Heat Here

First off I would like to say Hello to all that are a part of this amazing online bowling community. And now to the blog.

So I have been reading all these blogs and actually feeling upset and jealous. Upset because I haven't been bowling in a while and jealous because all of you are bowling. So today I went to Shatto 39 to get my bowl on.

It was nice. I walked in around noon o'clock to a loud Shatto, but not loud in the good way. There was a large amount of young hooligans playing video games. No one was bowling. You might be thinking that this is a tragedy. Well you would be right. I went up to the cashier and said, "I am here to bowl." His reply, "Pick a lane and its yours." Ah, if life were only this easy. As I walk to a lane I notice that the lanes are slightly oily. I am the first to bowl that day so I know that they have just oiled them that morning so wherever I go it will be an interesting bowl with my spin.

I sauntered up to lane 8. I donned my Lucky Strike bowling shoes and picked up The Heat. After typing in my name, I made my approach. Two short steps, three a little quicker, then the release. My right foot kicks back with authority and hits the ball return. Gutter ball. Okay no big deal first bowl of the day. I try again. Once again my leg hits the ball return. I hit three pins. Already off to an amazing start. This goes on for 5 frames. Finally I tell the cashier I need to switch lanes. Lane 9 is now home to the Heat. I bowl slightly better, but still very bad. Game one 83. Yes an 83. At least I beat McCracken by ten pins (Images of a Disgraceful Afternoon post).

Game two 117. By now there have been a small group of kids bowling. They bowled about two games then left. Then some teenagers came in and bowled one game. At this point I am into game three. Things are about the same as game two and I end with a 119. Game four 134.

I begin game five with a spare. I notice that a man clad in denim has chosen to sit behind me. I begin to feel a little weird. I don't know if it is the desire to do good while someone watches me bowl or a weirdness that some random dude has decided to watch me bowl. I try not to look back at him. So after each roll I do that backwards walk as if you are contemplating what you just did with the brief glances to the score board. As of now I am bowling the best that I could that day. Eighth frame a spare. Ninth a strike. Tenth a nine (7-2). 147. I turn around somewhat happy with it, however still upset with the idea that I may have lost it. Then I realize that the denim clad man with a breast pocket filled with GPC cigarettes is motioning to me. I walk up to him. He begins to critique my game. I take it in stride, but he is making some great points. He then walks me to the ball return and begins to motion what I am doing wrong and what I should be doing.

Fifteen minutes later he says, "Well there you go, but I don't want to mess you up. Just think about it. Do what you want." And then he leaves. Some good tips that he game me are:

1-Make your approach slow and steady as well as your release.
2-Keep your shoulders squared up.
3-If you are missing the head pin to the right move more right. If you miss the head pin to the left move more left. (small moves maybe a board or two.)
4-Make your first game the one where you figure out the lane. Try the middle,bowl. Try the left, bowl. Try the right, bowl.
5-When you make these slight adjustment to the right or left never be afraid of the gutter. Because there is no reason to be.

So I bowled one more game with these new tips. Not my best of the day at a 121, but it was the most consistent bowl of the day. I hope that some of you can use these tips to help your game and if you would like instruction just go to the Shatto during the day. The cashier tells me that the denim man is a regular that hangs around and plays video games. Maybe he'll stop by your lane and give you some advice.

Not the greatest day of bowling but one of the more interesting days of bowling.

This is The Heat signing off.