Good Strike/Spare Percentages & First Ball Average

[jab5325]

I've recently started keeping track of my stats/scores via PinPal, and it got me thinking:

What do you all consider to be "good" strike/spare percentages, and first-ball averages?

[NewToBowling]

I'm happy with 6-7 strikes a game. Ideally would want the rest to be spares.

But for spares game with very few strikes, would prefer at least 8 spare frames

[Mark O]

I've recently started keeping track of my stats/scores via PinPal, and it got me thinking:

What do you all consider to be "good" strike/spare percentages, and first-ball averages?

I track my stats as well, have been doing so for 2 seasons now and currently I'm averaging 198 in one house and 202 in another. My first ball average is 9.1, my strike percentage is 49% and my single pin spare percentage is 89%. Those numbers pretty much get you what I am, a 200 average bowler. I feel it's unrealistic to expect my single pin spare percentage to rise much higher than that so the key for me now is to increase my strike percentage which in turn will increase my first ball average and my actual average.

I'm sure each person has different percentage levels that they would consider "good" but for a lower average bowler I feel strike percentage should be third in importance behind the other two. A first ball average near or at 9 tells me you're consistently in pocket and a single pin spare percentage at 80%+ tells me you can convert what's left behind. Numbers much lower than that tell me you might be a bit of a spray can and need to focus a little more on where the ball is going after it leaves your hand.

[jab5325]

Mark's post made me realize I didn't put my own stats in!

Since I've started keeping track, my first ball average is 8.89, 42% strikes, and only 75% single-pin spares with just 45% spares overall (multi-pin is only 30%). I've got a way to go in that category, but I'm happy with the trajectory where I'm going.

Most of my spare misses are due to timing, and yanking the ball across my body. Once I get to the 80+ percent level on single-pins, I'll be happy.

[mc_runner]

It really all depends on what your goals are. If you're new getting to 30% strikes and 75% single pin might be a realistic goal. If you're averaging 220+ you might want to get to 65% strikes and 95% single pin.

For me this season across 2 leagues I'm at 45% strike and 90% single pin, with first ball at a 9.00 exactly. I'm pretty happy with my strike % this season as it's 6% points higher than last year, and 90% is pretty much my benchmark for single pin. If my goal next yaer is a 200 average, I'm aiming for 48% strikes and 90% single pin again. My big area for improvement, personally, is knocking down on the number of splits I've left this year.

I agree with Mark on that strike % is lowest priority. For me, picking up spares is priority #1. Get more accurate with that and your first ball accuracy will improve as well.

[Mike White]

Mark's post made me realize I didn't put my own stats in!

Since I've started keeping track, my first ball average is 8.89, 42% strikes, and only 75% single-pin spares with just 45% spares overall (multi-pin is only 30%). I've got a way to go in that category, but I'm happy with the trajectory where I'm going.

Most of my spare misses are due to timing, and yanking the ball across my body. Once I get to the 80+ percent level on single-pins, I'll be happy.


Why are you yanking the ball across your body on your spare attempts.

Do you also yank the strike shots, but that hasn't been a problem?

Or do you try to make spares a completely different way than strikes?

Trust me, when you get to 80% on your single pin spares, you still won't be happy.

When you get comfortable making single pin spares, the though process is...

I stand here, and throw there, just that simple.

You'll find that you feel you should be able to do simple things more often than 80% of the time.

[Mike White]

I track my stats as well, have been doing so for 2 seasons now and currently I'm averaging 198 in one house and 202 in another. My first ball average is 9.1, my strike percentage is 49% and my single pin spare percentage is 89%. Those numbers pretty much get you what I am, a 200 average bowler. I feel it's unrealistic to expect my single pin spare percentage to rise much higher than that so the key for me now is to increase my strike percentage which in turn will increase my first ball average and my actual average.

I'm sure each person has different percentage levels that they would consider "good" but for a lower average bowler I feel strike percentage should be third in importance behind the other two. A first ball average near or at 9 tells me you're consistently in pocket and a single pin spare percentage at 80%+ tells me you can convert what's left behind. Numbers much lower than that tell me you might be a bit of a spray can and need to focus a little more on where the ball is going after it leaves your hand.


If you're averaging 9 on you first ball, and making 50% strikes, that tends to say you're averaging 8 pins on those shots you don't get a strike.

[NYMIKE]

Bought pinpal which is the first app I ever paid money for of any kind. I like it. Scores were 137, 140, 147 424 total, above my average, but like Mark wrote was 1 for 5 on single pin spares, and 10/24 on spares overall, for me to average 150 next season those spare percentages have to be much higher.

[vdubtx]

Pinpal is my go to app for bowling score keeping. I use it every single time I bowl league or any tournaments. I don't bother using for practice as I don't practice for score.

Here is my stats so far this season in 2 leagues:

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e381/Vdubtx/CD9AE161-B1FA-4C20-8F9C-642B575FBFCD_zpsznabgbcv.png (http://s43.photobucket.com/user/Vdubtx/media/CD9AE161-B1FA-4C20-8F9C-642B575FBFCD_zpsznabgbcv.png.html)

[Hampe]

Vdub, he asked what "good" percentages would be, not "amazing" ;)

Those are damn good numbers for an amateur bowler.

[jab5325]

Why are you yanking the ball across your body on your spare attempts.

Do you also yank the strike shots, but that hasn't been a problem?

Or do you try to make spares a completely different way than strikes?

Trust me, when you get to 80% on your single pin spares, you still won't be happy.

When you get comfortable making single pin spares, the though process is...

I stand here, and throw there, just that simple.

You'll find that you feel you should be able to do simple things more often than 80% of the time.

Very good questions, Mike.

If I had to guess why I miss so many spares, I'd have to say it's a mental issue with concentration. There are games/nights where I can get as high as 90% on single pins, but historically I've been inconsistent with them. I know how to adjust, target and throw to make any spare....but moving around the approach changes something in my mind, often causing me to yank the shot. It's completely in my head, and I need to get it out of there.

I don't have this problem with strike shots, because I'm standing in "my" spot and feel comfortable.

Though I'm improving in average and other areas of the game, spare shooting is something I need to improve on even more.

[bubba809]

Very good questions, Mike.

If I had to guess why I miss so many spares, I'd have to say it's a mental issue with concentration. There are games/nights where I can get as high as 90% on single pins, but historically I've been inconsistent with them. I know how to adjust, target and throw to make any spare....but moving around the approach changes something in my mind, often causing me to yank the shot. It's completely in my head, and I need to get it out of there.

I don't have this problem with strike shots, because I'm standing in "my" spot and feel comfortable.

Though I'm improving in average and other areas of the game, spare shooting is something I need to improve on even more.


This can get in your head. I went through a funk with making (or missing) the 10 pin. I am pretty good at making my single spares, but went something like 1/15 on my 10 pins recently. I kept moving, aiming at different locations, flatting wrist more (& more). I finally stopped trying so hard and picked up a couple in a row. Since then I've gone like 8/9. I do think it gets in your head.

[vdubtx]

As the saying goes, you are your own worst enemy. The mental game is something that has plagued me for years. I have learned that maintaining a positive mindset throughout competition can be a huge benefit.

For any shot when you are up on the approach, going into the shot process already thinking you are going to miss you have already lost the battle. Visualize making the spare and set your mind to make it ahead of time and you will see the benefits of positive thinking.

When I had a coaching session with Susie Minshew last summer, we talked about the mental game and she gave me a book by Lanny Bassham titled "With Winning in Mind". Good book that covers the mental game and how to get your mind into the positive and repeat the shots you know you can make. You have picked them up before, no reason that you can't do it again.

[J Anderson]

I've recently started keeping track of my stats/scores via PinPal, and it got me thinking:

What do you all consider to be "good" strike/spare percentages, and first-ball averages?

It depends on your definition of "good". For the PBA touring players; 60% or better for strikes and high 90s% for single pin spares seems to be the norm.

For amateurs bowling on a THS, given the easier conditions, "good" numbers would be about the same. I suspect that few amateurs are really in the high 90s on single pin spares.

What's really important is not what we think but what you think. The only useful thing I got from taking a statistics class is that you define success. Now that you have a few weeks of data on your game, set some goals. Pick a number higher than where you're at that's reasonable but not too easy. Then figure out what you have to do to get there.

[bowl1820]

Since your talking about percentages, have a look at this.

ESPN The Magazine Breaks Down PBA Spare Shooting
ESPN The Magazine included an analysis of the 20 most common spare attempts after breaking down video of PBA matches between 2005 and 2010.

Players threw strikes on 4,374 of 7,155 first-ball attempts (a 61.13% success rate), meaning they also had to make 2,781 spare attempts.

http://s5.postimg.org/vfenr7kg7/proconv.jpg

[Hampe]

For any shot when you are up on the approach, going into the shot process already thinking you are going to miss you have already lost the battle. Visualize making the spare and set your mind to make it ahead of time and you will see the benefits of positive thinking. That's really good advice and is now something I try to do myself most of the time. If I'm about to get on the approach and my mind isn't in the right state (if I have some negative thought that I will miss the spare) I try and step back for a second, maybe let someone else go before me if I have to, and try to reset my thought process and get myself prepared to make the spare.

It's something I've started to become conscious about and have recently really started trying to put an emphasis on in my own game. It's a bit strange when you step back and think about it, but really, who stands on the approach for their first shot thinking "oh no, I'm going to put the ball out too far and get a washout", you stand there and think "ok, I'm going to put the ball here on this line with this release and it's going to strike" and you just go and do it. Why should spare shooting be any different? There's no reason to doubt yourself any more when shooting a spare than when you're trying to throw a strike.

[Mark O]

As the saying goes, you are your own worst enemy. The mental game is something that has plagued me for years. I have learned that maintaining a positive mindset throughout competition can be a huge benefit.

For any shot when you are up on the approach, going into the shot process already thinking you are going to miss you have already lost the battle. Visualize making the spare and set your mind to make it ahead of time and you will see the benefits of positive thinking.

When I had a coaching session with Susie Minshew last summer, we talked about the mental game and she gave me a book by Lanny Bassham titled "With Winning in Mind". Good book that covers the mental game and how to get your mind into the positive and repeat the shots you know you can make. You have picked them up before, no reason that you can't do it again.

This is great advice! The mental side to this game is so important and a bad attitude or lack of confidence is a recipe for disaster. If there is a shot that you don't think you're going to make you m as well hit the reset button and spare yourself the energy.


Why should spare shooting be any different? There's no reason to doubt yourself any more when shooting a spare than when you're trying to throw a strike.

Completely agree, but I'll take it a step further. There's no reason to doubt yourself any more shooting a corner pin than you would the 5-pin. When there is a 5 pin standing it's shot at with confidence, but when there's a 10 pin standing that same bowler cringes and the confidence drops. Sure you have a little less room for error but you know how to make it, you've made it a ton of times, so just go up there and make the thing, don't be afraid of it!

[vdubtx]

Since your talking about percentages, have a look at this.

ESPN The Magazine Breaks Down PBA Spare Shooting
ESPN The Magazine included an analysis of the 20 most common spare attempts after breaking down video of PBA matches between 2005 and 2010.

Players threw strikes on 4,374 of 7,155 first-ball attempts (a 61.13% success rate), meaning they also had to make 2,781 spare attempts.


My web filters won't show the pic you likely attached, so I found where this article was and did a screen grab of it:

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e381/Vdubtx/PBA%20Spares_zpsnpb04d3f.jpg (http://s43.photobucket.com/user/Vdubtx/media/PBA%20Spares_zpsnpb04d3f.jpg.html)