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

[Aslan]

Citrus Belt USBC BVL Annual Bowl-Off
Arlington Lanes: low-medium oil synthetics

Skipped sport shot league to take part in the Citrus Belt BVL. Last year I participated in the Orange County BVL, and finished 5th or 6th in my Division. I figured I'd participate in both the Citrus Belt AND Orange County BVLs…double my chances of taking the top spot in my Division and representing the local USBC at the State BVL Tournament in 2015.

Well, things didn't go well when I got there…and found out that I would be put in Division A (average 170-184) rather than Division B (average 145-169). It appears that rather than use my USBC Composite book average of 166, they would only use the Citrus Belt USBC average which was from the 21 games of the sport shot league last season…which when compared in the conversion chart was a 173. : (

SQUAD 1:
506 Series: 140-145-221

Game 1 started out with a missed single 10-pin. That set a bad tone. But, it wasn't as bad as it looks. In frames 5, 6, and 7 I left the 1-2-10 twice and the 1-2-8-10. Not "officially" splits…but c'mon. Then I missed a single 6-pin in the 8th. Game 2 also was better than it looks. I had 3-10, 8-10, and 4-5 splits. I picked up the baby split. Other than that, all I did was chop a 2-4-5-8 bucket…otherwise clean.

Game 3 things turned around. I opened with a 1-2-4-10 washout but other than another 8-10 split (in the 6th), I was clean with 9 strikes.

SQUAD 2:
535 Series: 181-198-156

Better. But the 3rd game killed me. Game 1 I was clean except for a chopped 3-6-9-10. Game 2 I was clean except for a 4-6-10 split. And Game 3 wasn't as bad as it looks. A chopped 1-3-6-7-10 washout in the 1st frame, a 7-8 split in the 5th, and a 8-10 split in the 6th…otherwise clean…but only 1 strike.

After looking at the stats before Squad 3, I realized that Squad 1 I had a good strike rate, but sub-par spare shooting. Squad 2 I was excellent at spare shooting, but the strike rate went in the toilet. So I wondered what would happen if I could combine that strike rate from Squad 1 and the spare shooting in Squad 2. And that leads to Squad 3...

SQUAD 3:
593 Series: 217 (clean)-199-177

The first game went great. Perfect spare shooting and a decent strike rate. The second game was starting off great until I threw a gutter ball first shot of the 4th…couldn't convert the spare. Then in the 6th, another 1-2-10. Clean the rest of the way including a 4-bagger.


PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.61 pins
Strikes: 38% (1 6-bagger, 1 4-bagger, 2 turkeys, 3 doubles, and 10 singles)
Spares: 63% picked up

Single Pin spares: 88% (16/18)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (5x)
Never left a single 1-pin, 5-pin, nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 52% (21/40)
Most common multi-pin leave: 6-10 (5x).

Splits: 20% (2/10)

Average over 9 games: 181.56.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 184.00.

It ended up being a good tournament. It looked bleak in the beginning, but Game 3 I won the handicap side pot. And in Squad 3 I won TWO side pots AND a the men's bracket! Not sure where I finished in the tournament…I guess the results will be posted tomorrow. I doubt I finished 1st…I figured 1st in Division B would take 590-610…and I figure Division A will be more in the 650-690 range. But really this was just a warm-up for the OCUSBC BVL early next year.

It helped with my mental game for sure. I struck a fair amount, giving me confidence that I CAN strike. My single-pin spare shooting was perfect in the final 2 squads. And I was holding my own against players, most of which had 190-210 averages.

And part of me hopes I DON'T win my division…just because I'd rather bowl in the OCUSBC BVL tournament and represent Orange County USBC in Division B. I just think even if by some weird stroke of luck I WON today…I don't think I'd have a chance in Division A at the state level. It would be cool to win BOTH and then bowl for CBUSBC in Division A and for the OCUSBC in the B Division…but I don't know if thats allowed or possible.

I wish this game would translate onto slicker/heavier oil situations. Arlington Lanes are some of the driest around…so I'm obviously going to do better there. It just sucks when I bowl a near 600 series in a tournament and then in my house league I'm struggling to break 500.

[Aslan]

Tuesday League Night: heavy oil synthetics

524 Series: 138-233-153

A washout to start Game 1, then a missed single 10-pin in the 3rd. Some more bad shots…just a real mess. The lanes were playing very heavy, very long. It was clear that the lanes had carry down extending almost to the pin rack. Everyone was missing right. I moved as far right as I could…but after a miserable Game 1 I decided I'd have to alter my speed.

Game 2 I missed ANOTHER single 10-pin in the 2nd frame…the took a walk around the center. I was VERY pissed off that Sunday I missed TWO single pins over 9 games…perfect over the last EIGHT GAMES…yet I had already missed 2 of 2. Well, the walk did me good, and with the exception of a 7 / in the 6th…all strikes until the second shot of the 10th frame when I left…yup…you guessed it..another single 10-pin. And yup…I missed it again. BUT…it was a high game of 233 and our team took the point.

Game 3…I don't know if it was the brandy kicking in or what…but a few open frames…then a missed single 6-pin the 10th to finish my 0 for 4 night on single-pin spares.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.16 pins
Strikes: 40% (1 4-bagger, 1 turkey, 1 double, and 4 singles)
Spares: 42% picked up

Single Pin spares: 0% (0/4)
Missed 3 10-pins and a 6-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 53% (8/15)
Most common multi-pin leave: n/a

Splits: N/A

Average over 3 games: 174.67.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 186.00.

Hard to feel "bad" when you roll your season high game of 233…despite challenging conditions…but tonight was really a disaster.

- 0 for 4 on single-pin spares is unacceptable.
- My bad games contributed to the loss of 3 points…and our team is no longer in 1st place.
- Still came up shy of any clean games.
- Still came up shy of a 525 series.

Not sure how to handle this ridiculous situation at this center. I mean, flooding the lanes in the morning and then letting people throw plastic balls all day…pushing the oil down the lane…it's created a condition that in all honesty is harder than a long sport pattern because it's LONG AND there's NO DRY. The best I can do is throw my MOST aggressive ball up first arrow…as slow as possible…and hope it hits the pocket with at least SOME power. That or learn how to bowl left handed.

Lesson tomorrow…we'll see how that goes. What do I tell the coach…that things are going well because up until Sunday my spare shooting was much improved and things were looking up? Or that last night I couldn't pick up a single-pin spare to save my life and was back to missing right constantly?

[MICHAEL]

Where in the hell did that 2rd game come from???? Now you know you CAN do it, 233, Icegod is convinced most of your PROBLEMS in regards to bowling is MENTAL!

Your way to mental about your game,,, turn off the brain, take a DEEP breath, and like Nike,,,, JUST DO IT!

Nice 2rd GAME!

There is NO REASON at all having seen you bowl, that your not bowling up there around 200 with todays lanes and equipment! NONE!
Relax,,,,be more Iceman, less ,,,, LESS, Aslan!!!

I am convenced that with all your coaching, and knowledge, there is NO REASON for you to roll the numbers you did game one and two.... NONE!

As Mikey says ALL THE TIME,,, over and over,, its way too easy now days to bowl the 200 plus average. Many say simply PROJECT the ball, and it will find its way to the pocket!

I know your pretty damn good on spare shooting, which leaves us WHAT?

Get the ball to the POCKET!!! I mean let the ball get to the pocket, you are the only thing keeping it form doing so!!

The Ball and techonology has what it takes to get there,,, put less HEAD, and more relaxed focus into your game!


Now you know ICEGODS SECRET,,, YOU OWE me a trip to the wood lanes of Plattsburg Missouri to bowl on the spider infested lanes, with HISTORIC moped oil, just like in the old days when MEN were like Mikey?

I was really looking forward to Mikey, bowing the mopped oil with one of his ancient balls! ( I would have enjoyed seeing if that OLD TIME BOWLING really was that much harder) (:/)
I know ICEGOD, the man that had the 210 average,,,,, on strange lanes, after riding 1400 miles with his wife leaning into him, pulling a huge trailer full of crap, is looking forward to settling the QUESTION:

WAS THE OLD DAYS REALLY THAT TOUGH??? I will bowl the historic wood lanes, on mopped oil, and prove its just a matter of adjustments!! Mikey, send me an old school ball just to make it perfect, (LIKE IT WAS WHEN YOU RULED THE LANES LOL)!

I don't want to hear,,,,, " Well Icegod used a new technology ball on the moped oil" What do I need to use, a chiseled out of rock stone bowling ball like Fred Flintstone!!!

[Amyers]

Congrats on your tournament scores those are pretty nice. Congrats on the 233 shooting 220+ with three opens I'm not sure I've even done that. I don't know I have those nights I can make spare either then it comes back around again and I'm killing them all for a couple of weeks the right back to 50% or so again. If I ever figure it out I'll let you know. I don't know if I've ever seen a pattern I can't make the ball hook on so I'm kind of at a loss for advice there. Good Luck

[fortheloveofbowling]

I noticed your bowling has been better lately, for the last 7 series listed your average is 181.95. This is well above your league averages right? What do you attribute the improvement to? What you need to do now is look at your stats and determine what needs to be cleaned up in your game. Is it a certain area of spares, a transition during a normal set, or whatever. During your practice put some extra emphasis on those areas.

[Aslan]

I noticed your bowling has been better lately, for the last 7 series listed your average is 181.95. This is well above your league averages right? What do you attribute the improvement to? What you need to do now is look at your stats and determine what needs to be cleaned up in your game. Is it a certain area of spares, a transition during a normal set, or whatever. During your practice put some extra emphasis on those areas.

The last 4 weeks, since my last lesson...I've been focusing alot on form and focus. Form becuase I need to be balanced at the line and lined up in a repeatable way. Focus because I've found that if I can just stay focused on my target...I can hit that bad boy with relative ease.

Since the WSOB...I've been trying hard to work on form. Seeing those bowlers...especially the female bowlers...they have very crisp, repeatable, balanced form. I need to stop "trying" to throw the ball and just let it happen.

Also, Mark Baker's stuff online...about a "quiet shoulder". I still don't know exactly what that means...but I'm "trying not to try" as stupid as that sounds.

Same with my release. When I'm in my lesson...sometimes I'll "drop" the ball...and the coach will say, "YES! Do it like that!" And I look at them and think..."but I dropped it...you want me to "drop" it"? But it's the same thing. I have to "re-learn" what it is to be an athlete. Bowling is a finesse game...not an overly exerting powerful type of game. I think I'm not used to that. I'm trying to create power using muscles that need to be "quiet". It's one of the first things Barry Asher noticed when he watched me bowl way back when....that I was trying to bowl like I was playing another sport.

Unfortunately...there's still so many elements that I need to address...that I'm putting off because I can only concentrate on so much at one time. I need to address my footwork....it needs to me slower and less "jumpy". I need to get lower so I can stay straight up and down (not bent over the foul line) but also not loft the ball 18 feet. I have to figure out what to do with my shoulders...sometimes they are level...sometimes in complete DYDS mode.

And I HAVE to fix my release. I'm trying to do it gradually by practicing with a rather restrictive wrist brace...but I can't keep breaking my wrist in my backswing. My release is completely inconsistent from shot to shot. One minute it comes off my hand easy and with great axis tilt and great ball motion...the next shot it's almost an end over end roller and misses the 3-pin.

And single-pin spares are STILL an issue. Sometimes...I'm 80-92% and feeling confident. Then other times...I might as well close my eyes. It's not a matter of hitting my target...I'm DOING that...it's an inconsistent allignement issue. I think I fixed it for left side leaves...but I really can't get to the level I want to be at if I can't nail > 90% of the single-pin spares I leave. I don't have the power to strike 65%...my spare shooting MUST be perfect to compete with those that can.

[MICHAEL]

The last 4 weeks, since my last lesson...I've been focusing alot on form and focus. Form becuase I need to be balanced at the line and lined up in a repeatable way. Focus because I've found that if I can just stay focused on my target...I can hit that bad boy with relative ease.

Since the WSOB...I've been trying hard to work on form. Seeing those bowlers...especially the female bowlers...they have very crisp, repeatable, balanced form. I need to stop "trying" to throw the ball and just let it happen.

Also, Mark Baker's stuff online...about a "quiet shoulder". I still don't know exactly what that means...but I'm "trying not to try" as stupid as that sounds.

Same with my release. When I'm in my lesson...sometimes I'll "drop" the ball...and the coach will say, "YES! Do it like that!" And I look at them and think..."but I dropped it...you want me to "drop" it"? But it's the same thing. I have to "re-learn" what it is to be an athlete. Bowling is a finesse game...not an overly exerting powerful type of game. I think I'm not used to that. I'm trying to create power using muscles that need to be "quiet". It's one of the first things Barry Asher noticed when he watched me bowl way back when....that I was trying to bowl like I was playing another sport.

Unfortunately...there's still so many elements that I need to address...that I'm putting off because I can only concentrate on so much at one time. I need to address my footwork....it needs to me slower and less "jumpy". I need to get lower so I can stay straight up and down (not bent over the foul line) but also not loft the ball 18 feet. I have to figure out what to do with my shoulders...sometimes they are level...sometimes in complete DYDS mode.

And I HAVE to fix my release. I'm trying to do it gradually by practicing with a rather restrictive wrist brace...but I can't keep breaking my wrist in my backswing. My release is completely inconsistent from shot to shot. One minute it comes off my hand easy and with great axis tilt and great ball motion...the next shot it's almost an end over end roller and misses the 3-pin.

And single-pin spares are STILL an issue. Sometimes...I'm 80-92% and feeling confident. Then other times...I might as well close my eyes. It's not a matter of hitting my target...I'm DOING that...it's an inconsistent allignement issue. I think I fixed it for left side leaves...but I really can't get to the level I want to be at if I can't nail > 90% of the single-pin spares I leave. I don't have the power to strike 65%...my spare shooting MUST be perfect to compete with those that can.

WOW, back to YOUR MAIN problem,,, YOU THINK TOO MUCH!! Only one thing is going to get you to that 200 level, get a lobotomy!!! I am serious, your way to brainy to be bowing,,, Chess might be your best game/sport!

It wore ICEGOD out just reading your thoughts above! (why did I read it??) I have a sick sense of curiosity, for reading struggling bowlers diaries!

My average dropped 10 pins just reading it!!! WAY TO MUCH HEAD,,,, JUST Let it happen bud!!! FREE YOURSELF like a un-caged-birdy!

Spread your wings and FLY!!!!!

[Aslan]

Not everyone is GIFTED enough to THINK and BOWL at the same time IceMG.

I saw you try to do it in Vegas and it almost led to a serious injury.

You have your gifts...I have mine.

[fortheloveofbowling]

You are correct about the release and trying not to try to hard. The guys that have great releases really make it look effortless because they don't try to over hit it for the most part. As far as spare shooting, try to use some practice games to find the boards to stand on and target that consistently work to hit certain pins. Then, when you have that pin not only for a single but part of a multiple as well you are confident. If you can find those spots for the 2,3,4,6 you can adjust slightly and pick anything up.

[Aslan]

Practice:
Tustin Lanes: low oil synthetics

My coach didn't show for the lesson but I figured I'd take advantage of a few practice games…especially since I just had a new thumb insert drilled for the VISE IT in my Bullet Train.

636: 123-169-202-142
Game 1 I'm not counting since it took me the whole game to get to the right ball. The lanes there are very dry on the outside, lots of oil in the middle. So I had to ball all the way down to the less aggressive Encounter.

Game 2 was a 5-10 split and 2 missed single-pin spares away from a clean game.

Game 3 I started throwing the Slingshot…tried getting my release to go more "through" the ball than around it. And it paid off. Was clean and always knocked down at least 9 pins on the first ball…right up until the 10th frame when I left a 1-2-4-10 washout.

Given the success in Game 3…I decided to see if I could get the same release with my wrist brace off. It didn't go well. Three washouts and a chopped 5-9. I just can't seem to get a good release without the wrist brace; not yet.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.49 pins
Strikes: 34% (4 doubles and 7 singles)
Spares: 42% picked up

Single Pin spares: 75% (6/8)
Most common single-pin leaves: 6-pin (3x).
Never left a single 1-pin, 2-pin, 3-pin, 8-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 30% (6/20)
Most common multi-pin spare leave: 6-10 (3x).

Splits: 0% (0/6)

Average over 4 games: 159.00.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 163.50.

Just miserable. Mad because my instructor wasn't there. Mad because the center was super hot and muggy and I was sweating like a madman. Mad because games cost $4 in the late afternoon during the week. Mad about my single-pin spare performance. And mad that my release is just bad without my wrist brace. One of those "screw bowling…it just happening" feelings.