I think if I can just throw the ball and follow through I will be allright tonight. It wa strange last week. I knew what I had to do but in the first game my mind wouldn't let me. The first game lately I seem try to steer rather than roll the ball. Once I start rolling, I start making my spares, getting more strikes, getting better mix on the ball.

The one thing I am going to remember tonight is "trust is a must or you game is a bust". Just trust it, roll it, follow through, and then adjust my spots accordingly. No more steering.

I feel you Scott...it's amazing how one errant ball can get into you head and have you doing things you know you shouldn't be, i.e. steering the ball, not being aggressive, etc. I just talked about that in my post in the 'League Updates' thread.

I knew the lanes were reverse blocked (oiled from 5-6 board out to the rail), yet I kept pushing my ball out there and watching it skid. Then I wanted to steer it out of the oil and went through the nose a couple of times...anyway, led to a 189-177 first two games. I finally listened to myself and made a 2 and 2 move inside (to my right) and promptly went 249.

Ugly night mentally, didn't trust myself to make that move earlier. Didn't want to upset my comfort zone...well, nothing is comfortable about shooting 177 on a 205 average.

Like you said, 'Trust is a must..." Especially in bowling. Without confidence and trust in your abilities, it's hard to succeed in this game.

I feel you on the comfort zone Show. I think a lot of what happened to me too was when I moved from my comfort zone because of like you said, the ball skidding, I then tried to steer it because I didn't trust it.

Being I had been away from the game for 14 years for several weeks I did not know what the problem was. I had been steadily getting better every week up until about Week 14 and that is when this started. By the second game I would go back to rolling and trusting the ball, mainly out of frustration from sterring it but really didn't know what was causing it.

Last week was the first week I really knew going in what the problem was and wouldn't you know it, even though I knew what I was doing I was stil doing it. It was like my subconsicious mind was taking over and that coupled with my irritional fear of tanking in the first game for 5 out of the last 6 weeks and I was having a lousy game again.

I have had a lot of ugly nights mentally lately so tonight I am going to remember roll it and follow through. The good thing about a slump like I am in is after awhile there is no where to go but up.

Thats the spirit Scott,
Just slow your feet down, check your mark , and roll and follow through. Thats is exactly what I had to do to get out of my slump. Its pretty much, go back to the basics, and DON'T over think every little thing. Your on the right Track....go knock them down. Who knows....tonight may be the night you reach one of your goals....ya never know.

I hope so. It is true, you never know what can happen on any given night.

I am new to this forum, but wanted to add thoughts on this subject.

First of all, Scott, have you ever played fantasy golf? I played fantasy golf with a Scott Gannon and wondered if it was you.

Anyway, concerning this subject, I have now after 25 years of bowling finally gotten to the point where I don't get flustered much at the line. However, slumps still do happen. Why? I'm not always sure. I don't come bowling with predetermined thoughts anymore, but I think it's mostly just physical for me. I think I'm good at repeating my shots, but repeating isn't always good if you're doing something wrong. And it seems when I start doing something wrong, I'll hang onto that bad habit for a while until I figure out what it is I'm messing up on.

I just never feel much doubt anymore, even if in a slump. I know I can bowl, so its just a matter of continuing to search for answers. The one thing that always seems to help? Slow down and relax. Getting in a slump can cause you to squeeze the ball and speed the feet. Both are very bad for the scores!

Good luck!!!

I am not the Scott Gannon that played Fantasy Golf. I have never played but it sounds interesting.

Well my slump is continuing to some degree. Last night I averaged 161 shooting a 484, another bad first game 136, then a 172 and 176. If not for a couple bad splits at the end of the last game I would have got a 200.

The good news is I am not really that upset about it as I have been. In the first game it is about adjusting to the fact that the lanes have quite a bit of oil on them and I am really struggling on that. The first game I am not geting good pocket hits and then chop a lot of the spares.

My mind will get straight in time and meanwhile I am not going to let it get to me and in honesty I am doing "fairly" well all things considered (First year bolwing after 14 years off, Only being able to bowl once a week on league night).

Scott,
Were in the Same boat when it comes to adjusting. I either dont move enough and change balls to quickly. Or Move to much and dont change ball at the right time.

Thats bowling. Keep it up eventually your get your brake out week. Last two week i plateau bowled just good enough to keep my average from going down. But not good enough for it go up.

Your like me took some major time off but aint bad for just comming back after a big lay off we basically had to relearn some part of the game.

Thanks for the support Brandon. It is good to have someone like you who is coming back from a long layoff because we are going through a lot of the same things. If you look at our season stats our averages are the same and high game just about the same. I would love to get a 661 series like you did though. That is something I can work towards.

Scott, when you least expect it, and when you don't pressure yourself is when it will happen. Every night I enter the Center thinking I am going to bowl 300. Of course, it has not happened this year. But, self assurance and determination is what you need. If you have the ability, which I think you do, it's a matter of believing in yourself that you can do it.

You have raised the bar for high game this year. How long did that take you? It may take that long again to beat it. Be patient, and keep trying.