The anatomy of what goes WRONG

[MICHAEL]

the anatomy of what keeps a person from having a HIGH AVERAGE! I did this a while back! Looking at it 2 missed ten pins did get the others, and a final game of sh#T!

What was the reason.... TOTAL LACK OF FOUCS! Maybe the number one reason most bowlers have high and low's FOCUS!

How many times do you even now find yourself not KEEP YOUR EYES on the target? I hate to say it but probably more often then I should. I don't know how many times during a bowling outing I take my EYES of the target just before release.

It's like golf, you need to keep your eyes down and on the target to replicate a shot! Maybe the hardest thing in world to do. Yesterday when I had that 240 something, I was bowling with a guy that looked at each of my shots! He said I was on target and not more then a board off either direction, but mainly right on!

http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg546/imagine686868/4a83acef-92c8-4542-826f-aed95f3e34ca_zpsovuxeuxp.jpg (http://s1243.photobucket.com/user/imagine686868/media/4a83acef-92c8-4542-826f-aed95f3e34ca_zpsovuxeuxp.jpg.html)

OF all sad words of tongue or pen the saddest are these what might have been..... should have bee a strong 700... not just a 700!

[John Anderson]

Well dang, congrats on almost another 300 as well. That one pin... At least the pressure was off right off the bat. I fully understand why this happens though. I might throw a 210 my first game, then a 170 my second game, and a 185 the third. Not that I am truly that inconsistent, it's just that I occasionally don't hit where I want to an inopportune times.

[LyalC52]

Somewhere along the line someone said " think of every missed spare as a minimum 11 pin penalty"
it got my attention and I focus just as hard on spares if not more than my first ball

[NewToBowling]

Try guttering a ball after string of strikes. That hurts. If my math is correct that is a 30 pin penalty

[Mike White]

Try guttering a ball after string of strikes. That hurts. If my math is correct that is a 30 pin penalty

It's only a 10 pin penalty if that string of strikes is the first 11.

Years ago I managed to shoot 270 with a -/ frame somewhere in the middle.

[Tony]

Try guttering a ball after string of strikes. That hurts. If my math is correct that is a 30 pin penalty

You are correct, with an exception for the 11/12 frame that give you a 290 for 11 in a row, and 280 for 10 and the spare. Tough ways to finish a great game.

[vdubtx]

I did the 11 in a row and then put it in the gutter earlier this year. Would have been my 3rd 300 this year.

[RobLV1]

Looking at your frame by frame score in the third game, it occurs to me that the beginning of the end came in the third and fourth frames with a nine count and an eight count. When you initially adjusted to strike in five and six what was the adjustment: line change, ball change, speed change, loft change? Lanes have a bad habit of "exploding" in terms of the shot. This is the point where small adjustments no longer work, and a big move is required. While bowlers love to take full responsibility for their successes and failures, citing loss of focus or some physical aspect of their games, more often than not it is nothing more than a failure to keep up with what the lanes are demanding of you. Make sense?

[Tony]

I did the 11 in a row and then put it in the gutter earlier this year. Would have been my 3rd 300 this year.

Sorry to hear that, that has to be a tough finish to a great game.

[bubba809]

I once bowled 2 250+ games then guttered the first ball of the third game. Didn't even get my 700.

[Tony]

We bowled against a guy last year, shot a 120, 300, 170 to finish under 600, he was thrilled with the 300 but not thrilled with the series at all.

[MICHAEL]

Looking at your frame by frame score in the third game, it occurs to me that the beginning of the end came in the third and fourth frames with a nine count and an eight count. When you initially adjusted to strike in five and six what was the adjustment: line change, ball change, speed change, loft change? Lanes have a bad habit of "exploding" in terms of the shot. This is the point where small adjustments no longer work, and a big move is required. While bowlers love to take full responsibility for their successes and failures, citing loss of focus or some physical aspect of their games, more often than not it is nothing more than a failure to keep up with what the lanes are demanding of you. Make sense?


Good points, and points well taken!

[vdubtx]

Sorry to hear that, that has to be a tough finish to a great game.

Yeah, pretty embarrassing as it was in a higher average league. But, I just have to laugh it off and move on. To this day, I am not even sure what the heck happened.

[MICHAEL]

Yeah, pretty embarrassing as it was in a higher average league. But, I just have to laugh it off and move on. To this day, I am not even sure what the heck happened.

You have a GREAT attitude! LOL In the grand scheme of things, what REALLY matters! Your family, Your friends, Your health, Having a Great partner to go though life with ..and enough money to live a comfortable life style, on at least 3 bowling leagues in the winter! That is the definition of Happiness, nirvana!!

I use to think that 220 plus average would become a reality, but now I am beginning to wonder! I feel I am doomed to being a Gifted Bowlinggod that does the great games and series once in a while but never really achieves the truly greatness of a 220 average like you vdubtx.

Maybe I got started too late, at 62!
Maybe my injuries and health issues are the true cause
maybe I am, in reality dead, and this is my hell?????

What ever the cause of not having that elusive 220 average, like in Dante's Inferno, I will keep pushing that Stone up the hill, for an eternity, or in my case Rolling them 15lb beautiful Bowling balls, that even in some cases smell heavenly!

http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg546/imagine686868/dantes%20inferno%20pusing%20stones_zps7txop9mr.jpg (http://s1243.photobucket.com/user/imagine686868/media/dantes%20inferno%20pusing%20stones_zps7txop9mr.jpg .html)

Maybe its not important, maybe its the journey that matters!

[Tony]

Yeah, pretty embarrassing as it was in a higher average league. But, I just have to laugh it off and move on. To this day, I am not even sure what the heck happened.

That's all you can do is shake it off and move on, I've seen many high average bowlers have occasional moments like that ! Hopefully it doesn't happen too often at crucial moments where it cost you so dearly.
Just a couple of days ago at a coaching session my first ball, I dropped it on the approach, first time that ever happened to me ! Embarrassing, yes but in the scope of things, it's just a game and it would be nice to do well, but as long as it's still enjoyable and I can still do it, dropping a ball or throwing right into the ditch isn't my biggest concern in life.

[Tony]

You have a GREAT attitude! LOL In the grand scheme of things, what REALLY matters! Your family, Your friends, Your health, Having a Great partner to go though life with ..and enough money to live a comfortable life style, on at least 3 bowling leagues in the winter! That is the definition of Happiness, nirvana!!

I use to think that 220 plus average would become a reality, but now I am beginning to wonder! I feel I am doomed to being a Gifted Bowlinggod that does the great games and series once in a while but never really achieves the truly greatness of a 220 average like you vdubtx.

Maybe I got started too late, at 62!
Maybe my injuries and health issues are the true cause
maybe I am, in reality dead, and this is my hell?????

What ever the cause of not having that elusive 220 average, like in Dante's Inferno, I will keep pushing that Stone up the hill, for an eternity, or in my case Rolling them 15lb beautiful Bowling balls, that even in some cases smell heavenly!


Maybe its not important, maybe its the journey that matters!

Yes, you are old and might even be dead, Platteville might be your final destination! There is certainly the possibility of averaging 220, there are quite a few bowlers in their late 60's and 70's still carrying averages like that, don't let a late start be your excuse. My father took up golf when he retired at 63 and after a couple of years was playing par golf and continued to do that until he was nearly 80, so being older is just another hurdle but one you can conquer.
As far as ball odor you might think it's heavenly but it's probably just old socks left in the bottom of your bowling bag !

[MICHAEL]

Yes, you are old and might even be dead, Platteville might be your final destination! There is certainly the possibility of averaging 220, there are quite a few bowlers in their late 60's and 70's still carrying averages like that, don't let a late start be your excuse. My father took up golf when he retired at 63 and after a couple of years was playing par golf and continued to do that until he was nearly 80, so being older is just another hurdle but one you can conquer.
As far as ball odor you might think it's heavenly but it's probably just old socks left in the bottom of your bowling bag !

Again,,,, point well taken! You were right,, just back from checking out my bowling bag, it was a pair of socks, that some how got wedged between the cup and liner.

HUMMMMMM I might just put them "sweaty-old-older-bowlinggod-socks, back in their original place.

Heavenly,,,, "that's what best describes that scent" ,,,,,( Scent of a Bowling god )

[MICHAEL]

Just found a few more pairs of old socks hidden in the bad,,,

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k156/ristoreipas2006/socks%20album/nilkkasukkialikaisena.jpg (http://media.photobucket.com/user/ristoreipas2006/media/socks%20album/nilkkasukkialikaisena.jpg.html)

Maybe I am on to something here... selling my old used socks to enhance the bowling experience!!

[vdubtx]

I use to think that 220 plus average would become a reality, but now I am beginning to wonder! I feel I am doomed to being a Gifted Bowlinggod that does the great games and series once in a while but never really achieves the truly greatness of a 220 average like you vdubtx.

Maybe I got started too late, at 62!
Maybe my injuries and health issues are the true cause
maybe I am, in reality dead, and this is my hell?????


Never too late to get better and get that 220 average. I know a 70+ year old that puts up 800 series all the time in Iowa. Father of my bowling buddy that I bowl Nationals with.

Still plenty of time for you ICEMAN.

http://cdn.pophangover.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/you-can-do-eet.jpeg

[Mike White]

Yeah, pretty embarrassing as it was in a higher average league. But, I just have to laugh it off and move on. To this day, I am not even sure what the heck happened.

They call that a brain fart, and since you don't know what happened, you must have been upwind.

[Mike White]

You have a GREAT attitude! LOL In the grand scheme of things, what REALLY matters! Your family, Your friends, Your health, Having a Great partner to go though life with ..and enough money to live a comfortable life style, on at least 3 bowling leagues in the winter! That is the definition of Happiness, nirvana!!

I use to think that 220 plus average would become a reality, but now I am beginning to wonder! I feel I am doomed to being a Gifted Bowlinggod that does the great games and series once in a while but never really achieves the truly greatness of a 220 average like you vdubtx.

Maybe I got started too late, at 62!
Maybe my injuries and health issues are the true cause
maybe I am, in reality dead, and this is my hell?????

What ever the cause of not having that elusive 220 average, like in Dante's Inferno, I will keep pushing that Stone up the hill, for an eternity, or in my case Rolling them 15lb beautiful Bowling balls, that even in some cases smell heavenly!

Maybe you need to join the Amish, they bowl 15 frame games.

[jlwonderley]

Yeah, I still have a real problem with not looking at my target. I think I tend to look at the pocket at some point during my approach.