The "I've been out of bowling for years, and I'm back!" thread

[Eddy]

I haven't updated in quite a while. I bowl quite often now that I work at a bowling center. I'm not on a league or anything at this point just practicing. I usually bowl a regular game first then do drills for a few games then regular games again. The other day right out of the gate I shot a 246 just loosing up. Would have been better if I didn't open in the first frame then got the next 9 in a row. I've mentioned in other posts that the shot we have out there is very easy. It's 44' christmas tree THS pattern cleaned and oiled daily. I usually try to throw both before and after I oil, honestly it's not all that different either way since there is rarely any crankers and very few reactive balls hitting the lanes.

Mostly plastic and a smattering of urethane. So bottom line I have whatever line I want to play mostly to myself. They carry at the place is nuts, sometimes I think pins start falling before the ball reaches them. I can't really gauge myself here it wouldn't be fair.
I mainly focus on my approach, release, spare shooting and trying to get some muscle memory again so I can bowl a lot more games without being incapacitated the next day with a tube of icy hot and a bottle of ibuprofen. My son bowled 26 games yesterday alone while I worked, if that was me I'd have been carried out on a stretcher.

Don't downplay doing well on an "easy" THS pattern. You still have to be on point to score well. There are many people that don't do well on easy patterns. That's funny about the tub of ice and ibuprofen thing. But it's actually kind of true and necessary for us older folk. I wouldn't be bowling right now without the ant-inflammatory known as Ibuprofen and Alleve. (Naproxen Sodium) Those drugs have allowed my inflamed joints to heal good enough to enjoy bowling once again. Without a single doubt, I would not be bowling without them.

[Phonetek]

Don't downplay doing well on an "easy" THS pattern. You still have to be on point to score well. There are many people that don't do well on easy patterns. That's funny about the tub of ice and ibuprofen thing. But it's actually kind of true and necessary for us older folk. I wouldn't be bowling right now without the ant-inflammatory known as Ibuprofen and Alleve. (Naproxen Sodium) Those drugs have allowed my inflamed joints to heal good enough to enjoy bowling once again. Without a single doubt, I would not be bowling without them.

I try to deal without taking pills but I'll be honest, my legs were sore for days from all that bowling. A lot of muscles I haven't been using like that the stretching at the foul line and such. Plus working again for the first time in quite a while and being on my feet for that long takes a little getting used to. I was off Saturday and applied Icy hot to my legs 4 times throughout the day. I didn't care for walking around smelling like Pepto Bismol but between that and a few Advil I woke up pain free Sunday so it was worth it. If it gets really bad my wife has some muscle relaxers and norco but I hate that stuff. I don't know how she takes that stuff everyday. Once I get used to all this new activity I'll be fine.

As far as the THS at this place I didn't mean to downplay it and I don't want to make it sound like I'm some great bowler either because I'm not nor am I a pro trust me. I say it's easy because I can literally miss by 5 boards and still blast the pocket. If I miss right it comes back, if I miss left it slides more and bam! If I REALLY pull it I'll go brooklyn and still carry it LOL That to me is crazy ridiculous. There is no punishment for missing and missing badly. I know I throw hard and have a lot of revs but jeeze even noze diving the headpin I can count on one hand how many bad breaks I got.

I'm going to have to try bowling at another house and see if I have the same luck. It can only be one of 3 things for how I'm doing. Luck, the house I'm bowling at or I'm better than I think I am. I'd be willing to bet it's the first 2 more than the 3rd. It certainly isn't my equipment because that's 20 yrs old and older. LOL

[JasonNJ]

I try to deal without taking pills but I'll be honest, my legs were sore for days from all that bowling. A lot of muscles I haven't been using like that the stretching at the foul line and such. Plus working again for the first time in quite a while and being on my feet for that long takes a little getting used to. I was off Saturday and applied Icy hot to my legs 4 times throughout the day. I didn't care for walking around smelling like Pepto Bismol but between that and a few Advil I woke up pain free Sunday so it was worth it. If it gets really bad my wife has some muscle relaxers and norco but I hate that stuff. I don't know how she takes that stuff everyday. Once I get used to all this new activity I'll be fine.

As far as the THS at this place I didn't mean to downplay it and I don't want to make it sound like I'm some great bowler either because I'm not nor am I a pro trust me. I say it's easy because I can literally miss by 5 boards and still blast the pocket. If I miss right it comes back, if I miss left it slides more and bam! If I REALLY pull it I'll go brooklyn and still carry it LOL That to me is crazy ridiculous. There is no punishment for missing and missing badly. I know I throw hard and have a lot of revs but jeeze even noze diving the headpin I can count on one hand how many bad breaks I got.

I'm going to have to try bowling at another house and see if I have the same luck. It can only be one of 3 things for how I'm doing. Luck, the house I'm bowling at or I'm better than I think I am. I'd be willing to bet it's the first 2 more than the 3rd. It certainly isn't my equipment because that's 20 yrs old and older. LOL

I never really bowled a lot when I was younger but I picked it up about 4 or 5 years ago and I remember my glutes, hamstrings, back and quads killing me for days. Thankfully, once you bowl regularly those muscles for the most part will stop complaining.

As for the 5 board miss room, that is all THS. Nothing more frustrating during league night when me and my teammates are pounding the pocket and leaving ringing 10s, and the other team is missing 5 boards consistently each shot and carrying light shakers and Brooklyns.

[Phonetek]

I never really bowled a lot when I was younger but I picked it up about 4 or 5 years ago and I remember my glutes, hamstrings, back and quads killing me for days. Thankfully, once you bowl regularly those muscles for the most part will stop complaining.

As for the 5 board miss room, that is all THS. Nothing more frustrating during league night when me and my teammates are pounding the pocket and leaving ringing 10s, and the other team is missing 5 boards consistently each shot and carrying light shakers and Brooklyns.

It's always been a personal pet peeve of mine carrying brooklyn. Yeah I know it's still an "X" on the monitor, it just bugs me. I know I'm better than that to miss that poorly. I do however love tripping the 4 pin and having a messenger fly across the lane to take out a 10 pin. I don't care if anyone else gets brooklyns, luck is part of the game. It sucks to lose to it but it all evens out in the end because sooner or later we all get lucky.

[boatman37]

awesome Eddy. Gives me hope. I have never shot a 700. i think my best is a 676 or something. best since i came back 7 weeks ago is a 564 so still quite a ways to go.

and i hate brooklyns too. glad they count as a strike but frustrating when i get them because i know i screwed up. and yep, lots of ibuprofen here too. 2 weeks ago i forgot to take it before i left and by the 2nd game i was sore. no problems last week but i did slow everything down so it was either that or my body is just getting used to it again.

[boatman37]

Well I didn't get the same results you did tonight. Only rolled a 502 and struggled for that. My thumb is a little swollen and the ball kept sticking so that was causing alot of high hits and brooklyns and my 7 pin ball has an even smaller thumb hole so really struggled with that. Ordered a new ball tonight for my 4, 7, and 8's. Not sure what I'm getting. Told the PSO to surprise me.

Using my PinPal app in 2 weeks of tracking it I have only converted 1/4 7 pins, 3/4 8 pins, 1/2 10 pins, and all the rest of my other single pin leaves.

Both teams struggled on our lanes tonight. We bowled on of the top teams. Their combined average is 208.6. Ours is 184.8. We took all 3 games (game 1 by 5 pins). The only had 2 600's (649, 604) and we had 1 (606). I struggled to hit my mark all night with the thumb issue. Found out after we were done that the lanes we were on (39 and 40, the last 2) are the hardest to bowl on.

Not too frustrated even though I sucked. At the end of the night I bowled my average (167). I should be closer to 200-210 but with my 15 year absence I should probably be closer to 180. Can't complain too much considering the first 2 weeks I used a right handed ball then the next 3 weeks used a ball with way too big of holes. The last 3 weeks I had my new ball but using a spare ball that's drilled for a righty. Tonight with my thumb issues and everyone struggling I am happy to have bowled my average. Hopefully with the new spare ball I have less opens at the end of the night (had 11 opens tonight, 11 strikes, and 10 spares)

[JasonNJ]

Well I didn't get the same results you did tonight. Only rolled a 502 and struggled for that. My thumb is a little swollen and the ball kept sticking so that was causing alot of high hits and brooklyns and my 7 pin ball has an even smaller thumb hole so really struggled with that. Ordered a new ball tonight for my 4, 7, and 8's. Not sure what I'm getting. Told the PSO to surprise me.

Using my PinPal app in 2 weeks of tracking it I have only converted 1/4 7 pins, 3/4 8 pins, 1/2 10 pins, and all the rest of my other single pin leaves.

Both teams struggled on our lanes tonight. We bowled on of the top teams. Their combined average is 208.6. Ours is 184.8. We took all 3 games (game 1 by 5 pins). The only had 2 600's (649, 604) and we had 1 (606). I struggled to hit my mark all night with the thumb issue. Found out after we were done that the lanes we were on (39 and 40, the last 2) are the hardest to bowl on.

Not too frustrated even though I sucked. At the end of the night I bowled my average (167). I should be closer to 200-210 but with my 15 year absence I should probably be closer to 180. Can't complain too much considering the first 2 weeks I used a right handed ball then the next 3 weeks used a ball with way too big of holes. The last 3 weeks I had my new ball but using a spare ball that's drilled for a righty. Tonight with my thumb issues and everyone struggling I am happy to have bowled my average. Hopefully with the new spare ball I have less opens at the end of the night (had 11 opens tonight, 11 strikes, and 10 spares)

Get some hada tape for your thumb. I know it sound counter intuitive to wear protective tape on your thumb when it's swollen but it actually helps. The fast release kind reduces friction on your thumb so it comes out clean.

[Jeeper_12]

I've been out of bowling for several years, mainly just for fun bowling, noting serious. Well a few months ago I decided to get back into it. I was still using my Red Hammer Faball from '99 and new i needed an upgrade. Picked up a Hammer Diesel and loving it! Next step is a new spare ball cause the Red Hammer is not cutting it anymore plus I'd like to retire it.

[Phonetek]

I've been out of bowling for several years, mainly just for fun bowling, noting serious. Well a few months ago I decided to get back into it. I was still using my Red Hammer Faball from '99 and new i needed an upgrade. Picked up a Hammer Diesel and loving it! Next step is a new spare ball cause the Red Hammer is not cutting it anymore plus I'd like to retire it.

I loved my Red Hammer Faball, I remember saving up money all summer from cutting neighbors grass when I was a kid to be able to get that ball. I only made 5 bucks a lawn but back then that was a lot. I used that ball to death. Unfortunately I left it behind in one of our moves. I wish I never did that, along with my two pearl hammers (one red, one blue). I had some great equipment back in the day, some I barely used and it's all gone. On the upside, if I had it and the other stuff I wouldn't use it anyway. They were all 16lb balls and I'm going down to 15.

[boatman37]

Well time for my weekly update. Went good tonight except game 2. 256, 159, 227 (642). First 2 games I was hitting the pocket consistently. 2nd game I just couldn't get strikes. 2nd game left the (6, 10) (7) (6, 7, 10) (2, 7) and didn't pick any of those up. 3rd game I kept hitting high but got lucky and got a few brooklyns but was able to cover all of my spares (clean game). Game 1 had a spare in the 1st then a strike, then an open then finished with 9 strikes in a row. Threw 5 in a row in the 3rd game.

Third game was clean. Picked up 8 pin in the 2nd frame, 5 pin 3rd frame, 2-4 in the 5th frame, and 7 pin in the 10th. My last ball of the 10th I left the 4. First clean game for me since coming back 9 weeks ago.

Teammate started game 2 with 9 strikes then threw a 7 to open the 10th. Ended with a 277.