What is your average? I had spoke with some people regarding bowling in Sport Shots/PBAX Leagues and I was told that it can really screw your game up if you bounce back and forth from house patterns to these patterns. Beacause you can develop bad habits crossing over in patterns. What you would do in a PBAX League to strike and spare you won't do the same thing on a house shot. If you goal is making the PBA some day....then ditch bowling on house shots and only bowl in leagues and tournaments that lay Sport Shot/PBA patterns out. Also, whatever you average in a house league, knock 20-40 pins off your average and thats right around were you will be avg wise in a PBAX League until you become experienced on the patterns and make the proper adjustments. Its not impossible, but it will take a lot of hard work and dedication.

My buddy who I spoke of in the above post is just a genetic freak when it comes to bowling. He is one of those naturals. Smooth, graceful and very powerful. He practices about 50 games a week at different houses and pays them to lay down tournament, sport and PBA patterns for him. He throws hard and has a very high rev rate which allows him to bowl well on these patterns. He strikes all the time its seems. He has several 300 games on PBA patterns and has converted the Big 4 and 7/10 split quite a few times(in my prescence.) He never leaves any opens which I think is the big key to his success. He is a great spare shooter. He was one of those people that did not have a hard adjustment period bouncing back and forth between house and PBA patterns. He never really developed bad habits from it like I had mentioned a lot of people do. He also brings at least 12 bowling balls to bowl with at practice, leagues and tournaments. He understands lane transition and ball coverstocks, cores and drilling layouts. He just knows the complete aspect of the game, on the lanes and in the Pro Shop. Even his PBAX League average is lower than his house average by 15 pins. Believe it or not, he actually has placed 2nd in a couple of PBAX leagues because someone atually averaged higher than him(his PBAX avg is 221)

Look at exempt bowlers like Jeff Carter who is up and coming and a young fellow from my area too...John Nolen. They both had previously bowled in as many major regional and state tournaments with the best of the best. Jeff was a natural too and is still establishing himself on tour as is John and both have tour titles from last year. Jeff is still the current USBC record holder with the highest season average at 261.7 Get into these tournaments, local, state and regional. That will help your game and confidence also bowling against the best.

All in all, keep your head up and eyes on the prize. Listen tot he experienced bowlers around you and go with your heart. You will succeed.

Also as a note...I am not sure, I'd have to check into it but if you decided to bowl in collge for a school, you are not allowed to participate in any PBA events until you graduate and or no longer bowl for that college's bowling team.