True. I think I'm getting more confident that the Achilles is "okay" and my subconscious is doing exactly what you're saying. It's still a bit of a work in progress...but it's like if you stick on the approach or fall or go over the foul line. Your next shot(s) you're usually not gonna do very well because you're at least subconsciously worried about your footing or the foul line.
Thank you.
Tuesday Men's League: THS
Week 21
Just so I can comment about it in my descriptions below...we found out after bowling that the center had decided to shorten the THS by 1'...so keep that in mind.
581 Series: 209-198-174
I was tempted to start with the Optimus...but decided to just use the Grudge Hybrid and get the ball a little further out on the lanes. I DID have to make a 1:2 move right, on both lanes, because the pattern seemed to be playing a little longer or wider than last week. My only opens were a 4-6-7 split and a single 9-pin where the ball seemed to hook more than usual at the end of the pattern.
X, X, 9 /, 7 1, 9 -, X, X, 8 /, X, XX8.
Stuck with the Grudge Hybrid and just kept inching my way left. Kept my vertical target out past the arrows to try and get the ball further out on the lane. More of the same. Made a bad shot at a single 4-pin in the 7th frame. Then, made a mental error trying to pick up a single 3-pin (moved right instead of left). Had the pattern been a shade longer...I'd have still clipped it...but no luck.
9 /, X, X, X, 8 /, 7 /, 9 -, X, 9 -, XX7.
Thought about switching to the Fortera Exile to give me a little more 'pop' on the backend...but the Grudge was still holding it's own so I stuck with it. If RobM can bowl with one ball all night then so can I! . Unfortunately, it's not a good scoring strategy (in bowling) to limit your strikes to every other frame. Spare shooting wasn't terrible (thank god)...just missed a 6-pin to the right. But, I made a terrible shot in the 10th and chopped a 2-5-8...so that was that.
X, 9 /, 9 -, X, 9 /, X, 9 /, X, 8 /, 7 2.
PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 9.15 pins
Strikes: 50%
Spares: 60% picked up
Single Pin spares: 55% (5/9)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (3x)
Never left a single 1-pin, 5-pin, 7-pin, nor 8-pin.
Makeable spares: 64% (9/14)
Multiple Pin spares: 80% (4/5)
Most common multi-pin leave: 6-10 (2x)
Splits: 0% (0/1)
Average over 3 games: 193.67.
Average had I picked up all single-pin spares: 209.33.
Form is getting better. Staying down in my shots.
I ordered an alcoholic beverage tonight....which I usually don't. Of course, I bowled well and my teammates are convinced it's because I was drinking. So, I guess I'm obligated to drink the rest of my time on the team and I think they've volunteered to buy...so good deal there.
I think my success was 5% mental, 30% pattern, and 65% physical:
Physical: The achilles is feeling better. As stated above...when you aren't subconsciously worried about snapping your tendons, you tend to be able to have better form and post shots and do what you need to do. Still need to work on getting my balance back. Fell off way too many shots tonight.
Pattern: The shorter pattern seemed to allow the Grudge to turn the corner when it got to the end of the pattern. While I started 1:2 right of last week...I ended up inside of where I normally play and inside of most of the other bowlers (RobM would have been proud). I didn't need to "bounce it off the dry"...because there was just enough dry at the end of the pattern to serve my needs. At least, thats my theory.
Mental: Maybe it's mentally getting over the injury. Maybe it's looking forward to life again with a new job opportunity. Maybe it's getting 2-3 drinks in me. Whatever it is, there just feels like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. Sometimes, just a little relaxation in your approach and release can make that much of a difference.
I'd normally be annoyed about the single-pins...but I really only made one bad shot...and that was at the 4-pin in Game 2. I was making my corner pins tonight. I missed a 3-pin and a 9-pin...but I think that had to do with the pattern hooking more on the backend than usual...and I barely missed those pins. The 3-pin was my fault...I moved the wrong way. But, the 9-pin I would have had if there was another foot of oil on the lane...no doubt.
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