So, last night was my first session of APA Masters league. It was at this bowling alley that has some 50’s style tables (can’t remember the make right now). They play good – new simonis cloth, very springy rails. It almost plays like a Diamond. But, the temp in the room was close to 80 – and they had normal lightbulbs above the table. The balls felt warm when you went to rack them. The cueball was the blue-s aramith ball. The table was stupid fast – and the cueball felt like a golfball. At one point, I was dead straight on a ball, 7 feet away. I hit what felt like my normal stop-shot speed and the cueball drew back 2 feet! On another another shot, I needed to stun into the rail and was just off straight, so I hit it with some force – the cueball never touched the rail and drew sideways parallel up the rail 3 diamonds. I could not get the speed down, not even a little bit. It was a total freakin’ disaster. I lost 0-7. It was utterly embrassing. The guy I was playing has recently jumped a few levels in his game and wow was he ON last night. Just never missed, tapping balls that on any other table could stop halfway to the pocket, but managed to coast right into the pocket and getting great shape. I don’t know how I’m going to manage these tables. I was at a complete loss. I’m hoping they’re open during lunch because I play normal bar-league Wednesdays, then going to these tables the next night with no time to hit any balls before league begins… that’s just going to be a bad scene.
I mean, obviously, I was nervous as hell last night. New league, new people, everyone watching – and expecting great things after my excellent showing the previous night. But holy hell … that was brutal. Just utterly brutal. I saw someone else playing with the measle ball and I’m really hoping that I can use that next time (I have my own); at least that will be one familiar thing. I’m gonna try it, but the other team/player has to approve it.