USBC Masters Days 1 & 2

Got off to a good start at the Senior Masters. Shot +37 day 1 and +25 for day 2. Playing the edge of the OB with Brunswick Wild Card drilled 25 x 3 3/4 x 70. I wanted to let the ball burn up energy and not create too much change of direction at the back end. This worked well both days as I used a One drilled 15 x 3 7/8 x 70 and a 60 x 4 1/2 x 70 Mission the first day, as well as an old RXS drilled pin ring with about a 45 deg. This combination of balls allowed me to stay outside 12 and play the part of the lane that played a little tighter, which gave me a more consistent look the first two days.

Now for the mental part. After 2 weeks of getting beat up on the lanes after I let another player get into my head (and my confidence), and having no chance at the Senior U.S. Open (there were 0 left-handers in the top 24), the lefties have a good look this week. I have finally been able to just bowl and not worry about my swing or release or how far plus or minus I am. I have stayed patient, taken each shot, each pair as it comes and I've made the adjustments, bowled my best, and moved on. The 180 games have not bothered me - I've done my best and taken the result. I would like to stay in this frame of mind, now that I have it back. Work on your game in practice - when it's time to score: JUST BOWL.

PBA Sr Tour Columbus

The scores today were HIGH!!! I started 279-257, but then the transition got me, and I didn't shoot ANYTHING for the next 5, then finished with 267. This still leaves me 60 out of the finals, but I got some help from Mo yesterday and today, and we set my equipment up for tomorrow (when in doubt, sand it more and drill a bigger weight hole).

I started with the MoRich Mania, which was unbelievable at the beginning of the block, and I probably should have gone to my Mutant Cell in games 3-5 when the lanes got a little tighter, then on to the C-System 3.5 at the end of the block. I did go to the 3.5 the last 2 games and shot 215-267, but game 7 should have been 230-240 if I had been more focused.

Tomorrow the game plan is to start with the Mutant, then go to the Mania when the tighten up, then drop back down to the 3.5, probably after I make the turn or the next game after. I think I can get about +350 tomorrow, which would get me to +575 or so, which should be enough to make match play.

Masters - Day 2

The second day I started with a game plan to play the lanes straighter, as most of the lefties had more success doing that on day 1. In practice I had trouble finding a look going straight that I was comfortable with until I tried my pin-ring Clash, which reacted beautifully to the pattern. I used this ball the entire block. Once I made the turn down, I had even better reaction and shot 214-258 in games 3&4. This left me right at the cut score, but the last pair was much tighter and I couldn't get the ball to roll up properly. On a pace to shoot 190 clean and not make the cut, I gambled a little and squared my line up a little more. On the left lane in the 8th frame this worked, but the ball released too soon on the right lane and I left a 4-6-10. I ended up +40 and 23 pins off the cut score, but I was very happy with my tactical play and my physical play in this block. Sometimes you make a lane move decision and it's not the right one, but I'd rather do that then not make the move and "what if" myself afterwards.

Masters - Day 1

The Masters is a sprint and a grind. It's a sprint in that you only have 5 games each day to position yourself to make the cut. It's a grind in that you have to be patient and keep filling frames and keep yourself in the tournament. I did that today for the first 3 games, but didn't react enough when the mid-lane got tighter in game 4, costing me 3 consecutive opens. I should have made an arrow move left after the first washout, but instead tried to make a 2-2 left move, which didn't help my reaction at all.

Tomorrow I'll be bowling on the late squad, after 5 games have been bowled on it. As quickly as the right-handers moved into 20-25 on the fresh squad, I'll need to move left to stay off their burn in the front of the lane a little bit. This was also the most successful strategy used by the left-handers today, and falls into my comfort zone, anyway. So, I'll move left, firm up my ball speed, and try to stay on my toes to get the best reactions.