Got back from Mobile recently after donating to (or competing in, your pick) the state tournament. About four games in, the part of my brain that coordinates the process of picking up the 10-pin decided it would rather go fishing down at the bay than stick around to help me get out of the tournament in plus-numbers.

I averaged about 190, which is not terrible (and believe me, I've done worse), but it wasn't going to win me any money. The weekend's how-about-that moment was the fact that I left splits in 8 of the 9 third frames I bowled. In six of those games, I started X-X-split. That's a momentum-killer.

My wife was bowling in her first tournament and struggled. My other three teammates were all around their averages but no one could shoot a big number. Coupled with my troubles, it's best to focus on the good seafood we ate. We bowled at Camelia Lanes and Skyline Lanes, two houses I'm familiar with. To make things very simplistic, I've usually found Camelia to play inside and Skyline to play outside. Skyline held true to form but Camelia had a puddle in the middle; both houses' outside boards were bone-dry.

My home house has put down a nice blend shot this year, meaning we didn't have a drastic, dry wall out by the gutter. I'm not used to being able to stand left, throw right and strike at will. I never could take advantage of it and I paid for it.

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Home "pro shop" is still up and running. I punched up a ball for a friend and plugged and drilled one of my old ones for my wife. It was a 14-pound ball I was using a couple of years back when I had wrist trouble (a Roto Grip Silver Streak SE), and her first night out with it, she was +50 to her average in league.

With it being early May, bowling is off the tube and that stinks. I sort of wish the PBA would go to a summer schedule, even though bowling isn't a summer sport.

Our league season ends next week, roll-off/payout is the following week and then it's on to summer leagues.

If someone can tell me how to shoot the 10-pin again, I'd be grateful.

Jess

My June/July timetable for drilling equipment moved up pretty quickly. I found a drill press for cheap and managed to get enough of what I need to start drilling balls at home.

I've punched up three or four already. I never had an appreciation for how stressful drilling a ball is. It's more than fractional math and hitting the holes. You truly have one chance to get things right.

I started off with a Storm Thunderstruck and drilled it with the "Rico layout," a pin-in-the-palm layout that is growing in popularity. For me, it creates a strong ball movement off the break, almost too strong. My home house doesn't have enough oil and I've got too much power in my wrist to use this ball here very much. But it will be very useful to me in tournaments, I'm sure.

The Thunderstruck had been previously drilled and plugged. My next ball was a MoRich Awesome Finish. It was new out of the box. Unfortunately, I saved my first real mistake for this ball. I got my measurements for my thumb span confused and -- well, let's just say things came out looking like junk. I had to add a thumb slug and then drill out only half of it, and then the slug somehow shifted in the ball after installation and three or four games. I'll have to plug it and redrill it. Shame, because it fit really well.

I must say I enjoy the new hobby, though. It's calming to get out in the shop, away from the TV and the computer and create something. And I've been able to see the positive change in my game: Scores and average are up with this new equipment. Maybe it's just luck, or maybe it's the joy of using something I helped craft by hand. Who knows.

Got the confirmation back on state tournament. Mobile, here we come...

Jess