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2015 - 2016 Bowling Season


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I searched and the last bowling thread we had here was from 2012. :o

 

Since I got a new job closer to home, I am finally able to join a bowling league. We had our meeting/warm-up night last night. We got 2 free games and I shot 203 and 207. Not bad considering I've bowled very little over the past 3 years. I'm counting on my teammates to provide the handicap. ;)

 

I also got a new ball for the first time in 15 years or so. It's fun to see it react much farther down the lane than my old ball. I've only bowled 4 games with it so I'm still getting accustomed to it. Should be a fun year.

 

One thing I found odd was that one guy during our meeting wanted to cap the amount of handicap a bowler could get. Right now we are at 100% of 200 so if someone has an 80 average, they get 120 pins of handicap. He didn't like that. We voted on it and it didn't pass but I've never heard anyone complain about that before.

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So I guess I'm starting the year with a 164 average. Not horrible I guess. It gives me a chance to raise it up over the year rather than starting with a 220 and dropping. The last league I was on I was somewhere around a 195 avg.

 

I'm also using a brand new ball and still getting used to how it reacts.

 

Drama in the league has already started as well. It's a handicap league (100% of 200) and one guy wanted to cap the amount of handicap a bowler could have at 100 pins. I'm not even sure that's legal under USBC rules? It got voted down anyway.

 

Then our secretary got offended and quit the league because we voted to make the secretary fees $16/team instead of $4/bowler. The reasoning behind this is complicated. There are 4 bowlers/team, but you are allowed to have an extra bowler or two on your roster. So if someone can't make it one week, another bowler can step in. Someone brought up the fact that if someone only bowls once or twice throughout the whole year, should they really be subject to the full amount of fees?

 

The secretary left a copy of her "resignation letter" on all the lanes. She claims it wasn't about the money even though that's the exact reason she quit. :wacko:

 

Whatever. I'm just there to have fun and enjoy a night out with no kids.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
  • 5 weeks later...

I shot 220, 233 & 234 last night for a 687 series. Kicking myself for missing a few really easy spares. Could've easily had a 700 series had I converted one or two of them. It's my first 600 series of the year though, so I'm happy about that.

 

My average jumped from 180 to 186. I'd like to get it up above 190 at least.

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QUOTE (Iwritecode @ Oct 14, 2015 -> 09:47 AM)
I shot 220, 233 & 234 last night for a 687 series. Kicking myself for missing a few really easy spares. Could've easily had a 700 series had I converted one or two of them. It's my first 600 series of the year though, so I'm happy about that.

 

My average jumped from 180 to 186. I'd like to get it up above 190 at least.

Do you have 10 lb. balls?

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I think I was the one that started that bowling thread a few years ago...

 

I still bowl in a league every year, but my game has derailed. I ended up around a 190 a few years ago, then around a 185 the next, a 180 the next and now I'm around a 170-175 most nights. I still have a good time every week, but my game has definitely gotten worse.

 

 

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Nice games Code. And about the capping of handicap, I have seen it done before and I think it makes sense. My Tuesday league because one huge mix of teams after 3 leagues all lost teams and merged. So we have all guy teams, all women teams and some mixed. Just this last Tuesday we bowled one of the all women teams. The highest average on the team was a 135. Well, their 90 average bowler got lucky and bowled the first 3 frames as strikes. She had her average by the 4th frame, and the rest was gravy. It is just easier for a lower average bowler to bowl more pins over than a higher average bowler. To match that lady's score for the game (she had a 150-something) I would have had to bowl a 240. I didn't bowl a 240. I bowled a 200, but not 240.

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QUOTE (KG#1 @ Oct 19, 2015 -> 08:26 AM)
I think I was the one that started that bowling thread a few years ago...

 

I still bowl in a league every year, but my game has derailed. I ended up around a 190 a few years ago, then around a 185 the next, a 180 the next and now I'm around a 170-175 most nights. I still have a good time every week, but my game has definitely gotten worse.

Mine has gotten both better and worse. I have a much better shot now so I hit the pocket more and with more authority, but my failing body (bad knees, bad feet, arthritis in hands) has me doing weird things. i swear no to approaches are the same, and at least 4 or 5 times a night I will drop the ball well before where I need to throw it. I have gone up to the low 180's now, but could be more if I was in better shape.

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QUOTE (Alpha Dog @ Oct 22, 2015 -> 10:06 AM)
Nice games Code. And about the capping of handicap, I have seen it done before and I think it makes sense. My Tuesday league because one huge mix of teams after 3 leagues all lost teams and merged. So we have all guy teams, all women teams and some mixed. Just this last Tuesday we bowled one of the all women teams. The highest average on the team was a 135. Well, their 90 average bowler got lucky and bowled the first 3 frames as strikes. She had her average by the 4th frame, and the rest was gravy. It is just easier for a lower average bowler to bowl more pins over than a higher average bowler. To match that lady's score for the game (she had a 150-something) I would have had to bowl a 240. I didn't bowl a 240. I bowled a 200, but not 240.

 

That's the thing about bowling though. If you have a 180 average and bowl a 240, that's pretty damn good and you should win. But it's the same if someone with a 90 average bowls a 150. Sure the better bowlers can throw a 150 with their eyes closed but for a lesser bowler, that's a huge accomplishment. There's probably a reason they only have a 90 average.

 

It all evens out in the end anyway. It's damn near impossible for anyone to consistently bowl 60 and 70 pins over their average, because if they do, their average will just keep going up.

 

 

My team has a pretty good mix. Our averages are 126, 127, 149 & 187. We are in first place by 3 points and bowl against the 2nd place team next week.

 

 

 

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QUOTE (Iwritecode @ Oct 22, 2015 -> 02:12 PM)
That's the thing about bowling though. If you have a 180 average and bowl a 240, that's pretty damn good and you should win. But it's the same if someone with a 90 average bowls a 150. Sure the better bowlers can throw a 150 with their eyes closed but for a lesser bowler, that's a huge accomplishment. There's probably a reason they only have a 90 average.

 

It all evens out in the end anyway. It's damn near impossible for anyone to consistently bowl 60 and 70 pins over their average, because if they do, their average will just keep going up.

 

 

My team has a pretty good mix. Our averages are 126, 127, 149 & 187. We are in first place by 3 points and bowl against the 2nd place team next week.

Nice. Keep it going! For the moment mine is in second place and for some reason I have the high average. Our anchor bowler is usually a little above 190 but he is down this year at 165! He just can't get a 10 pin to save himself this year. We have 3 160's 3 170's and me at 181 for now. (we have a rotation)

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Ever just lose your line in the middle of a game? First 7 frames last night were all in the pocket, got 4 strikes and 3 9 counts (all 10 pins!). Then the wheels fell off. 8th frame my bad hands took over and I dropped the ball early resulting in a nasty split. Then it seemed I could do no right. 2 more opens to end the game. Then 160's for the next 2 games that were struggles in themselves. We still got 3 points, and are tied for second at the moment.

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I started bowling in I believe 5th grade. I bowled all through high school and by the time I was a Senior in high school I averaged in the 190's. After high school I took 3 years off from league and just bowled a few times a year for fun. I then joined back up for one season and averaged in the 170's at a pretty run down bowling alley. I then took another 5 years off from league and came back for one season at the bowling alley I bowled at growing up. This time I averaged just shy of 200 (196 or 197 if I remember correctly). It has now been four years or so since I've bowled league but do occasionally bowl in fundraising tournament and tavern league tournaments.

 

My all time high is a 279 that I bowled at age 16 or 17. Started with 9 in a row and then 9-spare-strike in the 10th. Despite always having a pretty decent average and many games in the 240's-250's, I have never bowled a 700 series. I've probably bowled a good 50 or so 600's but never a 700. The closest I have come was my last year bowling league. I started with a 240 something and 250 something in the first two games but kind of lost my line in the third and ended up in the 690's for the series. Part of the problem was a few too many blackberry brandies before that third game.

 

I've never been a big time strike thrower but have always been real good at picking up spares. I don't throw a big power hook usually lining up around the middle and playing near the gutter and in. Norm Duke would be a good comparison for the type of ball I throw. My current go to ball is a 15lb Hammer Black Widow. I also have a 16lb Hammer No Mercy. Always used a 16lb until I got that Black Widow. I like the slightly lower weight now because I can throw it a little harder but still maintain a similar line.

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QUOTE (Alpha Dog @ Oct 28, 2015 -> 12:57 PM)
Ever just lose your line in the middle of a game?

 

More times that I care to admit. :lol:

 

Had a decent night last night. Shot a six-thirty (something) series. Missed an easy spare in the 10th frame of the 3rd game though. Ended up with a 200 exactly in that game. Should've been more like 220.

 

I got my average up to 189, we are in first by 5 games and I currently have the high scratch series in the league at 687. So I'm happy.

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I bowl in a league that has 50 teams, broken down into 3 divisions based on team averages from last year. My team is in the middle division; our first trimester ended last week, and we finished in 5th place in our division. 3 of our regular bowlers have a lower average this year compared to last year (including myself) so we have room for growth.

 

I've been thinking of picking up the Mongoose Optimum wrist support to see if it can help my game. I've read reviews online, but does anyone here have any feedback on it?

 

 

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QUOTE (smalls2598 @ Nov 4, 2015 -> 11:58 AM)
I bowl in a league that has 50 teams, broken down into 3 divisions based on team averages from last year. My team is in the middle division; our first trimester ended last week, and we finished in 5th place in our division. 3 of our regular bowlers have a lower average this year compared to last year (including myself) so we have room for growth.

 

I've been thinking of picking up the Mongoose Optimum wrist support to see if it can help my game. I've read reviews online, but does anyone here have any feedback on it?

 

That looks like a basic brace that keeps your wrist locked into one position. I wear a brace that is fully adjustable. Been using it for probably 20 years now. The very first year I used it my average went up by about 20 pins.

 

I can't find a pic of it (I'm not even sure they sell it anymore) but it looks sort of like this:

 

robbysrevs2.jpg

 

My daughter and most of the girls on her school bowling team wear the Brunswick PowrKoil Adjustable Bowling Wrist Support. (You'll have to google it)

 

It's definitely helped her get a little more lift on the ball. It's just a matter of controlling the hook now. Although she does complain that her index finger gets squished under the brace when she throws her ball.

Edited by Iwritecode
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I had a horrible week last week. Didn't hit my average even once and made it go down a pin. Thankfully we were bowling the vacant team so we still won all 3 games plus series.

 

Last night I had two good games with a crap game in the middle. 241, 149, 221. I hit the pocket in the last 5 frames of the second game and got: a pocket 7-10, solid 10, solid 10, strike, solid 10. :angry:

 

Again though, we won all 4 and are solidly in first place. I got the pin back in my average so it's up to 189.

Edited by Iwritecode
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Bowled a 612 last night, first 600 series in a while. Been close, even had 599 on Saturday. Joy was short lived, however, as we lost 2 of 3. In the second game, the OTHER team bowled a 168, 201, 232, 278 ans 279. Ouch. We had a 980-something scratch, they were over 1100!

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I'm on an every-other-week kick here lately. One week I do pretty good, the next week I bowl like s***. This week was my awful week. First two games I was a good 20 pins under my average. Kept getting splits. Left lane I was pretty good. Right lane I couldn't throw a strike to save my life.

 

In the last game I finally started using a different ball on the right lane only. Started out with five in a row and then fell off. Ended up with a 198.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Finally had a good night last night. 224, 215, 211

 

I figured out at least three things I had been doing wrong the past few weeks. I had to move over farther left than what I'm used to, I had to adjust my wrist brace slightly and I had to make sure I followed through on my swing. I only threw one split the entire night.

 

We are still hanging on to first place but just barely. The second place team is only 2 games behind us and next week is a position week.

 

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QUOTE (Iwritecode @ Dec 2, 2015 -> 11:28 AM)
Finally had a good night last night. 224, 215, 211

 

I figured out at least three things I had been doing wrong the past few weeks. I had to move over farther left than what I'm used to, I had to adjust my wrist brace slightly and I had to make sure I followed through on my swing. I only threw one split the entire night.

 

We are still hanging on to first place but just barely. The second place team is only 2 games behind us and next week is a position week.

Nice job. I have issues on my Tuesday league. They have the dots going across the lane maybe 4 feet out, but unless i look down and track a board to my spot, I have no idea if I am off a few boards or not. Would help to have a row of dots going up the middle of the approach as well like most other places have. Seriously thinking of bringing some dot labels with me and just placing on there myself one night.

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