Back in the game... Wish I'd done this sooner!

[StriKING]

I recently got back into bowling after a loooong time away from the sport. Bowled in HS in the late 70’s (respectable but not good enough for varsity team). Walked away. Kept it at a distance for the last few decades. Rediscovered my passion for it at 50 after bowling with some friends last summer. Jumped back in with both feet. Bought two new Brunswick balls on e-bay; one reactive resin, the other, a particle coverstock. Still have my plastic ball from '76 for that evil 10-pin. It polished up like new. Joined a league last fall. Just wrapped up 36 weeks with a 165 average. Not bad for someone who hasn’t touched a bowling ball since 1996 and hasn’t bowled seriously since the late 70’s. A lot has changed in this game since then. Realized I wasn’t going to be any good at it if I didn’t get myself up to speed. What I knew about bowling from a few decades ago wasn’t going to cut it. So I got to know the house pro over the last few months. Took some lessons. Decided to buy a high end ball; Storm Virtual Energy. Got it in April. Love it. Hookin' it like nobody's business with the house shot layout drilled to my PAP. What a difference in reaction versus the Brunswick balls. Finally got the series’ into the high 500’s / low 600’s (season high was 657). High game in league was 247 with 7 strikes in a row. My personal best was 257 in a practice game just a couple of weeks ago. Have been consistently rolling in the low twos or close to it, in the 180’s – 190’s, with this new ball. My average shot up almost 20 pins to 182. Just joined three leagues for the summer. One with the guys; a mixed with the wife and a 12-week pro-shot experience league… (Wanted to try some different oil patterns.) I can bowl in all three of these leagues weekly for just a little more than what I'd pay for one round of golf. Continuing to work on getting my release where it needs to be. Expecting to get the average consistently in the 180’s – 190’s by the time the fall/winter leagues start. What a great game. Glad to be back. Well, that’s it. Figured I’d spill it all in my first post.

[Drano]

Welcome back to the game :) It's a lot different now than it was 40 years ago

[StriKING]

Ouch! It's only been 34 years! ...but who's counting ;)
Truth be told, I toyed with it again in my late 30's (1996) but still didn't have the patience.
Amazing how age mellows you out.

[slowfaller]

Great story and welcome back.

I too have jumped in w/ both feet this year and am having a great time. I bowled in a youth league from 9yrs to 16yrs then stopped as I was burned out and finding other interests. In my early 20's, I'd bowl every wed w/ friends and that lasted about two years and is also where I rolled my personal best of 276, front 9 then 9/7 in the tenth. I'm 28 now and the nautical blue Columbia Messenger I was using finally gave up and cracked all around probably from leaving it in my car a lot.

For Christmas '09, my Wife gave me a Raw Hammer Burn and after having some problems finding a good driller/pro shop, I have the Burn not hurting my hand anymore and also bought a Jigsaw Corner. My wife and I joined a mixed bi-weekly league that has one more week left, and am two weeks in to a high money triples league. On 5/29 a "lousy bowlers" league is starting that my wife and I are gonne be on together.

My avg was, I think, 152 when I stopped bowling in the youth leagues and is currently 156 on the bi-monthly league (started as 172 then I hit a major slump and it sunk to 146!) and in the triples league my avg is 174 and climbing. My latest high game for 2010 is 245. Its a great sport!

[StriKING]

Thanks slowfaller... and welcome back to you as well. It is a great sport and it's under-appreciated. If I had the zeal for the sport that I have now at age 50, I probably could've done something with it back then. At this point, I'm glad to be able to have a sport that I can participate in and have respectable results. A lot less frustrating than golf (or at least I'm better at bowling than golf!). :)

[slowfaller]

I tried my hand at Golf but its expensive, frustrating and, compared to bowling, the only good thing is being outdoors.

[owlish]

I cannot play golf due to my back, but I can bowl. I enjoy it very much. With our Texas heat it's hard to enjoy golf anyway, would rather be in the air conditioning. :)

owl

[WAC4504]

I gotta agree with Owlish, here in Memphis the heat and humidity is so bad that golf would be a water sport. I personally don't want to sweat any moor than I have to, since I work out side during the week. And the best thing about bowling is when you throw the ball it comes right back to you, you don't have chase it. Welcome back to the sport guys.

[BaconLad]

I love storys like this! Once it's there you can never get it out of your system, you can walk away but you'll always come back! :)

[ehanlon717]

I also am a newbie all over again. I bowled for a couple of years when I was in HS back in the early '90s, and managed to get up to a 125 average. I felt really confident when my friends and I started back up this year. Well, their scores have improved, while mine have stayed flatly in the 50s. I'm also left-handed, and the only lefty on my team. Trying to find tips to improve my game is difficult. I'm bowling with a 6 pound Ebonite Zoom, since I used a 6 pounder when I bowled in the '90s. My technique is erratic, and strikes and spares are intermittent. I love my game and it's getting kinda frustrating. How can I improve? Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

[billf]

Welcome back to the sport. I played football, baseball, basketball and wrestling in high school. I'm 43 now and started bowling six years ago when my daughter was a freshman on her bowling team. I love it. I left most of my right knee in the gulf when I was 22 so finding a sport I can do with the pain is a huge plus. It's the only sport I know where even the not-so-good to average players can compete (with handicap) the well-above-average players.

[resstealth]

Welcome back to the game man, and enjoy the shiny new toys.

[Timmytomma]

Indeed welcome back. I'm kind of new into the scene too...I've always bowled, but never for meaning. I had shoes and a ball forever, but I never tried to actually be good and compete. Now, way later than I should have, I'm taking a serious interest and I love it. Love the game, and I hope you do too. Good luck, and good bowling!

[kev3inp]

Life took me away from the game for 17 years, and a casual outing with friends reminded me how much I love it. I've been bowling year round since. Welcome back. :)

[travkoiboi]

did the same thing bowled in HS varsity (back in 97-01) quit till this year after 2001. So much has changed but on a positive note my game is a lot more solid now. I think just physically I am a lot stronger and mentally more chill. Its hard to say if that long of a break is good or bad. Guess I'll never know.

[Grimthrow]

You picked the best game to come back to...welcome back!

[10-in-the-pit]

Very cool. Congrats on the great improvement!

[slowfaller]

Hey everyone.

I posted on the first page how I was back at it and now am back at it again, sort of.

Broke my right ankle OCT-2011 and had surgery. 8 weeks after league started and it was my slide foot! (lefty bowler)
Admitted to hospital Dec 28,2011 for surgery complications.
Discharged Jan 4, 2012 (happy new year)
Started walking again Feb2012, barely.
Physical Therapy 3x a week for a while. They knew I bowled and would have me slide on those furniture slider things while throwing a weighted ball into a mini trampoline. Very helpful.
Started bowling again Apr2012
Attended an IABowling event with Belmonte and Asbaty, only 1 of 2 days on June 3, 2012.
Currently 11 weeks into a 15 week pbax league with 179 avg
Throwing a Hammer Arson and Storm Reign Supreme.
Feels great to be bowling again coming off that injury, starting the annual Wed night league in September.

[Tampabaybob]

Welcome back to the game. I too, have had periods of layoff's over the years, either due to my job at the time or hospitalization. But I always came back. Sort of like riding a bicycle....you never forget how to bowl.

I also have tried golf and over the years have realized that was not my game. Now when someone asks me to go pal a round I simply tell them, " Sorry, I like my balls to come back to me !"

Bob

[RoccoRock]

Another comeback, you like Brett Farve! Sorry to hear about the broken ankle, hope all goes well in this comeback. I did the same thing, I bowled when I was 19, liked it, but stopped. Picked it up again when I was 33, and I am kicking myself for not getting back in sooner.

[serial bowl]

This is quite the inspirational thread. Congrats to all you guys for your efforts.
I am just getting back into the game also, I bowled in a kids league back in the early 80's. Ouch, Did I just say that?

[J Anderson]

This is quite the inspirational thread. Congrats to all you guys for your efforts.
I am just getting back into the game also, I bowled in a kids league back in the early 80's. Ouch, Did I just say that?

Yes you did, but don't worry, since scoring became computerized only a few of us can do the math to figure out that you're in your ....

Don't worry, your secret is safe with me.