Trouble bowling on a five-man team

[PAV1983]

Hello,

I am struggling to bowl on a five-man team. I feel like I am having a lot of trouble getting into rhythm. Today before league, I bowled two games; one with several other men and one by myself. I got a 154 and a 166. When I got to league, all my scores went to h*** and I could not break 130. It seems that every time I bowl on a five-man team, I have a h*** of a time. Here are some of the problems I was facing.

1. Felt like I could not get a relaxed release. I felt out of my element and it felt like I forgot how to release the ball. No matter how far behind the ball I got, I just couldn't get it to hook properly. I even tried to be relaxed as possible but nothing worked. It was like I forgot how to release the ball (because I was sitting, becoming stale, and couldn't get momentum/rhythm going).
2. I was missing spares I wouldn't normally miss.
3. The ball was sticking to my palm by the third game. I still used slide powder on my thumb and it felt like it still wasn't coming off smoothly.

I just feel like I can't get any rhythm going when bowling in a five-man rotation. I don't know if it's psychological or what, but it makes me not want to bowl in a five-man rotation; and I'm sure the other men don't want me around after a while. I never got a call back from one men's league. I was bowling with my Bronze certified coach and he never called me back again. I don't know if he had the staffing, but I bowled like s*** whenever I bowled in that five-man rotation. I'm sure they got sick of it and that's why he never asked me back.

I recently bowled in another league with my new Bronze coach, and tonight was the last night they needed me to sub because the league is ending. It was my second week subbing. What started out as a promising night turned out to be another disappointing night. I had no control, and it was like I forgot how to bowl. I'm not nervous, but it's weird because it feels like I forget how to bowl in men's leagues. It's almost like I blank out and choke, although I am improving my skills. I always bowl better during open bowling.

Are rhythm problems something common for bowlers who are fairly new to five-man rotations?
What are some things I can do to keep rhythm in a five-person rotation?
What can I use so that the ball does not stick to my palm?

Thanks for the help!

[Hot_pocket]

it's hard to get a rhythm when you have to wait to bowl, but it's not impossible. Are you the lead off man or 3rd man? which ever you are, Ask the team if they would mind a line-up change. I had the same problem the last 3 weeks of the season in my league, only 4 man though. I was having issues with a comfortable release and wasn't getting the reaction i wanted but if it worked i didn't try and fix it. So if you feel uncomfortable find out how to make it work and watch the other bowlers shots. Assuming you have experienced bowlers on your team they will show you, without actually saying it, what the lanes are doing. They move change balls or move boards because I can only imagine how the break down is with 10 on a pair.

[Amyers]

Do you have this problem bowling on 4 man teams or other league formats? I'm wondering if your true issue is the difference in formats or between bowling during open play vs league play?

[mc_runner]

I struggle a little bit with rhythm on my 5 man league. The best thing I've found is just keep it loose when you're not bowling... chat, play a card game, cheer on your teammate for a good shot, etc. It keeps from getting tight and makes the wait go by quicker.

[got_a_300]

I used to bowl on a 5 person team way back when and I loved it now days
around here it is hard to get 5 member teams anymore. I never did care
for bowling doubles or on a 3 person team as it seems like you are always
bowling way too fast and when I get to bowling fast my scores goes down.

Even on our 4 person team it seems like we bowl too fast some nights I have
to just take my time getting up there to bowl.

[Blomer]

In the 3 leagues i bowled in this year, they were all 5 member teams. Whenever we had someone out with no sub, it threw me off. I think it was cause I was out of routine! When you go practice, take time off between shots, the amount of time you may have off when bowling on a 5 member team.

[PAV1983]

Do you have this problem bowling on 4 man teams or other league formats? I'm wondering if your true issue is the difference in formats or between bowling during open play vs league play?

I tend to do a little better on four-person teams, although I am at my best during open bowling. The five-man team has been a struggle because I get stale, as I said before. I think what I need to do is try to put myself in more situations where I have to bowl with 9 other men. Also, it seems to me that the other men are so experienced in this situation and they also have their technique down pat; it doesn't phase them to have to wait. I can't seem to hold onto the good technique when I get stale. I am not established enough to overcome something like that.

The four-man league has been a disaster so far this spring for me because they hold tournaments, the lanes get all chopped up, and they don't oil them before our league. We only have six teams on our league. It's killing my game.

[ckelly02]

A quick tip that I tried when I was first starting out bowling league. When you practice, get 4 other league bowlers to go with you, that way you can get the pace of the game down. But make sure that the leadoff man isn't just going up to bowl when its his turn. Make him wait until after the anchor man has thrown. Not only will this help with your pace of play, but it helps to practice with other bowlers breaking down the lanes. Hope this helps!!

[1VegasBowler]

I pretty much agree with everything that is said here so far., especially with practicing.

When you can't get 4 others to bowl with you for practice here's something you might want to try.

On league nights, use a timer to see how long it takes from the time you bowl until the next tie you bowl, and next time you practice alone, take the time you waited from one time to the next as the spacing.

While it probably will take a few times to get yourself in synch, you will start seeing a difference.

I am fortunate where I can play in any timing conditions. I play in tournaments where there are anywhere from heads up, 3-6 bowlers to 4 and 5 player teams.

Also try to remember this as well. When you're practicing, you maybe on some burned out conditions where you feel comfortable. While 5 player teams certainly transition a lot sooner, you have to notice where the other bowlers are targeting and if it all looks like the same as your targeting, then you may have to adjust yourself much sooner.

There isn't a bowler around that has a great/good night every night. We all have a night where there's nothing you can do except for grinding it out and doing the best you can.

Being able to make adjustments you aren't comfortable with yet is all a part of the learning process, and use those practice sessions to make your own game more versatile :)

[ep1977]

Seems like a simple solution is to bowl in doubles leagues. In those you don't even have time to sit down. Doubles leagues are my favorite for this reason.

[Tampabaybob]

I tend to do a little better on four-person teams, although I am at my best during open bowling. The five-man team has been a struggle because I get stale, as I said before. I think what I need to do is try to put myself in more situations where I have to bowl with 9 other men. Also, it seems to me that the other men are so experienced in this situation and they also have their technique down pat; it doesn't phase them to have to wait. I can't seem to hold onto the good technique when I get stale. I am not established enough to overcome something like that.

The four-man league has been a disaster so far this spring for me because they hold tournaments, the lanes get all chopped up, and they don't oil them before our league. We only have six teams on our league. It's killing my game.

PAV.....You just answered your own question and the other guys responding picked up on it also. The pace you're bowling at during practice is always going to be much faster than bowling in any league, and that would include a 3 or 4 man team as well. Many bowlers are great practice bowlers but not good league bowlers because they have trouble paceing themselves. As one writer put it, you need to get your focus away from the bowling while you're waiting for your turn, and then when you're up turn that focus back on. Seems simple enough, but I know plenty of bowler that have had that same problem. You need to relax and enjoy the camaraderie of the guys you're bowling with, and then when you step up to bowl turn on that killer instinct. Good Luck hope you can settle in and start bowling as well in the leagues as you do in practice.

[LOUVIT]

I am the opposite, I have breathing issues.. COPD. when I bowl alone I spend more time sitting than bowling. I love a 4 person pace.

[Aslan]

I would venture to guess that the problem isn't the 5-man team and is:

1) Adjusting to league conditions.

2) Adjusting to league pace.

Most new bowlers that I've come across, have trouble adjusting to the slower pace of league play. They are used to open bowling with two house balls so they're throwing balls in rapid succession (which is annoying to league bowlers). As you get better, this pace difference won't matter and you'll learn to cherish the break time to concentrate on what you want to do on the next shot.

But the biggest difference is often lane conditions. House bowling is essentially useless to practice. The lanes are beat up, the patterns changed, and the lanes dry, especially for RHers. When I first started, I thought those differences were overblown. Every bowler seemed to think their league or their house had the toughest conditions and exaggerate the differences house to house and lane to lane. But, after bowling leagues and tournaments in multiple houses throughout the area...I've learned that unfortunately the current state of the sport of bowling is highly dependent on lane conditions. So, if you go to bowl...you're bowling on a completely different environment than what they bowl on during league night when the conditions are usually fresh.

So, if it's a pace issue...that'll work itself out. It's very common for new, open, recreational bowlers to get frustrated with the pace...but better bowlers learn to keep their rhythm without rapidly firing the ball every 8 seconds. The conditions will be harder to master.