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.

A BOOK RECOMMENDATION

 

Change is good!



Have you heard of a book called The Game Changer? The author is Mark Baker, a four-time PBA tournament champion and now a highly regarded instructor. I bought his book recently for my Nook and I have to say it has already helped me to correct some mistakes I was making.

This book is different from the others I've read in that it doesn't focus on acheiving a certain correct way to bowl. Baker's method isn't to rebuild your game from the ground up. Instead, he offers a method of achieving consistency so that you roll your best shot more often rather than continually try to make your best shot better. The methods Baker describes are logical and easy to follow.

I can't recommend this book highly enough. If you click the title link above, it will take you to the Barnes & Noble website where you can see reviews and order a copy if you like what you see.

WIN A STORM MARVEL-S FROM BOWLINGBALL.COM

52 Weeks - 52 Winners. We Give Away A Bowling Ball Every Week:


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WHERE CAN I GET ONE OF THESE?

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

PBA EXPERIENCE - EARL ANTHONY



Earl Anthony - 40'

We switch to the Earl Anthony pattern this week after two weeks on Shark. We bowled on it in last summer's Sport Challenge 23 but I was on vacation for those two weeks. I hoped to collect some useful tips and videos to post here as I did for the other patterns we've played but there's not much available for the Earl Anthony pattern. Thus, I'm in the same bind as last year when I posted this. However, I did find one useful tip from a former professional bowler here and the lane diagram to the left.

Diablo Valley Bowl had a communications mix-up Sunday morning as they dressed the lanes with Shark instead of Earl Anthony. I would have bowled on it anyway but I had a tournament in Pinole at noon so I left. Peter was there also and he stayed to bowl. Thankfully, Diablo got everything sorted out in time for the Sunday night practice session. I came back after the tournament, as did Peter, and we bowled six games. We had some struggles and our scores weren't very high but we still learned a few things from it. It probably didn't help that we were fatigued from bowling a lot of games earlier in the day.

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?

PRO BOWLING'S U.S. OPEN& “BATTLE OF THE SEXES”

There will be a new twist to the U.S. Open Champtionship this year. The men and women will hold their champtionships simultaneously in Columbus, Ohio. This will be followed by a single game bowl-off between the men's and women's champions. Even better, it will be shown live by ESPN on Saturday, July 27th starting at 9:00 AM (PDT). If you're working Saturday, set your DVR to record it.

DRAWING FOR A FREE BOWLING BALL

Bowlingball.com wants one of us to own this ball for free. Click on the link below to enter.

52 Weeks - 52 Winners. We Give Away A Bowling Ball Every Week:

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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

THE THREE NEW PBA OIL PATTERNS

Three new patterns were introduced on the PBA's Geico Summer Swing. They are Badger, Bear, and Wolf. They weren't used in our PBA Experience league this year but they might be available by next year. Here is some information about them:

The Bowling Tree: Three New Oil Patterns to Debut in Milwaukee for the GEICO PBA Summer Swing.

Don't forget that the PBA King of the Swing (Summer Swing championship match) is on TV today from 4:00-6:00 PM.

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PBA EXPERIENCE - SHARK

Shark - 43'

Many thanks to The Coach for filling in for me while I was out of town the past three weeks. I'll be back in time for week #10 when we shift to the Shark pattern for the next two weeks.

Shark is a 43' pattern (some sources list it as 44') with a moderate volume of oil. Jef Goodger at About.com shares these tips for playing Shark. Epic Bowling also has some helpful advice which you can read here. A common thread is that if you send your ball out wide on Shark, it's not coming back. It may well end up in the moat.

This You Tube video for Shark may be helpful:

I'll be at Diablo Valley Bowl Sunday morning to practice. Coach, you may be needed again so if you're not doing anything Sunday, come on out.

GEICO PBA KING OF THE SWING ON CBS SPORTS NETWORK

TUESDAY ON CBS SPORTS NETWORK (7 P.M. ET); GEICO PBA King of the Swing | Professional Bowlers Association:

It's a two hour telecast that begins at 4:00 PM, Pacific time. I hope everyone will get home in time to see it. I'll be at Wrigley Field watching the Cubs play the Angels so I'll have to miss this one.

Channel 613 on DirecTV, 418 & 732(HD) on Comcast Cable

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THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH BOWLING BUT IT'S COOL ANYWAY

A gymnast is throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at a baseball game in Korea.

PBA EXPERIENCE - SCORPION

Scorpion - 41'

I'm sorry I didn't get this up in time for week #8. That was the first week our league bowled the Scorpion pattern. Week #9 will be the last. Scorpion is a 41' pattern with a heavy volume of oil. Jef Goodger at About.com offers this advice for playing Scorpion. Epic Bowling has some descriptions and tips which you can find here.

You Tube has this video for Scorpion:

BOWLINGBALL.COM IS GIVING AWAY A STORM SYNC

52 Weeks - 52 Winners. We Give Away A Bowling Ball Every Week:



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PUT ON YOUR THUMB WARMER, AL BUNDY

Coach, I hope this photo I took today will inspire you. Let's rock.

Love & marriage, love & marriage, go together like a horse & carriage...

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 - VIPER

Viper - 37'

In weeks #6 and #7 we'll be bowling on the Viper pattern. Actually, I will be bowling on it only in week #6. I'll miss weeks #7 through #9 while I'm on my summer road trip. But I digress. Viper is a 37' pattern with a moderate volume of oil. Jef Goodger at About.com offers this advice for playing Viper. Epic Bowling has some descriptions and tips which you can find here.

Here is a helpful video from You Tube:

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

PBA EXPERIENCE - CHAMELEON

Chameleon - 39'

In weeks #4 and #5 we'll be bowling on the Chameleon pattern. Chameleon is a 39' pattern with a moderate volume of oil. Jef Goodger at About.com offers this advice for playing Chameleon while Epic Bowling offers more detail which you can find here.

For some video, here's an offering from You Tube: