How much coaching is needed

[NYMIKE]

My first league season I did not seek coaching, and averaged 123, I had some good night but some nights I was brutal, but I'd say I made no improvement. I enjoy bowling a great deal, so that average was not enough for me, I met a coach, he put me on classic 4 step, pendulum clock, handshake, and after 12 lesson and about 3 months, I became a 145-150 bowler. I haven't seen my coach since august and perhaps I'm plateauing, does this mean that the only way I'll get better is through seeing a coach?

[ep1977]

You can learn some great tips on the internet and practice them on your own with out a coach. If this doesn't help your average at all but the coach does than you have your answer.

[Tony]

You can certainly attain a higher average on your own and many bowlers have never taken a lesson. You might get a little better or you might become a 200 plus average bowler on your own. The difference is in how much natural talent and athletic skill you have.
You can / will always get some random advice or coaching, it might be very good or not so good depending on the person. The advantage with coaching is you get someone who has been trained on teaching the correct forms and techniques so you will stay on track and raise your average faster and stop bad habits earlier.
If you want to do the best you possible can in the shortest time, coaching will help, if you're content with going out and having fun while averaging 140 or 150 coaching might not be money well spent. That's my take on it anyway.
(since you are here it would suggest you aren't content with just having fun, you want to score well too)

I misread your coaching / thought you said 3 lessons over 12 months. As other have suggested that's quite a lot of coaching already. I would probably go with the suggestion to post some video here and let some of the coaches look at it.

[foreverincamo]

Tiger Woods still has a swing coach. I'm pushing 50 and get coaching a couple times a month. I'm averaging 206, 10 pins higher than last year. Get all the coaching you can.

[djp1080]

What is key to improving your bowling techniques is to identify bowling techniques to improve upon from where you're at. You'll likely need someone to take videos of your technique and then determine from what you see what issues require your focus to improve. Likely there are people on this forum who can view a posting of those videos and you can improve that way; however, you'll not be getting on site immediate coaching which you get during a lesson.
How much coaching is needed depends upon your desire to improve. Even the best professional bowlers have coaches as an example. Good luck!

[scottymoney]

My first league season I did not seek coaching, and averaged 123, I had some good night but some nights I was brutal, but I'd say I made no improvement. I enjoy bowling a great deal, so that average was not enough for me, I met a coach, he put me on classic 4 step, pendulum clock, handshake, and after 12 lesson and about 3 months, I became a 145-150 bowler. I haven't seen my coach since august and perhaps I'm plateauing, does this mean that the only way I'll get better is through seeing a coach?

Even though you have seen a little progress I would honestly seek another coach to see if someone else can offer you something better for you. I say this because the "handshake" is a very old school way of thinking and in the modern game it is a bit frowned upon. I also say to find a new coach for the reason of 20-30 pins a game is only a couple marks a game more. Basically making your spare in 2 frames gets you to 145. I wouldn't see this as a huge improvement especially after 12 lessons.

This is nothing against you, and I have never seen you bowl. This is just an honest assessment from the information you provided. I would try a new coach and see what happens. NYMIKE where are you located. I am also in NY just near Buffalo. I would be happy to work with you if you are in this area. If not maybe some other members near you can find you someone to work with.

[billf]

12 lessons in 3 months is too much for most people. I don't know how often you work on what was covered or your progress in mastering what was covered so take it with a grain of salt.
That being said I do have high school and college bowlers I work with on a weekly basis. That doesn't mean we introduce new things weekly. Often I will just record the session and show them the progress or lack of before going on to the next phase. Here is where I differ and catch a lot of flack from other coaches: I only charge when something new is introduced and not for the progress check sessions.
If you want some things to look for on your own or even to help you devise which questions to ask of your coach Mark Baker's The System DVD would be worth the investment. Joe Slowinski also has some great information on his website www.bowlingknowledge.info
Clinics held near you may also prove beneficial.

[fokai73]

I bet....if you go practice and not shoot for strikes, rather try hitting the corner pins and other spare leaves, your average will jump 20 to 30 pins. The key for you right now, is to work on what you've learned and do your best trying not to leave open frames. If you fill frames more often, your average will increase.

I was 155-160 average for two seasons. then a coach gave me this tip that I'm giving you right now....long story short, the next season I was 194 average.

My mind set every time I bowl was to fill frames. STRIKES are bonus, SPARES are money. Strike for show, spare for doe!!!!

I must add...He showed me a spare system, the 4th arrow system, which I worked on over the summer.

[JasonNJ]

Getting a new coach may help because 12 lessons in 3 months sounds like a lot to me. Although I've never seen you bowl, I would think after 12 lessons you have the basis on being a pretty good bowler. My guess is the thing for you to work on is to be able to be consistent with your mechanics and to be able to repeat shots. I would say have someone video tape you from the back and side and focus on finding 2 or 3 key things that allow you to be consistent with your release. Like for me, the push away and my 2 steps before my slide are big keys for me. If I don't fully push away and extend my arm to allow the pendulum effect to happen I tend to chicken wing my shot. Or my 2 steps before my slide I get too quick and my swing is late.

[NYMIKE]

Even though you have seen a little progress I would honestly seek another coach to see if someone else can offer you something better for you. I say this because the "handshake" is a very old school way of thinking and in the modern game it is a bit frowned upon. I also say to find a new coach for the reason of 20-30 pins a game is only a couple marks a game more. Basically making your spare in 2 frames gets you to 145. I wouldn't see this as a huge improvement especially after 12 lessons.

This is nothing against you, and I have never seen you bowl. This is just an honest assessment from the information you provided. I would try a new coach and see what happens. NYMIKE where are you located. I am also in NY just near Buffalo. I would be happy to work with you if you are in this area. If not maybe some other members near you can find you someone to work with.

I'm in Queens. The coach I'm using was recommended by the AMF desk guy, he trained many here. At my other alley, I was recommended to use a PBA pro. He charges $50 an hour, I don't know any other coaches.