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.

It's been a couple weeks.  My Laptop computer is broke for now so I have to check in with my iTouch or someone elses PC. 

I've been bowling very poorly the last couple weeks so nothing exiting to post.  I spent a couple hours practicing yesterday and got some coaching from Ozzie Osborn.  Not the classic Heavy Metal star, just a guy that has been bowling all his life and is good at what he does.  Anyway he noticed my timing is off and I was taking too large of a last step on the approach.  I was also swooping low (mostly with my right shoulder) to get the ball on the floor and then coming up during the release.  All this was making my accruacy go all to heck.  He said I was trying to hook it too much.  I took a shorter last step and kept my head up, back straighter, and a good follow through.  Well the ball had less arc but it went to the pocket for a stike.  Next ball did the same and then the next.  So I think I'm on to something here.  Now I just need to be better at spares.  Lately the 7 pin has been my problem, I did real well on the 10 pin yesterday.  I usually shoot the 10 going diagnal across the lane in a fairly straight line.  I'm not able to mirror the shot to the 7 pin.  I'm thinking about using my stike ball more for these shots on the left side.  What do you think?

We won all 4. That should put us in 1st. Our team held the top scratch game and series, handicap game and series records. We broke them all tonight and even though I have the lowest average (148) I did my part too. I bowled 205, 159, and 216 for a 580 series. My best at Recreation Lanes, in fact the only time I've bowled 2 games over 200 there. I'm pretty pumped about that! Sweepers next week and the bowl off. I just wanted to gloat.

The Doc dropped the ax on my chances to return to bowling this season.  I almost had him convinced but at the last minute he decided it wasn't worth the risk.  I totally understand why, I just don't like it.  He's protecting me and himself, because if I re-injured myself I could say that he gave me permission and it would be on him.  He basically put it, "You don't want to do this surgery again."  I can't argue that.  So even though it's not my bowling arm I still support the ball at the beginning of my approach and also swing it out for balance at the release.  That is where he feels the danger is.  So no bowling until June.