So with the new winter season now underway I offer this report on my start.

6 weeks in the books, 3 series over 600, and 3 low to middle 500’s leave me with a current average of [...]]]> It’s been a while since I posted to BowlingInfo101, I guess when I’m not bowling my concentration is not all there.

So with the new winter season now underway I offer this report on my start.

6 weeks in the books, 3 series over 600, and 3 low to middle 500’s leave me with a current average of 191 not too bad for a 63 year old bowler, However examining how I have put this average together does point out some problems and opportunities. The average of my first games is only 173, which leads to the conclusion that it’s taking me way to long to figure out the correct shot, or I just have not found the right equipment to use for that game, My second game average is only 177, getting a little better. The third game average is however very interesting at over 218 with a high game of 269. This is a bit confusing because by the third game I should be a bit more tired, and by this time I usually have a few drinks in me, so the coordination should be suffering a bit.

I guess the point of this post is that if you break down your average, as I have done, you should see the patterns that develop. These patterns show where you should put extra effort to see if you can get your average moving up. In my case I will be really concentrating on that first game, Starting with practice I want to find a shot just to hit the pocket consistently, light hit, heavy hit, angle etc. at this point I don’t care I just need to get to the pocket and then I can adjust. I will really concentrate on spares and really concentrate on getting a double early in the game, this will usually get me over the 200 barrier. Remember there is only 1 way to get a 200 game without having at least one double, and that is with a dutch 200.

I will put just as much effort into the second game, I may go to a new ball, however the equipment  I’m currently using seems to be okay.

Look for new post on my progress, I would like to get this average moving to the 200 plus range soon.

Jim Newell

However if you at the raw beginner stage, you will probably get the fastest improvement in your scores and most benefit from learning [...]]]> By Jim Newell

There are a number of things you could work on and all of them would make a difference in your bowling scores, and therefore the enjoyment you get from the game.

However if you at the raw beginner stage, you will probably get the fastest improvement in your scores and most benefit from learning and concentrating on executing a proper controlled approach and delivery.

Many new bowlers do not know the correct number of steps they should take for their approach and delivery style, they do not know what style has the best possibility of producing the best results for them, they do not know the proper sequence, they do not have a sense of what the timing should be. Many new bowlers are very erratic in what they aim at, or do not know what to aim at. They are not aware of how their ball will react with the bowling lane. Many try to make the approach too fast, or too slow and throw the ball either too slow too fast. These errors compound to cause an approach and delivery that is not efficient at getting the ball on the lane, in a position where it has a chance to get to the pins properly.

First you need to determine how many steps you will take and where you should stand on the approach to begin. Most new bowlers should start with 4 or 5 steps, stand on the approach with your back to the pins with your heels at and on the approach side of the foul line, take 4 or 5 long casual steps away from the foul line. Now turn and face the pins, look for the set of alignment dots on the approach that are in front of you and align the toe of your right foot with the center dot, the center dot is usually a little larger than the others. From this position start a normal paced slow approach to the foul line, be sure you walk in a straight line, you want to slide to 3 or 4 inches short of the foul line with the foot opposite of your dominant hand. (if you are right handed you will slide on your left foot).

As you take your first step forward, you want to be pushing your bowling ball away from your body and letting it start to swing down, on the next step your arm swings straight back to about waist high and then starts straight forward, as you begin your slide the ball should be just approaching the level of your ankle, as the ball crosses just above the foul line , with your thumb at about the 1:00 position the ball slides off your thumb and the off your fingers. You should be aiming at the second arrow from the right gutter, if your ball crosses that arrow it should somewhat naturally angle to the strike pocket. If your ball stays right of the pocket on the next ball move your feet a board or 2 more to the right, use the same target and watch where your ball hits. If your first ball goes to the left of the head pin you want to make adjustments to the left, again only a board or 2 at a time.

As you practice this smooth controlled approach and delivery, you will find the spot to start your approach on that works best for you. Starting from a set spot each time you bowl will allow you to adjust to the lane conditions you are on, lane conditions do change.
The important part of this lesson is to stay calm and relaxed throughout the entire approach and delivery. Watch some of the better bowlers in your bowling center for visual clues. Ask to have a bowling coach work with you to fine tune your approach.

Watch this video for an expert approach.

The kicker is that bowling requires a lot of equipment in order to practice effectively. First you need a bowling lane and pins, [...]]]> Many of the various bowling information sources suggest that practice will help you improve your bowling game and help you raise your bowling average. They are right, concentrated practice will improve your game.

The kicker is that bowling requires a lot of equipment in order to practice effectively. First you need a bowling lane and pins, a few bowling balls, bowling shoes, etc. Not things available in the typical home.

There is however a readily obtainable way to hone your swing mechanics, spare shooting angles, and strategies without leaving the comfort of your living room.

Enter the Nintendo Wii™, one of the newest electronic home game systems on the market and the sports pack of games that comes with it. Included are a few bowling games that can actually give immediate quality feedback for a variety of bowling skills.
Now before you get really excited, this would not be a substitute for learning the game of bowling, you will still need a real bowling alley to learn the basics.

The movements involved with the Wii controller are very close to the actual moves involved in the release of the actual bowling ball, wrist movement is very similar, in order to make a good delivery in the Wii game you have to “release” the ball at the bottom of your swing, this is identical to real bowling. In my opinion the more you play the Wii bowling game, the more smooth and accurate your swing mechanics will become, you will learn more about spare angles and how ball speed and hook affect how the ball hits the pins. These are skills that are transferable to actual bowling.
The scoring functions on the Wii game are accurate and exact, so you get the added benefit of learning how to keep score. Yes I know that most bowling centers offer computerized scoring, however there are times the computers are not working, there are also instances when they are not accurate, knowing how to keep score is still important. You can “bowl” by yourself or against up to 3 other players.

Featured in the Wii bowling suite of games is a “billiards” game that has you shooting at a 1 pin spare, then a 2 pin spare, followed by a 3 pin spare and so on, this game does make you think about spare angles, and how the ball hooks and hits the pins. Planning how you are going to make these spares is identical to the planning and ball movement in actual bowling. Also included are an obstacles game and another game that adds a row of pins to each additional frame, getting up to really ridiculous numbers, these 2 game while entertaining do not really depict real world ball movements and are not much use as training devices.

The Wii system, because the controller senses actual body movement is very popular with the younger crowd and is also becoming very popular with older people, now being used in many retirement or nursing homes as a way to keep seniors active.

Raising that average to the 175 to 190 level [...]]]> Recent statistics suggest a mean bowling average for all bowlers in the US at somewhere between 150 and 155 per game. Bowling at this level can be accomplished with converting about 50% of your spares; however most bowlers will also throw 1 or 2 strikes per game.

Raising that average to the 175 to 190 level only requires that you start throwing 3 to 4 strikes a game and convert about 60% of your spares. This could be accomplished by most recreational bowlers with practice and some instruction on picking up your spares.

Moving your average above 190 and up into the 200’s will require rolling 4-6 strikes per game and converting about 90% of your spares. If you want a game over 200 those strikes must include at least one double (2 strikes in a row).

From the above it is easy to see that can raise your average the quickest by learning to pick up a larger percentage of your spares. Of course it never hurts to have a good mix of strikes as well.

Below are some interesting facts and oddities about bowling scores.

How hard is it to throw a 300, or perfect game? It is estimated that there are 4 million plus avid bowlers in the US, if each of those bowlers, bowl an average of 20 games per year (which would be a very conservative estimate) that means that there are at least 80 million games bowled in the US each year.  In a typical year there will be between 40,000 and 50,000 perfect games bowled, according to the USBC, the official keeper of annual sanctioned game statistics. So doing a little math shows that 0.0005 to 0.0006 percent of all of the games bowled in a typical year might be a 300 game.

Is it harder to bowl an 800 series than it is to bowl a 300 game? To bowl an 800 series you have to average over 266 for your 3 games. According to USBC statistics a typical year will yield 11,000 to 15,000 800 series. So yes it is about 4 to 5 times harder to bowl an 800 series, than it is to bowl a 300 game.

If someone offers to teach or show you how to bowl 300 every time, or to average over 260, think of the above statistics, and don’t waste your time or money.

A 279 game requires 10 or 11 strikes and can be scored by bowling 11 strikes and one 9 pin count spare anywhere from the second to the ninth frame. It can also be bowled by having a 9 pin count and converting the spare in each of the 1^st and 2^nd frames and then striking all remaining shots, or by having strikes in each of the first 9 frames, a 9 count on the first ball in the tenth, converting that spare and then a strike on the last ball.

The rarest score in bowling is a 292 game, which requires 11 strikes in a row followed by a 2 count on the last ball, and has only been accomplished about 20 times.

For more information on bowling records go to the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) site at http://www.bowl.com

Bowling shoes are really specialty shoes, [...]]]> Bowling shoes have come a long way, at one time the only difference between the bowling shoes you rented at the bowling center and the bowling shoes you owned was that yours were not of mixed colors and they were made to be worn by right or left handed bowlers.

Bowling shoes are really specialty shoes, they are constructed specifically to perform certain functions, as well as protect the approach surface. For a right-handed bowler, the left foot is your final step toward the foul line; the left shoe is designed to slide to the foul line. The right shoe is designed to provide traction to facilitate the that starts your approach. For a left-handed bowler just reverse the above.

Just a few years ago you had very few style choices, your bowling shoes were either black or white and had a leather slide pad on the slide shoe, and no modifications to the push-off shoe.

That has changed; today there are now more manufacturers of bowling shoes, offering many new styles, and a wide price range. If you are a recreational bowler, you will benefit from having your own shoes just because you will have a consistent fit and feel. You will become used to how they slide and have a more comfortable and natural approach.

If you are bowling in a league or if you are a competitive bowler you will want a bowling shoe that offers more features. Bowling shoes made for competitive bowlers offer such “accessories” as changeable slide pads, and changeable heels on your slide shoe, this allows you to customize your shoe to exactly how you would like it to perform, or to make adjustments for changing approach conditions. The traction shoe is equipped with a positive traction toe or sole, which will promote solid consistent, push off to start your approach. One top company even offers a “shuffle” shoe style for those bowlers who tend too shuffle their approach steps. These bowling shoes are going to cost a bit more, however they will also give you years of performance.

Many bowlers will use a “slide sock” that is designed to slip over the slide pad to allow for more slide on sticky approaches, this device is especially useful on synthetic approaches.

There are also “wet socks” available to slip over your slide shoe when walking outside of the bowling approach area, this protects the slide pad from getting wet.

If your bowling shoes are ready to be replaced, or if you are looking to make a first time purchase, check with your pro shop for your choices.

For great online selection and service check the link below!

bowlingball.com offers the largest selection of bowling shoes on the Internet.

Bowling lanes require an application of oil to protect and maintain the lane surface. This oil or conditioner is usually spread across the lane surface by machine according to a set pattern depending on what the bowling venue is for that session; it could be open bowling, a league or a tournament. The [...]]]> By Jim Newell

Bowling lanes require an application of oil to protect and maintain the lane surface. This oil or conditioner is usually spread across the lane surface by machine according to a set pattern depending on what the bowling venue is for that session; it could be open bowling, a league or a tournament. The various oil patterns will affect how your ball reacts to the lane and thus how it gets to your target.

How quickly you determine how the oil pattern is affecting your ball and how quickly you adjust to it can greatly influence what your score will be.

Most accomplished bowlers will use their practice shots before league starts to see if they can find clues to what the pattern is. Sometimes you may have the advantage of being told what the pattern actually is and even have a graphic representation of it available.

Check the following link for sample representations of various oil patterns.
http://www.pba.com/resources/oilpatterns/laneconditions.asp

You should, over time, establish a shot and starting point that you are very comfortable with, This would be the shot to start with on any given lane, paying particular attention to where it hits in relation to your intended target, and how it got there. If the ball finished right of your target, you should move your feet right, only a board or two at a time, on the approach and try to use the same target, again observe how the ball reacts and adjust again if needed. Conversely if the ball finishes left of your target you would start moving to the left, again only a board or two at a time, and still using the same target.

When you encounter very dry lane conditions, which would cause your ball to move very aggressively away from your intended target, this may require that you move and also change your target line. You could also be on a lane condition that is heavily oiled, in this case the ball will skid through the oil and then grab the lane when it gets to the un-oiled part, this kind of pattern may even require a ball change.

Lane conditions change constantly even while you are bowling, this is caused by the oil drying up or carrying further down the lane, making your ball either over react or not react as well on the back parts of the lane. Because of this shifting of the oil pattern you may have to make adjustments throughout your bowling session.

Oil and conditioner patterns greatly influence scoring conditions, being watchful and aware of the need to change your delivery will help shift that influence in your favor.

When you practice you may want to experiment with different targets to see how your ball reacts. Releasing the ball with a different hand position or a different angle toward your target will also affect ball travel. The more shots you can develop will give you a greater chance of being able to adjust to changing lane conditions.

Let me begin with a true story about a spare that I missed that may have cost me a lot of money. Some years ago, I was bowling in the qualifying rounds of an “over forty” tournament. This was at the time a fairly popular local tournament club that attracted a lot of [...]]]> By Jim Newell

Let me begin with a true story about a spare that I missed that may have cost me a lot of money. Some years ago, I was bowling in the qualifying rounds of an “over forty” tournament. This was at the time a fairly popular local tournament club that attracted a lot of older very accomplished bowlers, qualifying consisted of bowling a four game set across 8 lanes, with the high 16 bowlers moving on to a match play format, the eventual winner would collect about $1000.00, along with what ever he won from the “brackets” he had entered.

“Brackets” are a mini tournament using your game scores in whatever event you are competing in, there are typically 8 bowlers starting each bracket who are eliminated from the bracket as soon as they lose a game. The bowler has the option to buy as many of these “mini tournaments” as he would like, usually at a cost of $5 – $10 dollars each. The bowler competes, on a blind draw basis against another bowler in the event, if he wins his first game, he moves on to another winning bowler for the second game, and then again on to the third game. The payout for brackets is made form the entry fees for the brackets. It is not unusual for a bowler who is hot to make more money from brackets than from the original tournament. So this one spare miss really could have cost me more than $2000.00. But alas we will never know, however on to the story.

I was not bowling well on this particular day only averaging about 190 for the first 3 games, at the end of the third game I calculated that I could still make the cut with a final game of around 250. I switched bowling balls, changed to another line and led off with strikes for the first 6 frames, in the seventh frame I left the dreaded “ringing ten pin” the destroyer of more great bowling games than any other pin. I then proceeded to miss the spare, and score strikes in all of the remaining frames for a score of 258. If you are familiar with bowling scoring, had I picked up that ten pin and still struck out, my score would have been 279. The last qualifier made it into the match play round with a score of 268.

Now ask yourself, how important is picking up your spares?

You may have heard the adage “Pick up your spares and the strikes will take care of themselves” this is the honest truth; even professional bowlers do not succeed if they are not good spare shooters. In the preceding paragraph I made reference to the dreaded “ringing ten pin”, in my own bowling experience this is the pin I leave most often, and also the one I miss most often. Several years ago, when looking back at my league scores for the just completed season it struck me, that if I increased my conversion ratio of just the ten pin spares, my average would probably be 5-10 pins higher than the 193 I had just finished with. The next summer I bought a new plastic ball, to use for straight shots at the ten pin, and practiced a lot at hitting just the ten pin, my finishing average the following year was 204. Most of that increase can be attributed to concentrating on just one particular spare. Picking up your spares is the difference between being a good high average bowler, and a mediocre average bowler. Actually the difference between a 190 average and a 210 average is about one more spare per game.

If you want a little help with increasing you conversion ratio on all spares, I recommend the ebook and video instruction set “Bowl Them Away”, this instruction set is based on the teaching and techniques of Hall of Fame bowler Joe Wilman, coupled with the added videos, that actually show the correct targeting procedure for all your spare shots, this an unbeatable combination.

As a beginning bowler you may feel that the intermediate and advanced levels are out of reach, in reality you probably have all of the necessary skills, you just need to know how to use them.

If you have made the decision to try getting to a higher skill level, you must first realize [...]]]> By Jim Newell

As a beginning bowler you may feel that the intermediate and advanced levels are out of reach, in reality you probably have all of the necessary skills, you just need to know how to use them.

If you have made the decision to try getting to a higher skill level, you must first realize that you will have to make a commitment to practice. Not just showing up and throwing the ball, but actually picking a few techniques or skills to work on and practicing them over and over, until you have them cold.

Because many recreational bowlers never take lessons, they start with a lot of bad habits that just need be changed when they do decide to advance their skill level. Working a couple of sessions with a certified bowling coach would be a great help in getting started correctly. Having someone help you identify what to start working on first will be to your advantage. The goal should be to help you identify what your natural style tends to be. They can also give you some pointers on the following items.