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

[manke]

That is awsome michael!!

[bubba809]

That may be the best post I've ever seen on here Iceman!

[Aslan]

That may be the best post I've ever seen on here Iceman!

Thats troubling. In multiple ways.

[Aslan]

Saturday Open Bowling: low-medium oil synthetics

511 Series: 137-177-197
Game 1 I was struggling to figure out what ball I wanted to use…and wasn't hitting my targets early. Didn't strike much and spare shooting was very sub-par. Early on it looked like my struggles were going to continue. Game 2 I was clean through 5 before a washout in the 6th. Then a 6-7-10 in the 9th to reduce what was otherwise pretty good. Game 3 was actually quite bad early on…but a 5-bagger tends to fix a sub-par beginning.

535 Series: 176-202-157
Had it not been for a split on the final ball in Game 3, would have been a 6-bagger to end Game 3 and then 3 straight to start Game 4. Ended up with 3 splits and a missed 10-pin but struck enough to stay respectable. Game 5 was respectable, just got a 7-10 split and missed a single 10-pin…otherwise clean. Game 6 was just frustrating. Two splits and two single-pin spares that I couldn't pick up. Just poor spare shooting.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.70 pins
Strikes: 42% (1 5-bagger, 2 triples, 4 doubles, and 9 singles)
Spares: 40% picked up

Single Pin spares: 45% (5/11)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (5x).
Never left a single 1-pin, 3-pin, 6-pin, 8-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 37% (9/24)
Most common multi-pin spare leave: 6-10 and 4-6-7 (3x each).

Splits: 0% (0/8)

Average over 6 games: 174.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 184.67.

I was excited for this chance to practice since I won't have my usual sport shot league tomorrow morning. This is a house that on their THS I do fairly well. A couple boards of miss room.

The real change I made to my game for this practice set was from what I saw in the WSOB qualifying rounds. Not even the power players…but the women bowlers. I noticed them with some of the easiest, smoothest, effortless swings and they scored very well. Also, the preview of Mark Baker's new DVD gave me some form hints as well. I decided I needed to "quiet my shoulder" and just focus on my form. Hopefully, if I focused on form and accuracy, some of the other irregularities I have been struggling with (timing, balance, getting lower) would resolve themselves.

The results were positive. Even though I'm struggling a GREAT deal to make spares using the plastic ball using the lines my coach gave me…my strike rate was up considerably and I'm finding it easier to stay the behind the ball which is giving me a better ball motion and axis of rotation than previously. I'm hoping the wrist brace that I bought online will aide me further, for at least the learning stage until it becomes more natural.

[Amyers]

hey much better scores and a better strike rate good bowling Aslan.

[Aslan]

Monday Practice: medium oil synthetics

495 Series: 169-172-154
A lot of washouts. Still struggling to get that Slingshot to make a good turn into the pocket with my rev rate.

490 Series: 161-149-180
More of the same in games 4 and 5. Even Game 6 was similar…I just happened to make more spares in Game 6.

452 Series: 146-151-155
Switched to the more aggressive Encounter. Left 4 single-pin spares in Game 7 and made 3 of the 4…but couldn't strike and couldn't make the multi-pin spares. Game 8 was similar. Made most of the make-able leaves, didn't strike much, missed some of the garbage multi-pin leaves. Game 9, only had a few opens, but only struck twice.

429 Series: 135-151-143
Game 10 was a lot of single-pin spares and a lot of splits. Only struck twice. Game 11 was only a few opens…and struck a little more. Game 12 was either a strike or a multi-pin spare and I think I only made a couple spares.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.21 pins
Strikes: 29% (1 turkey, 3 doubles and 30 singles)
Spares: 50% picked up

Single Pin spares: 66% (14/21)
Most common single-pin leaves: 10-pin (7x).
Never left a single 1-pin, 3-pin, nor 4-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 44% (29/65)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: 1-2 and 1-2-4 (6x each).

Splits: 0% (0/11)

Average over 12 games: 155.50.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 161.50.

The reason there's not a lot of RED nor GREEN is the stats were virtually identical to last week. No improvement, no regression.

My focus this week was to build on some recent success with trying to quiet my shoulder and create a more relaxed swing with better form and hopefully better balance at the foul line. All this while trying to stay behind the ball….and continuing to try and correct my early timing.

Disappointing to say the least. Even though it was similar to last week…I just couldn't find my "groove". A lot of those strikes were Brooklyn or even through the nose. The Slingshot seemed to working better than the Encounter; but the thumb fit is an issue. I'll be resolving that next week. The Encounter thumbhole was also an issue in that I had to worry about getting "stuck". That makes me want to "squeeze"…which leads me to getting "stuck". Kind've a chicken and egg situation.

Still struggling with the plastic ball. I can't wait for my lesson in just over a week because I HAVE to figure this out! If this continues…as much as I hate to be a quitter…the plastic ball is going "bye bye". I missed most of my corner pin spares…but not a big majority. And I missed 3 of 5 6-10s. The plastic ball is KILLING my spare game right now and I NEED to fix that given a sub 30% strike rate.

Gonna still give the Slingshot a try for league night tomorrow playing the 11-board. But I'm going to try the Rhythm up the 7-board as well. I've had some success recently with the Frantic up the 7-board in practice and I want to see what the Rhythm looks like up that line. It'd be nice to develop enough revs to open the lanes up a little and start playing inside…but I'm just not there yet.

The good news is my average is no longer the book 166 and will be my established 148. Hopefully I don't get accused of sandbagging when I finally get my game straightened out and hopefully start throwing back in the 160s or higher.

I'll post today's ball comparison in the Nerd/Part II thread since I already was having the discussion there. Kinda different results tonight.

[Mike White]

Well there is a bit of good news.

On your week off we managed to win 4 of 5 points.

[Aslan]

Well there is a bit of good news.

On your week off we managed to win 4 of 5 points.

Yes!!!

At this rate....by the time I return...we'll be in the hunt for a Championship!!!

Of course...then I'll return and crush those dreams...but thats beside the point....

[Aslan]

Tuesday League Night: medium oil synthetics

477 Series: 137-174-166

Game 1 I made 2 straight single 10-pins but then it was multi-pin leaves, splits, and a couple strikes. I obviously wasn't feeling very good that my more relaxed approach, more comfortable outside line, and more powerful ball was giving me similar results.

Game 2 I started out with a turkey before leaving a 4-9 split. Struck one more time in the 5th and then a an open, a few spares, and a split. Disappointing score after 4 strikes in the first 5 frames.

Game 3 I started off again, well, with a double. Then missed a 6-10 badly. Missed a washout 1-2-7-8 in the 5th. And a rare single-pin miss in the 9th to ruin the foundation frame.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.42 pins
Strikes: 30% (1 turkey, 1 double, and 5 singles)
Spares: 45% picked up

Single Pin spares: 83% (5/6)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (3x)
Only left the 10-pin (3x), the 3-pin (2x), and the 9-pin (1x).

Multiple Pin spares: 31% (5/16)
Most common multi-pin leave: 3-10 split (4x).

Splits: 16% (1/6)

Average over 3 games: 159.00.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 163.00.

No clean games. Couldn't hit a 525+ series. And the strike rate was sub-32%.

BUT…the strike rate was up. The single-pin spare shooting was very good, including the single 10-pin which I picked up 3/3 with the plastic ball. And really, the multi-pin spare rate was deceptively low because I actually left the baby split 4x…that was my most common multi-pin spare leave. With my average so low, after the first few weeks…I helped the team a bit. And the team took 3 of 4 and is at LEAST remaining tied for 1st place.

Switched from the Slingshot up the 11-board to the Rhythm up the 7-9 boards. The Rhythm sometimes moved too much…release is still inconsistent. But it had better hitting power and carry than the Slingshot. Nowhere near the miss room to the outside that I had on wood lanes…but it felt better off my hand than the Slingshot and the Encounters.

Worked on my form, my balance, and my focus. I think those 3 things are what I need to work on…but we'll see what happens next Monday when I practice. Gonna possibly try out the new ball Monday…if not I should have the new ball and the modified Slingshot ready to try out next Wednesday at my lesson. The Slingshot thumbhole just needs to be widened a bit. The span is excellent, probably the best span of any of the 6 balls in my arsenal. But I can't get my top knuckle in far enough which is causing some release issues. The coach has been commenting on it at nearly every lesson.

The new ball is the 900Global Bullet Train which will replace the Frantic in my arsenal. It has very similar to the numbers to the Frantic, maybe slightly more aggressive overall. I'm going to try the VISE IT system since thumb fit has really been an issue with me for some time. If I hate it…it's only one ball and some $$$…lesson learned. If I love it…I can have my 15lb arsenal drilled for IT in late 2015.

The Frantic will go into retirement after about 14 months of use…roughly 250-350 games on it…145+ since I got the PinPal app to keep track. It was damaged in a 7-pin shot where it bounced up and hit the pin setter. It was repaired well though and certainly is still useable. The finger inserts have worn quite a bit and have went from a good fit/lift style to a looser oval.

PinPal Stats for Frantic:

Average: 167.93
High Game: 235
First Ball Average: 8.42
Strike Rate: 32%

More importantly it was my first real ball, first ball drilled for my hand, first fingertip grip. It's really the ball I "learned" to bowl with…so it'll always have a special place in my arsenal history. And maybe when I switch to a 15lb arsenal it makes an occasional guest/celebrity appearance. But for right now, I want to stay focused on bowling 16lbs across the board. When I switch from 16lb to the Frantic I tend to over-power the shot. It comes off my hand well and I get more revs naturally…but the speed is up and difficult to control. I just don't need the added variable right now of varying weights.

[Hampe]

Hey Aslan, just a tip for the plastic spare ball struggles you're having lately:

Find your own lines. What your coach tells you works for him, and probably numerous other people, but doesn't mean it will work for you. Find your own lines for each single pin that are comfortable for you to play. My coach told me to stand at X board and shoot at the middle arrow for the 10 pin, which kind of worked, but had me way closer to the ball return than I was comfortable with. Take the time to find your own lines (took me about 6 months to get all my spare lines sorted out and consitent)..... it's worth it.