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

[Aslan]

Monday Practice: wood lanes/low oil

Needed to get back in the groove after bowling in the Virtual Tour…got leagues coming up Thursday.

461 Series: 162-154-145
Nothing too exciting early on. Took me a few games to get back in the groove.

494 Series: 144-179-171
Only 3 open frames in Game 1, but only 1 strike. More of the same in Game 2, but struck a little more. More of the same in Game 3; only a couple open frames.

571 Series: 180-156-235 (clean)
Started playing inside as the lane oil started to break down. Started about 10-15 boards left and threw out over the 19-board. Started out clean through 5, had a turkey…but the last 2 frames were open so kinda messed that up. Game 2 also clean through 5 but finished with 3 splits in the last 5 frames. Even playing inside, I couldn't consistently keep the ball on the right side of the pins…so I switched to the Slingshot and played the 12-board. Game 3, X, /, X, /, /, X, X, X, X, X, / for my 3rd highest score ever. All with a $57 Slingshot playing 2nd arrow. Straighter is greater??

539 Series: 170-167-202
Games 1 and 2 were "meh"…"blah". Okay, but with a few opens to ruin things. Game 3 I was clean through 6, then chopped the 2-8 sleeper in the 7th; my only open frame.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.37 pins
Strikes: 36% (1 5-bagger, 1 turkey, 10 doubles, and the rest singles)
Spares: 55% picked up

Single Pin spares: 84% (16/19)
Most common single pin leave: Single 10-pin (5x)
Never left a single 1-pin nor 2-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 45% (27/59)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 3-6-10 (5x).

Splits: 18% (3/16)

Average over 12 games: 172.08
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 174.00.

Still struggling with the release. Trying to slow it down and concentrate on accuracy; but struggling trying to get revs with this new release. Also struggled more with the ball moving around too much. At the lower speed, rolling it…more chance for the ball to move around.

But, I was happy to have some success bowling inside and was happy that my back-up plan of using the slingshot up the 2nd arrow worked well.

I just really need to work on getting in my "groove" faster. It took me like 4 games just to get into my "groove"…which isn't very helpful during league play (or when competing in the Virtual Tour).

[Aslan]

Thursday Pre-League Practice: wood lanes/low-moderate oil

439 Series: 140-142-157
Had trouble picking up spares early…kinda salvaged the 140 with a strong 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th. Very similar problems in Game 2. Just was "off" for some reason. The guy came by with the oil machine and I got a fresh oiled lane to work with in Game 3 and did a little better. Other than a few splits, no open frames. Wasn't striking much though so I was worried going into leagues.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.35 pins
Strikes: 19% (1 double and 4 singles)
Spares: 48% picked up

Single Pin spares: 75% (9/12)
Most common single pin leave: Single 7-pin (4x)
Never left a single 1-pin, 2-pin, 3-pin, nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 48% (12/25)

Splits: 0% (0/5)

Average over 3 games: 146.33
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 156.00.


Thursday League: wood lanes/low-medium oil

556 Series: 199-157-200
Game 1 was clean through 7 before missing a 3-10 split. Then got 6-7 split in the 10th to keep me under 200. Game 2 I was working on a Dutch 200 through 4 frames; but then again, a 3-9-10 split in the 5th. Missed a single-7 in the 7th then chopped a 1-3-6-9 in the 10th to leave me with a discouraging 157. In game 3, a spare in the 1st frame followed by a 4-bagger to start. Missed a 3-10 split again, this time in the 6th. Then chopped a 6-9-10 in the 9th for my 3rd open frame.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.87 pins
Strikes: 45% (1 4-bagger, 1 turkey, 1 double and 5 singles)
Spares: 58% picked up

Single Pin spares: 80% (4/5)
Most common single pin leave: Single 9-pin (2x)
Never left a single 1-pin, 2-pin, 5-pin, 6-pin, 8-pin, nor 10-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 50% (6/12)
Most common multi-pin spare leave: 6-10 (2x).

Splits: 0% (0/4)

Average over 3 games: 185.33
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 188.33.

I was disappointed that despite a couple games near 200, I couldn't manage even 1 clean game. But I did meet my goal of 525+ series and am happy with the strike rate and single-pin spare pick-up rate. I actually played like a "bowler" tonight and thats a step in the right direction. After a tough week 1, then being off in week 2, I have now brought my average back to 166. And most importantly, our team had a great time and took 4 out of 4 points which puts at 6 won and 6 lost after 3 weeks. Pretty good for a team with 3/5 of the players having not bowled in the last decade.

[Aslan]

Monday Practice: wood lanes/low-medium oil

485 Series: 174-186-125
Started out clean through 7 frames but missed a couple easy single-pin spares in the 8th and 10th. Game 2 I opened in the 1st frame then stayed clean until the 9th and 10th. Game 3 started off okay, 3 clean frames. But then I got 2 splits, and things fell apart after that.

539 Series: 188-171-180
Picked up 2 baby splits in game 1, only had one open frame in the 3rd with a 5-6-10 split I couldn't convert. Bad spare shooting in game 2. Stayed clean in frames 3 through 10 to salvage the 180 in game 3.

511 Series: 167-168-176
More intermittant spare shooting this series. The 4-bagger in game 3 helped to nudge that score a little higher.

457 Series: 112-208(clean)-137
Games 1 and 3 were abysmal. I was quite tired after 18 holes of golf and then 9 games of bowling. But in game 2 I managed to keep the ball around the headpin and collected another clean game. Woulda been higher than 208 but couldn't run many strikes together.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.58 pins
Strikes: 35% (1 4-bagger, 2 turkeys, 6 doubles, and the rest singles)
Spares: 48% picked up

Single Pin spares: 60% (17/28)
Most common single pin leaves: Single 5-pin and single 10-pin (6x each)
Never left a single 1-pin nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 42% (22/52)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 2-4-5 (6x).

Splits: 12% (2/16)

Average over 12 games: 166.00
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 175.33.

Spare shooting, spare shooting, spare shooting. I have higher expectations of my single-pin spare shooting than 60%. Granted, I was tired after 3 games. I don't usually run or golf before bowling.

[Aslan]

Thursday Pre-League Practice: wood lanes, low oil

204-179
Felt pretty good going into league play.

499 Series: 197-143-159
Really kinda pissed off right now. Game 1 felt good, but missed a single 10-pin in the 3rd, then got back to back splits in the 4th and 5th to ruin what otherwise woulda been a nice game. Abysmal spare shooting in game 2…and more of the same in game 3 pretty much ruined the night for me and cost our team 3 out of 4 points.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.24 pins
Strikes: 33% (1 4-bagger, 2 doubles and 3 singles)
Spares: 45% picked up

Single Pin spares: 66% (2/3)
Left a single 4-pin, 9-pin, and 10-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 41% (7/17)
Most common multi-pin spare leave: 3-6-10 (4x).

Splits: 0% (0/3)

Average over 3 games: 166.33
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 169.67.

I don't know, maybe its my impatience and higher expectations this season…but despite bowling my average….tonight felt like a disaster. I COULD NOT keep the ball on the right of the headpin. ALL NIGHT….it would stray over and hit the center and leave me with a split or multi-pin spare.

I started out in my usual spot…left foot on the board 3 boards right of center…targeting the 6-board. And as the night progressed…I slowly moved to the 7-board, 8-board, and finally the 9-board. But I never could get that ball to stay right of the headpin. I even tried to increase loft/ball speed…thinking that would make it go longer before breaking…but nope….increased speed causes it to not come back to the pocket and hit the 3-pin.

Just a struggle all night. Could I have jumped inside more…maybe played the 12-board like I did in practice?? Or maybe a ball change? I don't know. I can't blame it all on the lanes…I missed spare after spare after spare…and you can't do that if you want to carry a 190 average.

Just a disappointment.

[Aslan]

Monday Practice: wood lanes/low oil

447 Series: 163-117-167
In Game 1...9 spares. Somehow my only open was a complete miss of the 5-9. So, bright side...spare shooting nearly perfect!! Not so much in game 2. In game 3 I was 3 splits (4-6-7, 4-6-9, 5-6) away from a clean game.

404 Series: 139-145-120
Blah. Some splits and a lot of bad spare shooting.

435 Series: 178-90-167
Game 1 I was okay. But in game 2 I was struggling trying to play inside with the Rhythm (more on this in another thread) so I made a rare "ball change" and took the Frantic out of semi-retirement. But the Frantic had the same problem inside as the Rhythm did...just not a big enough back end to come back to the pocket. So after exhausting games A (outside), B (2nd arrow), C (inside), D (ball change)...it was time to bring in my "E-game" and just throw the Slingshot up the 12-board...and hope that that works...since my "F-game" is to just throw my Grandpa's old urethane ball at the headpin and I didn't bring that ball with me. Game 3 went better...but missed a few very makeable spares.

500 Series: 181-137-152
In game 1, a couple makeable spares away from a clean game. More bad spare shooting in game 2. And a few frames of bad spare shooting away from a clean game in game 3.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.08 pins
Strikes: 19% (6 doubles and 13 singles)
Spares: 46% picked up

Single Pin spares: 56% (17/30)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (10x).
Never left a single 1-pin, 3-pin, 5-pin, nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 42% (29/69)
Most common multi-pin spare leave: 6-10 (9x).

Splits: 5% (1/17)

Average over 12 games: 146.33
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 156.33.

Just overall disappointing. I was really struggling to keep that Rhythm right of the head pin and it was SUCH a struggle that I think I'm gonna leave it in the bag for leagues this Thursday. As much as I really was looking forward for staying consistent with the 16lb weight...I need the Frantic for these lane conditions. I "could" have my Bullet Train drilled...which is my 16lb replacement for the Frantic...but I think the Frantic still has some games left on it and as long as it's not "too" detrimental to my approach/release to throw 2 different weights...for a couple months while I wait for the new synthetic lanes to get installed...I think thats what I'll do.

As Rob would say, "You can't outbowl a bad ball reaction." And even though I am not 100% on board with that...tonight felt like I was trying to use a hammer as a screwdriver.

[Aslan]

Thursday League: wood lanes/low oil

Pre-League Practice: 194
Since I've recently switched back to the Frantic until synthetic lanes are completed….needed to give it one quick practice game. Things went pretty good. Missed a 5-6 split in the first frame then clean the rest of the way.

485 Series: 210-126-149
Started out as strong as I can remember. Got in on my first game of "poker hand" and won the pot for game 1!! I opened in the 2nd frame on a 6-10 which was disappointing. But it was all strikes except for a 9/ in the 4th and a 8/ in the 8th.

Then things stopped working. A 3-8 split in the 2nd frame. A washout in the 4th…another washout in the 5th. A 3-10 baby split in the 8th. Then 2 frames of bad spare shooting for a craptastic 126.

Figured with a strong game 3, maybe still get a clean game and hit my 525+ target. But nope. Couldn't keep the ball right of the headpin in the first 2 frames…then did okay but missed an easy 4-7 in the 7th and a single 10-pin in the 10th.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.55 pins
Strikes: 38% (1 turkey, 1 double and 7 singles)
Spares: 36% picked up

Single Pin spares: 60% (3/5)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (2x).
Never left a single 1-pin, 2-pin, 5-pin, 7-pin, 8-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 28% (4/14)
Most common multi-pin spare leave: 3-10, 4-7, and 5-9 (2x each).

Splits: 25% (1/4)

Average over 3 games: 161.67
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 169.33.

Gonna have to get more aggressive with the Frantic in practice on Monday. And maybe ball down to the Slingshot by the 3rd game or earlier. Even with these relatively low-hooking symmetric balls…on wood lanes…I just can't stay right of the headpin. And without asymmetric cores or a higher rev release…I can't play the extreme inside line to help compensate.

[Aslan]

Virtual Bowling Tour: Month 2 (May)
Arlington Lanes, Riverside CA
Low-Medium Oil Synthetics

Practice Game: 138
Opened with a couple splits trying to find my line. Missed a couple single-pin spares (10 and 7). But sorta found my spots in the 6th through 9th frames.

557 Series: 211-165-181
Game 1 I missed a single 6-pin in the 5th frame to ruin what would have been a clean game. Game 2 I struck 5 times but only made one spare for a disappointing 2nd game. Game 3 was okay. Better spare shooting.

Much better than April. Should get me at least a couple points anyways.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.94 pins
Strikes: 48% (1 turkey, 4 doubles, and 5 singles)
Spares: 52% picked up

Single Pin spares: 50% (3/6)
Most common single pin leave: Single 10-pin (3x)
Never left a single 1-pin, 2-pin, 3-pin, 5-pin, 8-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 54% (6/11)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 5-9 (3x).

Splits: 50% (1/2)

Average over 3 games: 185.67
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 193.00.

[Aslan]

Monday Practice: wood lanes/low-medium oil

4 games: 168-204-202-171
Was planning on doing 9 games before MWhite got to the house. I usually do 12 games on Mondays so I figured I'd do 9 and then 3 with him...but he got there slightly early and I was running slightly late...so it only worked out that I got 4 in.

Game 1 was clean except for 3 splits. Game 2 I opened in the first, split in the 2nd, then clean from there on out. Game 3 I opened in the 5th and then split in the 6th; but was clean otherwise. And Game 3 I split in the 3rd and opnened in the 8th; but otherwise clean. So I'm happy with that. I don't expect to have a clean game if splits are involved...and I really only opened a handful of times where splits weren't involved. All 4 games above my average. Pretty much was able to stay right around the 8-9 boards where I'm most comfortable. And spare shooting was very good.

4 Games: ASLAN VS. MWHITE WOOD LANE CHALLENGE!!!
Practice: 162
Barely finished above MWhite which was worrisome since I already had 4 games to dial in. MWhite didn't appear to be "ON"...but it looked like he was dialing in by the last couple frames of practice.

I agreed to bowl MWhite SCRATCH so there's no arguements about handicap...or we'd have potentially been there until closing time just trying to negotiate that. Plus, it is my HOME house and he DID drive a fair distance to get there...AND I had more practice time before he got there...so SCRATCH is certainly fair.

582 Series: 179-212 (clean)-191

Well, broke the 2nd Game curse on this one!!

I felt "on" from the start. Picked up a 3-10 baby split in the 1st frame which was like the 4th time I got that split so far that day. Didn't strike much in Game 1, but spare shooting was excellent and Mike was struggling early so it took some pressure off me. I had an early lead going into Game 2, but history has taught me MWhite tends to charge in games 2 and 3 so I wasn't "comfortable" yet. But I came out of the gate in Game 2 firing on all cylinders with a turkey. Started to waiver with some weird leaves the next 4 frames...but spare shooting was ON and I stayed clean (19th clean game).

By this point, I had moved to boards 10-11 so early in Game 3 I needed to ball down to the Slingshot to play the 12-board. There was no pressure at this point because I was well out in front of MWhite. He'd have needed a 300 game to get back into it if I just threw my average...so game 3 I was relaxed. With the exception of a 4-7-10 split in the 2nd frame....I was all strikes until a 4-6-7 split in the 7th followed by a 7-10 in the 8th. Only had to shoot one spare (that wasn't a split) and that was a single 6-pin in the 10th which I picked up easily.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.81 pins
Strikes: 38% (1 4-bagger, 3 turkeys, 4 doubles and 12 singles)
Spares: 68% picked up

Single Pin spares: 94% (18/19)
Most common single-pin leave: 4-pin (5x).
Never left a single 1-pin nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 51% (16/31)
Most common multi-pin spare leave: 3-10 (5x).

Splits: 8% (1/12)

Average over 8 games: 186.12
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 187.50.

Spare shooting, spare shooting, spare shooting... When I do well, I have single pin spare shooting in the 60-95% range. When I do well...overall spare shooting is > 50%. When I do poorly....that is the not the case. In order to score in the 225-300 range, I'm going to need to figure out how to run some strikes together...but I can get darn close to my target of a 190 average this season if I can shoot spares like I did tonight.

Obviously, I'm thrilled that I ONCE AGAIN...defeated MWhite at yet another challenge...this time no handicap involved. : ) But, I also kinda felt bad for him because he drove a decent distance and I'm sure was disappointed that it didn't go nearly as planned for him. This partially a "challenge" but really just him wanting to bowl on wood lanes again before they go away. The house is about 50% changed over...so in the coming weeks I'll start getting my practice in on the new synthetics. Mike said they were definitely Brunswick...not sure how slick or oiled yet.

I'll let Mike give his rundown of the nightmarish defeat...I'm sure he agrees 100% with many of the SoCal bowlers that have said for quite some time that these wood lanes NEED TO GO.

[Mike White]

The Coucourse, "Last Days of Wood" Challenge

I think lawn darts might have been closer to bowling than the condition of those lanes.

While the ball was rolling in the 1st 15 feet, you could literally feel the ball (with your feet) bouncing from divot to divot.

I only brought with me two urethane balls (highly polished) and a plastic ball.

All of those hooked too much, and when I tried to send it wide right, I found that I had been playing in the "heavy" oil.

The outside changed the ball from hooking brooklyn, to hitting the 4-7.

So about 5 frames in it was clear, this was a condition that demanded no hand (Aslan's wheel house)

I decided to attempt to out dead hand Aslan, but my hard equipment didn't want to roll, I left a boat load of 5-8-10, and 4-6 splits.

It's pretty clear why Aslan throws the ball the way he does. It's from adapting to those lanes. And it explains why he's screwed on synthetics.

Aslan, was there any part of the heads that didn't have patched, or oil soaked boards?

A while back Aslan said his "coach" at Concourse told him the way to play was to loft the ball past the arrows.

Many of us told him that was wrong. Well it's probably the best advice on THOSE lanes.

[vdubtx]

That's all fine and good, but let's see those scores!!! Another defeat of the almighty Mike White!!!

Congrats Aslan!!!