Bowl for the Cure® is a year-round fund-raising and breast cancer awareness initiative sponsored by USBC in partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure, a foundation that has raised over $1 billion as the world’s largest grassroots organization of breast cancer survivors and activists.

Since the initiative’s inception in 2000, people from across the country have hit the lanes to raise millions for Susan G. Komen for the Cure and its Affiliates.

Visit the USBC – Bowl for the Cure page, where you will find everything you need to know about how to participate in a Bowl for the Cure® event in your area or organize one of your own, including dozens of event ideas, an events calendar, news and success stories as well as donation and contact information.

No event or donation is too small to make a difference in the lives of the 200,000 women who will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. Whether you bring 10 participants or 500 to a bowling center near you, and whether you raise $10 or $10,000, the 2.5 million women who have survived this disease will have you to thank for saving their lives.

I’ll have some new articles out here soon for you to read up, but I wanted to brag, err…share some news on things that have been going on lately.  If you’re not aware, AMF has an annual National In-League Tournament for league bowlers, where we can sign up and compete against other league bowlers for cash prizes.

There are four phases of the tournament that includes:

• Center Qualifying – This is where each participating AMF center opens the tournament to league bowlers that are interesting in joining up.
• Center Finals – The top six bowlers from each division will be determined and those bowlers will move on to the next phase.
• District Finals – Those bowlers that have moved forward will compete in the District Finals to determine who will move on to the next phase.
• National Finals Championships – The big kahuna, where the remaining bowlers will compete in Las Vegas for the championship.

It was my teammates that had ultimately talked me into joining up, as they also chipped in and are competing.  I figured I wasn’t going to make any waves but I wasn’t going to lose anything by giving it a shot other than a couple of bucks each week.

By the second week into the tournament, I found myself in third place in my division (Division B) and once I saw the scoresheet, I realized that I may have a decent chance in going a bit further than week one, so we’ll see how it goes.

Here are the current listings:

Wish me luck!!!

However, when I observe some of the newer bowlers out there during my own practice time, or even some of the league bowlers, there isn’t nearly as much effort going into the practice of making spares or dealing with other difficult shots as there is in making strikes.

As much as we’d like to believe that we can simply practice our ability to throw a strike on each frame, that just isn’t realistic and even if there is a spare opportunity, that’s no reason to give up on still making a decent score.

Only Perfect Practice Makes Perfect

I’m going to come right out and say it – if you’re just rolling the bowling ball to get a high score each and every time you’re out ‘practicing’, your idea of practice sucks.  Sorry…but simply going for the higher numbers during practice time isn’t true practice.

The point of practicing is to work on the skills that you are weak in, in order to get them up to par or strengthen the lagging areas of your overall game.  If you already know how to hit the head pin, why simply focus on that over and over again?  Practice time is crucial for every bowler and I’d go as far as to say that it’s more important than competition time.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s always good to still put focus on practicing that awesome strike ball – you know, the one that hits the pocket perfectly, making the pins rattle and causing the ear deafening explosion that all bowlers envy.  But even the most successful professional bowlers don’t spend nearly as much time honing that strike ball as you may want to believe.

Stop Polishing the Diamond…

Every bowler has their own strength in the game to be proud of, just as they have their own weakness that could use some improvement.  The idea of bowling practice is not to keep your strengths as the priority; that’s why they are called strengths – no need to keep practicing on them as much as the weaknesses.  That’s like throwing on an oxygen mask to practice your breathing – if you’re alive to read this, it’s safe to assume that you have a strength in breathing, so why place that much focus on practicing to breathe?

In my case, my biggest weakness is still taking care of that solid ten pin that’s left after what looks like a sweeping strike.  The lone ten pin is my arch nemesis and the argument could be placed on my needing to enhance my strike ball.  However, I carry a decent 193 average and the lone ten pin is left maybe 20% of the time so I feel that my strike ball is good, for now.

What I’d rather focus my practice on is mastering how to take out that ten pin when needed.  During practice time, I actually try to leave that ten pin up every time as to force me to get my practice in on that situation.  Other times, I simply won’t aim for any other pin but that ten pin, trying to avoid any other pins as to hone my skill in picking it up.

Sure, the score sheet looks odd and practice scores are low, but it’s practice…who cares?  Work on weaknesses so that come league night, you are consistently improving on whatever weaknesses you have.

Note: The most obvious items you should already have in your bowling bag such as your bowling ball and shoes are assumed.

1. Bowling Towel – During game time, your bowling ball spends quite a bit of time playing around in the oil while you’re trying to be serious and run up some serious strike action.  That built up oil, if not wiped off from time to time with a bowling towel, will start to affect the path of your bowling ball and start messing with your head and your game.  Always have a bowling towel on hand to clean up your bowling ball after every throw.
2. Rosin Bag – Just like your bowling ball, your hands can start to pick up some of that oil that may be left on your bowling ball when you pick it up.  Either that, or the adrenaline shot you may encounter during an intense series of bowling can cause your hands to sweat a bit.  Keep a rosin bag within reach to help you combat any moisture you may have on your hands and fingers – there’s nothing worse then going for the top game, and the bowling ball slips away from you due to sweaty hands.
3. Band Aids – Blisters can happen in bowling, and nothing can interfere with the fun and strike party going on than an uninvited blister on the fingers or thumb.  Go hardcore and throw a band aid over any areas that may show sign of developing into a blister and help prevent it from getting worse.  You may experience a grip change due to the band aid taking up some space in your grip, but it’s better to be prepared than not.
4. Thumb Tape – With changes in the environment due to humidity, heat or lack thereof, your thumb may swell or shrink compared to what your bowling ball’s thumb hole is drilled to.  Obviously we can’t plug and re-drill the ball during league play, so keep some thumb tape in your bowling bag and apply one or two pieces of tape to ensure that your thumb remains snug during your grip.
5. Bowling Ball Conditioner/Cleaner – After the bowling is all done for the day, you’ll want to slather on some bowling ball cleaner and/or conditioner to make sure that the bowling lane oil doesn’t sit too long on your bowling ball.  Some bowling ball coverstocks are porous enough to let the oil soak in, which can affect your overall ball performance over time.  Proper cleaner will keep the coverstock well maintained and it will keep that awesome looking bowling ball you picked out, nice and attractive.
6. Shoe Covers – These life savers may look a little funny when you walk around in them, but they’re worth the investment.  If you’re taking a break and need to hit the restroom, toss these over your bowling shoes as to not worry about ruining your shoes if you happen to step into something ‘unpleasant’; or if you take smoke breaks and step outside, these will also keep your shoes clean and in good condition.  If you’re coming inside and bringing in ground debris, you can bet that the staff and other bowlers would rather you have some funny looking shoe covers on rather than tearing up the lanes.
7. Shoe Pad Brush – Most bowling shoes have a suede type of material in the bottom of them to help in finishing your approach with some slide action.  If that material starts to pick up dirt, you won’t be sliding much and may actually end up kissing the lane if you get caught up.  Pick up a Shoe Pad Brush and make sure that the bottom of your bowling shoes are nice and clean by running the brush over them a couple of times.
8. Bowling Tape Insert Tool – If you already have thumb tape in your bowling ball, they will need to be changed out every so often or be removed if you need a little extra space for your thumb.  Carrying a tape insert tool will help you keep up with your tape management needs and keep the game going even if you need to change tape in the middle of a game.  Most tape insert tools are very easy to use for adding new tape and taking old tape out – don’t rely on a writing pen for this task when in a hurry – trust me.
9. Wrist Support Guard – Sometimes a long night of bowling can take a toll on the wrist or, you start to tinker with your delivery and use too much wrist action in your release.  If you need the assistance, keep a wrist support device in your bowling bag when you need it and make sure your wrist is in the proper position and keep your focus on the game, not your wrist.
10. Notebook and Pencil – There is never a bad time to jot down some notes if you encounter something different in your game, or simply want to record information that you can use to better your bowling game.  Maybe the lanes you’re bowling on this week have a certain point of interest that you want to remember in case you end up bowling on that same lane again on another night.  Or maybe your buddy rolled a gutter-ball during clutch time and you want to make sure you have it recorded for bragging rights, later.

So this is my must have list when I go out bowling, either for practice or league night to make things go a bit smoother.  It may look like a lot to worry about or carry around, but once you get these items loaded up in your bowling bag, they simply become helpful tools in your bowling arsenal.

Another Positive Highlight…

Know that even though every bowler’s list of must have’s may be different, there are going to be many bowlers who have nothing in the bag other than the bowling ball and maybe some bowling shoes.  As bowlers, why not put in a little extra effort and pay it forward to other bowlers that could use a little help to ensure that they, too, can still enjoy the game if issues arise that YOU can help out with.

Offer up some tape, a band aid or two or maybe offer to write down their scores for them if they want to remember them for later.  The goal is to enjoy the game as much as possible yourself, but also help out some of the newer bowlers if they appear to be in need of some assistance so that they can enjoy the game just as much as the rest of us.

The weekend warrior bowlers may simply rely on brute strength (or ball speed) to lay out the pins, but the more seasoned bowlers may have caught on that there is more to rolling the higher scores than just seeing how fast you can get the ball down the lane.

Here are seven unique and powerful tips that you can use today to add a little spice to your own ten pin bowling game and increase your scores and your average.

1. Are You Using the Correct Equipment?
   There are many different tools and accessories that you can employ while bowling that are perfectly legal to use that can help your scores.  However, the most important piece of equipment is your bowling ball.  Make sure that you are indeed using the correct type, material, weight and fit for your delivery style.  There are many different combinations of all of these, so take the time to find the bowling ball that will only compliment and work with your natural tempo and delivery to keep…ahem…the ball rolling.
2. Find the Most Natural Approach
   Many professional bowlers use a five step approach in their delivery in order to keep a smooth pace and a very controlled rhythm as they deliver the bowling ball to the lane.  Beginning bowlers, however, should stick with a three or four step approach and work on finding their own natural pace and learn to find their most accurate timing in completing the delivery.  Don’t rush, but don’t go too slow to where you’ve given up momentum in your swing and fight an awkward approach.
3. Study and Analyze Yourself
   Ten pin bowling is a mental game, and while keeping your head in the game, you body will eventually follow suit.  Take the time to really take note on how your overall experience feels as you deliver the bowling ball to the lane.  If you seem to not be rolling the ball as well as you would like, focus on making some small changes and pay attention to them until they feel right.  That feeling of rolling a good ball will be noticed quickly and once you find it, hone in on it and make it part of your routine until it becomes natural.
4. Practice Makes Perfect?
   Hmm…maybe, but I like to go with the thought that perfect practice makes perfect.  If you’re really looking to tune yourself into your ten pin bowling game, you simply must put in the practice.  Sometimes, just bowling once a week on league night may not truly be enough so try to get out two to three (or more) times a week to spend the time on your game.  To go a step further, don’t use practice time to simply roll the ball down the lane.  Treat each and every shot you are making like a million dollar shot opportunity.
5. Body Follows Mind
   Your body will essentially follow what you envision in your mind, so hone that mental game and get your perfect delivery ironed out in your head, first.  During practice, this is the time to really create that mind/body connection in how your approach and delivery are related to one another.  Learn to get a real ‘feel’ for your style, how your approach and delivery react to the condition of the lanes and how you are actually delivering the ball to the lane.  Once you start embedding the right feel into your mind, the body will simply follow along and you’ll notice the differences.
6. Resist Using Brute Force
   Many bowlers tend to come into the game with the thought process of using a brute force attack on the pins with an incorrectly fitted (or house) bowling ball.  Although power has it’s place in your overall delivery, do not simply fall for the myth that the fast ball will always get the strike.  The idea is to roll the bowling ball down the lane rather than throwing the bowling ball.  If you consistently hear a loud thud after your delivery, you may want to consider making some adjustments and let the bowling ball conform to the lane rather than forcing the ball to simply slide down the lane and risk losing its natural momentum.
7. Place focus on your spare conversion skills
   Let’s face it, you’re not going to go into every frame with a strike on the first shot, so place some emphasis in your practice for managing spare conversions.  Even if you were to land a spare on every frame, you would still end up with a respectable 180 average, so don’t skip out on the importance of dealing with your ability to clean up with your spare ball.

Conclusion

There are just seven tips that can help you improve your ten pin bowling game, but as you can imagine, there are many other aspects of the game that you can also work on to increase that average and…increase the jaw droppage going on from other envious bowlers when you handle yourself and your game with a high regard to improvement.  Once you start seeing those enhancements take affect, so will your team if you’re on a league and, of course, so will your upcoming opponents.

What Say You?

What other tips can you suggest that will help us improve our bowling games?  What was one or two of the most helpful tips that you’ve ever been given that really pushed your game to the next level?

Oddly enough, I seem to run into the same scenario over and over again when bowling with other teams and members where they are not really helping or motivating each other.  You are practically guaranteed to meet some new people that have never been on a league before, and that opens the doors to those same folks not necessarily knowing some of the unwritten rules or proper bowling etiquette.

You are a Reflection of Your Team

Having fun is the priority of any bowling game and when it comes to league night, the premise is no different.  Sure, it’s nice to win here and there, but that should just be a by-product of a fun night out.  More importantly, you are there to support and motivate your team!  I’m not talking about trash-talking or being obnoxious (again, don’t be that guy or girl), but push your teammates and praise them for their contribution.

There are no doubts that you will run into a bad night and may toss well below your average.  It happens, but if you or a member of your team runs into the brick wall, work on keeping the spirits up as the mental game of bowling can make a huge difference at the end of the series.

Step in When Needed to Educate Your Team

As I had touched on, many leagues are peppered with people that have either never bowled on a league before, or have not learned basic lane courtesy.  Don’t be hesitant to step in and educate your team members if there is an opportunity to do so.  I can’t count how many times I’ve gone to setup for my throw, only to have the individual on the next lane grab and ball and fire off a shot without looking to see if anybody is already up.  Educate your team members so they don’t become your team’s least favorite member.

League night is not necessarily a time to ‘forget’ about practice.  In fact, every game that you bowl should be counted as practice since you should be working to improve your game one way or another anyway.  I’m not saying to get right up there with your teammates and have a full on coaching session on the approach, if you want to get the collective evil eye, go ahead and try it if you’re brave.

Between frames, however, go ahead and discuss the game and offer tips (or accept them) and help each other along.  Remember that league bowling is a team based effort and it takes the total score of all members to get the points at the end of the night.  But, sharing the knowledge with the newer folks on the league can make the entire league that much more rewarding and fun.

What Say You?

Have you learned anything new from listening to or watching other, experienced bowlers on your league?  Do you notice other teams encouraging each other or are they simply there for the beer?

Needless to say, I jumped at the chance as these were my best friends and we all started league bowling together about two years ago…so we essentially got the band back together again and we’re now on the Mission from God ala The Blues Brothers.

Now, there two major areas that I want to cover in this article based on what to expect when coming back to the game of ten pin bowling after an extended amount of time away.  Not that you forget how to bowl, but there may be changes that need to be addressed before you start up again and run into some unexpected results of your game.

Physical Expectations

The obvious subject on making a return to bowling after some time away, is to consider the physical aspects of the process.  We’re not simply talking about knocking the dust off your swing, although that can definitely be an important attribute to keep in mind.  In my case, I was returning to my primary bowling house – the Fall league was in a totally different bowling alley, tied to a different company – and the change in both the environment, lane construction as well as lane conditions, were dramatically different.

House Environment Changes – When you participate in a league, you become used to the lanes and other overall features of the bowling alley.  You’ve more than likely invested time into honing your swing and delivery to match your style and expectations with that of the lane conditions.  When you change houses, everything else has to change and you will need to readjust your entire delivery again to sync up with the new conditions.

Delivery Changes – Due to the environment changes mentioned above, I had to essentially reinvent my typical setup and approach.  I have a hard hook in my delivery in such, I start out with my right foot with my toes right on the 5 board.  Thus, by the time I deliver the bowling ball to the lane, I’m aiming for the third arrow from the right and the ball hooks hard in the backend and I tease the gutter every time.  As cool as it looks, the shift to the new house was different enough to where I have to start out now on the 3 board, and still keep my aim on the same spot on the lane.  Be prepared for these changes no matter where you are.

Mental Expectations

Much like any other game out there, ten pin bowling is much more mental than it is physical.  Now, obviously we need the physical aspects to get the ball from our hands to the pocket, but everything before, during and after the entire routine is the game going on in our minds.  Coming back to a new house, or new league, after a break includes having to deal with some mental hurdles as well.

Your Average Will Shift – Taking a break will in many cases remind you that, unless you have been practicing, your muscles have weakened up a bit.  Yes, muscular work is physical, but stick with me here.  Upon the first few frames, your mind will expect you to simply pick up where you left off before the break, and your expectation may simply be – “I ran with a 203 average before I took off, I should still have it three months later!”.  Umm…I’m guessing you don’t.  So, if you end up tossing a 150 game, don’t beat yourself up although you expected to roll a 190.  Give yourself time to ease back into things.

Find Comfort in the Environment – It’s been awhile and perhaps the place has changed a bit since you’ve been there last.  The seasonal banners may have changed, the snack bar may have been remodeled, there are new people on the league and the staff may have had some turnover.  I obviously knew the guys I was bowling with as they’ve been childhood friends, but I didn’t know anybody else there.  Even the staff was different aside from one working in the lounge.  Being the “new kid” after time away, may bring some unexpected anxiety, but don’t let that ruin your good time and don’t let it stop you from playing your best.  Melt into the environment, take it in and relax.

Give Yourself a Break and Take it Easy

Your numbers probably won’t be exactly where you want them to be come the first few nights of league play.  My first night back on league bowling, at the different house pulled in a 185 and 223 for the first two games, respectively but the last game finished out at 138.  Not bad, but before my break, my average was 191 so the lower game did indeed mess with my mind.

At the end of the day, I couldn’t have asked for a better return and I definitely wasn’t expecting to toss a 223 in the second game, but while trying to relax and go back to basics in my delivery trying to get the feel for the house, that’s what happens.

So hopefully, with my return to the lanes, I can fire up the drive to keep writing here again for you and I’m hoping to build up a solid and supportive community for all of us to learn from and lean on, so do me a favor and chime in by leaving a comment below, then tell your friends and family about the blog here and let’s get the party going, shall we?

Once you move on from a recreational bowler to taking on a league slot, the bar slides up a bit higher and even if you’re not competitive, the plastic house ball is not always going to suffice.  When it comes time to go shopping for your own bowling ball, prepare to be slapped with the world of geometry and understanding the numbers involved is critical when making your final choice when building your pin-destruction arsenal.

If you’ve had an opportunity to see some of my bowling ball reviews, you may have noticed some of the technical specs that I include in them.  Granted, some of the numbers are basic, but let’s pull back the covers and go over the details of some of the meanings of these values.  I’ll use the specs of my current strike ball, the Storm Reign Bowling Ball.

Example Technical Spec Sheet

As you can see, there are a lot of numbers on the spec card.  There are some obvious values here such as “LBS.” for the weight of the bowling ball and the factory finish values telling us how fine the polishing finish was used after sanding down.  But there are many other factors included such as, “RG” and “DIFF” and “Flare”.  So what do these mean and why should you pay attention to them?

Drilling Into the Numbers

Every bowling ball that is to be used on the lanes is to be approved by the USBC (United States Bowling Congress) and with each ball, there are limits to how the bowling ball is constructed as well as how the bowling ball will respond to specific bowling styles.  Again, using the Storm Reign bowling ball, here are the different specification and their meanings (some values covered are not visible on the spec sheet above, but are still important to understand):

Coverstock: Reactive Pearl
RG: 2.55
Differential (DIFF): .052
Flare: 4″ – 5″
Length: 15.5
Backend: 16.5
Box Finish: 1500 Grit Polish

Now that we’ve gone over the actual specifications of the bowling ball, let’s go over the definition of each attribute:

Coverstock
The coverstock is responsible for the actual contact with the lane, but also is important is the type of coverstock as it must allow for the dynamic of the inner workings – or core – of the bowling ball to react correctly.  There are several different types of coverstock including: Polyester, Standard Urethane, Reactive and Particle Resin.  Each coverstock plays a different role in how the ball reacts with the oil on the lanes, for example, a Polyester coverstock have  a smoother surface and are ideal for rolling straight balls.

RG (Radius of Gyration)
The RG, or radius of gyration is a measurement of the effective weight distribution in a ball as it relates to the moment of inertia. It essentially is an indication of the resistance to rotation motion. It is equal to the square root of the moment of inertia divided by the weight.  If you are this much into the math, bless you.

Differential (DIFF)
This property determines the track flare potential. The maximum allowable differential RG is 0.080 inches. The more the differential RG, the more potential for track flare. Track flare increases the friction between the ball and the lane and determines how much flare or arc the ball will produce while traveling the lane.

Flare
Track flare is the migration of the ball track from the bowler’s axis upon release to the axis at the moment of impact with the pins.  Increased track flare gains greater rotational energy and hitting power.  Decreased track flare creates greater ball skid. No track flare will have a ball rolling on an oily surface each revolution.

Length
Length is an indicator of how far a ball will travel down the lane before the bowling ball begins to hook.  The higher the number, the further down the lane it goes before the ball will hook into the pocket.  Length does not include skid produced by lane conditioner, additional fine sanding, or the use of “liquid sandpaper” polishes.

Backend
Backend is an area of the lane closest to the pins (identified as the last 15 feet of the lane).  This area of the lane is not typically oiled, but oil does moves to the backend due to bowling activity.  The value here provides a value on which the ball is expected to generate the most power after the hook.  The higher the value, the more powerful the backend motion is.

Box Finish
The box finish the the factory polish grit used upon completion of construction of the bowling ball.  Using a different finish can affect the way the bowling ball interacts with the lane so be careful if you decide to have the bowling ball refinished while at the pro shop.

What Say You?

Playing the numbers game can be somewhat confusing but once you have them down, your bowling ball reaction and roll can almost provide you with as much entertainment as a master illusionist.  What specs do you pay the most attention to when picking out a new bowling ball and how do these values measure up to your standards?

As much fun as it can be to spend some time on the lanes, if you’re serious about your bowling game, your footwork is much more important than you may realize.  Too may times, I see folks simply grab a bowling ball and perform a modified jog to the foul line only to release the ball with little to zero timing or focus.  Contrary to popular belief, although you may get lucky once in a while, sheer speed and brute force is not a reliable strategy when building your foundation ror being a great bowler.

There are some major areas of focus that are included in honing one’s bowling skills when it comes to delivering the bowling ball to the lane.

Stride Length
Rhythm/Tempo of Pace
Direction

Let’s dig into each area and try to understand how you can start improving your own bowling footwork and increase the number of X’s on your score card.

Stride Length

One of the most natural movements that we possess as human beings is how we walk.  There is a built in timing mechanism where we simply go from point A to point B, in a very efficient way that our bodies know already.  The goal here is to find a natural stride that doesn’t cause you to lose balance or bounce your way to the foul line as you force your feet to walk in an odd way that you’re not used to.

Your target stride length should at a distance to where you are able to deliver the bowling ball to the lane after the foul line and not find yourself having to toss the ball too far and also to where you are not dropping the bowling ball before the foul line…which can have negative effects since there is no oil on that part of the lane.

Rhythm/Tempo of Pace

From the beginning of your approach, you want to ensure that your overall pace is slow enough to where you can maintain a slower than typical “walk” to the foul line.  Since you will need to learn how to time your motion of the bowling ball with your pace, keep your tempo slow when starting out.  I see many bowlers relying on the speed and power of a quick pace before delivering the ball and this can cause a mistimed release and disturb the balance of the bowler.  Trust me, it’s not fun when your foot hits the other side of the foul line and you lose all footing only to end up studying the ceiling pattern with a sore skull.

Take each step of your approach with respect to the last step you just took as far as keeping your tempo in check.  The average delivery uses a four-step approach but no matter how many you take, (I’ve seen a twenty step approach…pretty interesting) keep things calm, smooth and timed to your footwork and try not to compensate for errors by rushing your feet.

Direction

Accuracy is critical in the game of ten pin bowling; no matter how much you’ve nailed down stride length and tempo, if you’re directional focus is off, get used to seeing your bowling ball in the gutter.  Once you’ve become confident with your aiming, make sure that your approach to the foul line is following as straight a line as possible.  Use a heel-to-toe method in your approach to hone your balance and to keep your sights on the target.  If you keep your feet misaligned, it becomes much more difficult to find an accurate line and trust your delivery.

Conclusion

Once you master your bowling footwork, your accuracy and average will begin to skyrocket.  Every board on the lane counts and if you can consistently walk the golden path to the foul line with pin-point accuracy, not only will you be able to enjoy the game of bowling that much more, but you may well be on your way to some serious high series scores and respect among your fellow bowlers.

The mental side of the game of bowling is a beast, let’s just get that out of the way now, shall we?  Even after you’ve spent your time in practice, played some good games on league night and worked on your physical game in every aspect, what really matters is the game going on inside of your head.  This fact couldn’t be more prominent if you go over your own games and mindset after throwing a 115…when your average sits closer to 190.

If you’ve spent time watching some of the professional tour bowlers on television, you may witness some of the most intense mental wars even demonstrated, not just between competitors, but by the individual bowlers, themselves.  Sure, if you reach professional status, not every competitive game is going to be ‘fun’ at times…especially when you know that the next ringing ten-pin could mean that you’ve lost a $50,000 purse.  That can be expected, but there is a difference between those bowlers that crack under stress and those that persevere due to a rock solid mental game.

The mental game is not just the immediate surroundings of the house, teammates or opposing teams.  I’ve had weeks where I roll a 600+ series, only to end the next week with a less than favorable, 450 series.  Simply put, bowling is not just finding the ability to knock down some wood.  However, there are some basic points to take away from these low performing efforts that you can use to beef up the brain matter for the next frame.

Focus on the Here and Now

A complete game of bowling is tracked using ten frames, but if you go into your game focusing on such a big picture, you have already set yourself up for failure.  Many interviews with some of the to professional bowlers follow a similar pattern when it comes to mental conditioning.

Stay in the current frame: View every frame as a building block to your final score.  The last frame is over with, no need to look back upon it wondering what could have been if you had just moved one board over.  Also, the next frame isn’t even here yet, don’t concern yourself with it.  Keep your attention to the current frame and nothing else.

Only concern yourself with what you control: If you are playing against another team, or individual…you have no control over how well they perform.  For all intents and purposes they should not exist to you and their game should not matter.  If you watch some of the top professionals, you may notice that the bowler sitting in the chair doesn’t even watch their opponent make a shot.

Take aim similar to that of a sniper: Aiming up your shot offers your mind the opportunity to take you all over the place.  Should you move a board to the left?  Maybe you should try a different grip this frame.  Perhaps you should aim at a different arrow.  Cut it out.  Roll your game the best way you always have and put a stop to the wandering thoughts that can consume your mental game.

If you allow yourself to give in to the downward spiral of a cluttered mind, you’ve already lost the game.  Your opponents will flourish in the glow of beating you, without them really having to put in much effort at all.  Learn to place your mind at ease and think of nothing else but the task at hand and the current frame.  With any luck you’ll find yourself lost in the now and may even forget what frame it is…that’s perfectly fine as you are closer to tuning into where you need to be.

Personal Example

My current average is hovering around a 180, and for the past few weeks, truth be told, it has slipped since I started the league.  Why?  I bowl with my family and my children are there with us spending time (and my quarters ) in the arcade area.  They do like to come out and watch us here and there, so there are some distractions.  Two weeks ago, I truly allowed my mind to go blank on the game and enjoy the game, but let go of the details that I waste time on crunching numbers and angles.  Without those distractions, I bowled a 191, 253, 248.  By simply ignoring the scoreboards and studying the other players, my mind was not wrapped up in the fog.  Just…let…go.

What Say You?

How much attention do you pay to your mental game while on the lanes?  Do you find yourself giving in to numbers and analytics or concerning yourself with matters that you have no control over?  How do you mentally prepare for and train your mind to keep the noise down?

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