Two weeks in league with the Hy-Road Nano and the ball has done what I wanted it to do. The first game I shot last week in league was bad because my mechanics were off. Once I got it (sort of) straightened out, I bowled a good second game but ended up with some bad breaks in the 3rd game that kept it from being better and shot a 594. Our team only won one game. Additionally, it was being way more jumpy than when I first practiced with it and I was having trouble with it getting downlane before it took off. However, I attributed that to me and my bad mechanics.

I wasn't too happy after that night, so I went to practice last Sunday morning and tried a few other lines with it and learned about everything I can't do with the ball. My mechanics were still off, I was still having trouble getting it downlane, and other times I was blasting it past the break point and it would never make it back. I should have stopped, but probably was bowling too many games too fast out of frustration and I ended up ripping a blister on my thumb.

Fortunately, the skin was still over the blister and I kept a bandage on it all week. Yesterday afternoon before league, I got rid of the dead skin and it looked good enough to not need a patch. During practice before league last night, I was terrible and still seemed lost. I pulled my first shot for a 9/ in the first game, then ran off 8 strikes. Left a 5 count washout the first ball in the 10th that I made and then a 9 count for a 264. I had the front 6 the first game, then converted a 10 pin. The next shot went a touch high and left a fast 4-7 that I converted. Made it, adjusted, and struck the next 4 for a 267. The 3rd game started with a 9/ on a 2 pin, then struck the next 7. I left a 10 pin in the 9th that I converted. Going into the 10th, I need to strike out for a 269 and an 800 even. I got the first two but in an attempt not to get too fast on the last ball, I got a touch slow and it went high to leave a 6 pin for a 268 and a 799. I'd really like the 5 count washout back. We only won one game again and we've been dropping like a rock the last 3 weeks.

As for the ball, when I'm executing properly it's awesome. When everything around 10-15 was fried in the 3rd game and others struggled, I was having no trouble at all as I never played outside of 3rd arrow the whole night. That is exactly what I wanted.

Mark

so....I have pretty much struggled all year. If I was in a good place for strikes, my spare game was not good and vice-a-versa. Saturday was mostly OK...201-219-215=635. I have had carry issues swinging it through the oil, so I have decided to stay with less aggressive equipment and stay as out as possible. One session last week featured 7 strikes and SEVENTEEN 9 counts. I left the entire rack a pin at a time (save the 1 and the 5).
This session I had 2 whiffs, 2 splits, but otherwise pretty good. Oh yeah....I was fairly lucky that nobody else was lined up and the pot game I run is a handicap affair, so I won all 4 legs of it! I mostly run it because I enjoy being a ham on the PA mic during the announcements. All 6_ball all the time!!

Last night's bowling, frame-by-frame

The second game is not one I'll blame on poor spare shooting, but rather missing a ball change, because the Hy-Road was not moving at all, but the Tropical Breeze held me in good stead the rest of the night. Indeed, it was my second-best third game of the season.

Result: 174-133-207=514
Average (78 games): 169
Average for last 9 games: 166
Next week's AVG+1 score: 534

Composite average (84 games): 171

We were missing both Si and Eric, but won the third game by enough to steal total.

Last night's bowling, frame-by-frame

I thought I'd try my Alpha Crux last night, and, while I think I need more practice with it, the change to my Tropical Breeze was still better timed than last week from a lane condition perspective.

Result: 163-170-182=515
Average (81 games): 169
Average for last 9 games: 166
Next week's AVG+1 score: 529

Composite average (87 games): 171

I had my full four-man team back last night, but we only won the first game.

Last night's bowling, frame-by-frame

Probably the less said about this, the better.

Result: 67-169-102=338
Average (84 games): 167
Average for last 9 games: 151
Next week's AVG+1 score: 527

Composite average (90 games): 169

Nearly everyone struggled to a degree, but we still eked out the second game.

Last night's bowling, frame-by-frame

I was pleased to have a 183 triplicate alive after two, but it's hard to score well when you fall off the virtual cliff, as I had no marks after the 5th frame in the third game.

Result: 183-183-126=492
Average (87 games): 167
Average for last 9 games: 149
Next week's AVG+1 score: 539

Composite average (93 games): 169

With Si absent, we were assured of his average minus five bowling against the vacant. We barely lost the third game point, but won the other three.

After not bowling since December, got a call from my team to come for the final segment rolloff, just to watch. Well, as it turned out, we were a man short, which has been common since I had to leave the team.

My replacement had a 171 average. And, less 10 pins for the absent score, they got a 161 total.

Well, I was sure I could bowl 161. So, I checked with the President who said I was on the roster, and had sufficient games bowled to compete in the rolloff.

Haha, not bowling for a few months took its toll in timing and balance. I barely shot over 161 average, but, lost the handicap difference between 161 and my average.

We did win 2, but lost total pins by 10.

I was horrible.

I've been on a nice streak over the last 7 weeks averaging about 234 over that period capped by a personal best set last night (by 1 pin, but I'll take it).

My strategy of late is to start off with the Hy-Road X and ride it for as long as I can before balling down to my old Nomad Dagger. Didn't get off to an auspicious start opening with a 2-8-10, but reeled off the next 8 before a couple of shots in the 10th that broke hard left me at 256.

Changed to the Dagger as planned and after missing a 10 pin in the 2nd, took it off the sheet for a 268.

A little erratic in the 3rd game, but I think I was dealing with some carry down since one of my teammates was on my line using urethane. Refound the shot with a 5-bagger but got a little unlucky in the 10th and finished with a 238 and a 762 series.

Unfortunately we lost all games and may have fallen out of first place. Still time to right the ship though.

Eric, one of my Wednesday night teammates, gave me one last opportunity to sub on his Sunday night team, for which I was a regular member for a couple of years, last night.

Last night's bowling, frame-by-frame

My night was really made in the third game, when I made a drastic move out, and a subtle hand position change after leaving a couple of 10s led to a six-bagger to end the night.

Result: 164-159-211=534
Final average (9 games): 191

Composite average (96 games): 169

Team, with my help, won the third game by enough for total and four points, with Peter telling me they hadn't won more than two points against our opponents all season.

Last night's bowling, frame-by-frame

Strikes were elusive after my turkey in the first game, but I did make most of the easy spares, with motivation actually involved in my single-pin miss to end the night. And what might have been my best shot of the night left a Westgate 7-10.

Result: 189-141-158=488
Average (90 games): 167
Average for last 9 games: 146
Next week's AVG+1 score: 555

Composite average (99 games): 169

Eric was absent, and we won no points.