to try and play the inside line. I was out at the 5-board and with the lights out just wasnt comfortable that close to the gutter...and the Frantic can't make the turn inside.

520 Series: 161-134-225 (clean)I was pretty dead at this point, but I wanted to keep working on my inside game with the Rhythm. Two splits cost me a clean game in Game #1. Struggled with splits and 3-6-10s in game #2. I just wasn't happy with the Rhythm playing inside. I "want" to learn to play inside, but the Rhythm just isn't a good ball for that. I end up have to move towards center and almost throw out of the 10-board and have it do a "big arc". Just no "snap", no "backend". The coverstock graps too early and it was frustrating me because while I "could" strike...a small miss meant a split or right side multiple pin leave.

SO...in game 12 (#3 of the series)...I decided to just go out there, high loft, speed dominant...and just throw the Frantic up the right side at the pins. This is sort of my "D"-game. Also known as my "old game" or my "frustration fall back". Well, lets just say...5 spares and 6 strikes later I had my 12th ever clean game and my best game since the tournament a few weeks back!!

Me "chucking it"....WORKS...for multiple reasons:
1) It's my "natural/comfortable" way of doing it.
2) While the release is not "ideal" (in many ways), it's my best way of imparting revs on the ball without going "over the top" of the ball.
3) It provides MUCH more speed. About 14.7-16mph increasing to 19-21mph. What is the pro speed level to produce the most carry? 19-21mph.
4) WOOD LANES. Wood lanes are easier for speed dominant players with straighter balls...lower level performance balls. I can "miss" 2 boards left or as many as SIX boards right...ans still hit the headpin...and if I can hit the headpin...I can strike or leave an easy spare.

So "why don't you just DO that then?" Good question.
1) Wood lanes are dying. Even my house will wave "bye bye" to wood lanes in April. And speed dominant, chucking, high loft does NOT work as well on synthetics and slicker surfaces. I can still strike well due to the speed/force...but leaves tend to be splits more often. I also see that "room for error" go down to 0-1 board left and 2-4 boards right.
2) It's not "correct". If I take lessons from ANYONE...except for the current house pro...including this site's experts...they HATE it! They HATE it!! So...part of the reason to change it is if I want to take my game to the next level, whether I develop a transitional or modern release or not, I need to bowl "correctly".

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.15 pins
Strikes: 35% (1 4-bagger, 4 turkeys, 5 doubles, and the rest singles)
Spares: 59% picked up

Single Pin spares: 80% (24/30)
Most common single pin leaves: 2-pin (7x) and 10-pin (8x).
As usual, never left a single 1-pin nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 47% (24/51)
Most common multi-pin leave: 1-2-4-7 (5x).

Splits: 0% (0/8)

Average over 12 games: 170.75
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 175.75

Other than that...DYDS is working well! I can't "believe" it....because if you see me bowl...I about fall over after releasing the ball because I'm so tilted...the whole "keep your head straight up and down" thing is OUT the window. But man...it seems to work! Disappointed in my 10-pin single spare pick-up rate though. 50%, left it 8 times...gotta find a way to get better at that (other than a plastic ball). But overall, all stats were improved! Struck more, picked up more spares, higher average, less splits....all good!

[Aslan]

Friday League: Wood Lanes/low-medium oil

542 Series: 213 (clean)-157-172

Started out great! I actually picked up a 5-10 split in the first and then in the 7th had to pick up a 3-7-9…which I thought would be near impossible. Picked up both, kept the game clean. But most of the action was on the right side so the lanes were drying up faster than usual. By game 2 I was already approaching the 5-board on the right lane.

I was able to stay at about board 6-7 on the left lane…kept using the Frantic…standing with the left foot on center of a board left of center. But on the right lane, by Game 3 I was forced to move inside and play the Rhythm at about board 10, standing 3 boards left of center.

Great night. My 3rd highest league score. I met my goal of 525 series or higher. I bowled at least one clean game. And it was personally my 4th highest series of the league. AND…we took ALL FOUR points!! So if we're not in 3rd place…we're at least (most likely) in sole possession of 4th place (10 teams).

[Aslan]

Monday Practice: wood lanes/medium oil

536 Series: 162-176-198
First game I ran into a little problem with spare shooting. Missed two 4-7s but managed to pick up a 5-7 (somehow). 3 frames away from a clean game though. Also missed 3 spares in the 2nd game. A 4-7 that I chopped and a single 4-pin. The other open was an 8-10 split. But again, picked up a nice 3-10. Game 3 I ran some strikes together despite a gutter with the first ball. The only other open frame was when I chopped a 1-2-4.

552 Series: 170-159-223 (clean)
A couple bad splits (4-6 and 6-7) and a couple missed spare opportunities kept the score down in game 1. Game 2 the spare shooting was even worse and I left a 7-10 split in the 7th. Game 3 was very much above average. I slowed things down, tried to work on accuracy and it paid off.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.39 pins
Strikes: 37% (1 4-bagger, 2 turkeys, 5 doubles, and 5 singles)
Spares: 58% picked up

Single Pin spares: 78% (11/14)
Most common single pin leave: 4-pin (5x).
Never left a single 1-pin, 2-pin, 7-pin, nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 48% (12/25)
Most common multi-pin leave: 4-7 (4x).

Splits: 33% (2/6)

Average over 6 games: 181.33
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 186.5

Was still working on DYDS; but am having trouble with the lateral spine tilt at the foul line. Being rather tall, leaning that much makes me off balance and I tend to fall down to the side. I can catch myself, but still; falling over and having to brace myself with my hand.