It's about friggin time

[Castiel]

Been bowling for 4 1/2 months and bowled a 704 in league last Wednesday.... Blah..

[RoccoRock]

Been bowling for 4 1/2 months and bowled a 704 in league last Wednesday.... Blah..

Good for you, now can you do it again? That's the key, repeatably. I bowled a 730 series two years ago, I bowled a 300 game a year and a half ago. What does that mean? Nothing, not without being able to do it again, and doing it top leagues, and tourneys. Anyone can get lucky and bowl a great game or series on a house shot in a recreational league. Doing it over and over in a competitive league, and on sport patterns, then in it means something. It doesn't matter how long you've been bowling, or how many practice games you have under your belt when it all counts. If you enter a tourney, they don't ask you how long you've been bowling. It's real easy to come on a thread, brag about your one good series with absolutely no proof. Go out tonight in your league and back up that 700 with another one this week, or even a nice 600, then maybe you have something. If you are that good this soon then you are very talented, and good luck to you. It's very very rare to have someone pick up a ball and in less than 6 months bowl 600's and 700's. I've never seen anyone with little experience have good form. They are usually all over the place, going dead straight, or hooking it a ton cause they don't use the thumb. What did you bowl the week before the 700, and the week before that? That tells a whole lot more than the one big week.

[RoccoRock]

620 tonight, admits some major potential distractions. There was a fist fight in the lane next to me. The beef started in warmups, and culminated after game 2. Anyway, I bowled well first game, converted the 3-4-6-7 in the first frame. Only miss was a 4-10 split. Second game was not goo. I didn't throw a strike until the 7th frame, and missed 3 spares I should have made including the problematic 3-6-10. It was my fault, I lost focus and feel. I got it back at the end of the game, finished well, and won the game for my team with a strong 10th. Third game was good, except missing another stupid 3-6-10. Go figure, I make th 3-4-6-7 in the first frame, and even made a pair of 3-4-6-7-10's in practice, but I keep missing the 3-6-10. Maybe I should pretend that the 4-7 is standing on the other side when I shoot it next time. So that's 2 600's in 3 weeks, and my average in this league is 199.9. Finally, some progress. I know I'm no superstar like Castiel, but making some strides after a year feels good. I worked this week on coming much straighter up the back of the ball. I still come off the side, but no where near as much as I had been. Looks like it's time to officially retire the two handed game. I'll still break it out for fun from time to time, but as far as competition, it's all one hand from here on out. At least, that's the plan, lets see how long that lasts. I actually gave some thought to two handing tonight, my thumb was bothering me. I went to throw a ball in practice this week, and it never cleared the thumb. I'm lucky I didn't fall down like Josh Blanchard. Glad I stuck with one hand tonight. Let's see where it goes from here.

[Tampabaybob]

Rocco...... Tough to concentrate when there's a fist fight going on next to you ! Concerning the 3-6-10, I know what you're talking about. One of the guys on my team has exactly the same problem and freezes up every time he leaves one. Ive never really had that much of a problem with it, but, during our rolloff this season, I left the 3 -10 on my last ball on a strike in the 10th. Shot it the way I normally would, and left the 3 pin standing.......lost the game....AND got knocked out of the rolloff brackets...BY ONE PIN !!!! Yeah, I'm the anchor and NEVER should have missed it. So anytime I've left it during practice, since then, I have found MY spot to shoot that sucker. Stand on the same board every time...shoot the same spot/arrow every time...haven't missed it since !!! So, find YOUR spot, practice it, and boil it down to the KISS theory. ( KISS theory.....keep it simple stupid ! )

[RoccoRock]

When I was two handing, I used to shoot the 3-6-10 by throwing my plastic ball dead straight, right up the 5. I don't remember the last time I missed that spare that way. Now with one hand I listened to my friend who told me to to use more angle, start left and throw it out to the right. I might try my old method with one hand. If that doesn't work, maybe I'll shoot just that spare with two hands.

[Jaescrub]

Am I mistaken or do you have to have Right/left and or Both sanctioned to be able to change up your Style from right to left or two handed in League play?

[classygranny]

When I was two handing, I used to shoot the 3-6-10 by throwing my plastic ball dead straight, right up the 5. I don't remember the last time I missed that spare that way. Now with one hand I listened to my friend who told me to to use more angle, start left and throw it out to the right. I might try my old method with one hand. If that doesn't work, maybe I'll shoot just that spare with two hands.

I vote for this, or less angle. But if you insist on using an angle to the pocket that's going to leave alot of them (or miss your mark-my own issue), then use the spare ball. My coach wants me to eventually use the spare ball for every spare. Not there yet, but getting more and more use to the idea.

[RoccoRock]

Am I mistaken or do you have to have Right/left and or Both sanctioned to be able to change up your Style from right to left or two handed in League play?

USBC rules are for right and left handed averages. If you change hands, you must re establish your average, or use an established average for that specific hand. You can not go from one hand to the other in the same game, you must finish the game using the hand you started with. With two hands, junior bowlers must have a separate average from one handed. Adults there is no such rule. You can go back and forth if you like, shoot strikes two hand and spares one if you like, the way Osku Palremaa does. I bowled a USBC league last season, so when I wanted to go back and forth I read all the rules to make sure I was doing it right.

[Tampabaybob]

USBC rules are for right and left handed averages. If you change hands, you must re establish your average, or use an established average for that specific hand. You can not go from one hand to the other in the same game, you must finish the game using the hand you started with. With two hands, junior bowlers must have a separate average from one handed. Adults there is no such rule. You can go back and forth if you like, shoot strikes two hand and spares one if you like, the way Osku Palremaa does. I bowled a USBC league last season, so when I wanted to go back and forth I read all the rules to make sure I was doing it right.

Rocco, you're correct, but in looking at the rule book on line, it is somewhat confusing. Here's part of it:

118b. How Established
Each league shall adopt a rule to determine the number of games required to establish an average in that league. The following applies when establishing an average:
1. A right-handed bowler must always bowl right-handed. Similarly, a left-handed bowler must
always bowl left-handed. Penalty: Forfeiture of game.
2. No combination of scores bowled both right- and left-handed can be used to compute an
average, except as stipulated in Rule 4c.

Then, on frequently asked questions, here's a reply:

118b/3
A bowler is using the two-handed approach. The bowler's dominate hand is the right hand. Can the bowler use the right hand for spares?
Answer:
Yes, since both deliveries are with the same dominate hand, the bowler did not change his delivery and therefore, is not in violation of any USBC rules.

My question is this (and this written explanation doesn't answer it), If a bowler is shooting two handed and is allowed to shoot spares with his dominate hand, then why couldn't a right handed (one handed) bowler shoot his spares two handed when his dominate hand is still his right hand?
Somewhere, I'm missing the connection between the two, and I'd say if you can do it one way, the opposite should also be ok. Thoughts?

[billf]

Bob, a one-handed bowler can shoot spares two-handed so long as his right hand is the dominant hand.
I had to e-mail USBC last season and check when a dispute was made.