Monday, September 11, 2017

Changing My Bowling Game, Part 4

During the Friday Night league practice, I felt way out of synch. As we used to say when I was in the Air Force, “I felt as coordinated as an elephant trying to tip-toe across thin ice.”

It was tough to pinpoint the problem because I would sometimes drop the ball, sometimes hang up in the ball, but, one thing was certain – I wasn’t posting my shots at all.

Another thing for certain, if I didn’t figure out what I was doing wrong, it was going to be a frustrating night. Of course, the first thing I thought about was my rhythm and timing because of the recent change(s) in my bowling game.

Hold the ball high, hold the ball low, move forward on the approach, move back on the approach, concentrate on taking deliberate steps, nothing was working.

I even changed bowling balls though I knew it wasn’t the ball. (A note here is that my bowling ball arsenal sucks right now – a “dead” Total NV that tends to leave 8-10, 4-5, 4-5-7, 5-7, and 5-10 splits plus a “vintage” Absolute Inferno that for some reason, loves to leave 4-9 and 4-7-9 splits.

People tell me it’s not the ball, but why doesn’t my Roto Hy-Wire or my Storm Hy-Road leave those splits as often as those balls do?

Which is another theory I have – each bowler will have a particular manufacturer that will somehow match their style and method of bowling – however, that is for another time and article, if I decide to write about it.

So back to Friday night bowling. We start the first game and I still feel like the elephant and I “pound the pocket,” blow two 10-pins and end up with a 170. I believe I had one double.

The second game is not any better as I remember blowing two 10-pins, but there must have been a three-bagger (turkey) in there somewhere because I ended up with a 190. I’m still not feeling right throwing the ball, more like a pregnant elephant at this point in time.

Don’t ask me how, and don’t ask me why, but in the third game and after three 10-pins to start the game (I converted them; but, for some reason unbeknownst to me, I suddenly felt as though my right arm was “floating” on those spare shots.)

“Floating” on those spare shots. My mind now remembers about the unforced, pendulum armswing – don’t ask me how, and don’t ask me why – I just happened to do it and I absolutely felt it when I threw the 10-pin spares. Those shots felt good!

“Light bulb time.” Coming up to the 4th frame, I focus my efforts on keeping my armswing loose and pendulum-like and the ball reacts accordingly because it rips the pins to shreds (or so it seemed). I strung three more “rippers” for a 4-bagger, then dropped the ball and left an absolutely weak “bucket-with-the-man-in-motion,” (2-4-5-7-8). I knew that I had “muscled” the shot.

(Just as an aside, a couple of years ago, I heard one of the bowling announcers, Lucas Wiseman I believe, refer to that leave as a “dinner bucket with a side salad.”)

I recover with two “ripper” strikes in the 9th and 10th frame, then a solid 10-pin for a clean game 220. One of the best games I’ve thrown in league in recent times – posted every shot except for the weak bucket and picked up all my 10-pins.

The take away here is that, by accident and unexplainable (by me), I may have found my overall problem – “muscling the ball” rather than a relaxed, pendulum armswing. It sure felt good in the 3rd game; and now, I have to re-create and repeat that feeling in the arm as I'm going forward with my game change(s)..

It’s always a work in progress. By the way, I got the elephant off my back in the 3rd game.

Saturday, September 9, 2017

Changing My Bowling Game, Part 3

Continuing with my game changing, I move into Wednesday night league with things feeling good. During practice, I hit the pocket consistently and struck each time (many guys don’t like that because they say it portends a bad start once the score keepers come on for the actual game).

I shoot a clean 1st game for a 228, then shoot a 222 with one blown 10-pin. Not being able to pick up that pin consistently is probably the biggest cause of my averaging dropping.

Not making those spares works on my mind and I start pushing myself to catch up because of needing to string strikes to make up for the missed spares. (The “compounding effect,” where mistakes build upon mistakes and you very rarely catch up.)

In the 3rd game, the dreaded transition gets me frustrated and I make some bad changes (not being patient, really) and end up with zero doubles, only a couple of strikes, and four open frames for a 156. I go stone-7 (blow it), 10-pin, fast-8, then I change balls to my Total NV.

The NV goes strike, then a 4-5-7 split. I had suspected this ball of being “dead” because whenever I brought it back into my arsenal, I left a lot of 8-10 splits with it. I then switch to a Brunswick Absolute Inferno and leave a solid 4-7-9 split. Another bad choice as this ball has never performed good for me. Somehow Brunswick cover stocks and weight blocks don’t agree with me.

(Also, note that the NV and Inferno are really old bowling balls that I brought out of retirement “just to try” since I’ve been bowling so badly.)

I go back to my Roto Hy-Wire and finish out the series with a 170+ for a dismal 770+ after a 450 two game start.

Looking back at the 3rd and 4th games, I surmise that with the reduced ball speed, the lane changes will affect my bowling ball much more than with my previous style. Although there doesn’t seem to be that much less ball speed, the oil changes will require me to make larger changes – 5 and 3, rather than 2 and 1. It may even require a Zone Change.

Still, Whenever I execute properly, pins are flying so I’ll continue working on this latest change in my game.

Thursday, September 7, 2017

Changing My Bowling Game, Part 2

With "Changing My Bowling Game" in mind, I woke myself up on Monday morning (the 4th) and went to Bell Lanes to throw a few lines with my new purpose in mind.

What I had in mind was slower footwork and "bellying the ball" out to the 8-board at the outer marker. (That is the marker sitting on the 10-board at the 41 to 43 foot mark on Brunswick Anvilanes).

It took about a game-and-a-half to slow my feet down as I had to be more like "walking normal steps" instead of what I think I was used to.

(I apologize but I can't describe what I've been doing up to this point because my game has become so messed up. Suffice it to say that it was erratic quick steps and forced me to be out-of-balance consistently at the line.)

I bowled four games and by the middle of the 2nd game, I was feeling better because I felt myself posting my shots at the foul line. I should have tried to video myself; but, if someone were to b watching me, they would have seen me posed at the foul line, right leg trailing off to the left, and me not stumbling at all.

I finished out the 3rd and 4th games posting every single shot! Something I haven't done for at least a couple of years.

This new change has a lot of promise and may be what I've been looking for!

(Note that I don't remember what my scores were - it was practice with a purpose.)

Tuesday night Bell Toppers, it's a 5-man team league. I start of feeling really good, as I strike every ball in practice. Then, of course the score keeping starts and although I falter several times not posting (meaning that my timing and rhythm were off) I managed a 213 first game.

2nd game starts off with two 10-pins, then a stone 9 pin. The lanes are transitioning for me. After a 4-pin in the 4th frame, I decide it's time to start making some changes (impatience?). No doubles, a blown 10-pin, a couple of buckets (2-4-5-8) and score of 179.

I make a move to the left four boards, take my eyes to the 12-board at the arrows, and keep my "bellying the ball" to the 8-board at the outer marker. A couple of solid 10-pins and at least a 3-bagger which gave me a 210 for a 602 series.

(Please note: I use a three-point targeting system in that I look at the 6-pin, then the 8-board at the outer marker, then, bring my eyes to the target board at the arrows.)


This new change is still promising because when I execute properly, the pins go flying. There were shots in there that would (should) not have been strikes and moans and groans from the opponents solidify that statement.

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Changing My Bowling Game

The 2017 season for me started Friday, Sept. 1. With great timing, posting, follow-through, relaxed armswing, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera, I left about 4 to 5 10-pins per game and shot 560-something.

Sooo, after thinking about it for a couple of days, I’m going to throw another speculative theory out there and try it next Tuesday in the Bell Toppers league.

I MIGHT BE A TYPE OF BOWLER THAT IS A ‘TWEENER’ WITH REGARDS TO BALL SPEED; THAT IS, NOT FAST ENOUGH TO GET A LOT OF PIN ACTION, YET, NOT SLOW ENOUGH FOR THE BALL TO READ THE LANE PROPERLY (“Fritz Haverstick Effect”).

I have tried for two years to speed the ball up to no avail because the ball reaction (frankly) sucks. I have tried to slow the ball down; but, can’t get it slow enough to have consistent area like the “FHE”.

HOWEVER, all of the things I’ve tried have been based on attempting to keep the ball on a straighter line to the pocket. The different hand positions, the different ball speeds, the different whatever, have always been with the “down-and-in” frame of mind.

What I have never tried is to throw what I refer to as a, “Round house,” or “Bellying the ball” creating a rounder arc to the pocket. That is, moving a little bit further to the left on the approach (say 25 to 30-board) and “bellying the ball” out to the 8-board at the outer marker. Using that as a base and, keeping the same arcing ball motion, make my adjustments from there – be it hand position, ball speed, and whatever.

This change in my game will naturally entail a slower approach and a softer ball release, which of course, will result in slower ball speed. Theoretically, I should end up with a banana shaped arc instead of a hockey stick arc. Also theoretically, the slower initial ball speed should not matter too much to the reactive resin bowling ball because its energy will be saved for when it hits the dry, where it should pick up speed on its own.

I’ve tried pretty much everything else. My problem is not hitting the pocket, my problem is not being able to carry the 10-pin. We shall see.