It's the sad reality about money tournaments, but for every guy that won 600$ there's 6 guys who just paid 100 bucks for 6-8 games of bowling. I don't know if I'd recommend putting tourneys completely on hold. Taking your lumps those first few tournaments is part of becoming a good tournament bowler. Putting off larger or more expensive tournaments (I'm guessing the ABT tournaments are like that) is probably not a bad idea though.Originally Posted by Aslan
That's what we've been telling you for ages. As long as you recognize it yourself, it's the first step to correcting it
Company League Average: 198.1
City League Average: 186.5
WTBA Sport pattern League Average: 172.9
Current Arsenal: Roto Grip Nomad Pearl, Wrecker, and Hyper Cell; Track 920A and 505A; Storm Tropical Breeze; Plastic Spare Ball
Particularly handicap ones, and particularly if they aren't on your normal house shot/on a sport pattern you have no idea how to play. The first couple tournaments I did were... quite disappointing. But, they build experience and after a couple you know what you're getting into an how to play them
I "may" participate in a tournament again, whether TNBA or ABT or ABTA.
BUT…it's going to be at a venue I know I can be competitive at. No more showing up at an alley I never played at or going to a heavy oil house that I know I will likely average in the 150s at.
I DO think adding a heavy oil Pearl/assymetric to my arsenal…which is looking like a late July/early August type of thing…will help. But based on the schedule I saw for the ABTA, they generally stick to the same 7-8 centers and they all happen to be heavier oil houses where I haven't done well.
Like I said, most high level bowlers tend to "like" heavy oil versus drier conditions. They have pro level equipment that is able to handle heavy oil and reacts badly on dry conditions. So until I can develop my heavy oil arsenal/game…it doesn't make sense to pay $250 to average 155-160.
I think I might look into the TNBA tournaments and see what they're all about. Their website is kinda cra**y at explaining how their tournaments work. It might be a situation where you have to join a TNBA sanctioned league and somehow that qualifies you for larger regional tournaments…but I'm unsure.
Aslan Have you considered just balling up to a heavy oils symmetric ball. I have never thrown an asymmetric but from what I have been told unless your release is just right and vary consistent your going to struggle with them. May just may be a bunch of crap I don't know. If anyone on here has experience with this it would be nice if they comment.
You can't just expect to put up a certain number at any house. You also can't expect that at your most comfortable house you are going to do well. You will have off days just like you have on days. Going into it with a preconceived "number" that you MUST throw is just going to put you off your game. Open mind and take it shot by shot and adjust when needed.
My $.03
High Sanctioned Scratch Game - 300(12) Hi Sanctioned Scratch Series - 822(3)
2016/17 Book Average=221, 2017/18 Composite Average=223
Equipment in the bag - Storm Crux Prime, Storm Physix, Roto Grip Idol, Roto Grip Idol Pearl, Roto Grip Hyper Cell Fused, Storm Sure Lock, Storm Drive, Roto Grip Winner Solid, Roto Grip Haywire, Storm Fever Pitch, Roto Grip Red ball spare.
Rev Rate 400. Speed 18 at heads, 16.5-17 at pins. Axis tilt 10, Axis Rotation 55. PAP 5 5/8 x 5/8 up
I am not sure that being familiar with the house is really going to help unless you bowl there a lot and know it is going to be on the same pattern you typically bowl on. Even at my house if you go in the next day after the lanes were oiled the night before its a huge difference than playing there with fresh. If they were doing a tournament it could be completely different again. All you can do is throw your best and hope its a good day. I know every time I go out I'm capable of putting up a 600 series I also know I'm capable of throwing below 400 (doesn't happen often than god) that's all I really can expect. I practice and will eventually add to my arsenal to try and raise those numbers. Doesn't keep me from being happy about the 600's or pissed at myself over the 400's though. Can't wait for the day those numbers become 650-700 and 500.
Already have one. The Rhythm is a medium-heavy oil solid overstock, symmetric ball. But at my rev rate, I can't play inside with it….even on drier conditions. It DOES allow me to play the outside (4-9 boards) to get a little more angle into the pocket. But I can't play the center of far to the left…if I miss right it grabs too early and hits center-left. If I miss a little left it can't recover (even at my low speed) and I leave a washout.
On dry-medium oil, not a big issue. I stand center and throw it out towards the 7-9 boards…ball goes out to the 2-3 board and makes a very long, smooth curve into the pocket. But on medium-heavy oil…especially if there is no real dryness on the outside…I have to move 4-6 boards right of center (14-16) and try to throw it almost straight up the 8-9 boards and "hope" it doesn't take a "weird turn" in the dry area just before the pin deck. On heavy oil, I'm almost better off playing the Frantic up the 13-board because it won't react early.
Like Bowl and Rob and Mike and VDub have said…it's not how much the ball hooks, it's where. My Rhythm hooks a great deal…but it's an early, big curve type of hook. Not an angular back end type of hook. So the next step would be a more aggressive version of my Frantic, that will go longer (pearl coverstock), but have a more angular (asymmetric core) back end and more drastic turn to the pocket (higher differential).
If that doesn't work…then I have no choice but to change my release. My current release is designed for accuracy over anything else. And I've seen MASSIVE improvements in my average, spare shooting, and accuracy. But at the expense of angle into the pocket, speed/power, and ultimately pin carry.
IF I need to fix my heavy oil game AND develop an inside game on drier conditions…then a more aggressive ball OR a release/revs change is going to be necessary. I thought I might be able to just reduce speed to buy me some time…but I'm already around 11-14mph and going lower doesn't seem to help…the ball just starts rolling into the pin deck before it gets back to the pocket.
SPECS:
Hammer Rhythm; PerfectScale rating = 211.3. (RG = 2.48, diff. = 0.045, Solid cover stock, symmetric core)
Storm Frantic; PerfectScale rating = 189.5. (RG = 2.53, diff. = 0.045, Hybrid cover stock, symmetric core)
Columbia300 Encounter; PerfectScale rating = 203.8. (RG = 2.50, diff. = 0.052, Pearl coverstock, assymetric core)
In Bag: (: .) Zen Master Solid; (: .) Perfect Mindset; (: .) Brunswick Endeavor; (: .) Outer Limits Pearl; (: .) Ebonite Maxim
USBC#: 8259-59071; USBC Sanctioned Average = 192; Lifetime Average = 172;
Ball Speed: 14.7mph; Rev. Rate: 240rpm || High Game (sanc.) = 300 (268); High Series (sanc.) = 725 (720); Clean Games: 198
Smokey this is not 'Nam', this is bowling. There are rules. Proud two-time winner of a bowlingboards.com weekly ball give-away!
I believe VDub had a goal of not throwing under a 600 series or under a 700 series or something. Obviously, I'm not "there" yet. I did make the mini-goal at the start of this summer league that I didn't want to throw any more < 500 series. But, even though I've seen a LOT more series over 500…I'm still frustrated that I'm seeing virtually NO 600 series.
I got to be patient. I need to be happy with series consistently in the 480s to 570s rather than miss the days where I'd throw an occasional 600 series but then throw mostly < 500 series the rest of the time.
It's all about the numbers. I urge people to use apps like PinPal to track their stats. Because more important than your actual scores (especially during practice)…are your "stats". What is your "strike rate"? What is your "first ball average"? What are your most common leaves? What spares are you most struggling with?
Anyone that hasn't checked out my scores page ("Aslan's Scores of the Non-Lady kind")…if you check it out you'll see a PinPal summary after most games and tournaments and practice sessions where it gives me all the metrics that are important. And those metrics are more important than the scores because they actually "explain" why the scores were what they were. I may have had great scores because I struck a lot…but a troubling spare shooting rate that still needs attention. Things like that.
In Bag: (: .) Zen Master Solid; (: .) Perfect Mindset; (: .) Brunswick Endeavor; (: .) Outer Limits Pearl; (: .) Ebonite Maxim
USBC#: 8259-59071; USBC Sanctioned Average = 192; Lifetime Average = 172;
Ball Speed: 14.7mph; Rev. Rate: 240rpm || High Game (sanc.) = 300 (268); High Series (sanc.) = 725 (720); Clean Games: 198
Smokey this is not 'Nam', this is bowling. There are rules. Proud two-time winner of a bowlingboards.com weekly ball give-away!
Yep, one of my goals from the last Fall leagues was to not throw under 600. I achieved that in one league that ended up being 32 weeks long(low 625), and in the other I bowled a low of 574 with 3 other 580 something in there for that 34 week league.
High Sanctioned Scratch Game - 300(12) Hi Sanctioned Scratch Series - 822(3)
2016/17 Book Average=221, 2017/18 Composite Average=223
Equipment in the bag - Storm Crux Prime, Storm Physix, Roto Grip Idol, Roto Grip Idol Pearl, Roto Grip Hyper Cell Fused, Storm Sure Lock, Storm Drive, Roto Grip Winner Solid, Roto Grip Haywire, Storm Fever Pitch, Roto Grip Red ball spare.
Rev Rate 400. Speed 18 at heads, 16.5-17 at pins. Axis tilt 10, Axis Rotation 55. PAP 5 5/8 x 5/8 up
Aslan glad you posted the stats on the Rhythm I wasn't familiar with that one. Not a huge Hammer guy and it looks like that one was a special release for TNBA. Do you know what surface you have on it. The highest symmetrical I see listed is the Marvel-S at 219.90 not sure how much difference that would make. Definitely post it when you punch that asymmetrical I want to know how that works for you.
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