Writing down your scores frame by frame is a great idea for figuring out where your problems started and where you need to make changes and what parts of your game you need to focus on fixing.

Single pin leaves = 10
single pin spares = 5
single pin spare % = 50% = 55 from your score at 11 per miss

multi pin leaves = 15
multi pin spares = 8
multi pin spare % = 53% = 77 from your score at 11 per miss
total missed from score = 132 or 33 from your average because of missed spares if you made your spares your average for the night would be 169 + 33 = a 202 average for the night. Subtract from your total the number of spares that were splits, nobody expects to make splits, and you didn't mention, so I figured they were all makable spares.

Strikes for the night = 16
number of total possible strikes per game = 12 x 4 games =48
strike percentage for the night = 16/48x100 = 33%

Everyone makes bad shots, you seem to have run into problems in the second game in frames 2-5 where you left a string of multi pin spares, what happened, was the ball going high or light what leaves were they?

I also saw a couple of 3 counts I take it you missed to the outside and the ball picked off the corner pins here?

Was the ball flaring back over the thumb or starting over the thumb and flaring away from the thumb? If it is starting out over the thumb (most likely) your fingers and thumb are in line with each other, try keeping your index finger in line with your thumb and getting your thumb out quicker should get the Track off the thumb. You can still throw the ball with forward roll without pulling the Track up over the thumb, try your regular release but following through with your thumb at the two o'clock position instead of letting your thumb go all the way around to 12 o'clock.

You are very close to taking your average up at least 20 pins have you looked into getting a coach?

Hi CoachJim,

Its funny looking at the pattern on game two now that you mention it. I don't remember (I will keep better notes) exactly the location of my misses. Very few of my 1st balls all night were high or "Brooklyn" they were light.
One multi-miss combo that was driving me nuts, I know, was the 1-2-5 leave. This would happen when I would not keep my wrist firm but relax it along with my ball speed. I was trying to remember not to throw too hard all night long and once in a while the wrist would ease off also - and the ball would miss to the right. On the spare pick-up (or lack there of) I went with my strike ball and would not hit the head pin. I kept thinking about the long "Shark" oil and moved my target in to the 10 board (instead of my regular 7 board), standing on the 20th board (center), throwing a regular release (not heavy forward roll) and the ball would curve and miss left. (I always center up on my second ball if I have center pins - I don't throw the outside strike line at them.) My back row multiple pin leaves I was making with no problem.
The 3 counts were extreme bad release examples of old habits I forget still exist in me - fast & straight (off thumb & fingers at the same time - knuckle ball)down the targeted 3 board with no rotation knocking down the 6,9 & 10. I was, (along with slower ball speed and forward rotation - no side roll) remembering to keep low at the foul line & follow though to the pins not the ceiling at release.

I don't know if the oil rings on the ball were starting at the thumb or flaring to the thumb. I just kept noticing it but did not want to shift out of game mode to analyze it. On my 1st ball release (wish I could call it my "strike release") I had brought my index finger in & my pinky out symmetrically for the night and rolled strait up the back of the ball not, rotating my wrist at all.

I would love to be coached. I don't know of any coaches in my area that understand my hard throwing forward thumb pitched style. I brought my video camera to practice today, unfortunately; the new tape I thought I grabbed was an old full one – maybe this weekend.

On a side note: I did get selected today to sit on a jury trial for a month. So it will be interesting working at night, court by day and wife, kids, bowling, dog walking, eating & sleeping in the free time.

~ John

It sounds like you have a lazy wrist. There are a couple of drills you could do to try to cure this, I don't know how you bowl so I don't know what to tell you, other than to focus on keeping your wrist in position all the way to the release point and project the ball to your target with your fingers.

As far as missing the 1,2, 8 goes you move your feet 3 boards to the right,and keep you target the same. Do not move your target 3 boards to the left, if you move your target in, it may hit fresh oil or a dried spot and cause the ball to hook too much or too little. If you are going to hook the ball at that spare you need to play off of your strike line so you know what type of reaction to expect.



That statement tells me you would rather keep doing what you are doing and aren't willing to try anything that will help you improve. You can make any style work if you have the time and patients to practice enough games, look at the Traber Brothers or Roger Bowker or Rick Lawrence, Ryan Shafer and mostly Walter Ray Williams, they all deviated from a traditional approach and had success, but they all practiced like obsessive compulsive crazy people to achieve the success they had.

Try to post a video and I will see if I can help you.

I knew when I wrote that statement "I don't know of any coaches in my area that understand my hard throwing forward thumb pitched style." it didn't sound right. I've been in the process of changing and trying all things to improve.
What was on my mind as an example was when the Coach I did see had me spread out my right foot so I was in a more "stable" position then I read in the book "bowling Execution" that the feet should be 3" or less together, at some point you have to decide who you are going to listen to.
I've been reading and listening to your advice on this board with thumb pitches and such (because it seems like you know what you are talking about) and rebuilding my game from the ground up. Now if "you" see me bowl on video and you say "[censored] - slow it down" then I work on slowing it down. But all I know now is if I slow the ball down I get more splits and I'm not throwing faster than the pros, therefore there must be a way to bowl well with speed and something else is the problem with my bowling.

PS. I do focus on keeping my wrist in position all the way to the release point and project the ball to your target with your fingers. A wrist drill recommendation would be good - will bring a Hammer to my work and strengthen my wrist soon - now that I think about it.

Like I said there are many reasons your wrist might be breaking back, having thought about it more, you might be forcing your swing because you are afraid of slowing the ball down. What happens in this situation is instead of letting the arm swing back with the momentum of the ball, the arm tries to help things out by pulling the ball back, then the arm starts forward before the ball's momentum has come to a stop at the top of the back swing which causes your wrist to break back at the top of the back swing.

Let the ball swing your arm and try to feel the zero gravity point at the top of the back swing, this will allow your wrist to stay in position.

Try this the next time and let me know if you have better consistency with your release.