How do you control your emotions during a perfect 300 game?

[Tampabaybob]

The one time I had a shot at a 300 after 11 in a row, I didn't really try to control emotions. For one, I'm not a highly emotional bowler no matter what is going on. I don't get overly-excited, nor do I get down on myself for a bad game. I didn't try taking more time, or thinking about the shot too much. What I did was just go through my typical routine and throw the shot. Turned out I missed left a couple boards and came up a hair heavy, thus missing my 300, but... it didn't bother me at all. Maybe just being a boring person helps calm the nerves?

Until you get there, you'll never know. Not being a smart ***, but it's true that most guys (and girls) get weak knees. The ONLY thing I can tell you is the need to remain calm, control your breathing, and do your absolute best to stay in YOUR ZONE. Even my last one I threw a couple of months ago, I had to slow down and relax. The ONLY thing I said to myself in the tenth frame was "Just make a good shot !"

[BrandonKR]

I bowled mine a couple of months ago, and my previous high game before it was a 267, so not even close. You could imagine the nerves that I was feeling that night. When I got the front 7, nerves were kicking in. I was trying to take my mind off the 300 because the lead off bowler on our team also had the front 9, and I think he was trying to take his mind of his by worrying about how I was bowling, so I guess that helped a little.

The lead off bowler tugged it in the 10th and left a split, then it was my time to go. I thought to myself, 'It's just another three balls, you've struck out millions of times before in the 10th, just do it again.'
Flush, light mixer, dead flush.

Throughout the game I was in the zone, and I feel like to bowl well you need to stay in the sub-conscious, and not think about the mechanics of what you're doing. Just stay calm and let your body do all the work.

[ArtVandelay]

I have never had a 300 game, but I've gotten the first 7 or 8 a couple times... In each occasion I started to feel different around the 5th or 6th frame, so in my case: You DON'T control your emotions! hahahaha. You let them win! hahahaha.

It's funny though, because I've been bowling well lately, averaging over a 200 (which is great for me) for over a month now, and I had a really nice 644 series last tuesday. Just a few nights ago, I had a dream about bowling. And I guess if you LOVE yourself, you're supposed to have happy, supportive dreams. But noooooo.... My stupid Irish mind likes to torture me as some kind of sick joke!!!

So, in this dream I had the first 11 strikes, and on the FINAL ball I left the 10 pin for a 299. And OF COURSE it had to be the 10 pin because the 10 pin is already my nemesis. Maybe dreaming of a 300 game is the closest I'll ever come to a 300, so it's maddening to know I might never even get that 300 in my dreams! hahahahaha. It's actually kind of funny to me. I have a twisted sense of humor.

[Greenday]

Never bowled a 300. But every time a big/important game comes around, I always go about it with the same mentality: "It's just another game". I focus on making good shots and nothing else. Otherwise, I overthink stuff, mess around with my shot, and stuff will go wrong.

[Tampabaybob]

I have never had a 300 game, but I've gotten the first 7 or 8 a couple times... In each occasion I started to feel different around the 5th or 6th frame, so in my case: You DON'T control your emotions! hahahaha. You let them win! hahahaha.

It's funny though, because I've been bowling well lately, averaging over a 200 (which is great for me) for over a month now, and I had a really nice 644 series last tuesday. Just a few nights ago, I had a dream about bowling. And I guess if you LOVE yourself, you're supposed to have happy, supportive dreams. But noooooo.... My stupid Irish mind likes to torture me as some kind of sick joke!!!

So, in this dream I had the first 11 strikes, and on the FINAL ball I left the 10 pin for a 299. And OF COURSE it had to be the 10 pin because the 10 pin is already my nemesis. Maybe dreaming of a 300 game is the closest I'll ever come to a 300, so it's maddening to know I might never even get that 300 in my dreams! hahahahaha. It's actually kind of funny to me. I have a twisted sense of humor.

Art, I hear what you're saying, but let me tell you what I would tell anyone that has gotten the jitters after 5 or 6. And by the way this is a BIG part of the mental game of this sport.

The need to relax is first and foremost. Tension is a killer. First try to control your breathing, by taking a deep breath, holding for a couple of seconds, then slowly releasing the breath. If necessary do it a couple of times. The next thing I would advise to do is to stop focusing on the scoreboard and focus on your delivery and your release. I'm not trying to over-simplify this and I know it's easier said than done. But I would love to see you put up a post here soon saying that you did these things and shot your first 300. Relaxing during the waining moments of a game when you have an 8 or 9 bagger and the anticipation of getting up in the tenth (also knowing all eyes are on you and silence prevails) is a tough nut to crack. But you can and will do it. Good luck, I'm looking forward to seeing THAT post soon.

[josheaton16]

The closest I've ever been was the front 9. First ball in the 10th i threw a great shot and left a ten pin! So i got a 279. But i have to say i was definitely nervous after six or seven. Pacing around and such lol. I agree it is hard to try and keep yourself calm, especially if you've never been that close. Hopefully next time i won't be so nervous.

[billf]

Maybe my life has altered my thinking too far outside the box.
Will a perfect game put food on your table? Get you any real money? Change your life or anothers in any meaningful way? No it won't so why be nervous? It's not life or death. I know it's just how I think but I just don't undrestand getting nervous about something so irrelevant in the grand scheme of life.

[GoodGorilla]

I saw some funny **** today. I was bowling next to a guy who was on fire, and I watched him miss a strike by one pin and later after I was done bowling seen that he had a perfect game while having one frame edited as a strike. He changed his missed frame to having a strike and told a bunch of people he had hit a 300. There was no money involved so I didn't rat him out, what a scum bag. I've personally come short one frame of a 300, but that **** is just low.

[classygranny]

I'm thinking after reading through all of this post, that I believe I have the answer to all of this....

I'm going to put a deep breath, exhale, some encouraging word to myself, remain calm, focus, and concentrate on hitting my mark in every pre-shot routine so it won't be any different on #1 or #8 or #12.

Wait....that's what I try and do now, so why haven't I had a 300? Oh, yes, the bowling gods have not rewarded me as of yet. Some day, some day....

[billf]

I saw some funny **** today. I was bowling next to a guy who was on fire, and I watched him miss a strike by one pin and later after I was done bowling seen that he had a perfect game while having one frame edited as a strike. He changed his missed frame to having a strike and told a bunch of people he had hit a 300. There was no money involved so I didn't rat him out, what a scum bag. I've personally come short one frame of a 300, but that **** is just low.

There was a guy I caught pre-bowling a 9-pin no tap league that made a score correction to get a 300. I didn't say anything but I did have pictures. He didn't bowl the normal night the rest of the season and his scores indicating that he didn't cheat anymore either. I mean seriously, he had a 140 average and tried to pass off a 300. About two months after he came clean so I let up on him.