Week 31 Recap

Game 1: 179
Game 2: 215
Game 3: 205
Series: 599
Week Avg: 199
Season Avg: 191

Summary

I didn't get a chance to throw much practice this week, but the lanes have been fairly consistent on Thursday nights so I wasn't too worried. My goal again was to just make sure I hit my mark on every shot and trust my instincts to do the rest.

The first game started with a spare and a strike. I spent much of the first game trying to fine tune my angle into the pocket to carry the corners and found myself shooting at the 6-, 7- and 10-pins frequently. I struck in the sixth frame and then missed the 2-4-5 for my first open of the game. I picked up the rest of my spares until the tenth frame when I left the 6-7 split and finished the first game with a 179.

The second game started with a 5-7 split, which I missed. I struck a few times, but for the most part still had difficulty getting all the pins to fall. During the first game I moved a half board right and then a few inches back on the approach to get the ball to come in a little higher in the pocket. I tried a full board right, but that was too far (resulting in the first frame 5-7 split). After missing a 3-10 split as a result of missing my mark to the left I decided to slow my approach a little and focus on just following through over the second arrow. I struck four in a row into the first ball in the tenth and then spared to finish with a 215.

I came in a little high on my last shot in the second game so I moved up a few inches to start the third game. It turned out to be a good adjustment because I started with a turkey, 8-pin spare, and a strike. I continued to pick up my spares and strike until the first ball in the tenth frame when I hit pretty high and left the 4-10 split. The 7-pin barely fell and bumped the 4-pin, but it refused to fall. So after opening in the tenth frame I finished with a 205 game and a 599 series.

Lesson Learned

Our opponent's anchor couldn't believe the 4-pin stood in the tenth frame and remarked that I must have been upset with throwing a 599. Our league secretary also came over to tell me how mad I must have been to have thrown a 599. While it hurt that it had to happen with an open in the tenth frame, I was thrilled to bowl over average for the first time since February 23rd. Frankly, I was more upset at not advancing in the first round of the brackets due to my open tenth frame in the first game.

This is a great time to be on the upswing as my average over the last five games bowled is 205. With the playoffs starting in two weeks and the tournament on Saturday I feel pretty good, and with that feeling comes confidence. Hopefully I can get my average to at least 192 again by the end of the league.

One thing I need to work on is making the right adjustments more quickly. I spent a lot of the first game playing with my body position on the approach before settling on the right spot and eventually ball speed. Also, I have to be more aware of how the lanes are changing late in the third game so that I can avoid running high and risking splits. One advantage of slowing my ball speed early in the night is that I have the option to pick it up again later without changing my angle to the pocket, but recognizing when to make that change is the challenge. I think now that I have added that adjustment to my repertoire, it is just the matter of being cognizant of how my ball reacts in certain situations and oil patterns. In the end, bowling is about 75% observation and 25% execution . . . ok I just made that last part up but you understand what I am getting at.