Well I bowled in my Saturday morning league today with my new Ebonite Gamebreaker. Amazing ball and it is very forgiving. I shot 689 - 245, 248, 196... 3rd game messed me up a little... my carry was leaving and adjusting was slightly difficult... so i missed my 700 series...

Well tonight wasn't a great night. I rolled games of 184, 171 and 179 for a 534 series. Carry wasn't a problem I had 18 strikes on the night, eight the first game, four the second game and 6 the last game. I had six single pin leaves, of which I converted only two, and those were 5 pins, one left from a pulled ball that crossed over and one from a ball that came in at to shallow of an angle. The misses were a 4 pin, 7 pin and two 10 pins. The 4 and 7 I threw at a target for releasing it straight but hooked it instead. The two ten pins I tossed one in the gutter and the other straight up the middle. The spares were the issue, three opens in the first game with only one a really hard spare, the 3-4-7-10 catching only the 10 just missing the 3. The others were the3-6-9-10 of which I get only the 6-9 and 4-8 which I didn't get the ball across the lane enough and missed the 4. I had three more the second game a 2-10 split, leaving the 8 on a 2-8 and missing the first 10 pin. The last game was four opens, 4 pin, 7 pin, 10 pin and pulling the first ball in the tenth for a 6 count split that I can't remember. Every ball that game but the tenth was in the pocket, high leaving the 4, light leaving the seven and in there pretty good leaving the 10. Luckily my anchor was rolling the ball good and the two lower average bowlers held their end up and the other team, which is first place, was down two bowlers from the start that could have pre-bowled but didn't and the two that showed up just didn't do all that well. We took all four, not sure if we will move up from fifth.

Cal, on nights like that, I actually can replay every frame in my mind and analyze what I did on each shot. I usually come away with an assessment of how many good balls I actually rolled of the total. And, I don't mean the crossover strike. I mean the balls where my timing was good. My release was there, follow through and balance. I can usually say that I did alright, the carry was just not there or I didn't do something like read the lanes well. If my mechanics worked, I am satisfied. Reading lanes is something I have to really have to learn better.

My mechanics were there for the most part, I was in the pocket most of the night, putting the ball where I wanted most of the time. One lane started to give me trouble late in the first game and trying to get it figured out threw me off on the other, especially when I was using a different ball for each lane. That was the second game. I would do different adjustments and just couldn't get the ball in the pocket solidly. I started with the Purple Ogre, and ended with the Radical Inferno. I'm thinking of just starting out with the Radical next week since I'll be on the end pair and that pair seems to hook more and I have to adjust more and sooner. My biggest thing from last night was leaving too many easy spares on the lane. I was doing pretty good covering them for a while there, and now its erratic, one day good the next not so good.

I had the best week of bowling in my life. I've brought my Friday night average up to 190 and I also finished the night by rolling my highest sanctioned game ever. I've had some rough nights in November, but I've also had some of my best nights. This was one of them.

Game 1: 200
Game 2: 181
Game 3: 236
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Series: 617

I stayed with the Radical Inferno all night, only needing to move inside about 3 boards maximum. It was one of those nights when it seemed like the ball had its own guidance system. My ball had a nice arc to it when I moved in, which I prefer over trying to throw a big hook. That last game, it seemed nothing at all could go wrong. I was stringing strikes like crazy and stayed clean. Absolutely my best game in a long time. Even my personal best game of 240 started with an open frame.

I hope the good scores continue. I've had 3 600 series this month - 2 in this week alone - after having 2 all season long.

Great bowling Richard!

Nice job pegleg and Richard.
I am looking to get off the schnide this week. I'm getting a little quick in my footwork and starting to muscle the ball again. Got to nip that #$&@ in the bud. I am also starting to think I need another ball. I am looking for a strong ball that flips at the end instead of the steady arcing type I have now.
I'll start researching this week...I'll have to wait till after the Holidays though. Any suggstions to consider??

Way to go Richard!!!

Good job Richard. Keep it going!

Tough break. I know there's nights when I can't pick up the 10 pin to save my life. Despite games of practicing only the 10 pin, its still somewhat of a "boogey man". But its a clear illustration how important spares are. Getting just spares may not make your game, but not getting them will be a sure death for your game. Just get out there and practice, keep it up and never rerack spares in practice. Spares are not glamorous and they won't get you over 200 but they will keep you from shooting 150s.

Just a side note. Ite really hard to use two different balls for two lanes. Most drillers cannot get the "feel" close enough to go from ball to ball that quickly and frequently to enhance consistency. You might have to play the lanes 3 or 6 boards different, but it would still be easier then using two different balls, IMO. In my world, I try to avoid this. In fact I try to avoid switching balls at all in the three game set. So that first game I'm really focused on how my ball is entering the pocket and how much power it has when its there. I don't force a ball to work, even if I don't fully understand at the time why it isn't.

Erin