Approach ?

[swingset]

With the addition of alchohol, will make their patients REALLY short.

When I was a doctor, I had a lot of short patients.

[GeoLes]

Experience will save you time in the future. You will learn to recognize the pin leave, and know where you are going to stand, how you are going to release, over which board from behind the approach (usually whlie you pick up and clean the ball). Stand on your mark, set your stance trust your muscle memory, pushoff and go. Don't over think it. Just walk the ball to your mark and let it go. In your mind all you care about is that mark on the floor. See the ball roll over that mark, then look up to the pins.

[RoccoRock]

Nice game, good luck tonight Judy.

[mxjosh]

I get annoyed if someone takes 1min or over. Just standing there in position. I may take the full 30secs sometimes that most people are ok with but only cause my coach told me to take my time. Its mostly to get my arm and grip relaxed. Also to make sure I have my target. but 30 secs is a long time when u just standing and staring.

[SmilingBowler]

A few weeks back I heard something I never thought I'd hear during the Monday Mens League, which is by far the most competitive league I'm a part of; after struggling with pace early in the first game and starting with two opens, I hear from the next lane over, "Take your time and breathe kiddo!" and that changed the night for me. Now, whenever I feel I'm a little "off" I generally just slow everything down a bit. That was the key tonight. After throwing 147 and 159 (-26 and -14) in the first two games, I slowed it down and threw a 193 (+20) in the 3rd.

[ecub]

When I was a doctor, I had a lot of short patients.

Pa dum dum. Tish..

[Judy clemons]

Hi! I know I have impoved my approach time tremendously and I have not been hurt too bad.
my avg series 432 ended up just 10 pins below due to the first game last night. am totally satisfied
with the improvement which is what I was focused on doing. just wanted to drop in say thank you,
for your support it is appreciated.

[GeoLes]

There is a balance between taking forever and rushing the shot. Normally 10-20 seconds is about right. Your time on the approach should be a ritual. I look at pins, look at my mark, look where will stand. Grab and clean my ball thinking of how I want to release my shot. By then, I should be all set mentally. Stand on my mark, check stating positiion and grip, go. If something seems wrong, step off the approach, reset and do it again.

However, remember not everyone is there yet, so patience is sometimes required. Give people time to catch up. Ranting may not always help. Last year, I was the guy 2 hours on the approach. (Is my grip right? Am I relaxed? What mark am I using? Roll the ball, don't pitch it this time. Remember, stay down through the release. The list is endless. Someone on another team made a rude comment on more than one occasion and I got the hint, but never felt the same way about that person thereafter.

I would have taken it better. Once I learned, I made a point of bringing it up to him several time until he conceded that I did not take too much time. I really developed a resentment. If only he said to "You know it take up a lot of league time. If you plan your shot while the other guy is bowling, before you step up, things go faster. - just a friendly suggestion" - It would have gone over better.

Please. Don't be that guy.

[ecub]

Taking too long can be a bad thing. I've seen some people who setup in the approach, stand still for about 5-10 seconds and do nothing. When you take too long, you could over think it and may tense up your muscles. The best thing is minimize the tasks you do while at the approach. Most of the things can be done prior to stepping up on the approach.

Here my routine...

Still sitting down on the chair, prior to getting up on the approach:
The pins won't move, so at least I know where they are. I know how my ball already hooks, so I know what line I'd like to see. If my previous shot was a little high or light, then I already know which way to move.

When it's my turn:
1. I would grab the ball immediately and wipe the oil (if any) from it with my towel.
2. As I'm drying my hand on the air blower, I would look the lanes next to me to see the bowlers. I would wait extra long for bowlers who like to walk a lane or 2 to their right or left when they release their ball. Or if there is a left handed bowler to my right, I would wait for the bowler to finish their release, before I continue. I'm used to the 1 lane courtesy, except when there's a left handed bowler to my right.
3. Once the other bowler is already set on the approach, I would put one foot on the approach to signal to the other bowlers that I'm next. While waiting, I put my fingers in the finger holes. I then repeatedly insert/remove my thumb from the thumb hole to make sure I have a nice smooth thumb release. If not, step back, go to my chair, change thumb insert, then go back to step 2.
4. As soon as the other bowler left/right releases their ball, I setup, place my feet on the boards, set in my position, look at my arrows, then go.

Step 1 and 2 can take from 20 seconds to a minute or so. Step 4, takes no more than 5 seconds.

[noeymc]

i just say hit what i am looking at and i go after i look at my mark for 2-5 secs and make sure i got my eyes locked on it