I can't win

[billf]

If you're still struggling that bad and not having fun, then it's time to go back to two handing. Fun is the most important part, not what others think.

[RoccoRock]

It was looking grim tonight. I was doing as bad (maybe worse) than last week. I say maybe worse cause the first game I couldn't throw a strike, then the second game I couldn't make a spare. Third game started bad as well, until I found what I was looking for. I backed my fingers out a little, so I was using my semi fingertip grips properly, I slowed down, and focused on the correct spot. I ran five in a row, and all sweet shots, off my hand perfect, right where I aimed it, and hit like a truck. Drilled the pocket next two frames as well, but left the 10 pin. Unfortunately I misses both spares, so now I need to work on my spare ball. That was the end of my nigbt. I hate that, just when I get rolling, nights over. I may take the week off, and not bowl again until next Thursday. My legs are tired, I bowled a 3 hour practice this week without keeping score. Also did a lot of jogging this week, about 6 miles a day. I figure if I'm gonna two hand, I need to get back in shape. Even though I had another terrible series, I didn't get mad, I didnt get into a fight with my teammate, and didn't get told I am close to getting tossed out of the league. Why? Cause I had fun. Also cause I feel like with a little time and practice I will get back on track. I don't feel defeate, and hopeless, and don't feel like changing styles. The good thing is we started using this years average, and my average is way lower than it should be. So when I do get back in track, I'll have a nice handicap.

[RoccoRock]

The title of this thread says it all. Last nights post I said my legs were a little sore, and I was tired. Today, my legs are so shot, I can't even go for a light jog. Tuesday after my long practice, I had some neck pain. Today, my back is a little bit, and I mean little, teeny tiny bit, sore. It's not bad really, the worry is that it's going to get worse. I'm not getting younger, so now I'm worried. So one hand no thumb hurts my wrist. Two hand bothers my legs, and back, and neck. And one hand, thumb in makes me miserable. Maybe it's time to get out the golf clubs.

[J Anderson]

The title of this thread says it all. Last nights post I said my legs were a little sore, and I was tired. Today, my legs are so shot, I can't even go for a light jog. Tuesday after my long practice, I had some neck pain. Today, my back is a little bit, and I mean little, teeny tiny bit, sore. It's not bad really, the worry is that it's going to get worse. I'm not getting younger, so now I'm worried. So one hand no thumb hurts my wrist. Two hand bothers my legs, and back, and neck. And one hand, thumb in makes me miserable. Maybe it's time to get out the golf clubs.

Just have an attitude like my late teammate Otto. He used to say that he enjoyed golfing more than other golfers because he got to hit the ball more often.

[edpup316]

Maybe it's time to get out the golf clubs.

Hey! Thats what i did!! Was avg about 205ish for about 3 years and try as I might i couldnt break that consistent 210-215 range. So i quit for 2 and a half years and picked up golf. I played and i played and i played and then i finally shot my first sub 80(a 78) and BAM i hit a wall so i drifted back over to bowling and know after 2 years of being back into it im avg 224. It was nice getting away from bowling and going to a sport that IMHO has way more decision making to be made as each shot is different and the athletic move to be made is much mroe complicated. Makes bowling seem a little easier.

[RoccoRock]

So I went for a nice practice today. I went through all 3 of my deliveries to pick out flaws, and work on making them smoother, and eliminating the little aches and pains from the two hand, and palm deliveies. The more I worked, the more I practiced, the clearer it became. I was on the right track this summer with a transition to a "traditional" game. I side tracked myself a few times, and got really frustrtated, but if I want to keep bowling, my body would sure like it I stop two handing, palming the ball. Even after deciding that, I was still having issues with control, and consistant rotation, and axis with my thumb in. So I broke that delivery down even more. I was just not very smooth. Mostly because I was using too much muscle on my downswing, and my push off, and slide were not good. So I worked on making my footwork smoother, and a better slide, giving me a more solid base, and really letting gravity do the work with the ball. I can't say what the scores were, cause I didn't have the scoreboard on cause I wasn't going for scrores. I was looking for feel. After I smothed out my herky jerky delivery, and let my delivery flow better, I definatly had a good feel. My league only uses our book average for the first two weeks, then you use your current average. So now I don't have to worry that I'm bowling with an average 10-15 pins higher than I can average now. I hope that by the end of the season I can get my average back to where it was next year, at the very least. Now I can relax, and just work on getting better.

[billf]

With the 'new' delivery your average will drop but not for long. The hard part is leaving behind something you know works NOW. Keep being meticulous and analytical. Those traits will definitely tip the scales in your favor.

[RoccoRock]

So, I've been quiet for a few weeks, just trying to work on my game without outside influence. I haven't spoken to my pro shop guy in weeks either, trying to learn my lessons by myself. My last post, I had said I was going one handed, full time. Predictibly, that didn't happen. The next day, I had an incident. My thumb stuck in a ball so bad, it nearly went in the next lane. Not only did I stop posting my issues here, I nearly quit bowling all together. Instead, I did my usual 180, and went back to two handed. The good news, I commited to it, full time, and did not bowl one handed at all for three weeks. The bad news, the results were no better. I did some practice this week , including throwing an old ball in a makeshift lane in my warehouse, wearing sneakers. The results were interesting. Two handed, my delivery looked very very close to Belmo (minus the slide) and was very accurate. I put a line of tape on the floor, and put a bucket about 20 feet away from the "foul line" The bucket isn't much bigger than the ball. I went through three buckets, cause I kept breaking them from hitting them dead center. I was excited, and I felt like last night was going to be my breakout night. Not so much. Once I had my bowling shoes on, everything I worked on went away. I could not get a good slide, I kept slipping, even though I had on the sliding soles that are supposed to slide the least. I tried to go to my sneakers, but I felt odd doing that at an actual bowling alley. I got a little more comfortable during league warmups, but I was still sucking. So I caught a break, the other team didn't show up, and we had a teamate running late. So I had a half hour to play with. So I got a lane, and I messed around one hand. I figured if I was going to suck, at least I would look better one handing I was using a Virtual Gravity Nano, and no matter what I did, I had no hook. The good thing is it made spares easier. I made almost all my spares in that practice. I eventualy moved way way outside, and did manage to find the pocket a little bit. I decided to go with one hand. If I can make spares, I have a chance. I have a 167 average, so I didn't have to do much to keep it up. 190, 183, 141. I got tired last game. I had a tough week of workouts, bowling, and my job, so I ran out of juice. Best part, even when I struggled, I didn't get frustrated, cause I knew I was making th spare, and I was still in the game. I was super smooth too, which makes me happy. I have to stick with one hand, I just have to. Next time out, I am going to try my ball with a Sarge Easter grip. My buddy has a ball with convetional drilling, and I was able to hook that more than my fingertip ball. I figure I may be able to hook the Sagre Easter ball more too. I want to get my game sraight by Thanksgiving. The day before my house has a tourny that I've wanted to enter for 3 years, but haven't had the game to do it.

[billf]

Good luck and good to see you posting again.

[RoccoRock]

So I went back to two handed again... ...just kidding. Aside from one major mental brain cramp, I haven't bowled two handed in a while. I am one handed from here on in. I'm finding my groove now. I am able to adjust, try new things one handed. My hook is back, and I can still throw it straight for spares. Still not totaly there, but close enough to be very very happy. I have learned so much from the people on this board, and when I actualy started listening, it made my game so much better. i hope to get some video soon, so everyone can see the difference between the old style and the new. So, about that brain cramp. I was practicing with a few friends. Across the alley, one of the best bowlers on Long Island was practicing. He was bowlng 2 handed. Never saw him do that before. So, I threw 2 games 2 handed. They were my best 2 games of the night. What I ignored (as usual) even though they scored better, it wasn't by much. So last week, I decided to do a Thanksgiving eve touney. 4 games, drop the lowest game. So I figured I had a game to play with, I'll bowl the first game two handed. If it works, I could drop a 240, and with my handicap that would be in the 300's. Well it didn't work. I couldn't get the ball to the right of the head pin. I just could not get my mechanics right. I changed balls, and boom, struck out the 9th and 10th for a 167. Worst thing that happened to me because it made me want to keep doing it. First 2 frames of game 2, washouts, and opens. So I raised the white flag, decided to go back to what I have been doing the most, and really the best, over the last 2 months. One hand, nice and smooth. Finished game 2 strong, for a 193. Second game, I was dropping bombs. I knew I was really on when I made the 4-7-10 split. 2 nice strings of strikes, for a monster (with my low average) 256. With handicap, that was a 313. Third game wasn't pretty. 7-10 split second frame, then 2 more opens on makeable spares, 176. With my handicap, I shot a 796 series. Good enough for 7th place, and to get some cash back. The thing that sucks, There was a stepladder finals for $500, top 5 made it. I missed by 7 pins. That's one of those makeable spares. If I make the 2-8, or the 3-6-9-10, I was in. I probably could have used a pearl, or polished ball for that 4th game, and saved my bacon. Right now, I just don't have that ball in the bag, and I can't afford one. Had fun, looking foward to more tourneys, and I hope I can dominate in my league from here on out. I went to the tourney to learn, and experiance the tourney, and I learned. I learned that there is no need for me to bowl two handed. I have two balls drilled for two handing only. I need to either convert them for one handing, or donate them. One of them is the Fire Road I won here, and it had maybe 8 games on it.