CBT HANDICAP DOUBLES TOURNAMENT

$1,000 for first place

California Bowlers Tour
Handicap Doubles Tournament
Saturday & Sunday, March 8th & 9th
Squad times - 12pm, 2pm, & 4pm both days

Diablo Valley Bowl

1500 G Monument Blvd, Concord, California 94520

View Map · Get Directions

$50.00 entry fee per team.
Brackets and high game pots.
Handicap is 80% of 220.
Bowl multiple squads (cash only once with the same partner).
Crossover partners.

DROPPING IN AT RAY'S CLINIC

Ray Spackman held one of his drop-in bowling clinics at Diablo Valley Bowl on October 5th. Sharon handled the bowling this time while I observed and shot some video. The clinic was very well attended. I counted ten lanes of bowlers. For $20, each attendee bowled for two hours while Ray roamed from lane to lane, providing instruction and encouragement.

My impression was that Sharon made some substantial improvements in her game. Ray worked with Sharon primarily to smooth out her first two step to resemble regular walking steps and to stop muscling the ball with her forward arm swing. Sharon kept an open mind and made a strong effort to work on the things Ray showed her. By the time the two hours were up, Sharon had a smoother, less strenuous delivery that will be easier to repeat consistently. Here are four shots taken during various points in the lesson. In the first you'll see Sharon is muscling the ball less than before and in the three subsequent shots, a vast difference is detectable.

RAY'S NEW DROP-IN BOWLING CLINIC

As we enter that time of year when the office is often closed on Saturdays, here's something we can do with our suddenly free time:


Click here to visit The Bowler's Advantage on Facebook



WEEKEND TOURNAMENT ACTION

There are two local doubles tournaments this weekend that I've added to the Upcoming Tournament listing in the right column.

Paddock Bowl has another of Gail's Scotch No-Taps Saturday night as a fundraiser for their youth bowling program. The tournament flier can be viewed here.

Also, Gina Moura's California Bowlers Tour is holding another handicap doubles with crossover at Diablo Valley Bowl on Saturday and Sunday.

I know Olivia's wrist has been bothering her so she may not be fit to enter any tournaments this weekend. Whether we get three or four of us in the crossover doubles at Diablo will depend upon how Olivia is feeling.

ANOTHER SINGLE BALL 8-GAMER AT DIABLO VALLEY BOWL

I didn't bowl well in the last one but it was still a lot of fun. To secure a spot, call or send an email to Pete Hagin at the address on the flier. Don't expect to show up at the tournamant and enter without an advance reservation. The last one was full in advance and had nine people on the waiting list.

PBA EXPERIENCE - WEEK 13 (FINAL) RESULTS

Blockheads:20
Vacant Team: 0

There appeared to be a mix-up in our league schedule. Somehow, our 13th week of the season was determined to be our final position round and our season ending sweeper combined into one event. Olivia and I bowled on the Earl Anthony pattern against the vacant team and won the full twenty points. We ended the season with a record of 124-136. It was certainly a feast-or-famine finish.for us with scores of 20-0, 0-20, and 20-0 in the final three weeks.

We failed to win any money in the sweeper but Olivia cashed in with a league honor for women's high handicap series.

WEEK 13 01  02  03  04  SER   G  PINS   AVG  HG HSER 200 700 800
Olivia 106 135 119 164  524  32  4186 130.8 198  606   0   0   0
Mark   214 152 167 164  697  40  6975 174.4 218  771   9   5   0
Sharon                        4   598 149.5 185  598   0   0   0
Gary                         12  1671 139.3 165  586   0   0   0
Total  320 287 286 328 1221  88 13430 152.6 387 1329   9   5   0

We were much more competitive this year than we were in last summer's Sport Doubles 23. Our record then was 106-163.This is where we stood at the end of last summer's Sport Doubles 23:

WEEK 14 01  02  03  04  SER   G  PINS   AVG  HG HSER 200 700 800
Olivia 140 138  96 176  550  32  4267 133.3 186  606   0   0   0
Mark   155 149 157 157  618  44  7231 164.3 212  720   3   1   0
Sharon                       12  1651 137.6 177  620   0   0   0
Gary                         16  2099 131.2 165  540   0   0   0
Total  295 287 253 333 1168 104 15248 146.6 377 1308   3   1   0

Our summer PBA Experience season is over. Now we wait to see where we stand with our diminishing fall/winter league.

THE SINGLES CHALLENGE LEAGUE

Here's another option for us in the event Over The Wall folds up. As the name suggests, it's not team bowling. We'd bowl as individuals just like in a singles tournament. I think it looks like fun and I'd rather do this than settle for a trios league in which one of us would have to sit out each week.

With Diablo Valley Bowl bringing back Penny Pinchers while also launching a trios league, a PBA Experience doubles league, and now this singles league on Monday nights, it sure seems that the plug is being pulled on Over The Wall. If they're going to struggle to raise ten teams of four bowlers, maybe the plug should be pulled.

PBA EXPERIENCE - WEEK 12 RESULTS

Blockheads: 0 - Team 9: 20

We came close in the first two games but Ray and Jim schooled us on the Earl Anthony pattern after that. We were swept 0-20 but we learned a few things so it wasn't all bad. We'll be out to practice on the Earl Anthony pattern Sunday morning to prepare ourselves for Round #2. 

This is the last week of the season before the sweeper. I need to find out which oil pattern the league will be using for the sweeper. Week 13 is supposed to be the last one on the Earl Anthony pattern.

WEEK 12 01  02  03  04  SER  G PINS    AVG  HG HSER 200 700 800
Olivia 121 123 111  97  452 28  3662 130.8 198  606   0   0   0
Mark   171 178 169 159  677 36  6278 174.4 218  771   8   5   0
Sharon                       4   598 149.5 185  598   0   0   0
Gary                        12  1671 139.3 165  586   0   0   0
Total  292 301 280 256 1129 80 12209 152.6 387 1329   8   5   0

THE STATE OF THE LEAGUE

Coach spoke to Bill Cotter last week and Bill was not feeling optimistic about our league for the upcoming season. As we well know, Diablo Valley Bowl has struggled to fill our league. We were down to five teams in Fall 2012 (Over the Wall I) and with every effort to recruit more bowlers, we brought it up only to eight for Winter 2013. (Over the Wall II).

I sense that Diablo Valley Bowl is also lacking confidence about the ongoing health of Over the Wall. Their 2013-2014 fall/winter schedule shows a new mixed 3s league and a sport doubles league forming on Monday nights. If we're not filling our existing league on Monday, how will we be keep it alive with two other leagues potentially siphoning off bowlers?

PBA EXPERIENCE - WEEK 11 RESULTS

Blockheads: 20 - Team 5: 0

This was our last night on the Shark pattern. Olivia and Jon were absent so it was just Peter and I bowling. Other than a few splits and missing a couple of easy spares, I had a pretty good night. Peter had some struggles finding a consistent path to the pocket until the final game. As a result, we pulled off a 20-point sweep. It was pretty close to being a scratch series in team handicap as we received four pins.

The league rules dictate that when two absent bowlers oppose each other, the match points go to the absent bowler whose team won the game. Since we won all four games and total pinfall, Olivia earned all of the match points versus Jon. With a 20-point night, our record improved to 104-116 and we likely moved up a place or two in the standings just in time for another position round.

WEEK 11 01  02  03  04 SER   G  PINS   AVG  HG HSER 200 700 800
Olivia 133 133 133 133  532 24  3210 133.8 198  606   0   0   0
Mark   167 200 171 217  755 32  5601 175.0 218  771   8   5   0
Sharon                       4   598 149.5 185  598   0   0   0
Gary                        12  1671 139.3 165  586   0   0   0
Total  300 333 304 350 1287 72 11612 161.3 387 1329   8   5   0

PBA EXPERIENCE - WEEK 10 RESULTS

Blockheads: 7 - McEachrans: 13

We had a good debut on the Shark pattern. Olivia and I shot over our averages in three of the four games. Olivia topped her previous high game and high series. We also topped our previous high game and series as a team. On the surface, one would think we won most of the points. However, we won only 7 of the 20 points because Jim and Stephen McEachran bowled better.

Even though we came out on the losing end, bowling on a tough oil pattern against excellent opponents and earning seven points was a satisfying experience. Each game except for the second was in doubt until the tenth frame. We made the McEachrans work hard for their 13 points.

As a team, we received 56 pins in handicap. For the match points, Olivia was spotted 41 pins and I was spotted 15. The game and series scores including handicap were 378-389, 352-405, 380-415, 443-417 - 1553-1626. Olivia earned four match points and I earned one.

WEEK 10 01  02  03  04  SER  G  PINS   AVG  HG HSER 200 700 800
Olivia 121 143 144 198  606 24  3210 133.8 198  606   0   0   0
Mark   201 153 180 189  723 28  4846 173.1 218  771   6   4   0
Sharon                       4   598 149.5 185  598   0   0   0
Gary                        12  1671 139.3 165  586   0   0   0
Total  322 296 324 387 1329 68 10325 151.8 387 1329   6   4   0

PBA EXPERIENCE - WEEK 6 RESULTS

Blockheads: 13 - Team 6: 7

We had a few mix-ups on our path to the Viper pattern but in the end, it was a successful one. We were scheduled to bowl Mike Galli and Roxanna Horton, two outstanding bowlers. Mike has the highest average (207) among the men in our league while Roxanna has the highest average (183) among the women.

Mike and Roxanna had scheduling conflicts that required them to postpone our bowling Monday night. They arranged to have it post-bowled on Sunday, June 22nd. Olivia and I agreed to bowl with them on Sunday. Everything was sorted out. Except it didn't quite work out that way. It's actually June 24th that Roxanna will be unavailable and Mike missed the cut in the tournament he entered so both of them were able to bowl Monday night. They tried to reach us through Diablo Valley Bowl to inform us they would be bowling on our regular schedule but the messages never reached us.

I also had a change in plan. I have to leave for the airport earlier on Sunday than I previously planned so I too had to bowl Monday night. I contacted Olivia and she said she would be there to bowl with me Monday night. Then Olivia had a hitch in her plans so she couldn't make it. Thus, it we ended up with Mike, Roxanna, and I bowling Monday night. Olivia's average was used in her absence.

Now for the good news. I bowled extremely well in the first three games and we won 13 of the 20 points against very tough competition. It was my first experience with Viper and it didn't crush me the way Cheetah did. I had a few strikes early in the fourth game and a shot at an 800 series. But later in the game, four bad shots left me with washouts and I failed to convert any of them. Still, three good games out of four isn't bad. We're 33-7 in the last two weeks so we should be moving up in the standings.

WEEK 6  01  02  03  04  SER  G PINS   AVG  HG HSER 200 700 800
Olivia 131 131 131 131  524 12 1582 131.8 189  580   0   0   0
Mark   200 202 218 151  771 24 4123 171.8 218  771   5   3   0
Sharon                       4  598 149.5 185  598   0   0   0
Total  331 333 349 282 1295 40 6827 157.6 349 1315   5   3   0

We have one more week on Viper before we switch to another pattern. I think it's going to be Scorpion after Viper. I will be on the road the next three weeks so The Coach will be filling in for me. I highly recommend you read the notes and watch the video on the Viper pattern that I posted recently. They helped me a ton.

PBA EXPERIENCE - WEEK 5 RESULTS

Blockheads: 20 - Vacant Team: 0

This was our last week on the Chameleon pattern and we drew the vacant team for it. Since we didn't have live opponents, we had to bowl within a certain range of our averages to earn a point.

Our team average was 296. Olivia didn't have 12 games on the books so she was still using her entering average of 133. My average was 163. We bowled pretty well, scoring our high series and high game (game #4) for the season. We easily cleared 296 in all four games and won all of the team points in addition to the individual match points.

WEEK 5 01   02  03  04  SER  G PINS   AVG  HG HSER 200 700 800

Olivia 123 125 143 189  580 12 1582 131.8 189  580   0   0   0
Mark   191 185 171 188  735 20 3352 167.6 204  735   2   2   0
Sharon                       4  598 149.5 185  598   0   0   0
Total  314 310 314 377 1315 36 5532 153.7 377 1315   2   2   0 

Next week we'll switch to the Viper pattern.

PBA EXPERIENCE: WEEK 4 RESULTS

Olivia was back in action this week and we took on two tough customers in Jerry Kennedy and Chris Wu. They had to spot us 70 pins per game in handicap as we had our first of two weeks bowling on the Chameleon oil pattern.

We started off fairly well and almost pulled out a win in the first game. Then in the second game we were paid a visit by Jeff Falk. Jeff promptly spilled his cup on water on the floor behind us and our scores took a sudden nosedive. Thanks for stopping by, Jeff! Jerry and Chris swept us with only the first and fourth games being fairly close.

WEEK 4  01  02  03  04  SER  G PINS   AVG  HG HSER 200 700 800
Olivia 153 107 110 127  497  8 1002 125.3 182  505   0   0   0
Mark   168 154 174 204  700 16 2617 163.6 204  700   2   1   0
Sharon                       4  598 149.5 185  598   0   0   0
Total  321 261 284 331 1197 28 4217 150.6 345 1220   2   1   0

Will To Win: BOWL BAY AREA'S ONE-BALL TOURNAMENT

Will To Win: BOWL BAY AREA'S ONE-BALL TOURNAMENT: Are you interested in an unusual test of your bowling skills? Pete Hagin's Bowl Bay Area is hosting an eight-gamer on June 2nd (Sunday)...

Here are our scores:

     SHARON MARK
1      115   144
2      211   135
3      167   200
4      158   158
5      169   172
6      155   181
7      114   164
8      124   200
TOTAL 1213  1354
AVG    151   169

PBA EXPERIENCE - WEEK 3 RESULTS

Sharon subbed for Olivia this week which was our last week on the Cheetah pattern. Next week we switch to Chameleon. Actually, that will be in two weeks. We won't be bowling next week because of the Memorial Day holiday. We will switch to Chameleon on June 3rd. The way I bowled on Cheetah the past two weeks, I can't say I'm unhappy to see it go.

I haven't bowled on Chameleon before and I won't be able to practice on it in advance. Diablo Valley Bowl will be hosting Bowling Bay Area's single ball 8-gamer and an ABT tournament on June 2nd. I suspect that won't leave any lanes open. Sharon and I are bowling in the single ball 8-gamer so I won't be able to practive on Chameleon even if they do put it on a few lanes.

Here are tonight's scores. It's almost as painful to type them as it was to bowl them.

WEEK 3  01  02  03  04  SER  G PINS   AVG  HG HSER 200 700 800
Olivia                       4  505 126.3 182  505   0   0   0
Mark   123 192 160 118  593 12 1917 159.8 204  692   1   0   0  
Sharon 128 149 185 136  598  4  598 149.5 185  598   0   0   0
Total  251 341 345 254 1191 20 3020 151.0 345 1220   1   0   0

PBA EXPERIENCE - WEEK 2 RESULTS

Olivia was present this week but we still don't have any handicapping. Until our entering averages can be established, we won't know the total scores or standings. This was our first of two weeks on the Cheetah pattern. This is the pattern the produces the highest scores on the PBA tour. You certainly couldn't tell that by our scores. Oof!

WEEK 2  01  02  03  04  SER  G PINS   AVG  HG HSER 200 700 800
Olivia 117 160 132  96  505  4  505 126.3 182  505   0   0   0
Mark   135 163 175 159  632  8  632 158.0 204  692   1   0   0
Total  252 323 307 255 1137 12 1829 152.4 336 1220   1   0   0

PBA EXPERIENCE - WEEK 1 RESULTS

We started with a meeting to establish our league rules. Rather than a regular sport league, this will be a PBA Experience league with the champions qualifying for entry to a regional PBA tournament. For our league to qualify, we must bowl on PBA patterns for a minimum of 12 weeks. Our season is 13 weeks long and we already had Dead Man's Curve on the lanes for our first night. We will bowl on PBA patterns for the remaining 12 weeks which will allow us to qualify for the tournament entries.

Anothing thing that will be done differently this year is we're not breaking each night's bowling into two sets of two games to be bowled on different lanes against different opponents. We will bowl a four game series on the same pair of lanes each night.

Olivia was absent so I bowled solo tonight. I don't know if we won because we don't have the handicapping listed.  Our averages from last year's Sport Doubles 23 league weren't reported to the USBC. I have the stat sheets so I know Olivia's is 132 and mine is 163. I emailed copies of last year's stats to Diablo Valley Bowl so they can get our averages on the record and figure out the handicapping and standings.

WEEK 1  01  02  03  04  SER  G PINS   AVG  HG HSER 200 700 800
Olivia 132 132 132 132  528                          0   0   0
Mark   147 204 181 160  692  4  632 173.0 204  692   1   0   0
Total  279 336 313 292 1220  4  632 173.0 336 1220   1   0   0