Expectations too high??

[Aslan]

I went bowling tonight...tried to get in 4-6 games after leagues but before the lights went out for Cosmic bowling.

Well, I throw a 135. Felt "okay"...spent a little while adjusting my spot...figured 135 was okay.

Then a frustrating 128. Still moving around, still adjusting a little each way...trying to move middle because my ball just wasn't hooking the way it used to.

Then disaster...a 115. The ball was slipping out of my hands...the place was like a sauna because it was 100 degrees outside...so my thumb was sticking...tried turbo tape, but it just fell off my thumb because I forgot to make sure my thumb was completely dry.

So then...time to simplify. Stopped forcing my backswing...stopped worrying about my release...sorta found my spot and target...ended up with a 144.

Then...mark 4 straight frames. Stopped focusing on anything except hitting my target and extending on the follow-through. Keeping it simple. Missed a couple makeable spares and ended up with 3 open frames...but then marked the rest of the way...ended with a 177.

Now...after "reflecting"...my average is a 127. Actually...tonight in 5 games I averaged 140. So...I did okay. But I didn't FEEL like I did okay. I felt completely out of whack. And it's not just that...it's my new "expectations"...now I'm expecting nearly clean games...I'm expecting 170-190...because I got a "taste" of it. Now I bowl 115 and I want to kick my bowling bag into the bar area. But I used to bowl 107-129...consistently. And I never felt "bad" about it...lower expectations.

[classygranny]

Ahhhh. The frustrating sport we call bowling.

If we never have a bad game, how can you appreciate the good games?

Hang in there, the consistency will start to build.

[e-tank]

It happens. Imo the best thing is to keep a calm head so you can figure out whats going on and work to correct it. Also if you keep researching and practicing, your scores and your average will increase quickly. I know mine did!

[panbanger]

Some nights I bowl a 240 then the next game throw a 165. Just try to clear your mind when you find yourself overthinking things. Of course I give you this advice and usually cant follow it myself

[Bunny]

Where ya bowling now that Yorba Linda closed? I bowled at Carter last night and didn't come around until the third game. I tried adjusting but the ball would either go brook or wash out. I had to move my target 1/2 a board. After talking with some people from spring leauge I discovered that all of them have trouble at Carter. One of the guys has a First Blood too. He said that he has the same problem. I bowled at Westminster and Forrest over the weekend and had nice ball reaction. He actually uses his First Blood at Concourse (real wood, crazy dry) and gets a big ol' hook right to the pocket.

Go figure.

[Aslan]

Where ya bowling now that Yorba Linda closed?

Concourse. Carter would be next closest, followed by probably Norco. I'm in east east Yorba Linda, so Norco is probably the closest...it's just impossible to drive that direction on the 91. Concourse is pretty close. It's not "old school"...but it's nice. They are getting rid of their wooden lanes come May 2014...so their reaction will lessen greatly once that happens. I also have rolled in Diamond Bar if I'm there on business or sometimes I'll bring the ball with me on Sundays when I got to Pechanga for poker and I'll bowl in Temecula...but their alley is pretty new and there is ZERO reaction there....my ball barely even "flares" there.

I miss Yorba Linda Bowl though. That was a nice little alley, and barely 6 miles from where I live.

[e-tank]

Is the house you go to im temec nice? Ive been trying to branch out in trying new houses lately as ive only bowled in my current house and in vegas

[Aslan]

Is the house you go to im temec nice? Ive been trying to branch out in trying new houses lately as ive only bowled in my current house and in vegas

Depends what you mean by "nice". It's "modern"...which means I tend to hate it. The biggest knock besides the lanes being synthetic and new and there being virtually no ball reactivity...is there are only 20 lanes!! 1/3 of the bowling alley is some "private party area" and where they have pool tables and crap like that. And thats fine...but God forbid you stop in for a game on a league night...good luck finding a lane. Concourse has 40 lanes and at 8:30 on a weekday, I can barely get an open lane.

[hudman]

I went bowling tonight...tried to get in 4-6 games after leagues but before the lights went out for Cosmic bowling.

Well, I throw a 135. Felt "okay"...spent a little while adjusting my spot...figured 135 was okay.

Then a frustrating 128. Still moving around, still adjusting a little each way...trying to move middle because my ball just wasn't hooking the way it used to.

Then disaster...a 115. The ball was slipping out of my hands...the place was like a sauna because it was 100 degrees outside...so my thumb was sticking...tried turbo tape, but it just fell off my thumb because I forgot to make sure my thumb was completely dry.

So then...time to simplify. Stopped forcing my backswing...stopped worrying about my release...sorta found my spot and target...ended up with a 144.

Then...mark 4 straight frames. Stopped focusing on anything except hitting my target and extending on the follow-through. Keeping it simple. Missed a couple makeable spares and ended up with 3 open frames...but then marked the rest of the way...ended with a 177.

Now...after "reflecting"...my average is a 127. Actually...tonight in 5 games I averaged 140. So...I did okay. But I didn't FEEL like I did okay. I felt completely out of whack. And it's not just that...it's my new "expectations"...now I'm expecting nearly clean games...I'm expecting 170-190...because I got a "taste" of it. Now I bowl 115 and I want to kick my bowling bag into the bar area. But I used to bowl 107-129...consistently. And I never felt "bad" about it...lower expectations.

I hope you are okay taking advice from a new guy.

Are your expectations too high? It depends. How long have you been bowling? Did you take lessons from a pro - or have a pro evaluate you? It is important to start off with good fundamentals. The best way to do that is by taking instruction from a pro.

I was lucky that my uncle was a great bowler and a great teacher. He stressed the importance of developing a smooth approach and release that I could repeat over and over without any thought. He taught me the basic, 4 step approach. He started me off throwing a second arrow, stroker shot. He constantly reminded me to let gravity and the ball do the work. He also got on me when I complained about missing strikes. I wanted to throw the big hook and destroy the pins. He told me the name of the game was making spares. He told me I had to learn how to walk before I could learn how to run. He told me the strikes would come but the secret to carrying a high average was making the spares. He said it was great that I was leaving a bunch of 7's and 10's because it was good practice picking them up. He taught me to go cross alley on my spares and to use the arrows. He also pointed out how important it was to have good bowling fundamentals. He said it was nearly impossible to get rid of bad habits if you strayed away from proper fundamentals. I had a 12# plastic ball with a conventional grip and averaged 154 my first year of league bowling. I was 12 years old.

I didn't get a lot of strikes but I made the majority of my easy spares. I continued to improve every year that I bowled thanks to my uncle starting me off with good fundamentals.

I think many amateur bowlers today are obsessed with throwing the big hook. With the new technology anyone can buy a hook. My league is full of guys that can make strikes and struggle to make spares. Most of those guys are in the 135-160 average range. They could easily average 190+ if they learned how to shoot spares. They blame it on the oil pattern and the balls when it's easy to see they are throwing every ball like their strike ball. Bowling doesn't work like that.

My advice is to have your technique evaluated by the pro at your bowling center immediately. He or she will give you suggestions on how to improve your technique. After doing that, you should focus more on spare shooting than on your strike ball. I would set a goal to pick up 6 spares per game and to follow every spare with a good ball (7-10 pins). If you do that, the strikes will come and your average will improve rapidly.

[Aslan]

Can't argue with that advice.