Back in the game... Wish I'd done this sooner!

[StriKING]

I recently got back into bowling after a loooong time away from the sport. Bowled in HS in the late 70’s (respectable but not good enough for varsity team). Walked away. Kept it at a distance for the last few decades. Rediscovered my passion for it at 50 after bowling with some friends last summer. Jumped back in with both feet. Bought two new Brunswick balls on e-bay; one reactive resin, the other, a particle coverstock. Still have my plastic ball from '76 for that evil 10-pin. It polished up like new. Joined a league last fall. Just wrapped up 36 weeks with a 165 average. Not bad for someone who hasn’t touched a bowling ball since 1996 and hasn’t bowled seriously since the late 70’s. A lot has changed in this game since then. Realized I wasn’t going to be any good at it if I didn’t get myself up to speed. What I knew about bowling from a few decades ago wasn’t going to cut it. So I got to know the house pro over the last few months. Took some lessons. Decided to buy a high end ball; Storm Virtual Energy. Got it in April. Love it. Hookin' it like nobody's business with the house shot layout drilled to my PAP. What a difference in reaction versus the Brunswick balls. Finally got the series’ into the high 500’s / low 600’s (season high was 657). High game in league was 247 with 7 strikes in a row. My personal best was 257 in a practice game just a couple of weeks ago. Have been consistently rolling in the low twos or close to it, in the 180’s – 190’s, with this new ball. My average shot up almost 20 pins to 182. Just joined three leagues for the summer. One with the guys; a mixed with the wife and a 12-week pro-shot experience league… (Wanted to try some different oil patterns.) I can bowl in all three of these leagues weekly for just a little more than what I'd pay for one round of golf. Continuing to work on getting my release where it needs to be. Expecting to get the average consistently in the 180’s – 190’s by the time the fall/winter leagues start. What a great game. Glad to be back. Well, that’s it. Figured I’d spill it all in my first post.

[Drano]

Welcome back to the game It's a lot different now than it was 40 years ago

[StriKING]

Ouch! It's only been 34 years! ...but who's counting
Truth be told, I toyed with it again in my late 30's (1996) but still didn't have the patience.
Amazing how age mellows you out.

[slowfaller]

Great story and welcome back.

I too have jumped in w/ both feet this year and am having a great time. I bowled in a youth league from 9yrs to 16yrs then stopped as I was burned out and finding other interests. In my early 20's, I'd bowl every wed w/ friends and that lasted about two years and is also where I rolled my personal best of 276, front 9 then 9/7 in the tenth. I'm 28 now and the nautical blue Columbia Messenger I was using finally gave up and cracked all around probably from leaving it in my car a lot.

For Christmas '09, my Wife gave me a Raw Hammer Burn and after having some problems finding a good driller/pro shop, I have the Burn not hurting my hand anymore and also bought a Jigsaw Corner. My wife and I joined a mixed bi-weekly league that has one more week left, and am two weeks in to a high money triples league. On 5/29 a "lousy bowlers" league is starting that my wife and I are gonne be on together.

My avg was, I think, 152 when I stopped bowling in the youth leagues and is currently 156 on the bi-monthly league (started as 172 then I hit a major slump and it sunk to 146!) and in the triples league my avg is 174 and climbing. My latest high game for 2010 is 245. Its a great sport!

[StriKING]

Thanks slowfaller... and welcome back to you as well. It is a great sport and it's under-appreciated. If I had the zeal for the sport that I have now at age 50, I probably could've done something with it back then. At this point, I'm glad to be able to have a sport that I can participate in and have respectable results. A lot less frustrating than golf (or at least I'm better at bowling than golf!).

[slowfaller]

I tried my hand at Golf but its expensive, frustrating and, compared to bowling, the only good thing is being outdoors.

[owlish]

I cannot play golf due to my back, but I can bowl. I enjoy it very much. With our Texas heat it's hard to enjoy golf anyway, would rather be in the air conditioning.

owl

[WAC4504]

I gotta agree with Owlish, here in Memphis the heat and humidity is so bad that golf would be a water sport. I personally don't want to sweat any moor than I have to, since I work out side during the week. And the best thing about bowling is when you throw the ball it comes right back to you, you don't have chase it. Welcome back to the sport guys.

[BaconLad]

I love storys like this! Once it's there you can never get it out of your system, you can walk away but you'll always come back!

[ehanlon717]

I also am a newbie all over again. I bowled for a couple of years when I was in HS back in the early '90s, and managed to get up to a 125 average. I felt really confident when my friends and I started back up this year. Well, their scores have improved, while mine have stayed flatly in the 50s. I'm also left-handed, and the only lefty on my team. Trying to find tips to improve my game is difficult. I'm bowling with a 6 pound Ebonite Zoom, since I used a 6 pounder when I bowled in the '90s. My technique is erratic, and strikes and spares are intermittent. I love my game and it's getting kinda frustrating. How can I improve? Any help is appreciated! Thanks!