Week 10 Recap

Game 1: 196
Game 2: 161
Game 3: 171
Series: 528
Week Avg: 176
Season Avg: 189

With my newly drilled C-System officially assigned to active duty, I decided to use it to start the evening. I started practice trying to throw a wider shot, but the heavier than normal oil forced me to come back to center and play a similar line to the down and in shot that had failed me in past weeks.  I was standing with my left foot at the 25 board and throwing over the 8 board.

I threw well during the first game. Every shot was in the pocket, resulting in a strike or a nine count, mainly 9- or 10-pins. Late in the first game the leaves started coming on the left side. In the tenth frame I left a 4-pin, but after methodically picking up all of my other leaves I missed my mark a few boards left and the ball hooked past the pin for an open and a blown 200 game. I finished with a 196, luckily not costing the team a victory despite a close contest.

I moved up on the approach a bit to start the second game and remained pretty steady int he pocket for a few frames until the high shots started to really do some damage.  I left two wide splits in the middle of the game for opens and to make matters worse I also missed a 7-pin. I tried moving left and throwing through the oil, but the ball didn't recover quickly enough to break back to the pocket so I moved back and tried to make smaller adjustments on my established line. I managed to turkey into the tenth frame to salvage a little dignity, but I still only threw a 161. Our lead-off man had pre-bowled on the night and had a big enough game to cover my poor performance.

The third game started with two splits for opens. I tried to reign in the ball the best I could, but after a few more frames I decided to put it away and pull out my Python (thanks Brunswick for naming a ball Python and allowing me to use that delightful phrase).  By now the oil had broken down to the point where I was playing the line that was so successful last week. I began striking and making easy spares to save a hard fought 171 game.  The team took all seven points and we are slowly working our way up the standings thanks to some great games from my teammates.

After making the decision to start the night with the C-System, I knew there was going to be a learning curve. The heavier oil helped ease me into using a stronger ball by allowing me to play close to a familiar line. The most important thing now is for me to understand the limits of the ball and develop a strategy of play. The dull surface redistributed a lot of oil quickly, which leads me to think that this will be a great set up ball. I can use the C-System at the beginning of the night to wear in a preferred line and then switch to the Python to finish out the evening to maintain success. Over the next few weeks it is imperative that I recognize the difference between when I can make an adjustment to keep using the same ball and when I should keep the same line and switch balls.

I have been consistently bowling under average so far this season, so something has got to change. I hope the new ball will give me the extra power I need to make those nine counts turn into strikes. The pieces are in place, I just need to learn how to play them. (I need to sound optimistic, its the only thing helping me keep it together out there)