How hard is it to get good at bowling?

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Syringer

Lifer
Aug 2, 2001
19,333
2
71
There's this Bay Area dot com of tournament with Yahoo, Google, etc..and one of the participants is also the company I'm interning for. My coworker signed up for it, but realized now he can't make it..and wants me to fill in his spot.

The only problem though..is that I suck at bowling, and don't want to embarass myself in front of our CEO, COO, etc..of whom I don't know very well and will probably just give me a polite "good job", which I hate more than anything else.

So now I can pretty much count the number of times I've ever bowled on one hand, and my highest was about 120 or so. How tough would it be to maybe get my score into a respectable 150-160 range in the next month or so? I'm sure it can be done with enough practice..but how much? This isn't something I'm completely obsessed with or anything, but the opportunity to participate in something like this seems like a great thing to do at my age..what with the networking possiblities and all.
 
Nebor

Nebor

Lifer
Jun 24, 2003
29,582
12
76
It's not hard. Just go bowling every day after work for a few weeks and you'll get better.
 
O

onza

Diamond Member
Sep 21, 2000
8,937
0
0
reviews.ragingazn.com
Originally posted by: Anubis
Originally posted by: Nebor
It's not hard. Just go bowling every day after work for a few weeks and you'll get better.
Click to expand...

drinking helps as well
Click to expand...

oh fo sho

we took intramural bowling championship for college, might i add it was great

won it with 1 pin over the total score of our opponats(cant spell the word)
 
Nebor

Nebor

Lifer
Jun 24, 2003
29,582
12
76
Originally posted by: Anubis
Originally posted by: Nebor
It's not hard. Just go bowling every day after work for a few weeks and you'll get better.
Click to expand...

drinking helps as well
Click to expand...

Hey, we're talking about bowling here. You can't bowl drunk.

:D
 
bradruth

bradruth

Lifer
Aug 9, 2002
13,479
2
81
You need to obtain a "bowler's physique." Have many all-you-can-eat buffets near you?
 
O

onza

Diamond Member
Sep 21, 2000
8,937
0
0
reviews.ragingazn.com
Originally posted by: Nebor
Originally posted by: Anubis
Originally posted by: Nebor
It's not hard. Just go bowling every day after work for a few weeks and you'll get better.
Click to expand...

drinking helps as well
Click to expand...

Hey, we're talking about bowling here. You can't bowl drunk.

:D
Click to expand...

if you bowl with a few drinks in you, u tend to do better since you are relaxed and calm.. but thats me
 
D

DeeKnow

Platinum Member
Jan 28, 2002
2,470
0
71
i don't bowl, so take it for what it's worth - it can't be any different from tennis, or dancing, or skateboarding - just go out there and practise. You can only get better... something else I realised recently - it is helpful to maybe get a lesson from a pro. it doesn't substitute for the old fashioned learning by doing, but some good pointers go a long way...
 
Buttzilla

Buttzilla

Platinum Member
Oct 12, 2000
2,676
1
81
yup! you need that lower center of gravity so when you release the ball...the transition is smoother.
 
I

imported_Phil

Diamond Member
Feb 10, 2001
9,837
0
0
Work on your steps up to the line- I used to be in the Uni bowling team :)
I take five steps, some take four, but you need to stand there and work out how many you need to take to reach the line without taking half-steps. Before you start moving, you need to hold the ball at chest height, supporting it with the opposite hand. When you take the first step, push the ball upwards with your opposite hand, and let it swing down and back as you take the next 2-3 steps. On the final step, the ball should be facing the floor and ready to let go, and the right foot (if you're right-handed) should sweep a bit behind your body as the ball's released, your hand following through and pointing at the pins.

It's a difficult thing to learn, but once you've got it, everything else will come naturally.
 
StageLeft

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Not hard. It's one of the simplest "sports" ever. You can get almost as good as a pro with 90 min and a pitcher of beer.
 
D

dmcowen674

No Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
54,889
47
91
www.alienbabeltech.com
Originally posted by: DopeFiend
Work on your steps up to the line- I used to be in the Uni bowling team :)
I take five steps, some take four, but you need to stand there and work out how many you need to take to reach the line without taking half-steps. Before you start moving, you need to hold the ball at chest height, supporting it with the opposite hand. When you take the first step, push the ball upwards with your opposite hand, and let it swing down and back as you take the next 2-3 steps. On the final step, the ball should be facing the floor and ready to let go, and the right foot (if you're right-handed) should sweep a bit behind your body as the ball's released, your hand following through and pointing at the pins.

It's a difficult thing to learn, but once you've got it, everything else will come naturally.
Click to expand...

Excellent for part 1 (Approach)

Now for part 2 (Delivery)

For part 1 stand on the 2nd dot from the right (assuming you are a common righty, reverse this for south paw).

When you get to the line your armswing and hand should release the ball between the 2nd and 3rd arrow from the right. This will bring the ball in pocket naturally.
====================================

That's the basics, there are many refinements especially to Part 2 to get more action on the ball. When you get the basic part 1 and 2 down then you can "Shake hands with the head pin". Basically this means you rotate your palm counter clockwise 90 degrees as you release the ball. This rotation is what causes the "mixing" of the pins as the ball rotates counterclockwise as it rolls forward at the same time into the pins.

Thats for Ball 1 which you always hope will be a strike, of course that is not the case everytime.

For Ball 2, going for the spare:

Stand on first dot right of center. Direct arm directly at target pin and do not do the "Shake hand rotation", need direct straight roll to nail the spare shots.


Doing the above simple basics should net you a solid 150 or better average and can only go up from there.

Have fun :thumbsup:
 
Fingolfin269

Fingolfin269

Lifer
Feb 28, 2003
17,948
32
91
Originally posted by: dmcowen674
Originally posted by: DopeFiend
Work on your steps up to the line- I used to be in the Uni bowling team :)
I take five steps, some take four, but you need to stand there and work out how many you need to take to reach the line without taking half-steps. Before you start moving, you need to hold the ball at chest height, supporting it with the opposite hand. When you take the first step, push the ball upwards with your opposite hand, and let it swing down and back as you take the next 2-3 steps. On the final step, the ball should be facing the floor and ready to let go, and the right foot (if you're right-handed) should sweep a bit behind your body as the ball's released, your hand following through and pointing at the pins.

It's a difficult thing to learn, but once you've got it, everything else will come naturally.
Click to expand...

Excellent for part 1 (Approach)

Now for part 2 (Delivery)

For part 1 stand on the 2nd dot from the right (assuming you are a common righty, reverse this for south paw).

When you get to the line your armswing and hand should release the ball between the 2nd and 3rd arrow from the right. This will bring the ball in pocket naturally.
====================================

That's the basics, there are many refinements especially to Part 2 to get more action on the ball. When you get the basic part 1 and 2 down then you can "Shake hands with the head pin". Basically this means you rotate your palm counter clockwise 90 degrees as you release the ball. This rotation is what causes the "mixing" of the pins as the ball rotates counterclockwise as it rolls forward at the same time into the pins.

Thats for Ball 1 which you always hope will be a strike, of course that is not the case everytime.

For Ball 2, going for the spare:

Stand on first dot right of center. Direct arm directly at target pin and do not do the "Shake hand rotation", need direct straight roll to nail the spare shots.


Doing the above simple basics should net you a solid 150 or better average and can only go up from there.

Have fun :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

I took Bowling as one of my PE classes in college. It's amazing how much of a difference those little basics can make in a score. I'm consistently between 180-210 now whereas before I would score in the low 100's.

The stuff doesn't really leave you either. I bowled for the first time after that class about two years later. Scored somewhere around 215. It was unbelievable.
 
O

Ogg

Diamond Member
Sep 5, 2003
4,829
1
0
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Not hard. It's one of the simplest "sports" ever. You can get almost as good as a pro with 90 min and a pitcher of beer.
Click to expand...

Ive seen it take as many as three pitchers of beer. Yep shocking but true :Q:D:thumbsup:
 
kranky

kranky

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
21,019
156
106
If you use this next month to bowl regularly, you'll be fine.

I know how you feel - I once was drafted to fill in at a golf outing with customers. I had one week notice and I had NEVER golfed in my life! I went down to the local driving range the day I was told, grabbed the pro and asked for help. Took four lessons before the outing and it was fine. I just told them at the start that I was a complete rookie and once I got to 8 on a hole I was just going to pick it up so I didn't hold up the whole group. But my situation wasn't competitive, just a social outing.
 
S

Sunner

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
11,641
0
76
Getting up to 150-160 average is fairly easy as long as you practice, just try to hook(no pun intended) with someone who knows how to bowl, and you'll get there in a week or two.
Going from there to 200 takes alot more time.

But then, 150 average will probably be enough to beat most people, seeing as most people only bowl once in a while, and never bother to learn any technique.

Oh and don't drink beer, while I find beer an excellent beverage for most anything in life, bowling is one of those few exceptions, at least once you become halfdecent at it.
Just relax, concentrate(but don't "overthink"), and you'll be fine.
Many people go faster and faster as the match goes on without realizing it, that's very bad, the easiest way to avoid this is the relax part.
 
AgaBoogaBoo

AgaBoogaBoo

Lifer
Feb 16, 2003
26,108
5
81
Take one or two lessons a week and play a few games everyday

Find if they have days where you bowl all you want for a certain price
 
M

maziwanka

Lifer
Jul 4, 2000
10,415
1
0
this is an interesting thing.... perhaps i will try to get wicked good at bowling after i stop working
 
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