Well I might have found something that I was doing wrong in my game. Like I said in my last blog I bowl kind of like Ryan Shafer, and that I needed to start standing up at the line to hit my spot. So today I had a 700 club tournament, and I tried to stand up at my release, but it just wasn't working. I was still chicken winging it and the ball just wouldn't come back. Also again the ball wasn't picking up its roll. I originally thought that the ball had to be baked so I baked it and it still didn't pick up its roll. In the 10th frame of the second game I decided to not just stand straight up at the end of my approach but to stand straight up throughout my approach. And that is where it all turned around. I threw a turkey in the 10th and then started off with a strike in the next game and a solid 7 in the second frame. So I knew I was on to something. I continued to stand up as straight as possible throughout my entire approach and I started bowling like I used to. I not only was hitting my spot but the ball picked up its roll perfectly and the ball wasn't sliding past the break point like it has been. I finally have some confidence in my game again. For the last month I thought it was the way they were oiling the lanes but I now know that it was me that had the problem. For a month I couldn't get the ball to come back when I swung it out even if I hit my spot, and I could not figure out why my ball wasn't picking up its roll on the lane. I actually thought that the ball might have died out, but now I know it was me and hopefully I will be back averaging 200 again. Only time will tell.
Well I thought that my bowling was getting better but I guess I was wrong, but there might be a little light at the end of the tunnel. I was bowling tonight in league and I had another bad week. I barely made it over 500 tonight. I had a terrible 528, but it was better than last weeks score of 479. I have been taking my camera to the bowling alley and filming myself and I couldn't really see what I was doing wrong, but tonight I think I might have found something. I am the kind of bowler that likes to stand up in my stance at the end, kind of like Ryan Shafer, but I noticed that I wasn't really doing that. So tonight I forced myself to stand up straight at the end of my approach and all of a sudden I hit my spot my speed was better and my revs were better. However at the end of the night I started to pull a few balls. So what I think I need to do is keep forcing myself to stand straight until it comes naturally and then I should be in good shape. "Hopefully"
Well it looks like my bowling is getting back on track. I got a new knee brace and it seems to be helping. However, last Thursday was a horrible night for me. I bowled a miserable 479. But I can only blame myself. I couldn't seem to hit my spot all night. The only time I could hit it was when I used another ball but that ball was way too aggressive so that was no good. But the ball that I needed to use I could not hit my spot with it. I kept missing left. It's wired I can hit my spot with one ball but not with the other ball. Go figure. After that terrible night I went and practiced on Friday at a house where I had a tournament to play in the next day, and had someone video taped me. I found that I was dropping my shoulder just a tad and that was causing me to swing the ball out to far, but I did bowl a 632, so that's not too bad. And today I bowled in a city tournament and for now I am in 21st place in the singles and 16th in the doubles. I doubled with my dad and thank God I did because he held me up for the doubles. I only bowled a 589. That is kind of close to my average but even if I got my average, I normally wouldn't win anything in a tournament. But thanks to my dad we placed 16th. Then I bowled in the Singles and did a little bit better but I would have liked to bowl at least one pin more then I did because I don't like the number 666 because that is what I bowled. But it still is a pretty good score. I will update this when I get my official place in the city tournament.
God am I having a rough patch of bowling right now. I can't seem to break 180. For a couple of weeks now it ranges from 148 to 179. I can't seem to hit my spot. However, I am playing injured. I have to get an MRI done on my knee, and something is seriously wrong with my eyes, they keep going out of focus, and then back into focus. And the problem with my knee is my Madiskis; it might be torn. And if that is what is wrong I am out of bowling for a while. The strangest thing is I can only hit my spot if I extremely slow down my throw, but the shot that my house is putting out won't allow for me to go that slow. When I am throwing at my regular speed I am either to far left or to far in. Anyway I hope this rough patch passes soon because I am getting really frustrated, plus I have two tournaments coming up this next month, plus another one in April. Well thanks for listening. Bye
