The SIX THINGS that Will Frustrate Beginner Bowlers

[rv driver]

#3 is my bugaboo. I was reared in the time when you concentrated on your finesse game of aiming, swinging, and releasing. You expected the lanes to be at least passably consistent. You battled with yourself. Now it's a matter of battling changing lane conditions with very sensitive equipment. In my day, you didn't particularly care about the oil on the lanes. Now you have to know "oil patterns" and change your game accordingly. I had one ball (rubber) that I threw all the time, because neither it nor the lanes were nearly as sensitive as they are now. Now I need at least 2 balls -- one for strikes and one for spares. It's become less about self-management and more about equipment management.

[Big Merl]

As a new bowler myself I can tell you the biggest frustration is finding a place/time that you can bowl which is friendly to new bowlers. The single biggest tip I could give to veterans about new bowlers is you should ask before trying to coach us up. Also, don't tell us the first thing we need to do is buy yet another ball. I can't tell you how many guys have told me the biggest problem is that I don't have a ball from their favorite brand and that buying it would solve all my problems. Most of my problems right now are learning to have a consistent release.

[Aslan]

The single biggest tip I could give to veterans about new bowlers is you should ask before trying to coach us up.

Agreed. We have had this discussion here and the consensus is that veterans should wait to be "asked"…no matter how hard that is to do when you see a new bowler throw it in the gutter every other shot.

Also, don't tell us the first thing we need to do is buy yet another ball. I can't tell you how many guys have told me the biggest problem is that I don't have a ball from their favorite brand and that buying it would solve all my problems.

Yes and No. If you're throwing a reactive resin ball, drilled for YOUR hand…then you're 100% right. If you're rolling your dead uncle's conventionally drilled Brunswick Yellow Dot that was drilled to fit his hand and not yours…good luck scoring more than 135.

[Amyers]

#3 gets me. Apparently in the last 20 years the balls have changed, lanes have changed, how your supposed to bowl has changed, the lanes in a lot of house are synthetic now. In a lot of ways the game is way more complicated now.

#7 nobody has listed this yet: anybody here have sport shot guy in one of their leagues? Caries a 230 or 240 average and complains and moans how THS is nothing but a pin carry contest that there is no challenge. Sadly you think that someone that good might be someone you would want to learn from or emulate but they are so sanctimonious that you just want to avoid them.

Not everyone who plays sport patterns are like this. Once I get things down I would like to try it out.

[Aslan]

Caries a 230 or 240 average and complains and moans how THS is nothing but a pin carry contest that there is no challenge.

Those guys are HUGE pet peeves of mine…except for me it's guys like that who:

#1- Start throwing their equipment around complaining how they only lost because of handicap.
#2- Carry a 230-240 average yet never bowl in tournaments, scratch leagues, or sport leagues because they're too afraid to lose.

I mean, hey, it's all fun and games…but if you're too afraid to play in a scratch league…then A) I have ZERO respect for your high average and B) you can't complain about bowling against handicap bowlers when you bowl in a handicap league.

[Big Merl]

No, these are guys telling me that my problem is that I picked a Brunswick ball. I stopped going to that alley because they kept trying to convince me that I was wrong for that and that I needed a Storm ball.

[Mike White]

Agreed. We have had this discussion here and the consensus is that veterans should wait to be "asked"…no matter how hard that is to do when you see a new bowler throw it in the gutter every other shot.



Yes and No. If you're throwing a reactive resin ball, drilled for YOUR hand…then you're 100% right. If you're rolling your dead uncle's conventionally drilled Brunswick Yellow Dot that was drilled to fit his hand and not yours…good luck scoring more than 135.

135 might even be overstating it considering that Brunswick didn't make the Yellow Dot, Columbia 300 did.

[Aslan]

135 might even be overstating it considering that Brunswick didn't make the Yellow Dot, Columbia 300 did.

Well, I was talking about an obvious fake….which is even worse!!

[Amyers]

No, these are guys telling me that my problem is that I picked a Brunswick ball. I stopped going to that alley because they kept trying to convince me that I was wrong for that and that I needed a Storm ball.

You should be able throw whatever brand you choose. What kind of Brunswick is it?

[Aslan]

No, these are guys telling me that my problem is that I picked a Brunswick ball. I stopped going to that alley because they kept trying to convince me that I was wrong for that and that I needed a Storm ball.

Ironically, I had the same experience but it was a pro shop owner trying to get me to ditch a Storm ball for Ebonite or Track.

So no, Brunswick is fine. Storm is fine. Heck, go out and get a Lane #1 or Lord Field if ya want! It really doesn't matter. They all have RGs in the 2.49-2.54 range with differentials around .050…3 different types of overstocks, etc… The ball companies want to make people believe THEY have the SECRET new ball that will single-handedly elevate your game. But if it was that easy?? Yeah…nearly EVERYONE would buy that ball.