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

**J Anderson** · 10-02-2015, 07:37 AM

Originally Posted by Aslan

Not horrible. I had my line pretty much to myself against a team of mostly thumbless bowlers. Was working on my stance/approach. I only moved left once, after the Big 4 split in the 3rd frame of Game 3. Just trying to get a consistent release...and get my speed under control without messing up my timing.

This is what caught my eye when reading the post:"Was working on my stance/approach."

I would say that for most bowlers, one can not work on one's technique while competing. You work in practice. In competition you trust that your body is going to do what you've practiced. Your brain works on where do you have to stand and aim to hit the pocket consistently or where do you have to stand and aim to make the spare.

Much easier for some of us than others, and often easier for me to say than do.

**Amyers** · 10-02-2015, 09:16 AM

Originally Posted by J Anderson

This is what caught my eye when reading the post:"Was working on my stance/approach."

I would say that for most bowlers, one can not work on one's technique while competing. You work in practice. In competition you trust that your body is going to do what you've practiced. Your brain works on where do you have to stand and aim to hit the pocket consistently or where do you have to stand and aim to make the spare.

Much easier for some of us than others, and often easier for me to say than do.

Not to put words in Aslan's mouth but I think what he was getting at was working to implement what he had been practicing. Not that he had decided to randomly test new footwork while bowling league.

**Aslan** · 10-02-2015, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by Amyers

Not to put words in Aslan's mouth but I think what he was getting at was working to implement what he had been practicing. Not that he had decided to randomly test new footwork while bowling league.

Correct.

I DID debate a little bit with myself on whether to even implement the new stance/approach Wednesday night when I just learned it (in a lesson) Tuesday evening.

There are some things that I hold off implementing until I've had some sufficient practice time. Then there are other things, where you're doing something wrong and need to correct it, where I implement them immediately.

For example, lets say you trying out a new wrist brace and it is something you're really not used to. Something like that, I'd practice at least once using it...at least a few games....before I'd bust it out on league night. Same with a new ball. Or maybe you're toying with how high your backswing is or experminenting with loft or going from 4 steps to 5 steps...these are things you should practice at least a few games...and then see where you're at.

But if it's something that you are doing that is really negatively affecting your game...like walking left and then walking back right...or closing your eyes when you release the ball...or not being balanced and able to post a shot....these are things that you either fix...or you're going to continue to struggle. So those things you kinda need to start working on IMMEDIATELY...not wait a week or so and then practice.

**Aslan** · 10-04-2015, 10:09 PM

Saturday Practice: dry lanes, THS

A buddy wanted to bowl a few games before going out bar hopping so I obliged. He's a 194 average bowler that bowled in high school but doesn't really bowl outside of his home center once a week. I was lazy and didn't want to carry my whole arsenal down to the center and back so I just took the Melee Jab that RobM gave me and my spare ball. It's the weekend in a house that only oils for leagues so I figured I wouldn't need anything that hooks early.

538 Series: 150-193-195 (clean)
Game 1 I wasn't carrying and was making a lot of small movements trying to find the line. Struck a couple times and was clean until 2 back-to-back opens on multi-pin spares in the 9th and 10th frames.

Game 2 I had a bit better carry and opened in the 1st and 3rd instead of 9th and 10th.

Game 3 was a bit more focused and serious since I guess my friend got annoyed that he lost two straight. I kept it clean but he ran 3-4 strikes together in the middle frames and I couldn't double in the 10th so he beat me 198-195.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.30 pins
Strikes: 33% (2 doubles, and 7 singles)
Spares: 71% picked up

Single Pin spares: 87% (7/8)
Most common single-pin leave: 4-pin (3x).
Never left a single 1-pin, 2-pin, 3-pin, 7-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 61% (8/13)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 4-7, 2-4-5, and 3-10 baby split (2x each).

Splits: 100% (2/2).

Average over 3 games: 179.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 183.00.

Pretty easy to look at the numbers/data and realize that I was struggling to hit the pocket flush...probably just a 1:1 move to the left was needed. The line wasn't off enough to leave splits, but was off too much to strike or just leave a flat 10-pin.

Played him well and got a clean game; but not at the 200+ every time out level I'd like to be.

**Aslan** · 10-06-2015, 04:21 AM

Monday League: low-medium oil synthetics, THS (38ft?) with some out of bounds at 1-3.

585 Series: 182-231-172

Spare shooting was good in Game 1. Only opened on a 1-2-4-10 washout in the first frame and a 4-10 split in the 6th. But it took me too long to figure out where to line up to strike.

Got lined up in Game 2 and made most of my shots...but it was still transitioning. Only open was on a terrible miss at a 6-10 in the 8th.

Should have switched balls. Should have actually started with the Dark Encounter and then went to the Asylum in Game 3...in retrospect. Kept things clean through 6 frames but threw it in the gutter first shot of the 7th and could only get 9. Then a 5-7 split in the 8th and a 6-7-10 split in the 10th.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.82 pins
Strikes: 48% (1 4-bagger, 1 turkey, 2 doubles, and 5 singles)
Spares: 62% picked up

Single Pin spares: 100% (5/5)
Most common single-pin leaves: 3-pin and 9-pin (2x each)
Only other leave was a single 7-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 45% (5/11)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 3-6 (2x).

Splits: 0% (0/3)

Average over 3 games: 195.00.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: n/a.

I think the team took all 4. The girl on the team bowled a 157 and I think won the side pot with a 271 handicap. I won the second side pot with a 231 scratch. And our rather talented young male bowler won the 3rd side pot with a 291 handicap/266 scratch. I guess we didn't need our absent female too much tonight.

Only one bad spare shot where I badly pulled a shot at the 6-10. Overall positive though.

**Aslan** · 10-08-2015, 04:27 AM

Wednesday League: low-oil synthetics, easier house shot.

682 Series: 244-223-215
I sure tend to do well on lanes 3 and 4. Not sure why. I think every series over 620 I've bowled there was on that pair.

Game 1 I was clean other than a 4-7-10 in the 8th. Game 2 I lost my line momentarily and made a bad shot in the 3rd...but finished strong. Only open frame was a 7-10 split in the 2nd frame. Game 3 I lost my line in the 5th and 6th. Chopped the dang 6-10 for my only open. Just wasn't able to run as many strikes together in Game 3.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 9.35 pins
Strikes: 67% (1 5-bagger, 2 4-baggers, 1 turkey, 2 doubles, and 3 singles)
Spares: 72% picked up

Single Pin spares: 100% (4/4)
Most common single-pin leave: 4-pin (2x)
Only left the single 4-pin, 7-pin, and 10-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 57% (4/7)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 2-5 (2x).

Splits: 0% (0/2)

Average over 3 games: 227.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: n/a.

Kinda felt like a bowler tonight rather than a person trying like hell and failing to be a bowler. Team took all 4 which is what we needed after going 1-3 last week. Missed the side pot in Game 1 by 13 pins. The second game a guy 6-8 lanes over threw a 299. But I did manage to win two brackets and finish 2nd in the other one. Nice to walk out of the bowling alley with more money than I walked in with.

And I got the 6th ball of the arsenal (Loaded Revolver) finally drilled. It was drilled wrong back a couple months ago and I never managed to get back to the place until today. Probably won't need it much on league night. Rarely ever use the pearls in the bag...except on dry lanes practicing.