I have been really struggling with the PBA patterns so far.  The best I have managed is a 178 on the Chameleon in the last couple weeks.

I did the Ron Clifton Clinic 2 weeks ago.  He worked on my timing, release and overall form.  I really think its better but its like I'm trying to learn all over again.  Retraining my muscles to do it right, so I just don't feel natural yet. 

For some reason I cannot pick up my spares and it's just killing my game.

Sunday is a tournament in Portland with the Scorpion so I think I can work with that.

Tonight was the last night for Match Play tournaments at Astoria Lower Columbia Bowl.

The lanes have been resurfaced and now their oil machine has been upgraded for PBA patterns

Tonight was a Shark Pattern and it was very tough.  I really struggled to get an inside line, but it also proved difficult for spares.  This is a good precursor for the PBA experience league starting in a couple weeks.  Fortunately it will be handicapped otherwise if I bowl like I did tonight I would be in a world of hurt.  I don't have real high expectations but I look forward to getting experience on these difficult patterns. 

Next weekend I'm attending a 3 day clinic by Ron Clifton.  I hope I get a lot of things worked out with my game.

So it's been kind of quiet here this summer, what has everyone been up to?

I have not been bowling well lately but last night I did good enough to win the Match Play.  I had a horrible 1st game but so did everyone else.  I got just above average on the 2nd and then I got a 199 on the 3rd, not so good on the 4th game.  Fortunately everyone else fell apart on the 4th game as well.  Lower Columbia Bowl upgraded the oil machine to do PBA patterns.  I'm guessing they tried it out since there are a lot of premier bowlers that show up for this competition.

Got to love this game, anyone can struggle or be brilliant at any given moment.

I've just been doing the Monday night match play, working 3 weeks straight I haven't had much time for practice.  Anyway my bowling is a mess right now but Marc that runs the NW Bowlers Tournaments has a coach coming out to Oregon for 3 days, just in time to save me.  I'm pretty excited to get some help and video analysis so I can see what I'm doing wrong.  The coaches name is Ron Clifton.  Anyone know him?

My best game last night was 158.  Part of it is the wood lanes at Lower Columbia Bowl just got resurfaced and they are definitely less forgiving.  Everyone's scores are lower but the really good bowlers had it figured out by the end of the night.  My problems are with consistancy, timing, release, basically everything.  If it were easy it would be boring, right?

I did a little better tonight. In fact I got 1st place. My scratch scores were: 202 167 157 164 Add 79 handicap per game and 105 bonus point for 3 wins and a tie gives me 1111 total. On the 3rd game I started with 6 opens then finished with a 5 bagger to just win by 7. It was nice to go home wth some extra cash in the pocket and a smile on my face. :)