Boatmans 2024-2025 season

[Aslan]

Just wish I could get my spare game back to where it was.

Yeah...I feel ya. When you consider the pros are like 95% and better at picking up a 10-pin/7-pin...its like, "Really!!?" I can barely hit 75% on 10-pins.

[boatman37]

I was at 80% on 7 pins the first 2 months or so but now I'm down to 65%. But no league this week and planning on going to practice tomorrow. Gonna work on both 7 and 10 pins. Not concerned about score.

[boatman37]

Went down for some practice tonight. Lanes were bone dry. PSO said they probably hadn't been oiled since our league bowled last Tuesday night. I was throwing the Ember and usually stand about 19 and throw over 10. So pretty straight up the 2nd arrow. Tonight I was standing 35 and targeting 15. Lay down was 25. I wasn't very consistent but at least I got comfortable with it if I ever need to play it. I spent a few frames targeting the corner pins.

[Aslan]

See...thats the problem with practice. I've said it many, many times...bowling is not going to be considered a "real sport" if you can't practice on game time conditions. And, the oil volume, consistency, and pattern are SO crucial to ball motion...that practicing on dry lanes...much less lanes that have had casual bowlers bowling on them....you get next to nothing out of the practice.

I usually just play low-ball...sometimes I might try to work on little physical elements, like keeping my drag leg on the ground or keeping my hand at a certain angle. But trying to figure out the line that will help me carry? Might as well throw the ball down the hallway at home for what its worth.

And what most bowlers don't understand is....casual bowling absolutely destroy the oil pattern. Casual bowlers throw mostly plastic house balls...those balls MOVE (not Remove) the oil around the lanes...especially with erratic casual bowlers. So, there is no "breakpoint"...there's just a certain volume of oil spread all over the lanes.

Now, if the sport was more popular and lucrative....I could come up with an AMAZING invention...where each lane (under the pin deck) stores an oil machine. You use the scoring keypad to select the pattern you want....and the oil machine emerges from beneath the pin deck...and completely cleans the lane and puts down the requested pattern. The technology exists...its just cost prohibitive. Some centers can't afford 2 oil machines...much less 20-60. And, it adds another thing to maintain...and you'd go through a ton of oil. But, it would work...and you'd be able to put down the fresh house shot...you could prepare for Masters or an upcoming local tournament...it would be totally possible.

[boatman37]

Yeah I practiced corner pins for awhile. But my son really needed the practice with his form. His timing was really bad. It still isn't great but better than it was.

[boatman37]

Well tonight was horrific. Last week my Ember came back covered in scuff marks. Tried to get them off with no luck so I brought it home and threw it on the spinner but the weakest pad I had hear at home was a 3000. I had a 4000 and 5000 in my bag but it stays at the center. So showed up tonight with the 3000 on it and it wasn't working well at all so game 2 grabbed the Pi. Couldn't do anything with that one either. Late in game 2 I grabbed the Altered Reality and after a little adjusting found a line that worked pretty good. But by that time it was too late. My corner pin shooting was pretty good but other than that it was a rough night.
Step-son shot a 244 in game 2 then followed that up with a 144...lol.
The team we bowled was 1 spot ahead of us but they bowled pretty good tonight, especially game 3. I think they were about 150 over their average. They had a 1044 scratch with an 890 average. We lost 2 of 3 but deserved it for the way we bowled.
Bowling in a 40/40 tournament Sunday with my son. It's at a place where I have always done well. Same place Steve Kosela bowled his 900. His Helios is still on the counter in a case. I'm guessing he will probably be there.

Game 1: 174 (3 strikes, 5 spares, 2 opens-1 split)

Game 2: 162 (4 strikes, 4 spares, 3 opens-1 split)

Game 3: 191 (7 strikes, 3 spares, 2 opens-1 split)

Series: 527

Average: 175.67

Running average: 195.27

Last seasons average: 202.61

First ball average: 9.00

Strikes: 41% (14/34)

Spares: 63% (12/19)

Single pin spares: 77% (7/9)

Splits: 0% (0/3)

7 pins: 100% (2/2)

7 pins season: 63.33% (38/60)

[boatman37]

Entered a 40/40 tournament today with my son. It was at a local center that I usually do very well at. I had done pretty well in the past with my Zen Soul and real good with my Eternity Pi. Today I took the Pi, Altered Reality and Ember. Talked to the PSO before we started and he said he changed the pattern since last time but it was pretty much the same pattern but more volume. He was right...lol. We drew lanes 1-2 for the first game. Ember wouldn't hook unless I altered my hand position for more side rotation. Tried the Pi and it wouldn't hook at all. Tried the AR and it would only hook if I added rotation. Moved 2 pairs right after each game and next 2 pairs hooked decently. Game 2 used the AR and it went well. Clean 227. Game 3 struggled again leaving 4 opens. I rolled a 549. My son rolled a little under his average. We finished 1st squad 14th of 33. Top 16 made the cut and top 27 cashed. 2nd Squad I started with the Ember. It was hooking good but I was inconsistent. We were on the pair with Stephan Kosela (Mr 900). He was throwing the Ion Pro and pretty sure he was over 250 every game. But towards the end of game 1 I gave up on the Ember. Kosela said you needed a solid on those lanes. I went back to the AR (not a solid but it was my best ball on the day) and my first shot in game 3 my insert flew 1/2 way down the lane..lol. Kosela took the ball in and glued it back in but I had left a 2-4 so figured I could just pick that up with my spare ball. nope. Left the 2 pin standing.
After 2nd squad we ended up 29th with 1313. First squad we had about 1267. I threw a 539 and my son was a 523 with a 165 average. We missed cashing by 14 pins and missed the field by about 40.

My scores:

Squad 1: 166, 227, 156
Squad 2: 166, 191, 182

Statistics
1st squad:
41% strikes
52% spares
66% single pin spares
7 pins: 71% (5/7)

2nd squad:
36% strikes
63% spares
85% single pin spares
7 pins: 10% (3/3)

Bowling a no-tap there again next Sunday so will see how it goes. I'm gonna soak my Pi in hot water tomorrow to try to get some oil out. Little different story next week only needing 9 pins but the Pi is at 3000. Might add some surface for next week just to get 9 counts.