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

[Tony]

Just to clarify...I don't really carry balls that have a "lesser potential of scoring". If you have balls in your bag that you don't have any confidence in...I'd recommending replacing them with balls you have more confidence in.

I've only had TWO balls that I've just had ZERO confidence in...and I got rid of both of them and replaced them with a better option.

There are always going to be balls you like better than others...some that you think, "wow, thats my favorite ball I've ever thrown"...and others that you're not as excited about...but they serve a purpose. There's no "better ball". New balls aren't "better" than old balls...they may be more aggressive and allow you to play further inside....but they're not "better" just because they're new.

I still see bowlers throwing 220+ games with Ebonite Cyclones and old Storm balls. If the bowler is good enough...he/she could probably throw a 200 game with a Columbia WD.

I understand, it just seemed in recent posts the scandal pearl was the ball you were using for most of your best scoring games. I have one ball now that I'm losing confidence in, having changed surface on it several times and have continued to struggle with it, so it could soon be gone. DV8 Outcast is the ball...
It would be only the second ball passed along because of that, the other one was so long ago, I can't even recall what it was.

[Amyers]

Good luck with your move bud. Hope you find some great centers in your new area.

[Timmyb]

Let me know when you get settled in, and maybe we could meet half way!

[Aslan]

Summer Practice (low-oil synthetics)

562 Series: 190-173-199

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.82 pins
Strikes: 35% (3 doubles and 6 singles)
Spares: 80% picked up

Single Pin spares: 100% (10/10)
Most common single pin leave: 10-pin (5x)
Also left a single 2-pin, 5-pin, 7-pin, and 4-pin (2x).

Multiple Pin spares: 60% (6/10)
Multi-pin leave: n/a

Splits: 0% (0/1)

Average over 4 games: 187.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: n/a.

Been over a week since I bowled. First time bowling in Iowa. The center was a bit disappointing in terms of the facility and area. And, $5.50/game...yowsers!

The lanes didn't seem overly difficult nor overly easy...but I was a bit rusty. I'm used to bowling 2-3 times a week...haven't bowled in almost 2 weeks. The main difference at this center, that I noticed, was the spare ball was hooking quite a bit. Missing a 10-pin to the right required a pretty BAD miss right...I think I picked up a 10-pin that had I bowled at my old California house...I would have missed by over 10ft.

[Aslan]

Summer Practice (low-oil synthetics)

589 Series: 245-134-210

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.77 pins
Strikes: 48% (1 8-bagger, 1 turkey, 1 double, and 2 singles)
Spares: 50% picked up

Single Pin spares: 83% (5/6)
Most common single pin leave: 10-pin (4x)
Also left a single 4-pin and 6-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 30% (3/10)
Multi-pin leave: 6-10 (4x)

Splits: 0% (0/2)

Average over 4 games: 196.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 200.33.

Gave another center a try. Nicer interior...but also in a crappy neighborhood. Same dry lanes...same plastic, spare ball hook on the outside (into the 10-pin).

[Aslan]

Summer Practice (low-oil synthetics)

633 Series: 214-199-220

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 9.33 pins
Strikes: 60% (1 7-bagger, 1 5-bagger, 1 turkey, 1 double, and 3 singles)
Spares: 53% picked up

Single Pin spares: 66% (6/9)
Most common single pin leave: 4-pin and 10-pin (2x each)
Never left a single 1-pin, 2-pin, nor 3-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 25% (1/4)
Multi-pin leave: n/a

Splits: 0% (0/2)

Average over 4 games: 211.00.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 222.00.

Gave another center a try. Better interior and slightly better neighborhood. Not as much plastic ball hook (on the outside) as I noticed at the last two centers...pins seemed "light" though.

[Amyers]

Good to see you've at least got three centers to choose from

[Aslan]

Good to see you've at least got three centers to choose from

7 centers within 30 minutes.

One of them doesn't seem to serious...just Mickey Mouse nonsense. Unfortunately, that's the closest one.

I've tried 3 of the other 6 centers...got 3 more to try.

Also, looking at where the high average talent tends to bowl at...gonna try and get in the biggest/best leagues I can...see how things go...then maybe move on to sport shot/pba experience leagues.

[J Anderson]

7 centers within 30 minutes.

One of them doesn't seem to serious...just Mickey Mouse nonsense. Unfortunately, that's the closest one.

I've tried 3 of the other 6 centers...got 3 more to try.

Also, looking at where the high average talent tends to bowl at...gonna try and get in the biggest/best leagues I can...see how things go...then maybe move on to sport shot/pba experience leagues.

I would normally advise you to jump right into a sport shot/PBA experience league. I've seen a number of high average house bowlers come away from a PBAX league like they've gone through the Total Perspective Vortex. You, on the other hand, no matter how good your scores are, always have some self criticism like you missed too many single pin spares. I don't think you'll have any problems dealing with the mental aspect a sport league, even if you wait a season to get better.

[Aslan]

I would normally advise you to jump right into a sport shot/PBA experience league. I've seen a number of high average house bowlers come away from a PBAX league like they've gone through the Total Perspective Vortex. You, on the other hand, no matter how good your scores are, always have some self criticism like you missed too many single pin spares. I don't think you'll have any problems dealing with the mental aspect a sport league, even if you wait a season to get better.

I've set a target of a 202 average. If I can acheive that, which I should be able to in less than a season (195 now, averaging at least 2 pins higher on these lanes), then I think I'll make the move.

You're right though. I've bowled sport leagues before so I'm not going in with an inflated ego like most bowlers do. I averaged 149 both times I tried sport leagues in the past...about 20 pins lower than by THS average. If I can average 175-185 on a sport shot/PBA Experience shot....I'd have no problem with that.

The good news...is there appears to be 2-4 sport shot/PBA Experience leagues in the area...which is far better than my previous location.