My confidence is shot

[Timbrr]

I started bowling again after several years off. I bowled Summer league with up and down days. I worked hard on my game the rest of the summer and felt like a had a game plan that I can work with. Yesterday the bottom fell out. I shot 129 101 and 150. Only 2 spares in 2 games. Once it started going bad I couldn't stop the bleeding. I even had 2 balls in the gutter. I sit here today wondering what happened. I know we all have good and bad days but in the past I could always figure something out to finish the day. Let me know what you do to stop the bleeding, thanks much.

[RobLV1]

Find a Certified Coach in your area. YOU CAN'T DO IT ALONE!

[Jaescrub]

When you get up to bowl it's good to just take a breath. I do this by wiping my ball then I pick my mark and let her fly. After the ball is out of my hand I watch what it does and I make adjustments. If it gets bad and you dwell on it that only makes it worse.

[fordman1]

Did you try moving 1/2 of a board? Sorry I don't know what came over me. Before spending money on a coach tell a little about your self. If you are really old just let it go. Some times even a coach can't fix it.

[1VegasBowler]

A coach found and fixed many of the flaws that I had in my game, and when I combine that with the right equipment for the conditions of the lanes, my scores have been getting better.

[Timbrr]

Did you try moving 1/2 of a board? Sorry I don't know what came over me. Before spending money on a coach tell a little about your self. If you are really old just let it go. Some times even a coach can't fix it.

I'm 66 and hadn't bowled since the days of wooden lanes and udots. Fused ankle with a plate in one knee and a replacement in the other. Other than that I'm fine, lol.I use a DV8 Hooligan and a white dot. At one point I put the wd away and shot spares with the Hooligan, which helped the last game. Thanks for the help.

[fordman1]

you decide good luck? No one can fix problems without seeing them. You would be surprised that the lanes are always not the same. Just be patient.

[panbanger]

For me when the bottom falls out it's 90% mental. I wish I had advice on how to deal with it when league night begins to crash and burn, I guess I would say just have fun. I've had nights where I'm so bad it just starts to be funny. Makes me relax a little and at least hit a 150 like you did on your last game.

[Sche3067]

I would recommend foul line drills. Break down your throw it helped me realize the positioned I needed to be in. I was right were you were when I started leauge last year

[billf]

Were you able to block out the previous frames and games? All too often a bad ball will end up causing a bad frame that leads to a bad game that we can't stop dwelling about and before you know it the entire night is shot.
Do you have a pre-shot routine? Do you go through the entire routine when you practice? The real purpose of the pre-shot routine is to relax your mind and body. It brings a sense of familiarity, the whole "I've been here before" mindset that allows a confident, tension free delivery. Keep all thoughts and self-talk positive. "Don't" is a negative and will lead to doing exactly what you don't want to do.

[manke]

Bilf great answer. I don't understand why people say get a coach right away. The average bowler does not want to spend hundreds of dollars to get to be a 180 bowler. Timbrr if you have some good bowlers you know ask them to watch you bowl and give you tips first. listen to bilf keep your head up and have fun.

[Amyers]

Bilf great answer. I don't understand why people say get a coach right away. The average bowler does not want to spend hundreds of dollars to get to be a 180 bowler. Timbrr if you have some good bowlers you know ask them to watch you bowl and give you tips first. listen to bilf keep your head up and have fun.

Getting a coach doesn't have to be seriously expensive. My wife, daughter and I meet with our coach about every 3 weeks. He charges $50 for working with all three of us for a little over an hour a piece since we agreed to meet on days that he's already there. It has been a big benefit to all of our games. Instead of spending weeks and months trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong and stressing on it and wasting serious money paying for bowling to only reinforce a bad habit now the problem is cured in as little as 15 minutes.

I do agree coaching isn't for everybody if you want to show up once a week, drink beer, and not listen to anybody then don't get a coach. If your serious about the game, willing to practice, want to be better, and have desire to bowl at the upper level quit wasting time and money and get a good coach. Your teammates will thank you. My guestimate is the average poster who is taking time out of their day to post on a bowling web site fits more into the second category and not the first.

[RobLV1]

Professional bowlers have coaches. Certified coaches have coaches. For your average bowler, coaching does not have to be an expensive proposition. One or two lessons at $25-$50 each will give any bowler the skills he needs to move forward and improve. To suggest that advice recommending seeking competent coaching is anything but in the bowler's best interest is ridiculous. Sometimes spending a few dollars to help you enjoy your free time more is money very well spent, or you can just keep spending money to rent lanes to practice all of your bad habits. Some choice!

[1VegasBowler]

During the summer, I entered a 14 week coached session at one of our centers here, and there were 8 of us. $13/week that included the coaching, 3 games, standing sheets, and award for the most improved, and a little pizza party the final night

I did it because I wanted to improve my game from top to bottom. I wanted to fix what was wrong with my game so that I could be better in leagues and in tournaments.

The first hour was the coach working with all of us on a myriad of different things. When we went to bowling our 3 games, he helped us in G1. After that we were on our own.

I not only found out what I was doing wrong, but I got most of it corrected. My average in those 14 weeks went from 170 to 184.

It also made enough of an improvement, that, during my Sport League sweepers I finished 12th of 60 people for a nice pay day.

And as a regular on the 9 Tap Tour, for the previous 6 weeks I have participated I have cashed in 5 of them ranging from 8th place to 3rd place. The 3rd Quarter Championships are this weekend and I am certainly looking to be around on day 2.

Yes, there are some who may want to discredit this because it's 9 Tap, but the fact of the matter is, if, you can't average around 240 for 4 games, you're not going to make any money. At $64/squad and still coming out over $500 ahead during that time isn't anything to sneeze at. And only ONCE during those 6 weeks did I have to bowl a second squad.

Coaching helps. Make no mistake about it. The time and amount you spend on it will depend on how good you want to be.

[classygranny]

Bilf great answer. I don't understand why people say get a coach right away. The average bowler does not want to spend hundreds of dollars to get to be a 180 bowler. Timbrr if you have some good bowlers you know ask them to watch you bowl and give you tips first. listen to bilf keep your head up and have fun.

The idea of getting a coach right away is so that you can stop the bad habits immediately instead of continually reinforcing them. When I feel myself starting to decline on my approach/delivery or just not mentally staying in the game, I try and schedule a coaching session. It may not be a fix-all, but it does help to bring back that confidence that at least I know what I am suppose to do and usually that in itself is enough to assist in correcting the bad habits that seem to drift in and out of our games.

[fokai73]

This is not a knock on you. But with scores like that, I'd go find a coach. There are certain things I can fix myself, but even then I'd like to have a trained eye watch me bowl. Trying to diagnose yourself is like changing a flat tire with a flat spare tire. You can make it worse....

[Wherearemyballs]

Do you bowl with anyone who has similar limitations ? Pay attention to their loft. Some older generation bowlers will add or reduce loft for their adjustment. I had a senior with a rubber ball holding a 175 average. I don't think the mans Knees bent much at all.

How much ball weight have you dropped down to? 10 pins per pound of ball weight was the norm for years. But I think a good bowler can average an extra 30 pins.

I don't think Fordman1 is going to let me live down the 1/2 board adjustments I use off of my right foot.

Use what fits your shot. A better plan can make up for some loss of flexibility.

[RobLV1]

Anyone who still hits up on the ball has plenty of L*O*F*T*! Unless you are left handed, why would you line up off of your right foot?

[Wherearemyballs]

Anyone who still hits up on the ball has plenty of L*O*F*T*! Unless you are left handed, why would you line up off of your right foot?

Don't you use the dots , boards and arrows for adjustments on the approach ? Or is that old school nowadays? I line up the foot closest to the swing and step toward my target arrow. It controls my starting point in both directions.

[RobLV1]

The only way to control your direction is to line up on the approach with the same foot that you end up on at the foul line (left). If you line up with your right, and slide with your left, how do you know if you have drifted?

[Wherearemyballs]

The only way to control your direction is to line up on the approach with the same foot that you end up on at the foul line (left). If you line up with your right, and slide with your left, how do you know if you have drifted?

I address my target and swing toward it, starting on my right foot and ball movement in sync. A standard 4 step approach. My target is on the lane not the pins. As long as I care if I hit my mark, I do fairly well.

Send me a link to your targeting system. I would like to learn the thought process you use.

[Amyers]

The point Rob is trying to make is where you start on the lanes doesn't really matter it's where you finish. If you finish on your left foot but line up off your right you have no idea if you drifted on the approach and are still on the same angle.

Technically I can aim at the third arrow and put the ball anywhere from the right gutter to the left gutter and still hit my target. It's the combination of consistently hitting the target and being on the same angle which is controlled by your finish position on the lane that determines accuracy down the lane. Being able to hit a target at 15 feet within an inch doesn't help much if your off by a foot at 40 feet

[Wherearemyballs]

The point Rob is trying to make is where you start on the lanes doesn't really matter it's where you finish. If you finish on your left foot but line up off your right you have no idea if you drifted on the approach and are still on the same angle.

Technically I can aim at the third arrow and put the ball anywhere from the right gutter to the left gutter and still hit my target. It's the combination of consistently hitting the target and being on the same angle which is controlled by your finish position on the lane that determines accuracy down the lane. Being able to hit a target at 15 feet within an inch doesn't help much if your off by a foot at 40 feet

Which may be why over time I have shortened my approach. To help maintain a constant flow to my target from my starting point.

When I played squared up , I always read my stopping point. So I know what your saying. I'm thinking about point A and C , while B needs more thought given.

YouTube has to have something explaining a plan for Foot positions from start to foul line.

[billf]

Bilf great answer. I don't understand why people say get a coach right away. The average bowler does not want to spend hundreds of dollars to get to be a 180 bowler. Timbrr if you have some good bowlers you know ask them to watch you bowl and give you tips first. listen to bilf keep your head up and have fun.


I NEVER SAID TO NOT GET A COACH While I don't suggest one if all you want is to drink and not care about your game that situation doesn't seem to apply here.
While your 240avg bowler can tell you "you pulled it" which most of us can reply "No $hit" they usually have zero clue why YOU did. They can tell you why THEY did and what the coach told THEM. Most of the best bowlers just bowl without thinking of form much. It either feels normal or "off" and they can't tell you what doesn't feel right.

I will admit I have one youth bowler who averages only 180 right now. Came to me two months ago wanting to try out for the high school team in November. His average at the time was a 27. That's not a misprint either. This boy has Autism, never bowled before his three months in the after school program and loved bowling even averaging a 27. He was smart enough to realize that average wouldn't get him on the team. For him and his parents it's been worth the $10 a week I've charged them.

[Timbrr]

Hit the lanes today and shot a blistering 99. Followed that up with a 158. It occurred to me that I'm over thinking my whole game. I started pitching the Hooligan down the 8th board and shooting spares with the White Dot. I shot 206 so now I have something to build on. Thank you everyone for the help and suggestions.

[LOUVIT]

Hit the lanes today and shot a blistering 99. Followed that up with a 158. It occurred to me that I'm over thinking my whole game. I started pitching the Hooligan down the 8th board and shooting spares with the White Dot. I shot 206 so now I have something to build on. Thank you everyone for the help and suggestions.

Good to hear. My last 9 games were an average of 180 which I loved, I went on Thursday and averaged 140. I was all over the place and my release was horrible. I know what I did wrong after each shot but I need to think more before I throw the ball. Thursday really brought me down a notch on my confidence. after reading this thread I will take some advice. I may wright down some stuff and read it before I am ready to bowl. In the old day's I had written on my shoes...BK on the left and FT on the right, so when I lined up I would see it. it meant Bend Knee and Follow Through.