After several PMs to and from Strider, we have decided that it would be better for me to use my PBA pattern league, which started last night. I have been assured by Strider that my partner MI_2_AZ will not be upset with me for not even coming within an order of magnitude of my entering average.
We were supposed to be playing on pattern D (for difficult) last night. I didn't believe it - I had a ball reaction. I was able to play over 15 and give away the pocket (going out to about 10) with my Inferno (cover in box condition). I even went to the counter and asked if they knew of anyone practicing on our pair to "wall it up." They said no. I asked the proprietor, with whom I work in the pro shop, about the pattern. He said that when they originally put it out, it played pretty tight, so they cut back on the volume from 45 mil. to 40. We usually use the same pattern two weeks in a row before switching to another (hence the league's name: "Switch the Shot"). He said they may go back to 45 mil. next week to see how they play. I checked the PBA website - what we had looked exactly like what they had, except for the volume. All I can say is "What a difference that tweak in the volume seems to have made!"
At long last, my scores: 207-214-221=642 What's next in the series? If you said 228, you'd be wrong - we bowl four games and my fourth game was not 228.
That's all I have to say about that, except that I did end up on the plus side.
I didn't check all the scores from other pairs last night, but I was bowling next to a PBA player who was struggling on the left side. Another lefty on that pair appeared to be struggling, as well. Only one other guy on my pair was plus, but in general, scoring on our pair wasn't bad. There was a 220-ish bowler (right-handed) on the pair on the other side of me that was about 90 over, with another guy on his pair shooting a couple 240 games and going about 60 over. Many struggled, and it is possible that I was actually bowling better than I thought I was. My only problem in the nameless game four was that I missed two single pin spares to keep from shooting a respectable score.
Although I don't think I'll be able to keep up this scoring pace, I'm quite pleased so far.
Sorry about the lengthy post - I hope it is informative to someone.
RW (THB?)
Edited on 5/22/2003 9:08 AM
