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

[Hampe]

Aslan don't beat yourself up. Bowling isn't easy (unless you play at the lanes Iceman plays at :P). I was in the same spot you were in a few years ago.....practice for me meant showing up at the alley and rolling a bunch of games and drinking a few beers. And for some reason, my average just wouldn't go up like I expected or hoped it would. Look at my averages in my main league since I started bowling with a hook:

2009 - 152
2010 - 169
2011 - 171
2012 - 173
2013 - 199

Guess which season I finally stopped just showing up to the alley to roll a bunch of games for practice, and started working with a coach and practicing with a purpose. I'm not getting on your case about your practice habits just to pick on you. I'm trying to help you not waste time the same way I did (I wasted two years!). It takes time and work to get good at bowling....and your improvement will probably not be linear. As you've also started to notice, averages are pretty relative.....200 in one house is not the same as 200 in another, so don't get too discouraged if your average isn't at the number you'd hoped it would be. You've made quite a bit of progress so far, and if you fix your practice habits, you will likely make a lot more in the next year. Keep at it, dude!

[Aslan]

Saturday Practice: medium oil synthetics

474 Series: 183-152-139
First 2 games I was using the Bullet Train; spare shooting was good but I couldn't find the strike ball. Switched to the Rhythm for Game 3 and did a little better but struggled with splits and single-pin spare shooting.

566 Series: 204-167-194
Game 4 was clean except for a 1-2-10 washout in the 2nd frame. Switched to the Encounters for games 5 and 6. Game 6 looked great through 6 frames but I finished off with three missed single-pin spares and a missed baby split to really derail that game.

476 Series: 160-165-151
Game 7 was better than the score indicates. I left a 5-7 in the 6th and a 5-7 in the 10th. Other than that, just a chopped 1-2-4 washout in the 9th. Switched to the Slingshot at the end of Game 7 and used it for Games 8 and 9. Game 8 was clean except for a 1-2-9 washout in the 2nd and a chopped 1-2-5-9 in the 8th. Game 9 I left a 1-2-4-8 washout in the 1st frame, missed a 5-pin in the 4th, and couldn't convert a 1-2-3-5-10 in the 9th.

Arguably Useful/Rediculous Statistics:
First Ball Average: 8.52 pins
Strikes: 27% (1 5-bagger, 1 turkey, 2 doubles and 14 singles)
Spares: 60% picked up

Single Pin spares: 70% (22/31)
Most common single-pin leaves: 7-pin (6x).
Never left a single 1-pin nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 52% (20/38)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: 6-10 (5x).

Splits: 12% (1/8)

Pocket Percentage: 27%
Pocket Carry: 108%*
Double Percentage: 8%

Average over 9 games: 168.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 177.78.

Mainly only did this practice because I wanted to get some video of my approach. It's been awhile since I've posted a video; probably not since the AVI Challenge. And I know everyone has offered some suggestions but it's always when you have the video right there in front of you.
Granted, the quality was horrible due to the lights being off for cosmic bowling…but there's not a ton of good, quality place to practice with the lights on; on a Saturday. I had to wait almost 40 minutes just to get that lane.

* MWhite pointed out at Sunday morning bowling that my "pocket carry" shouldn't be greater than 100%. That is TRUE. HOWEVER…that stat is most often based on someone hitting the pocket MORE OFTEN than striking. Since I apparently can't find the pocket with a GPS…I actually strike more than I hit the pocket. Mike mentioned that I should only count "pocket strikes" in the equation…and again…he is correct. But, that would mean I would need to re-calculate all my numbers and add yet another manual entry data point…so I'm gonna just leave it how it is…add an "*"…and hope that I can start finding the pocket more often than 30% of the time so we won't see any more. It'll still be slightly elevated due to an occasional brooklyn…but it won't be > 100% (if I ever can find the pocket).

Sunday morning league scores to follow…but I gotta get in the shower and get over to my lesson this afternoon so they'll have to wait.

[Aslan]

Sunday Sport League: PBA Viper Pattern

584 Series: 135-122-174-153

Games 1 and 2 were just kinda miserable.

Game 3 was pretty good. I left a few tough multi-pin spares. Game 4 was more of the same…a missed single 6-pin and a couple tough multi-pin leaves.

Argueably Useful Statistics:
First Ball Average: 8.00 pins
Strikes: 29% (1 turkey and 10 singles)
Spares: 45% picked up

Single Pin spares: 70% (7/10)
Most common single-pin leaves: 10-pin (3x).
Never left a single 3-pin, 4-pin, 5-pin, 8-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 33% (7/21)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 1-2-4 (3x).

Splits: 0% (0/2)

Pocket Percentage: 27%
Pocket Carry: 108%
Double Percentage: 8%

Average over 4 games: 146.00.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 153.25.

This was my last Sunday sport shot league game until at least the end of June. I'm gonna skip the next season. I got some child care issues I need to deal with from now till June not to mention I need to get much, much better before trying my luck in a scratch league much less a sport league.

[Amyers]

Sunday Sport League: PBA Viper Pattern

584 Series: 135-122-174-153

Games 1 and 2 were just kinda miserable.

Game 3 was pretty good. I left a few tough multi-pin spares. Game 4 was more of the same…a missed single 6-pin and a couple tough multi-pin leaves.

Argueably Useful Statistics:
First Ball Average: 8.00 pins
Strikes: 29% (1 turkey and 10 singles)
Spares: 45% picked up

Single Pin spares: 70% (7/10)
Most common single-pin leaves: 10-pin (3x).
Never left a single 3-pin, 4-pin, 5-pin, 8-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 33% (7/21)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 1-2-4 (3x).

Splits: 0% (0/2)

Pocket Percentage: 27%
Pocket Carry: 108%
Double Percentage: 8%

Average over 4 games: 146.00.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 153.25.

This was my last Sunday sport shot league game until at least the end of June. I'm gonna skip the next season. I got some child care issues I need to deal with from now till June not to mention I need to get much, much better before trying my luck in a scratch league much less a sport league.

Hey Congrats on going out there and trying the sports league too many people don't have the guts to go out and see what it is like. Hopefully when you rejoin one you will have enough worked out to be more successful but kudos on going for it.

[Aslan]

Tuesday League Night: low-medium oil synthetics

481 Series: 129-211-141

Game 1 was washout after washout. I think I tried too aggressive a line...and the lanes were more "medium oil" than "low". After last week being drier and knowing that we were on the driest pair in the house (next to the door)...I made an educated guess that a slightly more aggressive line would play. Nope. Game 2 was solid and clean through 8 frames. I was on track for a career high game and then a 1-2-4 washout in the 9th and a chopped 5-9 in the 10th slammed me back down to earth. Game 3 was kinda erratic, and I missed a couple single-pin spares (after being perfect up until that point).

Arguably significant/insignificant Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.13 pins
Strikes: 25% (1 5-bagger, 1 double, and 1 single)
Spares: 45% picked up

Single Pin spares: 75% (6/8)
Never left a single 1-pin, 3-pin, 4-pin, 6-pin, 8-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 28% (4/14)
Most common multi-pin leave: 1-2-4 (3x)

Splits: 0% (0/1)

Pocket Percentage: 29%
Pocket Carry: 89%
Double Percentage: 38%

Average over 3 games: 160.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 165.67.

I wasn't too hard on myself after Game 1. I mean, it was disappointing...but it was the 1st chance to try the new techniques from my lesson with no practice so it's gonna take some time. But I think the horrible finish to Game 2 just mentally killed Game 3. It looked like I was going to finish with something like a 290...then maybe a 261...then a 236...224....222....220???...but nope. POOed the bed and got a 211. Still 2nd highest of the 9 bowlers (my team (-1) and there's...including 3 190+ average bowlers)...and it helped us take 2 of 4 points that evening...but still disappointing. And that just carried over to Game 3.

I tried to play an "inside" line on the driest lane...left foot on 28, targeting 18. I probably shouldn't have done that. It led to some weak pocket hits or brooklyn hits. I just had no room for error with that line at all. I tried to move right a little to cut down on the aggressiveness...and then I'd go brooklyn. I'd try to move left to compensate and then miss the pocket to the right completely. NOT a line I usually play...and for GOOD reason. I shoulda stopped...moved outside to my A-Game line...and just adjusted a bit or balled down to counter the drier lane...not jump to my C-game and hope for the best. But; it was like I was just stubborn and needed to prove that I could play that 3rd line. Stupid.

The numbers are very similar to the last couple outings statistically speaking. The only difference was this night my multi-pin spare shooting was horribly off. Another night (in a row) where my most common multi-pin leave was the 1-2-4...and I missed converting it all 3 times. The lanes were just playing much slicker than I thought they would. It 'seemed' after last week that the center might be playing drier...averages in the league have been creeping slightly upward these last 2 weeks across the board...but still outside my comfort zone.

And it's frustrating...because my teammates ask me questions about bowling, balls, the PBA, the USBC, etc... and are amazed that I'm so knowledgeable about stuff. I mean, the guy on the other team with a 190 average didn't know you could get interchangeable thumb inserts and asked what the things were in my bag (inserts). And the guy on the other team that I was bowling opposite made the point to tell me I had a great stroke/shot/form....but who cares if I'm still stuck in the 160s?? Who cares if I can break down ball dynamics or talk about the sport of bowling or even have a "nice form" if at the end of the day I can't break a 500 series?? It's borderline depressing.

And I tried to RELAX....and when I was hitting the pins well and scoring...I was relaxed. Then...I mess up...poo the bed...now I'm not relaxed anymore. And the less relaxed I get...the worse things get. 6/8 on single pins is fine...but I was only 50% on corner pins. Missed the 10-pin 2 out of 3 times. And once I missed it...and left it again...I KNEW I was going to miss it again. It's like I put up some kind of imaginary shield around it or something.

And this was even more disappointing than usual because I had this match-up circled on my calender for about a month. Us facing a very good team...on lanes that tend to be drier (my advantage). This was a chance to physically and mentally go up against some very skilled bowlers. And instead of earning respect...it looks like all I did was show them that I'm a blind squirrel that if given 3 games will find a nut once.

The bowling marathon continues. 3 days of practice (lunchtime) before the tournament this weekend. So I'll be posting again shortly on how the practice goes and how the lanes at that center seem to be playing. I consider it a medium difficulty house/center. I average about 162 there in the 8 games I've played. Hopefully I can get at least 7-8 games of practice in there between now and the weekend. It's a center near my workplace so I'll be practicing instead of eating lunch the next few days.

[Aslan]

Lunchtime Practice: medium oil synthetics
LaHabra 300 Bowl

542 Series: 168-163-211

Lunchtime practice session #1 at the center I'll be bowling the tournament at this weekend. Game 1 was really just trying out the Bullet Train on different lines and the Rhythm on different lines to see what was working best. That being said, I was only a chopped 1-2-8 and two splits away from a clean game.

Had some struggles with the headpin in Game 2. I left the single 1-pin in the 2nd frame and missed it. I then was clean through 7 until I chopped the 2-pin off the 1-2 leave...again leaving the headpin staring at me. Then a 5-7 split I almost (but didn't) converted in the 9th.

Game 3 I was relaxed, confident, and the score is indicative of that. I was clean through 8 and my only open was a 1-2-4-10 washout in the 9th.

PinPal Stats et al:
First Ball Average: 8.53 pins
Strikes: 40% (1 4-bagger, 1 double, and 7 singles)
Spares: 63% picked up

Single Pin spares: 83% (5/6)
Most common single-pin leaves: 1-pin (2x).
Never left a single 5-pin, 7-pin, 8-pin, 9-pin, nor 10-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 53% (7/13)
Most common multi-pin spare leave: 1-2-4-7 and 1-2 (2x each).

Splits: 0% (0/3)

Pocket Percentage: 19%
Pocket Carry: 217%
Double Percentage: 15%


Average over 3 games: 180.67.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 184.67.

A good practice in that it gave me some insight into some inconsistencies.

1) I'm coming in light. The Bullet Train seemed like it was hooking too soon at 1000 abralon. But the Rhythm seemed like it wasn't hooking soon enough at 1500 abralon. I think I'll work on the Rhythm with a 1000 abralon pad before next practice and see if that gives it that little bit of extra "umph" to not leave the 1-2.

2) I need to follow through more and stay low. When I finish low, balanced, and my arm follows through...I knock down 9 or 10 pins and find the pocket a fair amount. When I don't do those 3 things...I have problems.

I struck enough and did well on spares to score in the mid-500s...but I'll need a better pocket % to compete for 1st place this weekend. With the pocket carry so abnormally high while the pocket % is so abnormally low...thats a LOT of LUCK....a lot of brooklyn strikes going my way. That won't hold up.

It took a 583 to win the Citrus Belt BVL in my division (which I didn't get to participate in for stupid rule reasons so my 593 got me nothing!). Based on last year's results I'm anticipating needing something in the low 600s (series). It's unlikely anyone will roll in the 650s for my division (< 170 average)...but just as unlikely that nobody will crack 600. It's a larger tournament than the Citrus Belt Roll Off...lots more bowlers and more talent in the lower divisions.

[Amyers]

Aslan you adjust your surface to fine tune your reaction not to find the pocket. Changing the surface isn't going to make you hit the head pin.

[Aslan]

Aslan you adjust your surface to fine tune your reaction not to find the pocket. Changing the surface isn't going to make you hit the head pin.

But if you're coming in a bit light...maybe leaving the 2-4-5-8 bucket...it seems that you can:

1) Make a lateral adjustment...which could cause you to go through the nose.
2) Ball UP to a ball that will either hook sooner or have a stronger backend...but I usually start with my strongest ball so if I balled down...I'm not gonna ball back up.
3) Adjust surface
4) Adjust your target (eyes) vertically up and down the lane...which I'm a proponent of...but only if I'm hitting the pocket...just not getting ideal carry (like leaving a 10-pin) or if I'm missing just a tiny bit toward the headpin...but it still carries...I might adjust vertically.
5) Adjust speed...which is usually a bad idea because it messes up the timing which once thats messed up...forget about it.

Back in the old days...you just did #1 and hoped you could find that sweet line. But now, arsenal bowling...sanded balls, etc... most of the higher level bowlers seem to have many ball options and do a great deal of surface work.

I've never liked messing with the surface. Once you sand it a bit...then it breaks too much and you gotta go in the other direction...and back and so on and so forth. Seems better to just have a complete arsenal that you can make ball changes. But in THIS case...my arsenal seems to be "non-ideal":

1) The Bullet Train was designed to be a hybrid cover ball down option for the solid cover Rhythm...but it's (Bullet Train) cover stock is too strong...so the Rhythm ended up being the ball down option.

2) The next two in the bag...are both Pearls...and despite the surface difference and drilling difference...are very, very close in overall reaction (a couple boards tops).

3) The "skid/flip" option is the Slingshot which was originally added as my spare ball...it doesn't have the kind of core or cover necessary to be a true skid/flip option. Don't get me wrong...it's got a nice snap at the end if things are broken down enough...I rolled a 243 with that ball on 12/22/14...but that was the 9th game after the lanes were broken in. I tried to use it as my first option (fresh oil) in my summer league and it was miserable...weak hit after weak hit.

So given that balls 1 and 2 are close...and then there's a gap...balls 3 and 4 are almost identical...and then 5 is a $57 glorified spare ball...I have to try to creat some separation. I thought brining the B.T. to 1000 and the Rhythm to 1500 would make it a more noticeable difference...and it has...but for some reason the B.T. is crossing over and the Rhythm isn't hitting the pocket solid. I don't want to bring the B.T. to 2000...because then as soon as I hit heavy or long oil I'm screwed. So it makes more sense to add some surface to the Rhythm.

Thats the thought process anyways. And no, drilling ball #7 (I use 5 and a spare ball now) is NOT an option. My coach already tried to get me to add a true skid/flip ball to the mix and I declined. I'm embarrassed enough dragging around 6 balls to league night and shooting a sub-500 series every damn night...I look like a fool. No sense in adding even more fuel to that fire.

Hopefully the Rhythm isn't "dieing". It has about 350 games on it...far more than any other balls I'm currently throwing. But I want to do a wholesale arsenal change to 15lbs the end of this year...I don't want to retire the Rhythm and then start throwing a 15lb ball with the 16lb balls. That felt too weird when I did it with the Frantic.

And despite my 13-ball undrilled "collection"...I don't have a 16lb replacement for the Rhythm. Solid, symmetric core balls aren't as plentiful. Of my 16lb "collection"...5 of the 6 are assymetric cores...and 4 of them are pearls. The other two are a weak symmetric core pearl and a assymetric hyprid cover. I haven't really put much effort into building my next "16lb arsenal" because;

A) I don't know if I'll fall in love with 15lbs or not.
and
B) Even if I switch back to 16lbs...it won't be till like late 2016.

I shoulda picked up a Meanstreak Beatdown when I saw it on clearance. That would be a good replacement for the Rhythm. If I had to buy one new...I kinda like the Rotogrip Rumble...I'm just worried it won't be strong enough to stay my #2 option.

But...a ball shouldn't be dead after 350+ games. I mean, it should at least last 400...probably 600-1000. Just as a precaution, I'll de-oil it again in my dehydrator before the tournament. The solid cover Rhythm comes out of that thing dripping with oil compared to the other balls where it's less noticeable.

[Amyers]

You are making this way to complicated as usual. Anyone of those balls can be thrown in the pocket on most conditions especially medium oil. Changing surface and balls is to improve reaction not to find the pocket. Make lateral moves until you find the pocket. Then you should know which of your balls is how many boards different and throw it use whichever gives you the best reaction. Pretty simple really.

If you need to change the surface to give more separation between the bullet train and the rhythm then fine but it's not to get to the pocket that's what your feet and target is for.

[Aslan]

Lunchtime Practice: medium oil synthetics
LaHabra 300 Bowl

436 Series: 144-136-156

Lunchtime practice session #2. Game 1 and half of Game 2 were spent trying to figure out the best line and best ball to use. Game 1 wasn't too bad...just missed a couple single-pin spares that really hurt me. Game 2 I was all over the place. Game 3 was 'okay'...but the release was off and I was coming in light on most of the shots.

I was so pissed/distraught that I knew I'd have to bowl a few more games...couldn't leave on THAT note. If I wasn't getting ready for the tournament there...I would have left OR I would have just starting high lofting it OR I'd have went out to the car and grabbed the 14lb urethane ball or something. I was at a near catastrophic level of frustration.

509 Series: 135-175-199

Game 4 started out just as bad. Missing right, washouts...I'd say 50% of the frames were a 1-2-4 or a 1-2-8. Same thing for Game 5...50% were either 1-2-10s or 2-4-5s...still missing way right. I just struck more and converted more of the washouts so the score didn't look as bad. I can't say the problem was "cured" in Game 6; still left a 1-2-8-10 in the 7th and a 1-2-4-5 in the 10th...but was converting all of the multi-pin spares...I was actually a missed single 6-pin in the 6th frame away from a clean game >200.


PinPal Stats et al:
First Ball Average: 8.12 pins
Strikes: 33% (2 turkeys, 2 doubles, and 12 singles)
Spares: 42% picked up

Single Pin spares: 50% (4/8)
Most common single-pin leaves: 4-pin, 6-pin, and 10-pin (2x each).
Never left a single 1-pin, 2-pin, 3-pin, 8-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 40% (13/32)
Most common multi-pin spare leave: 2-4-5, 1-2-4, and 6-10 (3x each).

Splits: 0% (0/4)

Pocket Percentage: 37%
Pocket Carry: 92%
Double Percentage: 27%


Average over 6 games: 157.50.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 164.33.

A BAD practice. I have to figure out why I'm prone to either drop the shot, push it right, or just release it flat. It feels bad enough that there may be a timing issue. Not the kinds of problems I need before the big tournament.