Washington DC YG Bowling Club

This past weekend was our 2nd mandatory tournament which was another stop on the AMF DC Summer Tour. This time around was even better then the first one. Everybody from the club showed up, even a person who was interested in joing but wanted to check us out first. The tournament was at Marlow Heights.. We all got there around 12:30, 1 o'clock so that we could bowl the first squad. When I got there a good friend of my mines and new member to the club (Chris aka C hawk) was already there. This was his first tournament and he was trying to get it in lol, he had been texting me all week about getting his new ball drilled and getting on the lanes, he was so excited he had his parents come through to watch him bowl lololol(mybad son I had to put that in there lol). We was chilling waiting on the tournament director to set up when Manny, Shoye, and Ron walked in, and at that point the whole DCYG was there and we was ready to have some fun and hopefully win some money...

So about 10-15 minutes went past and everything was set up and we went to get signed up. We was in line for about 10 mins laughing and joking b4 we got signed up, but we eventually did and went to our lanes. Manny and Chris bowled together, Shoye and ROn bowled together, and I bowled with some random dude ( but that's a whole nother blog).

When we started bowling it seemed like a house shot, but eventually found out that it was Marlow's version of the " Cheetah Pattern ". You can check the results out on the tournament results page. Chris opened the 2nd game with the front 4, and since this was the pot game me and everybody else thought we was done, eventually he finished with a 187+59 = 246. I came from behind ( NO HOMO!!!!!!!!l lololo) and won it with a 235+30=265. After bowling we all sat and chatted for a min, Ron was tripping off some movies shoye had purchased lol.I finished last in the squad so when everybody was done i had another ball to throw and it was a gutter so they was clowning me for that one...then we chucked the dueces and was out..... SO until the next tourny...I"LLL HOLLAAA... oh.. im going to williamsburg this weekend hopefully i find time to blog about wat i think is going to be a fun trip....

PEACE....

   " Finally" 

    Well I named this blog "Finally"  because  I have finally got into a rhythm on the tournament circuit. In the last 3 months I've been to 4 tournaments and cashed/placed high in all of them. The first one was at the Nabi Singles tournament in Ritchie, there I bowled good on the first day and made the semis but fell a little short out of the top 10( I finished 11th cashed). The 2nd one was at Bowl America Shirley at the Handicap Singles tourney. I bowled in this tournament before and didn't do so well in it so I was determined to do better this time, and on top of that my good friend JR had one it the week before. I bowled the first squad but didn't do good this time either but I got back in the second squad. I shot 708 scratch(my first 700set) and 810 hdcp to qualify second going into round robin, I finished 2nd place this time around(my second 2nd place finish at the time).The 3rd one was the 45th annual DC Summer Tour, me and the club went to the first stop. Me and my partner finished 2nd in the doubles I shot 721 and came in first place in singles(first 1st Place.) The 4th one was also at the DC Summer Tour on the second stop of the tour. This time I finished second in singles with a 734.

Four tourneys,4 cashes, 3 top 5 finishes. I think im finally in the groove.

Im going to try to keep it up this weekend when I go back to the DC Summer Tour for the final time. Wish me luck.......

 This weekend the tournament that I had been waiting 4  was here. It was one of the monthly handicap tournaments at Bowl America. All this week I was counting down the days, but at the same time I wanted to go to the NABI tournament in Bowle. Friday came and I made my decision to go to Bowl America. I had bowled there b4 and did some video, so like I used to do in my football days, I reviewed the tape, seen where I played and was ready to go.

Sunday was the day. I got up around 9'oclock took a shower, washed my face, brushed my teeth, kissed the wifey and left. I left around and 10:00 oclock and I got there around 10:37 or something like that. I bowled the first squad and could not get anything going, my hy-road was hooking out the building and my blue vibe was just too unpredictable with the surface that I had and by the 3rd game I was finished so I decided to find something for 2nd squad. I shot 499(158,181,160). I was confindent that I could score but it was just something missing. In the first squad Jr shot 680 something(I can't remeber) including the front 10 in the second game for a 288 game so I went to him and did some labbing then I got in the 2nd squad. The cut was a bit high (761)  but I knew I could beat it.

1st game :  246                                                                                              246

I had 3 ten pins and a open in the 10th(missed the 10 pin)                 269

2nd Game : 269                                                                                             193  

I went  x 9/ 9/ x x x x x x x x x x                                                                        --------

3rd Game : 193                                                                                              708 

I had 4 or 5 single pin spares and finally shot my 1st 700set.

I shot 810 Handcap and was second high man of the whole tourney.

Then we moved to the cut round and round robin. I shot 217 in the cut round to make it to the round of 8

Round of 8

ME) 214 +34 = 247 VS Ronald Wormesly  155 + 25 = 207

Round of 4

(ME) 190 + 34 = 224 Vs Opponent  195 + 27 = 222

Title Match

203 + 34 = 237 Vs Opponent 190 + 59 = 249

Lane Condition : House Shot

Arsenal:

Hy Road - First Squad

Tropical Storm - Qualifiying

Blue Vibe - Round Robin

It was a good weekend for me and I am confindent going into the next tourney.

3-21-2009

" THE FIRST DAY "

  Earlier this week  I decided to get on my solo tournament gig and really get out on the circuit, so that's what I did. I went to AMF Ritchie for the NABI tournament and had a good feeling about the weekend.  I went to the first squad and didn't do so good. 190,144,129. The shot wasn't hard it was just that you had to have the right ball and play the right area of the lane.

The 2nd squad ws alot better. I shot 247 the first game with my Storm Hy-Road. 2nd game I shot 214( stone 8, and solid 9 in the 9th and 10th frame). 3rd game I lost my focus a little bit and shot 182 but I shot 700(643 Scratch) and qualified for the semis tommorrow so stay tuned to find out what happens the rest of the weekend!!!!!!!!!!!

So sunday was the semi finals and I was pretty confident that I had a chance to finally get my first title. I got to the bowling center and got focused, when the semis started I had the same look as the day before. Game 1 was a solid 204 and then everything went down hill from there. I was following a group of bowlers who were bowling extremely slow which slowed the pace and threw my rythm completely off, and on top of that they had low revrates which was pushing tons of oil down lane(on an already long shot). To make a long story short I shot 507 and finished 11th place this weekend(at least I cashed!!!) and is looking forward to BOWIE next week!!!!

9 Games

179 Avg/

Lane Condition:  Long pattern  with friction in the track area.

Ball of Choice : Storm Hy-Road

This has been a great start for me this season in tournaments. Last year I had a great tournament season I won 4 tournaments with 20+ cashes. This season is already starting off great.

February 22, 2009

I went to a NABI doubles tournament in AMF Laurel. The tournament was on a 37 ft modified house shot. There was no bump to the outside early but if you kept your target outside down lane you had great recovery.

Lane Play: I try to stay inside of the track because I knew alot of people would use it and it wouldnt be there for long. On patterns where there is a good amount of movement on the backend of the pattern I try and stay up the back of the ball.

Game 1: I had a slow start and a couple of errand shots and missed spares costed me this game with a 167. This was actually a good 167 only because in the 10th I got test parts of the lane I wanted to play next game.

Game 2: My test on the previous set of lanes worked which helped me to shot a 238. This was a clean game because I made the right move and stuck with it,

Game 3: The line held from lane to lane. I shot 212 which should have been another 230 game but a solid 8 pin cost me that in the 10th.

Scratch I shot a 615 I forgot my set handicap but my partner and I shot 1399 to grab 2nd place I took home 250.00 that weekend.

March 1, 2009

There was a handicap singles tournament at Bowl America in Alexandria, Va. The house has Brunswick Pro Anvilanes and uses a Kegel machine. The shot is a 40ft House Shot with a small bump around 5 not that big.

Lane Play: This pattern is open to all angles but speed is the issue. On a hard surface like Pro Anvilanes you have to stay soft with your speed so your ball can create friction. Again I brought out my Columbia Arch Rival.

Game 1: Not a bad start jus two splits in the 2nd and 3rd frames then spare turkey open in 9th and a blowout 7-10. I shot 169. What is up with me and the 160 1st games?? Well I knew I would need a big game to stay in the top.

Game 2: I got my line together and couldnt miss. Started this game with the front 9 not scared of the pressure I threw a perfect shot ringing 10 pin. I missed it because I was a lil pissed to shot a 267.

Game 3: Talk about consistency I start this game out with the front 7. I left a stone 7 pin missed because I was blown again then struck out for a 266.

In my last to games I had 22 out of 24 strikes all pocket shots. I shot my 2nd 700 this season. With handicap included I shot a 826 high man of the squad and got a bye into the round of 8.

I went home watched the PBA and came back to the Bowl America. Ready for match play. My 1st oppenant was a guy that just shot 280. Before match play you pick your lane out of a hat lucky him he drew the lane he shot 280 on.

Round of 8: The guy had a great line and I knew I was going to have throw a big game to beat him. He didnt move quick enough thinking he could play the same line twice but he was wrong. I shut him out in the 10th I shot. The final score was 211-203.

Round of 4: This was some match I had to play my doubles partner from last week. Well my look got better. I start out with the front 6 then a ringing 10 pin (AGAIN!!) picked it up this time. Cant miss in match play even though it was basically over. The final score was 276-189.

Final Match: Not to sound cocky but I already knew this tournament was mine.Still had my great look but the other guy was basically done so I slowed up and won. Final score 209-159.

I averaged 230 through this whole tournament almost shooting 300 3 times and got my 2nd 700 and won 650.  (All scores are scratch unsure of hanicap numbers in matchplay.)

I have won more money with my Columbia Arch Rival than any other ball.

Over the last few weekends I have been blessed enough to bowl well, Thanks for reading my blog this weekends tournament is a scratch tournament. Hopefully i can keep my hot streak going. 

Man I went out to US bowl this weekend and the lanes was terrible. All this week I was saying that I wasn't going to bowling no other squad after 12:00 and I shouldve have stuck to that plan. We showed up late and the 12:00 o'clock squad was sold out so I had no choice but to bowl the 2 o'clock.  My ball was hooking at the arrows. To make a long story short, I had a terrible day and just enjoyed the weekend.. I'll post the next tourney!!!!

Arsenal:

               Blue Vibe, Stack Lvrg          Cell Pearl, Stack Lvrg      Cherry Vibe, Pin ova bridge

                       OBO finish                            1500+Polish                           OBO finish

  This weekend started off alright I had a good day at work and all I could think of is bowling for some reason. Saturday me and Ron (aka JR)  was going out to US BOwl to bowl in the doubles tournament at 12:00 but we was too late and didn't make the sign up, so we decided to go to Bowl America and throw a few. We got there and bowled a couple of games match play style. The last game  I had the front 9 and then a vicious 4-9 pocket split. I finished with a 264.

Ball of Choice :   Hammer Blue Vibe     

  Lane Play: Sunday we got a little earlier start on sunday and made it to the 12:00 squad. In practice I had two different looks that looked good. First one was with my Ultra Zone standing on 20th board and looking up 10th board getting out to the 5th board and coming back. The second shot was with the Blue Vibe.  I was standing on the 30th board looking up th 15th board getting out to about the 8th board and coming back.

Game 1: Started off pretty good. I forgot what I hade through the first 6 frames but I know the last 4 was ringing 10 pins and I finished with a 191

Game 2:  I cleaned my blue vibe to begin game 2, this was the best move I've ever made. The blue vibe is very high maitanence. When it was dirty I couldn't carry anything but when it was clean I was carrying the building. I had the front 7 then I got slow with my speed and left the 3-6, I missed the spare and went off the sheet. 266

Game 3: I stayed focused and my carry went away again, still threw a decent game and finished with a 210.

The weekend was great and I learned a great lesson. CLEAN  YOUR HAMMER BALLS EVERY 6 FRAMES OR YOUR CARRY WILL BE HORRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

667+114= 781

It was the second weekend of the TNBA Doubles tournament at US Bowling. This was my most inconsitant and off weekend in awhile. Usually I have 2 different game plans. This week for some reason I only brought 1. This weekend I was bowling with Lamont (aka Lot), we bowl alot of tournaments together so the team chemistry was there we feed off each to stay competitive.

Oil Pattern: The oil pattern was the same as the past weekend, a modified house shot with one lane hooking to much and the other lane having hold.

Aresenal: Arch Rival, Cell Pearl G force Nebula. (PIcs and layouts will be up soon.)

Lane Play: I started out this week up the 1st arrow in practice again perfect line to the pocket. This time I decided go alittle more up the gutter basically throwing up the 2nd and 3rd board. This week I could use the same game plan but my transition would have to be left fast. Last week I bowled with people that played more of the inside part of the lane. This week 3 of the 4 people on the lane played outside.

Game 1: This game started out with the transition of moving left. The first frame played the lane I had in practice I go high flush and I mean high.The next frame I went brooklyn from the same line and left a 10 pin. I moved my feet 2 and my target 2 boards inside. Good move shot 215 which was a 235 basically but I got something on my shoe that stuck me the 2nd ball in the 10th and I threw a gutter ball but cleaned it up.

Game 2: This is when the good went bad. These high shots were turning into splits and the lanes got ripped up. Using my 2 and 2 moving method it was enough to over come the dry boards. I kept trying to beat the lane which I did in the end to strike out for a terrible 181.

Game 3: I was basically done. My ball reaction had become to strong pushing the ball up the lane would cause the ball to slide past the break point and I used everyball I had which I hate doing in tournaments. I couldnt get anything to go right. Having the chance of striking out with a BIG 141 I get a pocket 7-10 the first shot in the 10th bring the game to a horrible 120. I cant remember the last time I got that lost to shot a 120.

This weekend was a learning experience and my US Bowling weekend aresenal will be changing.

Blog by Jr

Im use to bowling tournaments just about every weekend. But since our weekly tournament branch closed I havent bowled a tournament in about 3 weeks. Needless to say I was pretty anxious about this tournament for that reason and also because the tournament site (US Bowling Alexandria,VA) is where I won my first two tournaments. We started off the meeting up at Parkland Bowl and then we got on the road to US Bowling. Once we walked in I saw a lot of familiar faces and heard about a 300 being shot in the earlier squad. We signed up at the front desk then when to the back room to pay and get a TNBA Membership and got our lane assignments.I was partner up with SHAYE FARELL

Oil Pattern: Seemed like a modified house shot which was going to transition into a reverse block immediatly. Most of the taffic was up the track or in the center of the lane. There wasnt a big swing area get the ball out to quick and your looking at a split.

Aresenal:

                             Arch Rival                        Cell Pearl                           G-Force Nebula

                            15x4/34x30                           4x4                                            4x4

Lane Play: I was assigned to lanes 19-20. Lane 19 was hooking alot around the track area in practice. Lane 20 had a hold and the track didnt open up as fast which was a good thing. On lane 19 I decided to stand on 8/10 and play up first arrow there was enough friction to the left to bring it back. Lane 20 I played the track area.  

Game 1: I started out with my Arch Rival. I got a good read of the lane and had a great reaction. I had a couple of mental and mechanical errors that made this a bad game. I missed a 9 and got a split in the 9th frame. Finished this game with a 188. Pretty good score wise considering some mistakes I made. I settled down knew what was need to correct for the next game and got comfortable with my reaction.

Game 2: Didnt have to make any adjustments the guys on my pair werent playing anywhere near my area. The reaction had gotten better. I had missed a shot right and fast, even with my straighter angles I washed out. Got the first two strikes in the 10th and then the ball went high got 8 count for a 202 good game. Good game wish I got a couple more shots to carry.

Game 3: I switch to my Cell Pearl stay in the same area start out with the front 4. The ball was reading the pattern great and carrying great. A lane issue next 2 us threw me off and I got wide again and washed out. Came back with a double, Spare in the 8th and 9th frame. First strike in the 10th then a 10pin spare. Ended with a 221.

I ended the day with a 611 not bad for the first weekend. I will be ready for the weeks to come though.

After we left the lanes we went to Carmen Dons Pro shop. We chilled in there for a while got some equitment cleaned and talked with people there. All in all it was a good day.

"LOT" 1-3-2009: 

                    Well today was our first tournament as a club and it was the GWBS/TNBA doubles/singles in Alexandria, Virginia at US Bowl. When I first walked in I thought that these lanes would be caked up with oil (but soon found out that it wasn't). I proceeded to the sign up desk to sign up and get ready to bowl. This particular tournament was a USBC sanctioned/TNBA certifed which means in order to participate you had to be a member of the TNBA organization. I signed up, met up with my partner(Ms. Yvonne Humphries) and headed to my lanes which was 15/16. In practice I started with the Blast Zone(stack levrg, sanded to 600 wet sand) standing around 19 20th throwing across the 10th board out to about 4,5th board. This line was alright but I didn't feel comfortable playing it so I move in and tried some other balls and finally found my line.

Oil Pattern: The pattern to me seemed like  a version of the US OPEN or  a modified version of a Reverse Block.

Ball of Choice: Brunswick Blast Zone, and Ultra Zone.

Line :The line I found in practice was what I went with. Standing 30th board,crossing 19th at the arrows, and using 10,9,8 as my break poing anywhere left wasn't holding and anywhere right wasn't recovering.

Game 1: 236. I was working on a "HAMBONE" lol. going into the 10th frame,got the first one and on the second ball I got slow with my speed and left 4 pin.

Game 2: 205. I started x 9/ x 8-.  A couple of bad breaks and high shots later I finished with a 205.

Game 3: Game three was crazy. I had been eyeing the raffle stand and headed for it. I bought some raffles and won to prizes. I was feeling good so I bought a slice of cake(Y did i do that) and was eating that and bowling at the same time. The cake was extra sweet and i was jacked up and couldn't hit me mark anymore and finished with a whopping 169.

STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT TOURNEY BLOG!!