I read a lot of things about goal setting. I'm curious what would be considered reasonable in bowling for one winter league?

I've got several. The biggest one is to get my ave. high enough to bowl scratch league with my son or husband. The team cap is 418 in the league. They need someone in the 180's to bowl with.

Highest ave. I ever held was a 159. How much time would you consider reasonable to do that if I work on it regular? I plan to work very hard on my mental attitude and adjusting to lane conditions. I feel they are my worst things.

Someone uses " Strike for show and spare for dough" for a sig. I love it. The first year I ave. in the 130's I did it by strikes alone. My goal that year was to ave. 5 strikes per game for the night. I did well at doing that. I had more strikes that year than higher ave. bowlers.

BIG goal this year is 5 spares per game!!!! Worry less about strikes. I can string 5 strikes sooner than get 5 spares in agame.

I think that you on the right road to bowling 180s by just trying to get the spares and let the strikes come on their own. I was bowling 180s and was trying to get to 200s awhile ago. About a month for me of reading books practicing and getting help from my higher average friends helped me pull up my average to the 190s. I bowled about 12 games a week for this month and that time I spent bowling helped me find a new swing and approach that works best for my game and it has helped me out greatly. So I think that if you set your mind to it and work hard for it anything is possible.

During a practice session last night, I bowled 197,178,174,168. First 2 games I wasn't making spares. Had 2 opens in the 197. Later I shot less strikes and had some good practice at strikes. The 168 I had 6 spares. That was probably a bigger accomplishement for me than 197.

Seems to me when your in the strike ball groove it's hard to make them spares. Many nights I have watched my son have one or 2 opens and bowl over a 250.

I can do this well in practice often. Now to learn to use my practice mindset during competition.

I also noticed something I often do that causes bad shots. I don't keep my armswing in close enough to my body.

Hi Thinker;
When reading your posts one of the first things I wondered was do you practice spare shooting? Which spares give you the most trouble? I am a right hander and spares on the right side give me the most trouble. When your setting a goal to be a better spare shooter maybe you should start by setting your goal not to miss any single pin spares. When you think about it, every single pin spare missed cost you 11 sticks, make an extra two per game and your at your target average. I have marks for every possible spare which varie slightly depending on lane conditions. I will throw complete games without ever aiming for the pocket, all spare practice. Good Luck

Thinker Kathy...

Focus on keeping the ball in play, not stringing strikes. You are at the point where your goal of averaging in the 180's is not unreasonable, and could be attained by picking up the spares and following with good count.

Spare shooting has been a thorn in my side since I came back to the sport last fall. I could get teh ball to the pocket, but spare shooting (or lack of) kept me under 200. I even had it figured out that a single missed 10-pin somewhere in teh season (pick any night) cost me high average in one league.

I wouldn't even focus on getting particular numbers of either strikes or spares. Just find your line to the pocket and try to stay clean...you'll be at 180+ in no time if you do that

When you practice, don't worry so much about what the score is, but rather focus on spare shooting. A good routine that I have suggested others follow is to spend the first game just getting loose and finding a line to the pocket. Spend at least a couple of games shooting spares (even if it means throwing a first shot using a line that you know will not strike or a ball that you would not have ordinarily used), and then the last game actually using the same mental approach that you would in competition. The number of games that you bowl in practice will vary (my routine would take its toll on some very quickly, while others might say I don't throw enough games...depends on perspective and what you are attempting to accomplish /my usual practice set is 12-15 games at least twice a week/)

Bowl good and score well

Keep in mind that an all spare game works out to a 180-190 game in most cases. A "Dutch 200" is an alternating all strike and all spare game. Some nights, the lanes are generous with strikes. But when they are not, it is the spare game that will make or break you every time, especially those pesky corner pins. :rolleyes:

Thinker,

I'v done a little bit of study in the area of setting goals for bowling so let me throw a few ideas your way.

First, write down what you want to accomplish (which you have already done - increase your average). Increasing your average is an outcome goal. Now how do you get there? By setting performance goals. In your case, you want to increase the number of spares. Keep the goal in a positive tone such as: "I will make 70% of all the spare opportunities that arise in a 3 game series" and NOT: "I will miss that darn 10 pin only half the time".

Now that you've written down your goals, (I like the phrase "Ink it, don't think it" - written goals give you a sense of commitment and a subjective point of view) write down what you beleive will be necessary to accomplish the goals. Ask yourself such questions as; Can I get instructional material? Will I need new equipment? (Like a plastic ball for spares.) If necessary, can I get on-lane coaching assistance? What can hinder my progress? (<-this one is a biggee)and can I measure my progress?

Just relax and brainstorm for a while while you are in a bowling state-of-mind. Keep the results in your bowling bag.

Now, a simple question related to your spare shooting...do you have a spare shooting system? If you find your line for strikes, it should just be a matter of finding your finish board and target from that strike line for each pin. (Wow...I made that sound like making spares is easy on any lane condition...ha ha.)

Hope this helps...good bowling.

Thanks everyone for the helpful suggestions.
Wed. night I practiced 6 games. I was working on form mostly. I read 2 things I want to work on.

I've been reading the mental game of bowling and the message boards. I came up with the suggestion that we train our muscles with our consious mind until you get it right and then the subconsious takes control. Kind of like a little kid learning jumping jacks. At first it takes much thought and then becomes automatic.

I'm working at beginning my approach with the ball in a lower position and always throwing what is a good shot for me.

I normally straighten my shot for single pin spares. Biggest problem is the 10 pin. I can make the 6 or baby split easier than a 10.

The 10 pin and shots with more than a single pin give me trouble. Like I had a washout, I hit the 2 in the middle and left 2. Most of my misses are close.

Next time we go to rent-a-lane I want to ask them to put it into practice mode without pins. That way score won't be a factor.

Score carried me away Wed. First 2 games I was more concerned with what I was doing. I actually made 5 spares both games. That is a big deal for me. 146, 145.

Then I got to chatting with some beginners next to me. Got 5 strikes in a row and got a big head. Missed 2 single pins and ended with a 235. Score got me pumped. Did well for a while. 197 191. Should have quit then, my hand was tearing up. Ended on a bad note. 130.

I actually got one more spare than strike that night. That was probably a first for me.

What is proper? Should I be able to make spares throwing my normal shot by moving and different arrows? Or straigthening out and stay near same spot?

I normally cross lanes for any pins on right of head pin. I have a problem throwing the same shot from different places on the lanes. I don't know if it's mental or what?

Gee, now I feel like bowling!!! There's a tournament I really want to bowl in right now but I have to bowl at least 8 games and my hand tears up after 4 or 5.

Some tell me I need to bowl more and it'll stop tearing. Guy who drilled the ball said I should get it refitted.

Your hand should not be tearing up after just a few games. Without knowing just where the injury is occurring, it could be span or pitch (or problems with both). At any rate, it sounds like a trip to a competent pro shot operator is in order...and you may as well have all of the equipment with you that you normally use so that it can all be tended to at the same time if it needs to be plugged and redrilled.

As far as spare-shooting goes, you could ask a half-dozen different people and probably get six different responses...I tend to flatten out for the corners and go cross lane. Multi-pin spares I may shoot with plastic and others with a foot adjustment throwing off my typical mark...depends on what was left and what lane condition is out there.

Hi thinker,

First I don't know what you use,but, 5 years ago I had a 150+ average and realized if I wanted to score higher I would have to change my game. I went up 2 lbs to a 14lb and semi-fingertip for about a year. I then went to a 15lb and a full fingertip release. I asked questions of more experienced bowlers and read read read. I do carry an average in the 180's but it has not been easy. In my opinion you should work hardest on your spares and let the strikes come. You can sustain an average with spares more so than strikes. Did you know that an all spare game can give you a score into the 180's without ever rolling a strike. Develope a pre-shot routine which is also often overlooked and work those spares. If you shoot pool then you know how to triangulate a shot this works well for me in getting the max # of spares. Work on the whole game. Good luck and good bowling...Lyn