Come on now ladies, lets play nice!

Hello All,

I have been really busy lately.  The fact that I have been bowling stinking had nothing to do with me not writing a blog ;-) 

Majority of the weeks I had two decent games and 1 really low game.  Then 1 week all my games were low, so I decided it was time I get a new ball.  I've been eyeballing the Black Widow Pearl for a few months and finally got it this past week and my first time bowling in league with the ball, it paid for itself!  The first game I tried using it but should have used my Changeling because I was shooting well with that ball the first game.  I got a little lost when I switched back to the Changeling and finished with 16*.  The second game first frame I split, and decided it was time to move inside (I was playing outside and wanted to throw my new ball).  I threw two strikes then missed the ten pin.  Everybody thought I had it and at the last minute it hooked, so now I know how to pick it up with the BWP or not use it for the ten pin.  I struck all the way to the tenth and then left 9 on my last ball.  I had 245 and won my league Love Doubles *Happy dance*.  Then the third game I bowled 225. Maybe this Saturday I can put three decent games together so I can bowl a 700 already!

Jo

I bowled my first week of the new season. 

A little information about the house

The house is an extremely old house with wood lanes.  The rumors are that the lanes are not able to be stripped anymore! As the game progresses the lanes break down and you will get very little (if any) carry down.  So most moves for me are further up on the approach or a huge jump to the left. A lot of the bowlers play all over these lanes, deep inside, tight inside, track shot, up 7, or 3 dot to bump the gutter.

How I bowled 

 202,209, 168.  My only opens in the first two games were splits (1st game split in the tenth) that I deserved to get because I either pulled my arm or came out the ball wrong.  I was using my AMF Changeling.  The first game I was playing straight up the 7th board.  As the lanes began to break down, I moved up on the approach and was able to get my ball further down the lanes. 

In the second game the lanes are continuing to break down so I had to move 5 boards to the left and sent my ball over the forth dot to around the second arrow (let it drift one or two boards pass it).  I was doing good the first half of the game, but could not strike after the sixth frame. On the right lane I didn't keep my speed up so the ball hit high.  On the left lane I played the same line with speed and my ball jumped.  So when I came back to the right lane I moved my feet two boards to the left and shot the same target.  But the two lanes were not the same and my ball hit extremely light.  Some people have a rule if one lane changes the other lane changes as well.  This is NOT always the case in wood houses.  I'm sure it's not the same on synthetic houses either because I have bowled games when I needed to use a different ball for each lane . So the last ball in the tenth (had a spare), I moved to the middle of the approach and aimed between the third and second arrow.  It looked like a good shot but I left the ten pin so my angle was off.

The third game I was totally lost.  Don't know what happened to me.  I just remember looking up and seeing that I was going into the 10th frame and the highest I could get is 178!  I believe I should have either jumped 10 boards left and played inside (going over middle arrow) or switch balls (Duh). I'm going to go practice Sunday in a wood house.  I need to practice dealing with the breakdown. 

 My team stuck me 3 times Agh. I'm glad we weren't playing quarters!

Oh yeah.  We won all the points (7 points -2 points per game and 1 for series) and I made all my 10 pins (3). 

I'm hoping that if I write them out and others know about them I will reach my goals:

Increase my average by 10 pins this season.

700 series at least 5*

I would like to see my name posted on the wall in the alley. I need to bowl either 290,299,300, or 800.

Increase my 10 pin pickup percentage.

Average at least 210 at tournaments.

Edited to add plan to achieve these goals as per comment below (thanks outlaw):

I plan to practice twice a week.  At least 20 minutes or 1 game of just shooting at the 10 pin.   If I can find a house that will rent me a lane for a couple hours that would be best. It will be cheaper than paying for games and when I practice I don't worry about the score.

If I can find a house that lays out a sport shot, I will go there and practice. 

I will stay focused the entire three games while I am bowling.

I will watch the lanes and pay attention to what my ball is doing and the break points.

I will pay attention to my team mates balls in order to see when a break down occurs on the lane.

I will play the shot that is there instead of forcing a shot that is not there.

I will execute every shot with confidence and aggression.  I will treat every shot as if it counts.  Even when my team is up by 100 pins going into the 10th, I'll finish every game.

I'll smile, not get frustrated, or let the lanes defeat me!

I can not wait until my Saturday league starts in 2 weeks.  I'm glad we start before Labor day I don't know if I could go with out seeing my teammates for an additional two more weeks!

I'm hoping the bowling I did with PBA experience will pay off during the league. I have no idea what kind of shot will be on the lanes this year, but I hope I can go straight up 5. I can play any line on the lane but straight up requires less thinking when its time to adjust! This house puts down a different shot for different leagues and then changes the shot mid season.  This occurred last year because people were complaining.  On one night, they complained that it was too oily. Then the house put less oil down, so then people complained its too dry! No surprise there, especially since it is an old wood house that has lanes that really can't be stripped any more AND the teams have 5 people.  HELLO!  Learn to adjust.  Your perfect shot is not always going to be there. 

There was a lot of talk about the lane conditions.  The league with the highest average bowlers had the easiest shot, lowest had the hardest shot, and the middle averages had the medium shot.  When you read this you may be thinking, maybe the averages are the lowest because the shot is the hardest.  That's a logical conclusion to make, but a lot of bowlers in that league have lower averages across the leagues thats why I say the lower average bowlers. 

I prefer to bowl on harder conditions and in different houses.  It improves my tournament game and helps me make quicker adjustments.  This year I'm bowling permanent in one league. :-(  I've been asked to bowl in two more leagues but if I do I will cut into my study time (working towards my Masters YEAH).  So I may sub once in a while so I can test the waters in other houses.

HURRY UP AUGUST 25th-