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

[NewToBowling]

Ok, gotcha

[Aslan]

Tuesday League Night: medium oil synthetics

524 Series: 188-144-192 (clean)

Game 1 was the only game I really felt good and was finding the pocket. But I had a couple opens in the 5th and 6th frames and the score was only as high as it was because I strung 4 strikes together at the end of the game.

Game 2 was a disaster. In frames 3 through 6 I had 3 washouts that I couldn't convert and chopped a 6-10.

Oddly enough, Game 3 was my WORST game in terms of pocket %. I really only hit the pocket flush ONCE. 4 of the frames I left the headpin. 4 of the frames I completely crossed over. And thats part of the reason the score was so low despite the game being clean. I wasn't striking….just leaving garbage and picking it up…including picking up a 5-6 split in the 6th to keep things clean.

Arguably significant/insignificant Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.29 pins
Strikes: 32% (1 4-bagger, 2 doubles and 3 singles)
Spares: 66% picked up

Single Pin spares: 75% (3/4)
Most common single-pin leave: n/a.
Left a 3-pin, 6-pin, 8-pin, and 10-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 64% (11/17)
Most common multi-pin leave: 1-2-4 (3x)

Splits: 50% (1/2)

Pocket Percentage: 29%
Pocket Carry: 110%
Double Percentage: 18%

Average over 3 games: 174.67.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 178.00.

A disappointing night overall. I mean, I got a clean game and won $5 in the poker game…and helped my team to what might be 3 points once they figure out handicap for the bowlers that were establishing. But the 144 is just unacceptable. I want to be a league leader in average this season…190-205…in that range and I can't acheive that with these occasional "off" games.

I felt confident and loose and relaxed…especially in that first game. I think the strong performance at sweeps has helped me mentally. But the release is still a work in progress. I was doing an above average job of hitting my mark…but missing left and right. Didn't seem to be a timing issue…so the likely culprit is my release. And it was visibly obvious on some shots that the ball just had no axis tilt and never really made a move to the pocket.

[fortheloveofbowling]

Nice set at the sweeper and except for the 1 bad game would have had another 570+ set following. It seems to me that you are about to step up another level. It probably feels that way to you as well.

[Aslan]

Nice set at the sweeper and except for the 1 bad game would have had another 570+ set following. It seems to me that you are about to step up another level. It probably feels that way to you as well.

I think sweeps might have been a turning point, at least in terms of confidence. But, we'll see. I've thought I've been at turning points before only to find that they were minor bends in the road.

[RobLV1]

I think sweeps might have been a turning point, at least in terms of confidence. But, we'll see. I've thought I've been at turning points before only to find that they were minor bends in the road.

Remember our discussion last week. If you won't believe in yourself, believe what I told you. You don't have to wait and see. You have the ability. Now just make it happen. Noone controls the scores you bowl but you. Have a plan before each shot, set, and go. That's all there is to it.

[Mike White]

Remember our discussion last week. If you won't believe in yourself, believe what I told you. You don't have to wait and see. You have the ability. Now just make it happen. Noone controls the scores you bowl but you. Have a plan before each shot, set, and go. That's all there is to it.

The problem is, Aslan likes to make an 84 page plan.

[Aslan]

Wednesday League Night: medium oil synthetics

511 Series: 191-172-148

Game 1 was a solid effort. Game 2 I only opened on a single 2-pin in the 3rd and then again in the 10th on a baby split. Game 3 I was doing okay until a rough patch in the 7th, 8th, and 9th frames.

Arguably Significant/Insignificant Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.47 pins
Strikes: 28% (1 turkey and 6 singles)
Spares: 59% picked up

Single Pin spares: 75% (6/8)
Most common single-pin leaves: 2-pin, 5-pin, and 10-pin (2x each).
Never left a single 1-pin, 3-pin, 4-pin, 6-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 50% (7/14)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 2-4-5 (2x).

Splits: 0% (0/2)

Pocket Percentage: 19%
Pocket Carry: 150%
Double Percentage: 22%

Average over 3 games: 170.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 176.67.

Very disappointing. Another sub-525 series due to one game being terrible. I was just unable to find the pocket the whole night starting about 3/4 through Game 1. And without the pocket…strikes are few and far between…which means my score hinges on being perfect at spare shooting. Multi-pin spare shooting was a plus tonight…but you can't always count on that.

There were some (+)s, if you will…another > 500 series…still shooting single-pin spares between 75%-100%, our TEAM (where there is no "I") took 3 out of 4 from the 2nd place team so while we're no longer undefeated…we're still in 1st place….AND I won the 2nd game poker hand so I cleared $5 from poker hands last night and $15 more tonight.

Something is still very "off" with my release. My coach wanted me to start turning my wrist and releasing the ball sooner…which combined with staying low and relaxing my shot would create more revs and better axis tilt. Rob taught me a simpler way to accomplish the same thing in terms of hand position and that seemed to work in Vegas. The staying low and relaxed release are working fine…but I'm still seeing a huge variance in ball reaction/axis tilt/axis rotation from shot to shot. Either my wrist is not in the proper position or it's over-rotating or whatever…but I'm hitting my mark and watching the ball hit the headpin and both sides of the headpin…so it's either timing or release (or both). Hopefully I can get some practice in today and then the big Aslan/MWhite/ZDawg tournament on Saturday evening.

[Amyers]

The problem is, Aslan likes to make an 84 page plan.

I wasn't aware that he had shortened it.

[Aslan]

Thursday Practice: AMF Carter Lanes: low oil synthetics

Was debating whether to practice or not. Done a lot of bowling recently. And my thumb is a bit raw. But…I really needed to focus on my release and I can't do that during league play. Decided to do a comparison between the different release ideas from my two lessons and compare those to me wearing the wrist brace.

Warm-Up Game: 157
After a handful of frames I decided to try a more inside line (like Rob M. would play) but it wasn't working so for the comparison I went back outside. The lanes seemed quite a bit drier than during league play. I couldn't even use the Bullet Train and started the comparison using the Rhythm.

Release: "Release at the Line: Start turning hand before getting to the line": 148-189
I started working better near the end of Game 2. But, in general, I felt like I had trouble hitting my mark, like I had less control over the ball's direction. And if I didn't stay low or I bounced up…then I couldn't keep my hand behind the ball.

Release: "Inner edge of hand (not thumb) to the ceiling": 168-212
This felt better than the first release (above). It just felt easier; more natural.

Release: Using wrist brace: 173-203
The problem with this set was I needed to change balls anyways; but switching to the wrist brace is almost a 4-2 move and a ball change in and of itself. So I primarily used the less aggressive Encounter in Game 1 and then the Slingshot for Game 2. Noticeably more revs and a better axis tilt with the brace on…but not necessarily better results than above. The 2nd game was probably my best game as I struck over 50% and the only open was a chopped 3-6-10 in the 9th.

Marginally Interesting/Potentially Useful Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.70 pins
Strikes: 42% (2 4-baggers, 1 turkey, 5 doubles, and 12 singles)
Spares: 53% picked up

Single Pin spares: 66% (6/9)
Most common single-pin leaves: 8-pin (3x).
Never left a single 1-pin, 3-pin, 5-pin, 6-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 50% (16/32)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: 3-6-10 and 3-10 split (4x each).

Splits: 14% (1/7)

Pocket Percentage: 57%
Pocket Carry: 75%
Double Percentage: 36%

Average over 7 games: 178.57.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 182.43.

More red than really justified; but these numbers are being compared to the last time I practiced at this center and I happened to roll a 300-game that time. Not sure if I figured my release issue out…OR…I just continue to excel when conditions are dry or both. But I feel better about the release than I did coming into practice.

I think I'll keep the wrist brace off for now and focus on option #2 (above). The wrist brace DOES give me more angle to the pocket…but at the expense of accuracy AND it'll require me to make adjustments to me starting lines as well as cause me to add more tape to the ball thumbholes…which I then will have to remove when I bowl without the brace on.

[Aslan]

2nd Annual Billy Hardwick Memorial Aslan vs. ZDawg Southern California Invitational: Brunswick Cal Oaks Bowl/medium oil synthetics

596 Series: 170-246-180
The video is posted for everyone to view so no game-by-game analysis is really necessary.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 9.10 pins
Strikes: 51% (1 6-bagger, 1 turkey, 3 doubles, and 1 single)
Spares: 50% picked up

Single Pin spares: 50% (4/8)
Most common single pin leave: 10-pin (4x).
Also left a 2-pin, 7-pin, 8-pin, and 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 50% (3/6)
Most common multi-pin leave: 2-4-5-7-8 (2x).

Splits: 0% (0/1)

Average over 3 games: 198.67.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 213.67!

Obviously I don't have much to complain about. But it DOES really sting that my single-pin spare shooting was only 50% after a recent 75% and before that being in the 80-100% range. I feel like I'm on the "verge" of being a 180-200 average bowler where I could bowl guys like Mike scratch…but I can't say I'm there if I'm missing 3/4 of my single 10-pins.

Lots of green up there…but realize this is being compared to last year's event where I was just horrible (despite the victory).