So i came back to this sport in 2006-2007 in August. Joined a league then. I booked 172 then and had only 1 600 that season. Basically had to relearn how bowl.

Now i have just completed 2007-2008 winter season my second year. I booked this year at 182. 10 Pin improvements. This season i had 7 600, 2 650. 19 200 games, 10 225+ games, 2 250+ games. I top out on 699 series and 267 game. Though i did have a 3 month stretch i went into a slump and had some under 500 series that droped my average a few points.

What i learned this year? I learned to play different areas of the lane. Last year i would stick to one line i knew and maybe just move my feet when it didnt work. This year i been able to move around my target and feet to make much better adjustments. Also seem to be able to know my equipemnt much more and have made for the most part good equipement choices on what to use and when to change balls. Also learned some new hand positions to use when making adjustments.

Menatal game also much better i dont get too much frustarated anymore when bowling bad i able to forget it and come back the following game.

What i need to work on? Spares. I cant tell you how much higher mya verage would be if i could raise my spare converision percentage. I average about 2 missed spares a game so that about 22 pins a game i give away.

Being able to perdict and make fast moves. Leave makeable spares. Improve consistency from week to week and day to day.

That sounds like a pretty good second season back Brandon. I know how you feel on the spares percentage. I wish it was more like two opens a game. But there are times spares are at a premium and I know how to convert them its just executing it correctly. Had I made 90% of non-split leaves, then 70% of the smaller splits and washouts I would have averaged over 200 in one league, and would be in the 190s in the other two easily. Twelve straight sets,three nights a week for four weeks, of under 500 really did damage to my averages, as well as many low 500s. All of those due to missed spares, many easy ones at that.

Cal,
Thanks yeah. I have same problem executing them. I know how to pick them up and just executing correctly each time. There days i can pick up all my spares and there days i just sratch my head and wonder where i went wrong.

I had a let down type of year. I developed some bad habits from the PBA league from last summer. Timing was off. Pulled my hand behind my back. Roundhouse the ball, and frequently pulled across. I was a mess. All the work I put into my game the prior year to gain consistency was lost.

I took lessons, and practiced frequently, but it still took 5 months to eliminate the problems. I was a good 20 pins under last year's ending average after New Years. Then, things started to straighten out, making up 10 of the 20 pin deficit, by year end.

My goals over the Summer are to regain the consistency I had a year ago, and retrain myself to eliminate the problems of last Summer. I intend to start the Fall season where I left off a year ago, and improve upon that.

I want to start the Fall back at 200+ and grow from there.

i feel like i made a lot of progress really. i started bowling regularly at the 1/2 way point of the '06/'07 fall/winter league. at the end of that season [15 weeks i got in] i booked a 139 avg, and was throwing a 12lb straight ball [ya, i know..]

my goal for this past season was to improve by 10 pins on my avg.

1/2 way thru this past season, i started throwing a hook ball [15lb], all told, i ended up booking just shy of a 147 avg, had a high game of 228, and a high series of 524 [+/- a pin].

so far in our spring fun league, i'm riding a 150 avg with a high game of 225, and a high series of 525.

my goal for next season is to again try to raise my average by 10 pins, and work on my concentration.

tbill, that is great. You have crossed over to the right side. Work on your spare shooting. Remember, every miss cost your 11-12 pins a game. Cut down 1 spare miss per game, and your scores will go up.

Through the Summer, work on consistency, trying to roll the same first ball repetitively. That should reduce the spread between your high and low games of the night.

I have a friend, 190 bowler, who doesn't have a particularly good first ball, but he never misses a spare. And, all he needs is another double to put him at 200. But, you can count on his 190 every game. He consistently is around the pocket and doesn't leave too many tough spares. Usually 1 or 2 pins,

thanks dennis, i know all about the spares killing me....

if i keep my head down and follow thru, i'm good for atleast an 8 pin count.

i have noticed lately i leave the same stuff , i leave alot of 5 pins, a few 4 pins, and on iffy shots i'll end up with a 6-10 or a 5-2. on complete garbage i'll leave a 3-10 or some other horrendous split.

the good part is, eventhough i do miss some makeable spares, i generally don't miss them by much, whereas at first i was a foot off.

I hate leaving solid 5 pins. LOL inside joke.

5 pin means you are coming in light, your ball is not finishing, and possibly deflecting.

5-2 s really light where the 1 went sideways and bounced back to take out the 4-8 of the bucket. 6-10 and 3-10 result from the ball going through the head.

4 is high a tad.

But, they are all makable spares. If you get them enough, you should be getting good at picking them up.

Learn to shoot straight at the pins, for increasing your percentage of pick up.

I started this season in a major slump that lasted almost half the year. My timing was so out of whack, series of 500 or slightly below were becoming the norm. Like Dennis I took some lessons, and practiced often, and started to bowl better the second half of the season.

I did not accomplish too many big score nights, but I did get more consistant scoring 600, give or take a few pins, and I did manage a 687 and a 730 night towards the end of the year. My goal of averaging 200 fell short to 191, but I ended the season encouraged for next year.

My goals for the upcoming season remain the same as last year, average 200+, and limit my open frames, getting more consistant picking up spares.

Brandon I came back at the same time as you. My first year back I averaged 169 and then fell off to 161 in the summer of 2007. This winter league I was at 164 but I really came alive the last 4 weeks when I started throwing the ball again and follow through rather than trying to aim it. For the 5 weeks before I got my new ball I never had a series averaging over 155 and my average dropped from 167 to 162. While adjusting to my new ball I dropped down to 161 but was able to bring it back up to 164 with a late season flurry so I am pleased with that although overall I took way too long to figure some things out.

Now I have the monkey of my first 600 series since my comeback off my back. I even topped my high game since my comeback (236) with a 246 that night.

My goals are simple:

1. Concentrate on rolling the ball on my mark rather than aiming it. Aiming it actually causes less accuracy.
2. Make sure my arm comes all the way up on the follow through. This has helped incredibly on the reaction of the ball.
3. Keep the ball in tight on my starting position and let my arm swing flow freely. This prevents my arm swing from going behind my back.
4. Make sure I have enough tape so I do not squeeze the ball. My thumb size varies througout the night due to callouses and other reasons. I need to carefully monitor the tape as needed to make sure my thumb is snug enough or not too snug.
5. Make adjustments as needed and do not make them too late. I used to be afraid to move which led to one good game and 2 sup par games. Now I make adjustments and am able to play different areas of the lane.

I have figured out those 5 items are the biggest keys to my game. What I have done is printed them out and I keep them in my bag so when I am struggling I can review them to get back on Track. Like Brandon my mental game has improved. I am able to shake off bad games and keep plugging away much better than I used to. Also like Brandon I average missing 2 spares a game so I need to improve that. A lot of that is caused by aiming at the spares.

Summer league starts early this year, this week already. I am kind of glad of that because I am on a roll and really would like to keep it going. For right now I want to average in the 170's this summer (in the past I have aimed for loftier goals and missed) and hopefully I will have to make them higher in about 6 weeks but we will see.