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

[Davidjr113]

Rob

That post suggests an idea for an article by you. We almost always read not to make adjustments off bad shots. This is first time I read of learning much, if anything, off bad shots

Dave

[bowl1820]

Rob

That post suggests an idea for an article by you. We almost always read not to make adjustments off bad shots. This is first time I read of learning much, if anything, off bad shots

Dave

The first time you read that? you need to look through some of the old threads. The concept has been a bit hard for some to grasp, so has been discussed before.

See:
http://www.bowlingboards.com/threads...o-Another-Ball

and

http://www.bowlingboards.com/threads...ng-up-and-down

[NYMIKE]

PinPal Stats:



What is PinPal? Is that some kind of app?

Yes, it's only $8 they have it for iphone and droid

[RobLV1]

Rob

That post suggests an idea for an article by you. We almost always read not to make adjustments off bad shots. This is first time I read of learning much, if anything, off bad shots

Dave

Funny that you should mention that, as right after I posted it, I started thinking about adapting it for an article. If you think about it, if you miss right (right handed) and the ball comes back, you learned something. If you miss left and the ball doesn't hold, you learned something. If you dropped it (set it short) and it strikes you learned something. The only time you don't learn something is when you turn your back in disgust and stop watching the ball.

[Timmyb]

Yes, it's only $8 they have it for iphone and droid

Easy to use? I'm a bit of an idiot when it comes to technology.

[Davidjr113]

[QUOTE=bowl1820;137687]The first time you read that? you need to look through some of the old threads. The concept has been a bit hard for some to grasp, so has been discussed before.

Thanks for the links bowl1820, I am always impressed how you somehow can recall & find just about anything on all these different forums, whatever system you use it must be something

[Aslan]

Friday Holiday Practice: Home Center (Mon. League); medium-oil synthetics, seems like a longer pattern with a bit more length on the outside.

My elbow is still sore...but after an abysmal week I figured I'd hit the lanes and try to figure something out.

160-167-193-177

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.68 pins
Strikes: 34% (4 doubles and 6 singles)
Spares: 61% picked up

Single Pin spares: 55% (5/9)
Most common single-pin leaves: 2-pin (4x)
Never left a single 1-pin, 3-pin, 4-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 64% (11/17)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 1-2-8 and 6-10 (3x each)

Splits: 50% (1/2).

Average over 4 games: 174.25.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 184.50.

Mainly just working on my slower speed footwork.

I noticed that much of my shot to shot variation has to do with my release. If I don't get low enough and/or stay under the ball...I end up with a flat release and miss right. Lots of 1-2 combinations this afternoon. : (

It looks like in this house, it's going to be quite a challenge. A miss of more than two boards either way and you're toast. If you get your speed up above 17mph....toast. And if you release flat...you're either going to leave a 1-2 combination or a flat corner-pin.

No excuse for the bad spare shooting though. Just don't have much confidence in this house and it shows in the spare game.

[Aslan]

Funny that you should mention that, as right after I posted it, I started thinking about adapting it for an article. If you think about it, if you miss right (right handed) and the ball comes back, you learned something. If you miss left and the ball doesn't hold, you learned something. If you dropped it (set it short) and it strikes you learned something. The only time you don't learn something is when you turn your back in disgust and stop watching the ball.

I'll disagree a bit with that statement.

As I mentioned before in a different thread or maybe before in this one...if you miss right or hit light...it could be the result of about 10-15 different things that have NOTHING to do with the ball. For ME...those are:

1) Is my speed too high (17-20mph versus 14-17mph)?
2) Am I "trying" to hook the ball versus letting it happen on it's own?
3) Is my hand position too much behind the ball (reducing axis tilt)?
4) Am I not bending my knee enough and releasing my fingers and thumb at the same time?
5) Am I raising up (slide knee) causing the same result as #4 above?
6) Am I letting the ball carry me downward on the second step versus standing tall?
7) Was my final stance balanced or unbalanced?

So if an low level or average (at best) bowler like myself misses LEFT...then yes, it could be speed, it could be too strong of a ball, it could be a pulled shot, or I may need to make a 1-1, 1-2, or 2-3 move laterally left to open up my angle. BUT IF I MISS RIGHT...or hit flat...or watch the ball exit the pin deck right of center (9-pin)....it could be SO many things in addition to ball choice.

During that 128 game...nothing was working. The Dark Encounter looked good in practice and I switched in the 3rd frame to the Asylum because the D. Encounter just didn't seem right after one shot on each lane. But the Asylum is a weird ball. It rarely works. And it rarely is a simple progression. Depending on lane conditions...I often have to open up my line 1-3 left when I go from the D.E. to the Asylum. But the other ongoing problem is the Asylum seems to hit light.

So in that game;
Frame 1 and 2: D. Encounter
Frame 3 and 4: Line wrong, hitting left.
Frame 5 and 6: Line adjustment, hitting right/light.
Frames 7 and 9 were strikes, but frame 8 was a flat 10-pin. So I switched to the Melee Jab in the 10th because is seemed like the Asylum was hitting dead. I struck twice...and hit pocket all 3 shots on those lines...but they were weak strikes and a flat 10...indicative of it being a higher likelihood it was a ball issue.

As Bowl1820 eluded to; we have had this conversation many, many times and while we all have slightly different beliefs on this topic...usually the argument ends with both parties being unable to define what is a "non-perfect" shot versus a "good enough to adjust off of" shot. So, if I were looking for an article topic...it would be a basic description on when a shot is "good enough". Obviously we can't wait for a Sean Rash type of shot to make an adjustment. Thats one side of the spectrum. However, we also can't just spray and pray and start making moves and ball changes willy nilly.

An example;

A bowler is standing center and aiming second arrow. He/She doesn't trust the line and intentionally misses left with a good release. The ball hits pocket and strikes. On the next shot on that lane, the bowler executes a very good shot, hitting the original target, but with 1mph too much speed...and the ball never makes it back to the pocket.

My opinion on that is:
1) The first shot is meaningless because you missed your target by two boards. Now...maybe you think about changing your target though.
2) The second shot is meaningless because you threw it too hard with too much speed...so maybe that IS a good line and good ball choice...but not at 17-19mph.

Now, thats just two shots over 4 frames. And I certainly don't want to re-ignite the "learning from others" discussion because as we discussed elsewhere...for lower level bowlers...your team is rarely even at an adequate level to read anything of value. Even on my "good" team...two of the guys are thumbless/high rev bowlers, one is a 17-19mph speed dominant straight ball thrower, and the other is a female with a flat back-up release that averages around 115. My only hope on most nights is that the OTHER team has a 14-19mph right-hander with a stroker/tweener release that I can watch.

[Aslan]

But the other ongoing problem is the Asylum seems to hit light.

Data:
Strike Rate (%):
Loaded Revolver: 46%
Lethal Revolver: 41%
Melee Jab: 38%
Dark Encounter: 37%
Asylum: 31%

Thats how I would have guessed it with one exception; the Loaded Revolver. I haven't noticed it hitting that hard...but it's not a ball I use very often and usually by the time I do...the lanes are pretty broken in so I'm usually getting decent bounce off the break point.

And before Amyers gets riled up...YES....I think the Asylum is just drilled weak. I KNOW it's a good ball...I mean some kid rolled a 900-game with it for crying out loud. It's just a ball I'm struggling to fit into my game right now. But...it was FREE...so even if it hits like a piece of popcorn...it didn't cost me anything. : /

[RobLV1]

You can disagree with me all you like, but just realize that the reason that you are disagreeing is because, as usual, you are over-thinking it to the nth degree! Of course you can do a zillion things wrong on every shot, but that doesn't mean that you can't learn something on every single one of them. My point is that if you learn to watch every shot, without judgement, it should not take nine frames to make a ball change. Your statement that "The Asylum is a wierd ball. It rarely works," suggests to me that the judgement has already been made. If you really believe that about the ball, get the damn thing out of your bag and at least give your back a rest... with that attitude it's useless to you anyway!