I can't win

[RoccoRock]

If I don't bring a ball for two handing, I can't do it. That's the goal this week, leave those balls at home. When I two hand, the balls I use have a semi fingertip grip. All my one handed balls are finger tip. I can't bowl two handed with finger tips, just feels terrible. That's may be the only way to do it, give myself no choice. Yes, I waiver here and there, but I keep coming back to one handed. Even if I had a crappy practice with it last time out, every time I start a new practice session, or even the league, I start one handed. I had one good solid month, where every game was one hand, it's only the last 3 or 4 times out I tried going back to two handed. I think I was feeling the pressure of the league starting, and not wanting to let my team down. So knowing I can two hand for a "quick fix" I started messing with it again. I found myslef very relaxed Thursday when I was one handing. Going two handed this week was a mistake. Instead, I should have worked on why I started to lose my one handed game. One of my issues is it takes me forever to make adjustments, and to realize what I'm doing wrong. I also don't have the type of teammates who can watch me, and tell me what I'm doing wrong. Usually their answer is, "drink a lot, then you won't care how you bowl."

[billf]

Pressure is tough especially when it's self-inflicted. For adjustments, I try to remember something I heard Chris Barnes say; better to move too soon and leave a makeable spare than too late and leave a split. You obviously care about your team but do the others?

[RoccoRock]

They care how we do as a team, but not enough to practice, and learn more about bowling, and get better. They are good guys, and they don't put pressure on me to carry the team, I do that to myself. If I have a bad game, it doesn't bother them, they won't blame me if we lose and I sucked. Really only one guy drinks, and gives me his great "advice." It makes me laugh, because I struggled a lot, especially early, last season. He would always look at me and say, "why are your getting mad?" I would tell him cause I bowl two good games, then throw away a 600+ series with one stinker. Early in the second half, he had a few good weeks. One week, he was on pace for a 600 series, his first ever. He blew it, and he got pissed. He turned to me and said "now I know why get mad." I told him however mad you are, triple than for me. I have bowled 600 series, I averaged 196 for over half of a summer season. So when I miss a 600, it's way more frustrating. Back to my one handed game, I am picking up a new spare ball this week (I hope) with a Switch Grip sleeve in it, so I can compleate my one handed arsenal. My spare ball is all screwed up, I have the tumb hole drilled offset too much, and no slug, and the fingers holes are cracked. It's the second White Dot that has done that on me. My Track 607A has the same issues. No more Ebonite products for me. I wanted to get a Storm spare ball, but my pro shop just got in the DV8 Zombie spare ball. I can't help myself. Just hope it holds up better than the White Dots.

[billf]

Does it look as cool in person as the pics?
Save your receipt, 2 year warranty lol

[RoccoRock]

Does it look as cool in person as the pics?
Save your receipt, 2 year warranty lol

Dude, it looks sick. All the guys I bowl with play games like Left 4 Dead, and love any zombie games, and movies. They are gonna love my new ball. I really really hope I have it by Thursday. Recipt will be saved for sure. They way I see, a two year warranty is perfect, 2 years ona spare ball is enough. By the time the warranty is up, I'll be looking for a new ball anyway.

[RoccoRock]

Brought out the new VG Nano, left all my two handing equipment at home, and went for it one haded, thumb in the whole way. 139, 188, 123. Yup, and that's on a THS, easy *** oil pattern in a recreational league. It gets worse, I bowled to practice games, 135, 178. I almost got kicked out of the league because I slammed my phone. So I am one of "those guys" and I can't bowl. I am an idiot, I get good at something, then decide to spend hundreds of dollars that I don't have, to do something else I'm not good at. And I keep going back to it, as bad as it is, and I just don't get any better at it. What's the old saying, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. I'm insane to bowl one handed. The sad part is, I've talked my way out of two handing, so how can I go back to that? On this page alone, just a few days ago look what I was saying about two handed. The good thing is everyone knows I'm a liar, and a fraud anyway, so going back would just be further proof. I wish I could just quit, sell all my useless stuff. I have never been so frustrated, and humiliated by my bowling. I wish I could re establish my average, because I'm going to kill my team by bowling with a 178 average, and thowing 130's. I feel sick.

[billf]

And next week you could very well shoot a mid 700 series, or higher. This game is very frustrating and not nearly as easy as the pros make it look.

[RoccoRock]

I looked at last years stats, and this series is worse than any series I had last year. I had a terible start last year becuase I nearly broke my finger when a ball fell on it. So I bowled one finger last year, and still bowled better than my wonderful 3 finger delivery. It's been a month since I had a good game one handed. Not series, game. I've never had a good series with this delivery, even in practice. I have a better chance of bowling a sub 400 series than a 700. If I even bowled a 600 series I would feel like I just won the U.S. Open.

[RoccoRock]

I'm so sick of hearing, "your going to have bad games, don't get upset." No, really, I thought every game I bowled was going to be a 300 with my thumb in. I thought it was magic. I don't have good games, then a bad one here or there. I have bad games, and a good one here or there. Also sick of "give it time." I'm not a noob, I've been bowling for years. I should be able to bowl decent one handed, even if the style is "new" to me. It's so new, I bowled like this in 1996. I also don't show up and bowl 3 games a week, and hope to get better in a year or so. I bowl a lot of games, and I practice a ton, without keeping score. Those practices usualy suck as well. I'm tired of seeing the ball come off my hand and go in a different place every time. I'm tired of seeing inconsistant roatatio, and axis. I'm tired of seeing the ball come off my hand great, super smooth, and hitting the 3 pin dead on. Then throw a crap shot that stuck to my thumb, go half way down the lane in the air, almost gutter it, and then strike. Sick of my one dumb *** teammate, and his brillinace. Sick of hearing him talk about my mental game, and getting upset ruins my game. No, my games get ruined, then I get upset. How can anyone speak on my mental game when they have no idea what I'm thinking? When I'm up there and set to throw it, I'm not mad, I'm not thinking of the last shot, I'm not thinking of my max score if I strike out. All I'm thinking about it my basics, steps, swing, sights, release. As upset as I get after a frame, or game, when the ball is in my hand I am calm, when I leave the 3,6,10, then chop out the 3, that's when I get mad. I am supposed to be doing this for fun, so now that I bowl "the right way" now it's not fun. 120's, 130's, yeah that's fun.

[RoccoRock]

I apologize if I made it sound like I'm being critical of people who give me advice. It's more that I'm mad at myself, and I have obvious issues following the given advice. I thank everyone who has tried to help, and I have heard you and understand. At the same time, it's pretty obvious I'm an idiot, and I can never do what is best for me. I agree, I should stick with one thing. I understand I'm not going to be good at it right away, and it takes time. I also feel I should be closer to "getting it" by now. I also know it did not take me nearly this long to get my game decent with two fingers. This summer I bowled at least 100 games, and countless hours of practice three finger. Last summer, my project was two handed. With way less games, and waaaay less practice time, I bowled a perfect game two handed. Yes, it was a little lucky, but so were thise big games I had this summer three fingered. I would like to stick to one thing, and if given the choice, I would choose to be a strict two handed. It is my intent to get my Fire Road drilled for two handing, and bring nothing but balls for two handing Thursday. My biggest problem now is taking that ball to my driller, and asking him to set it up for two handing. I'm going to have a hard time facing him, and telling him I am tucking my tail between my legs, and going back to two handed, but at this point I believe it to be in my best interest to do so. After almost getting kicked out of my league, almost getting into a fist fight with a teammate, and cutting my thumb on my left, non bowling hand so bad I almost needed stiches, I need a change. I need to have fun again. Two handing is more fun for me, even if it's not scoring great It's fun loading up on the backswing, doing my little hop, and uncoiling a rocket down lane. I have to stop caring if people don't like it, or that doesn't look smooth. I hope I can stick with it this time.