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

[Amyers]

Tuesday League Night: low-medium oil synthetics

522 Series: 159-194-169

Game 1 I made as many good shots as bad ones…but only a few strikes to show for it. Only a few opens but struggled with thumb fit, finally adding a couple pieces of tape to the VISE IT insert.

Game 2 I missed a single 5-pin in the 4th and then couldn't convert a 1-2-3-4-5-7 on a bad first shot in the 8th. But I struck well and always was able to double.

Game 3 I lost the strike ball; only striking twice the entire game. I was clean through 6 though before missing a 10-pin then chopping a 1-2-5-9. Otherwise clean.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.18 pins
Strikes: 32% (4 doubles and 3 singles)
Spares: 59% picked up

Single Pin spares: 70% (7/10)
Most common single-pin leaves: 4-pin and 10-pin (3x each).

Multiple Pin spares: 50% (6/12)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 2-4-5 (2x).

Splits: 0% (0/2)

Average over 3 games: 174.00.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 183.33.

Not a horrible night by any means. Better than practice last night. Just continuing to work on balance and form. I took the wrist positioner off to hopefully start generating some "uncorking" of the hand. The downside was about 6 shots that missed way right as I wasn't able to even uncock the hand to a straight position (wrist still bent back) at the release point. Struggled with thumb fit a bit with the VISE inserts. The black material is just too slippery. A few bad shots were due to the thumb slipping slightly as the ball is in it's swing. The white material IT slug I have is more sticky, like a standard slug in a bowling ball…but the black ones feel more like a non-stick pan or something. Then I get afraid I'll drop it….then I squeeze….then the ball gets stuck….then I powder the thumb….then we start the whole circle again.

But…I bowled okay…I won $4 playing cards…and I struck in the 10th all 3 games which helped our team take 3 of 4 points on the night…which we badly need given we're in 2nd to last place. At this point I'm kinda hoping we just finish last so we're at least in line to win the towel. And, 2 games above my average…thats okay.

Well glad to see the Urethane was able to stay in the trunk. Adjust your inserts to where you can get a couple of pieces of bowlers tape in the back of them and then they all have the same feel. IT thumbs are not an excuse not to use tape. I could be wrong about this but is there a single PBA bowler who doesn't use tape? and lots of it. Looks like you had a rough couple of weeks messing with your timing will do that to you it takes forever to feel right when your changing it. Keep at it.

[NewToBowling]

Yep, I swear by bowlers tape now. Couldn't go without it in my bag

[Aslan]

Well glad to see the Urethane was able to stay in the trunk. Adjust your inserts to where you can get a couple of pieces of bowlers tape in the back of them and then they all have the same feel. IT thumbs are not an excuse not to use tape. I could be wrong about this but is there a single PBA bowler who doesn't use tape? and lots of it.

I don't know. I guess I'm not as happy with the IT system as I had hoped. Probably just because of high expectations. But I hoped to have 3-5 inserts that I could simply change in and out and never have to mess with tape again. What I ended up with is 6 inserts...two of them too big to really ever be useable...and even when my thumb does fit well...my thumb still tends to hang up with the white material and slide out with the black material.

That being said...unless I change my mind in the next month or two...I think my next 4 strike balls will be drilled VISE IT. I don't have nearly the thumb issues (other than the material problem) with the inserts as I have with my other bowling balls. And maybe adding just 1-2 pieces of black tape to the back of the black material inserts will do the trick...and I just need to, on future inserts, request the black material over the white material. Experts are probably going to say the two slugs are exactly the same material...just different colors...but it sure doesn't feel that way.

I also want to get the next set of balls drilled with the exact same thumb angle as Mike W. drilled on my Rhythm back in 2013/2014. That ball may not be "exactly" right in terms of my span...but it's close...and more importantly...the thumb angle into the ball is absolutely perfect. In contrast, the thumb angle in the tri-grip drilled Encounters is horrible. It feels like it's too much forward and also too much to the side...so those balls tend to hang up on my thumb because I just can't get the thumb out from that angle. The Slingshot, spare ball, and Bullet Train are "okay"...but not as perfect as the thumb pitch on the Rhythm.

[Amyers]

I don't know. I guess I'm not as happy with the IT system as I had hoped. Probably just because of high expectations. But I hoped to have 3-5 inserts that I could simply change in and out and never have to mess with tape again. What I ended up with is 6 inserts...two of them too big to really ever be useable...and even when my thumb does fit well...my thumb still tends to hang up with the white material and slide out with the black material.

That being said...unless I change my mind in the next month or two...I think my next 4 strike balls will be drilled VISE IT. I don't have nearly the thumb issues (other than the material problem) with the inserts as I have with my other bowling balls. And maybe adding just 1-2 pieces of black tape to the back of the black material inserts will do the trick...and I just need to, on future inserts, request the black material over the white material. Experts are probably going to say the two slugs are exactly the same material...just different colors...but it sure doesn't feel that way.

I also want to get the next set of balls drilled with the exact same thumb angle as Mike W. drilled on my Rhythm back in 2013/2014. That ball may not be "exactly" right in terms of my span...but it's close...and more importantly...the thumb angle into the ball is absolutely perfect. In contrast, the thumb angle in the tri-grip drilled Encounters is horrible. It feels like it's too much forward and also too much to the side...so those balls tend to hang up on my thumb because I just can't get the thumb out from that angle. The Slingshot, spare ball, and Bullet Train are "okay"...but not as perfect as the thumb pitch on the Rhythm.

I don't know how you have dealt with the different drilling styles and pitches in your balls for as long as you have. It would drive me insane but I'm sensitive to the feel of my balls. try a few different tapes and see what you like the feel of best and use it in all of your balls. Switch grips aren't a bad idea especially if you change thumb sizes from summer to winter but that's what they are for not to custom tailor the thumb between individual days. Feel is important especially for someone who overthinks the way you do. I like white (rougher tape) on the pad side of my thumb and the black tape on the nail side. I usually start with two-three pieces of white in the back and one to two of black in the front. I may change too the IT system on my next ball I purchase as I had to reslug all of my thumb holes this spring. If it shrinks back down more than I'm comfortable with tape I'll probably go IT just to keep from needing to redo them between summer and fall.

[Aslan]

Thumb fit HAS been a key to at least being able to throw an average game. Good fit doesn't guarantee success...but bad fit seems to guarantee an off night.

I like using black tape on the back more so than the white tape on the front. I have both and use both...but as often as I bowl...I find the white, rougher tape really tears up my thumb. I USE it...don't get me wrong...I have both white and black tape on every ball except the VISE drilled ball...I do whatever is necessary to keep that thumb fit as optimal as possible because it's so key to my success (probably 2nd only to timing)...but if I could use the VISE IT inserts with only 1-2 pieces of black tape...I'd much, much, much prefer that to adding the rougher white tape.

My end goal on thumb fit is to have the thumb-hole be tight enough that the thumb suction can hold the ball from falling during the swing...but with no "gripping" at all. I understand that I'll likely never achieve that ideal...but the goal is to get as close as possible. Most bowlers aren't as picky about thumb fit...most drill their thumbholes very big to give them all kinds of room to get out of the ball...nobody likes a ball carrying them over the foul line. But that requires "gripping". And "gripping"...if you're going to do it...the white tape is helpful because it gives you something to "grip". I don't want to grip at all...at any point in the swing/release. Just like ideally I don't want to apply force at any point in the swing/release...but I do...and so does almost everyone else. I've heard many bowlers say they "don't muscle at all"...but that's just not true. It's very, very hard to have a true muscle-less, pendulum swing using only gravity and momentum with ball speed generated primarily by your feet.

It's too bad more people, casual bowlers, don't learn about proper taping. I come across bowlers regularly that have horrible thumb fit situations...and some of them that actually even know about "tape"....you'll see them using it completely wrong. You'll see it in the hole sideways, you'll see thumb tape used inside the thumb hole (rather than ON the thumb)...you'll see white tape on the nail side, etc...

And the multiple balls drilled multiple ways will be solved soon enough. It's hard when you're starting out, still trying to decide on a good layout, adding balls to your arsenal piece by piece; it's hard to have a really consistent situation. That's why I'm excited about my arsenal change. 4 balls, all picked due to their specs and more importantly picked with each other in mind (so there's not any glaring gaps or overlaps). All will be drilled at the same time, with a PBA player's input on drilling layout, and with a thumb pitch based on the ball I know has a really good pitch...all drilled the same.

I still contend that balls don't make as much difference as people like to believe...and I still very much contend that how a ball is "drilled" (other than to fit one's hand) is also rather unimportant comparative to other factors...but improving my consistency from ball to ball in terms of fit/feel is going to be a welcome situation. If I wasn't making an arsenal change within the next two months...I'd consider just re-drilling them all to be the same...but at this point that would be kinda a waste.

[Aslan]

Wednesday League Night: low-medium oil synthetics

671 Series: 201-217 (clean)-253

Felt good from the start. A much more relaxed swing…the ball seemed to be reacting well to the lanes/line without much adjustment.

Game 1 I only had one open on a 1-2-4-10 washout in the 4th that I couldn't convert; just couldn't seem to strike consistently until about the 7th. Trouble carrying the 7-pin for some reason. So, I was "happy" with a 200+ score…but disappointed as well that my goal of getting a 713+ series (to get my name back on the season high scores list) was in serious jeopardy after game 1.

Game 2 was my favorite game only because I prefer a clean game to a higher score with opens and Game 2 was clean. Again, couldn't really run any strikes together until the 7th. Biggest difference between Game 1 and 2 was I was able to convert a 1-2-4-7 washout in the 4th, in Game 2, which allowed me to finish 16 pins higher in score rather than 6 pins lower. But again…a little trouble carrying the 7-pin.

Game 3 was exciting. I had the front 8…and in the 8th I even sorta dropped the ball…but just seemed to have a perfect line to the pocket. As MWhite would say, I was "playing the oil line" so the ball just seemed to find the pocket even if the release wasn't perfect. I've never ran 8 strikes in a row before…so it was a new and exciting experience. With my "over-thinking", I was thinking 300 since frame 1…but it really started setting in after the front 7…and a couple folks were starting to notice and migrate over to our pair to watch.

But…in the 9th I just made a bad shot, well right with too much speed to come back…and left the 1-2-4-10. I WAS able to convert it…which led to some excitement from the crowd that had gathered…I think they were more impressed with that than the front 8. But…in the 10th the ball just seemed to get a little bit too far inside…and I left the 3-10 baby split….and unlike Game 1…I got the ball too far outside and wasn't able to take out the 3-pin.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 9.16 pins
Strikes: 56% (1 8-bagger, 2 turkeys, and 4 singles)
Spares: 84% picked up

Single Pin spares: 100% (6/6)
Most common single-pin leave: 7-pin (4x)
Only left the 7-pin (4x), the 2-pin (1x), and the 8-pin (1x).

Multiple Pin spares: 71% (5/7)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 1-2-4-10 and 3-10 split (2x each).

Splits: 50% (1/2)

Average over 3 games: 223.67.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: n/a.

Nothing to complain about here! Sure, I'm disappointed that I can't seem to get into the 700s…and I need to if I'm going to honestly compare myself to the other high average guys in the league. And once AGAIN….the guy running the side pot let me know that I was "close" to winning the Game 3 side pot…all I needed was a mark in the 10th. Thats happened a few times now where I missed winning the side pot by very little.

But…all 3 games over 200, only 2 open frames the entire series, a clean game, 100% single-pin spare shooting, my first 8-bagger, and I even managed to win the 1st game poker hand with a straight flush…which I've never gotten before.

As to "how/why" it happened??? Well….still working on form, balance, and focus. No wrist brace nor wrist positioner. I think the biggest difference was just further relaxing of my approach and swing. I think I have a tendency to rush the foul line AND a tendency to try and muscle the ball during the swing. Last night my foot speed was a tiny bit slower…and my swing more relaxed. Struggled still, without the wrist brace, getting good axis tilt/rotation…and each game seemed to have at least one shot where it went way right because I just had no axis tilt…but, something to work on.

It's harder than it sounds. "Just relaxing" sounds like an easy fix…but when you have to "make yourself relax"…then it's a skill just like any other skill and requires some work. Our team anchor commented that I need to "drink every night" because normally I just have a diet pepsi…but last night had a gin and tonic per game and was a bit more "lively". Normally drinking during play makes me "sloppy"…but last night it seemed to calm me down a bit…get me out of my own head a bit.

And it's a mental game as much as anything…so "confidence" is a big factor. On Wednesdays I'm a 190 average bowler and the high average bowler on my team. There are expectations that come along with that. But there's also a sense of "confidence" where I'm not going on the lanes (like on Tuesdays) "afraid" that the lanes are going to beat me. I'm walking out on the approach (on Wednesdays) and thinking "okay, you got this…hopefully it carries…but if not, hopefully it leaves us an easy spare." Same thing with the single-pin. On Tuesdays, I see a corner pin and approach it thinking, "Uh oh…I sure hope I luck out and pick this up" but on Wednesdays it's more, "You got this…you're as good if not better a spare shooter than the rest of these guys…just throw it straight, trust your line, trust the ball, trust your game."

And the team took 3 of 4 points…thanks in some part to the highest average bowler in the league being absent…but still, we'll take it after a rather poor month. And our anchor asked me to switch spots with him. He's been struggling and thinks the pressure of bowling last is part of it. So, I accepted…and will now be anchoring my team…first time I've taken on that role so hopefully it works out for both of us.

[mc_runner]

Great series! Solid scoring all 3 games. You know you're having a good night when nerves start to set in

[vdubtx]

Nice shooting Aslan. Congrats! Keep at it, that 700 is not so distant from you.

[Aslan]

Great series! Solid scoring all 3 games. You know you're having a good night when nerves start to set in

One thing I notice is; when I'm having a really good night...I don't move much. This pair we were playing on...very close from one lane to the other...and I only had to make one 2-1 adjustment on one lane. I never had to ball down...only made one adjustment with my feet to turn that 2-1 into a 1-1...but the ball was working great right around 2nd arrow.

And it helped that I had the line almost to myself...which is RARE when you're a righty playing 2nd arrow. But there was only 9 of us and the 4 ladies were all inside around 3rd arrow. 1 of the guys also was more inside...2 of the guys were leftys...and one guy has really slow ball speed and played way inside.

I hate to always make excuses for my success ...but...for those that still don't believe there is a different from house to house or lane to lane or that other bowlers can mess with your line/shot/success...I average 168 on medium oil/length in a more difficult house with inconsistent conditions...and 190 in a house with low-medium oil...a shorter pattern, lots of dry outside, and consistent conditions.

What stinks is...I was hoping to do the USBC Open next year...in the classified division...but since they don't use "composite" average....I'm going to be excluded from the classified division and have to face bowlers with actual talent..like VDub. I'm still hoping to do it for the "experience"....but wavering given I'll have no realistic chance of being competitive.

But yes...in a nutshell (Mudpuppy cliff notes)...being able to stay with a target +/-1 board...and standing in the same 3-board area the whole night...using the same ball...gave me what I believe to be just enough of an extra advantage to be competitive.

[fortheloveofbowling]

Quality performance with the 671.