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

[Aslan]

Tuesday League Night: medium oil synthetics

562 Series: 209-177-176

Game 1 was solid; only open was a chopped 1-2-4 in the 3rd frame. Took me until the 7th frame to really find the pocket consistently...but I made my spares to keep me alive until I could find it.

Game 2 I only opened twice; both times were a 1-2-4-10 washout...same lane. But then I opened again in the 10th on a 6-7 split. My own fault really. I left a 6-pin in the 8th on that lane and should have probably pushed my shot out just a bit...but I didn't make an adjustment...figured it was just a bad shot that would correct itself...and the next shot...left the 6-pin again but this time the 7-pin stayed up.

Game 3 was a nearly identical game; with 3 open frames total. A chopped 1-2, then a ball that stuck on my hand and left the 1-2-4-5-8, then a chopped 1-2-9 washout in the 9th.

Arguably significant/insignificant Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.62 pins
Strikes: 43% (1 4-bagger, 1 turkey, 2 doubles, 3 singles)
Spares: 58% picked up

Single Pin spares: 100% (4/4)
Most common single-pin leave: 6-pin (2x).

Multiple Pin spares: 46% (6/13)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 1-2, 1-2-4, 1-2-4-10 (2x each)

Splits: 0% (0/1)

Pocket Percentage: 34%
Pocket Carry: 43%
Double Percentage: 28%

Average over 3 games: 187.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: n/a.

Looks like the practice earlier that day paid off and I was able to navigate this tougher center a little more productively than usual. Our top bowler was out so I kinda put some additional pressure on myself to step it up. We bowled a team of 80% 180-200 average bowlers so it wasn't going to be an easy night...but my first game helped us at least salvage 1 point. Our older bowler struggled all night with a hand injury he sustained the previous weekend and our anchor was having an off night...so I was kinda carrying the team hoping the other team would make some mistakes which they rarely did.

I was encouraged by the single-pin spare shooting and the strike rate. Ended up being my highest series of the year without my usual "1 good game and 2 horrible games". But still a bit of a disappointment after bowling so well at the other center Sunday.

My new league at the other (AMF) center starts tonight. I'm very, very, VERY interested in seeing what the difference might be. Two centers that have apparently gone in opposite directions...but I'll expand on that in another post.

[Aslan]

Wednesday League Night: low-medium oil synthetics

493 Series: 158-182-153

Game 1 I was hitting the pocket but no carry. Game 2 I was still hitting the pocket and struck a bit more, but had a couple splits and a chopped 2-4-5. Game 3 I was striking on the right lane and opening on the left lane. Then I failed to make the necessary adjustmet in the 7th so the 8th-10th were a struggle on both lanes.

Arguably Significant/Insignificant Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.42 pins
Strikes: 36% (1 turkey and 9 singles)
Spares: 55% picked up

Single Pin spares: 85% (6/7)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (3x).

Multiple Pin spares: 38% (5/13)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 1-2-4 (3x)

Splits: 0% (0/3)

Pocket Percentage: 54%
Pocket Carry: 66%
Double Percentage: 16%

Average over 3 games: 164.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 168.00.

The hard thing about rolling a 300 is you then expect another one…and don't get it. This was a new league, new team. The team is a couple female bowlers…one low level beginner and the other one is average. We also have a really old guy and we have a young, thumbless lefty.

The shot wasn't as good as I predicted. It's obvious that it's better than before…but it's also obvious they are still "tinkering" with it.

I think I've fixed most of the timing inconsistencies…but I still have a release inconsistency that needs to be addressed. Too many shots that hit the target and just drifted right of target with no real axis rotation and minimal axis tilt. A lesson tomorrow so we'll see… I feel like I'm on the "verge" of success…fixing all kinds of issues with my stance and approach and timing and ball fit, etc… But there's still a LOT of work that needs to be done and much of that needs to address my release.

I was establishing…so no bigee.

[mc_runner]

A little late to the party but congrats on the 300! Even if it's practice now you know you have it in you to roll 12 in a row - since you know you've done it before!

[Aslan]

Two league nights and then off to Vegas for a couple days of practice, my 3rd installment of "Rob M. tries to teach Aslan to bowl", Tuesday League Sweeps, then back home in time for another 1-2 league nights before the REAL event….the 2nd Annual Billy Hardwick Memorial Aslan vs. ZDawg Southern California Invitational the following weekend.

I'm sure my many mentors on the site will like at least a couple of the new elements in the video. Finally started working on my release and adding an earlier release to a lower release (that I've been working on for a few weeks). The negatives of the video are I'm still not low enough and I didn't uncock my wrist ideally.

But it'll take some time to get used to the earlier releases. I have to think of rotating my hand much sooner as well as releasing the ball much sooner than I'm used to. But I think it's a big reason for my lackluster rpms…waiting until the ball is already rotated and out in front of me…and THEN trying to almost go over the top or up the side.

[Hampe]

I have to think of rotating my hand much sooner as well as releasing the ball much sooner than I'm used to. But I think it's a big reason for my lackluster rpms…waiting until the ball is already rotated and out in front of me…and THEN trying to almost go over the top or up the side.

Not sure it's the timing as much as your wrist and hand position (also, you're not really supposed to be rotating the ball or your hand during release). If you pause the video right when you get to the line to release, your wrist is broke back, and your hand and fingers are still on the top of the ball. You'll NEVER get any meaningful amount of revs on the ball that way. You've heard it on this forum a hundred times already, but you MUST get your hand behind the ball, and you fingers inside/underneath (as much as possible).

Here's a pic showing what I mean using myself as a comparison(I think I even posted one last year but you're still at the same spot at release):



Here's the video where I got that capture from, taken a few weeks ago. Even with my wonky backswing I still get pretty good revs on the ball simply because my hand is behind at release.

Really, your form is looking a lot better from when you started. Only two glaring things I see are maybe your steps being too big (especially the first one) which makes you run a little bit to the line, and your release. I'm not a coach, but if I were to prioritize fixing one of those two, it would be the release for sure.

[vdubtx]

That first step is a BIG one!! Wow, with first step that huge, I would certainly move closer to the line to shorten it and get more flow in the delivery.

Your release has gotten a lot smoother. I like the no loft that you displayed, and you look nice and balanced at the line.

You have certainly come a long way from the bunny hopping you were doing awhile back.

[Mike White]

Two league nights and then off to Vegas for a couple days of practice, my 3rd installment of "Rob M. tries to teach Aslan to bowl", Tuesday League Sweeps, then back home in time for another 1-2 league nights before the REAL event….the 2nd Annual Billy Hardwick Memorial Aslan vs. ZDawg Southern California Invitational the following weekend.

I'm sure my many mentors on the site will like at least a couple of the new elements in the video. Finally started working on my release and adding an earlier release to a lower release (that I've been working on for a few weeks). The negatives of the video are I'm still not low enough and I didn't uncock my wrist ideally.

But it'll take some time to get used to the earlier releases. I have to think of rotating my hand much sooner as well as releasing the ball much sooner than I'm used to. But I think it's a big reason for my lackluster rpms…waiting until the ball is already rotated and out in front of me…and THEN trying to almost go over the top or up the side.

Kind of hard to unlock your wrist ideally when you never had your wrist cocked to begin with.

The picture Hampe shows has your broken wrist, and someone else's cocked wrist.

[fortheloveofbowling]

Your game is looking better and better every time you post a video though.

[Aslan]

Thanks all. Yeah, the wrist/release/position I have a feeling is going to be a work in progress for quite awhile.

[Aslan]

Tuesday League Night: medium oil synthetics

457 Series: 123-153-181

Game 1 and 2 I couldn't find the pocket. Game 2 wasn't quite as bad as the score indicates…but I went - 4 in the 10th coming off a spare. Game 3 I settled down and seemed to make better shots. Other than a chopped 6-10 and a pocket 8-10…would have been clean.

Arguably significant/insignificant Stats:
First Ball Average: 7.81 pins
Strikes: 28% (2 doubles and 5 singles)
Spares: 52% picked up

Single Pin spares: 83% (5/6)
Most common single-pin leave: 5-pin (3x).

Multiple Pin spares: 40% (6/15)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 6-10 and 1-2-8 (3x each)

Splits: 0% (0/1)

Pocket Percentage: 31%
Pocket Carry: 90%
Double Percentage: 11%

Average over 3 games: 152.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 155.67.

A tough last night to the season. I didn't have much practice time between my lesson and league play so I was learning as the night progressed. Doesn't bode well for sweeps this weekend though.