Baker 2016-2017

[manke]

Good luck Baker!!

[baker]

Mission unknown (1 and 2) and rebel pearl (3 and 4)

Game 1: 279
Game 2: 137
Game 3: 162
Game 4: 199

Total: 777 (578 for 3) -194 avg
Season avg: 228 (-3)

Strike: 51%
Spare: 52.4%
Single pin: 87.5%

This was the first night I've struggled to score all year. I threw the ball well and started off with high hopes for a big set after the 279 start. All of a sudden the lanes were gone for me. Misses right would just hang and never recover. Misses inside would just slide as well. I moved right and tightened up my angles, but still had to be perfect.

This makes up for a number of nights where I threw the ball poorly and still scored well, but never fun. Realistically I think I was missing too many shots right and late which caused them to hang. The better move was probably to bump a little left and feed it to the dry early.

I need to read the lanes better and make smarter moves. I let a couple bad shots after a big game cause me make the wrong move and I a spent the night trying to make it work.

Tournament this Sunday, I still feel good execution wise and this night was a good reminder about playing the right part of the lane and not trying to force something that isn't there. The lanes will tell you if you're in the right area or not, you just have to listen.

[baker]

Tournament today, 41 ft pattern with a 4:1. I was not able to get out and practice after a disappointing Monday. I threw the Mission Unknown for qualifying and switched to the rebel pearl for match play. Both of these balls have been really good for me this year.

Qualifying:
Game 1: 213 clean +13
Game 2: 217 clean +30
Game 3: 221 +51
Game 4: 223 +74
Game 5: 246 +120
Game 6: 257 +177

Early on I struggled to carry and just grinded out clean low 2 teen games. Mission was going a bit long and coming in weak, but I decided to stick with it and not give the pocket away. I made some minor adjustments towards the end of game three and was good from that point on. I qualified 4th and had two rounds of byes. My goal was not to let the bye rounds impact me in match play.

Match play: lost 239-213
I threw the ball very well. The lanes tightened up on the right side and I bowled a lefty who threw it well and had a good look. I was keeping up and throwing great shots until the 10th when I got a bit slow and left a split. I can't complain given how tough the lanes were and how many shots I pured. Overall happy with how it went, but not the outcome I would've liked.

I did reached one of my season goals today. I wanted to make cut in every one of these tournaments I bowled; I was three for three. Once qualified last, once 1st, and once 4th. Some life changes are going to cut the league and tournament season short. My family is moving so I'll miss the remaining tournaments and won't bowl outside of practice and league until nationals. Hopefully I'll be well practiced for nationals and whack em in Vegas.

[baker]

Mastermind strategy the first game and mission unknown last three games.

Game 1: 214
Game 2: 200
Game 3: 279
Game 4: 247

Total: 940 (693 for 3) - 235 avg
Season avg: 229

Strike: 62%
Spare: 88%
Single pin: 100% (10/10)

I completely forgot how to bowl the first two games. Luckily my spare shooting has been solid the past month or so and I was able to grind it out. Towards the end of game 2 I got it figured out. I was bending too much at the waist and loosing leverage.

With only a few weeks left to go I took a look at some of my goals I set at the beginning of the season:

1. Average 230 - currently 229, within reach if I finish strong.
2. Multiple 300's - I have a 299 and a 298 this year. It might be a stretch to get two in the final three weeks, but I'd still like at least one
3. 800 - Complete, shot 821 early in the season
4. Make cut at each tournament - Complete (3/3) I didn't get to bowl as much as I would've liked, but happy to get this one.

Next fall should be interesting with a new city and new bowling alley. Overall I'm pretty happy with how this season has gone.

[baker]

mission unknown first three games. Rebel pearl last game.

Game 1: 259
Game 2: 224
Game 3: 202
Game 4: 191

Total: 868 (677 for 3) - 217 avg
Season avg: 228

All of a sudden I can't pick up a spare. I threw my first ball decently, but I need to be better and more accurate there. Once again I did not do a good job of reading the lanes, but I was not as focused as I needed to be. I missed 3 single pin spares and another makeable spare. The fact that I struggle with basic spares is beyond frustrating. I might be pressing too hard to shoot some big scores before the season ends, but even with that I still should be able to pick up spares. At this point every time I leave a single pin I'm having doubt creep into my head. I'll try to shorten my backswing and get my armswing tighter to my body, but mentally I'm a mess right now.

[baker]

mission unknown first two games. Rebel pearl last 2 games.

Game 1: 246
Game 2: 228
Game 3: 211
Game 4: 266

Total: 951 (685 for 3) - 238 avg
Season avg: 228

Strike: 64.4%
Spare: 73.3%
Single pin: 75% (6 of 8)

Last night of league this year for me and I came up a bit short. Still struggled a bit with spare shooting although not nearly as bad as the previous outing. Tonight was definitely good to get more games on my rebel and figure it out a bit more. This ball is touchy for me and I either need to play in the oil or throw it to the dry, if I try to pay the oil line I get really bad over/under.

All in all I'm feeling ok about the season. I've been able to adjust small things in my game to get to get to a better place. Once I get more practice in and improve my spare shooting I'm hoping to get over that 230 average. Now time to spend this next month getting ready for nationals and hopefully posting a few good games there.

[baker]

Just got back from Nationals and things went pretty terrible. It was another eye opening experience of just how much work I have to do and much damage an easy house shots can do.

Team practice:
We broke the lanes down outside and had a great look. After 30 minutes we basically had a modified house shot. Things were looking good.

Team: 141, 183, 224 - 548
The actual shot played almost nothing like the practice pair. The actual shot was a lot more wet-dry and seemed to give you one of two options, play outside or play inside. Our team decided to try and break them down outside, but playing straight up 5 board is not my strength. I missed a lot of shots just right and had no recovery down lane. As we burned up the shot and I got some miss room right and my scores went up.

Doubles: 139, 207, 238 - 584
Very similar to team only longer and similar results. I tried to play a little more in the first game, but that was a disaster. I Moved way outside the 2nd game and found a line, but too little, too late.

Singles: 181, 155, 186 - 522
We had two randoms on our pair. One guy started doubles in at 4th arrow and as soon as the outside line was gone we had to jump in to his mess. I felt good going into singles, but as soon as we had to jump in it was clear there wasn't much of a line.

On the bright side I had a issue with a storm bag that I had just bought and the booth was outstanding. I haven't bought any storm balls in the past 10 years, but they at least earned my next purchase. I might try the hyroad or wait and see what they come out with in a few months.

A few more weeks off will be good. I'm looking for a new league this season and looking forward to continue improving.

[baker]

First night of summer league:

Game 1: 198 - Left a lot of 10 pins and started playing around trying to find a line that would get the 10 out. Last 3 frames found a line swinging it to 5-6.
Game 2: 171 - My line started to dry up and I didn't want to make anyone upset the first night by jumping too far left and crossing their lines. I moved my breakpoint inside and left my feet where they were.
Game 3: 256 - I had a good amount of room and carried well after I moved my breakpoint 5 boards left.

I found a small summer league to bowl in my new city. First night out was less than perfect, but I made all my single pins and spare game was pretty good. I had fun and got my mind off work.

My goal for this summer is to get better at going straighter and improve my ability to repeat shots. I also need to show I'm good enough to get on a good fall league.

[baker]

Week 2:

Game 1: 259 - Started with the front nine, but I wasn't throwing the ball great. It finally caught up to me and got a bit slow for a split
Game 2: 219 - Carry troubles prevented an otherwise solid game
Game 3: 181 - Only missed single pin all night, a few splits for a rough finish

Total: 659
Season Avg: 214

I'm still trying to figure out how to carry in this house. Increasing speed seemed to help blend out the over/under I was seeing. Next week I'm going to try something that starts up a little earlier and play more in the oil.

[baker]

Week 3:

Game 1: 206
Game 2: 244
Game 3: 226

Total: 676
Season avg: 218

Strike %: 63.6
Spare %: 83.3
Single pin %: 90 (9/10)

I started with my venom shock instead of the mission unknown to get an earlier and smoother ball motion. First game my breakpoint was too far right, in this house I need to start further in, but more direct. Next week I won't make the same mistake. The venom shock was a good move, earlier and smoother kept me in it the first game.

The second game I started throwing the ball much better. A little faster speed and much better feel. The third game was good, some minor carry issues and a missed single pin in the 10th cost me.

I'm starting to feel like it's close; with my new job and move I just don't have time to practice so it always takes a few frames for me to get comfortable and I feel some of my old bad habits creeping in. Next week I need to focus on keeping my speed up, breakpoint in, and staying down at the line.