Single-Pin Spare Shooting and Joe Slowinski's Bowler Reference System

[Aslan]

First, some statistics to illustrate the issues I've had with single-pin spare shooting:

Single-Pin Conversion % by Year:

2014: 73% (196/267)
Primarily used strike ball on left-side leaves and the 4-8-12 adjustment and a plastic ball for right side leaves.

2015: 73% (670/914)
Got coaching to help develop a system and used a plastic ball for all corner-pins.

2016: 73 % (581/792)

2017: 77% (107/138)

2019: 70% (337/481)
Return to bowling after moving to Iowa. Lost both my coaches...so on my own.

2020: 72% (320/440)

2021: 72% (306/425)

2022: 72% (154/213)

2024: 65% (397/607)
Return to bowling in Kansas, after moving twice and recovering from an Achilles procedure.

2025:
Fall: 66% (328/494)
Summer (to date): 80% (83/103)*

* After reading Joe Slowinski's Bowler Reference System and tweaking my single-pin conversion technique accordingly.

So, as you can see...prior to, during, and after coaching...I was generally a 72% single-pin spare shooter. And, during that time...approximately 31.8% were 10-pins.

After re-starting my bowling career after a short hiatus due to job changes and an Achilles injury...I was generally a 65% single-pin spare shooter. And, approximately 36.7% were 10-pins.

So, I finally got around to reading one of the books MWhite gave me when he retired...Joe Slowinski's Bowler Reference System. It's more of a "manual" than a "book". A lot of interesting stuff. A little dated...I think it was published in 2007. But, a very interesting read with a lot of inserts to help with practice and statistics. But, the one thing that I took out of the book was in relation to single-pin spare shooting:

My previous technique involved hitting a target at the arrows. As long as I stand in a certain place and hit that target...I 'should' pick up the spare. And, I have to mention that one of my coaches said I 'SHOULD' be able to pick up > 85% of my single-pins and average 195. And this is someone that watched me bowl twice a week for almost 2 years. However, I have the tendency to square up to the foul line when I release the ball...and if I miss that target at the arrows...the miss is magnified down lane. Its an easier target to hit...but I have not much miss room.

So, Joe Slowinski's book supported the idea of getting my target out further on the lane. I know other bowlers also do this...targeting where the pins reflect or even targeting the pin itself. So, now...I still stand in a consistent spot and I still generally line up with that same target at the arrows...but I project that line to the pin and pick a spot further along that line as my target. This helps (or at least its starting to)...because its harder to square up when trying to hit a target further out...and if I miss...I have to miss by a wider margin to miss the pin.

And..thus far...it seems to be working. 80% of my single-pins with 36.9% 10-pins.

So...thanks to Joe for his assistance!

[Aslan]

And these numbers (single-pin conversions) are "tricky".

Generally, as you become a better bowler, you leave far more corner pins than other single-pin leaves. So, as you get better at shooting corner-pins...you also leave more corner-pins.

For example;

2014-2022: 68.4% of my single-pin leaves were 4s, 6s, 7s, or 10s. 45.1% were 7s or 10s.

2024: 68.9% of my single-pin leaves were 4s, 6s, 7s, or 10s. 49.8% were 7s or 10s.

2025 (Fall): 71.9% of my single-pin leaves were 4s, 6s, 7s, or 10s. 53.2% were 7s or 10s.

2025 (summer to date): 74.8% of my single-pin leaves were 4s, 6s, 7s, or 10s. 55.3% were 7s or 10s.

And just for the sake of embarrassment...if I look at my 2014 stats...before I had any coaching when I was averaging around 162: Only 64.8% were 6s, 4s, 7s, or 10s. And only 36.3% were 7s or 10s.