So I was asked to sub for a friend's bowling team a couple weeks ago

[Pacfanweb]

Used to bowl with this guy for years. I stopped bowling in Sept. 2004. Kids, business, and just lost interest.

Been sort of getting the bug to bowl again, but not strong enough to sign up for a freaking 33-week league.

My friend called and asked my to sub 2 weeks ago. Now, I have always been a good bowler.
But it's been several years, so I told him I'd do it, but "don't expect too much".

Get there early, bowl 2 practice games to get my timing back and remember how all my different bowling balls react.

League starts..I figured I might have a chance to do something the first game, but would tire out.
I bowl:
201
166
254

621 series, 207 average. Ridiculous...I shouldn't have been able to do that, IMO. (btw, I used to average 215 or so when I bowled regularly)

So tonight, he had me sub again, and it was even more ridiculous. I actually had a shot at a 300 game the last game.
Tonight:
193
215
267

675 series, average is now 216.

The last game, I threw strikes in the first 9 frames. Threw a good ball in the 10th, but left a wobbling 10-pin, and missed the damn spare. Didn't matter much, if I made the spare and struck on the fill ball, it's still only a 279. Hated to get the first 9 and not at least get the tenth, but damn.....second night in 3.5 years and I'm looking at a potential 300.

Oh well, not to be...I'd have loved to get another one.

Now I really have the urge to bowl. Hope they need a sub again, soon.

 

[trOver]

Glad you still got game!

 

[CPA]

Chooooooke!



I wish I could bowl 150 consistently.

 

[Kelemvor]

We're doing a bowling thing for work on Saturday. SHould be interesting. Haven't bowled in years.

 

[Pacfanweb]

Originally posted by: CPA
Chooooooke!



I wish I could bowl 150 consistently.

Nah, I was nervous, but the tenth shot was a solid pocket hit. Just didn't carry. Now missing the spare....that might have been a choke, but it was more me being pissed about leaving it on that good a pocket hit in the first place.

If you get ten strikes, you have at least a 280-whatever game, and you also have the chance at that eleventh strike...which means a 290+ game, which is considered an honor score, plus there's this cool 11-in-a-row plaque I've always wanted. But every other time I've gotten 11 in a row, I've shot 300 and chosen a watch instead of a ring, plaque or other awards.

 

[Nitemare]

ringer!

sounds fun

 

[Sluggo]

Me and some friends used to league bowl, we did it to have fun and drink beer, none of us could even throw a proper curve ball, we were all just straight throw bowlers.

It was funny though, because of the way they would handicap the league, we would always come in 2nd or 3rd place, it just killed all the old guys who took it so seriously.

 

[Mr Incognito]

Ah, I was in a league for a couple years when I was 12 and 13, had the high average my second year, at like 130

 

[FP]

When you hook bowl do you put your thumb in the hole or just the ring/middle and palm it?

I am trying to learn to hook bowl after a lifetime of straight bowling and I just can't get the feel right with my thumb in the hole. I feel like it is going to rip off when I start my spin.

 

[gocubs2k8]

Originally posted by: binister
When you hook bowl do you put your thumb in the hole or just the ring/middle and palm it?

I am trying to learn to hook bowl after a lifetime of straight bowling and I just can't get the feel right with my thumb in the hole. I feel like it is going to rip off when I start my spin.

if you put the thumb in the hole it will drastically increase your chances of bowling well with some kind of consistent shot....if you ever see a picture or video or something, it will show you that your thumb does come out of the hole right before you release...use your fingers to snap the ball, not your wrist.

 

[Pacfanweb]

Originally posted by: binister
When you hook bowl do you put your thumb in the hole or just the ring/middle and palm it?

I am trying to learn to hook bowl after a lifetime of straight bowling and I just can't get the feel right with my thumb in the hole. I feel like it is going to rip off when I start my spin.

Do you have your own ball? You really can't hook a house ball....they are hard as rocks and are made to last a long time...not hook.

Anyway, you need your own ball, and preferably it needs to be drilled in a fingertip layout.

Today's reactive resin, proactive, etc, balls are capable of hooking a fair amount with a minimal amount of revs put on them.

You can hook the hell out of a ball without your thumb in it, but your accuracy will suck.

Ideally, when you deliver the ball, your thumb comes out of it a split-second before your fingers, and that is the moment you put whatever revolution on the ball that you're capable of.

 

[darkswordsman17]

Not to rain on your parade, but I recall reading an article a couple of years back where they said bowling alley owners have been putting some type of polish on the lanes which makes it easier, so you might consider that possibility. The article I read made it sound like it was becoming really widespread, and it helped business because people would bowl more, thinking they either started getting better at it or were good at it if they weren't people who bowled much. Of course that wouldn't help me, I'm a terrible bowler (mostly because I don't care, and get bored of it really quickly).

 

[Pacfanweb]

Originally posted by: darkswordsman17
Not to rain on your parade, but I recall reading an article a couple of years back where they said bowling alley owners have been putting some type of polish on the lanes which makes it easier, so you might consider that possibility. The article I read made it sound like it was becoming really widespread, and it helped business because people would bowl more, thinking they either started getting better at it or were good at it if they weren't people who bowled much. Of course that wouldn't help me, I'm a terrible bowler (mostly because I don't care, and get bored of it really quickly).

Dude, the lane oil patterns have been easy since the mid-80's. It's no easier now than it was then. Of course league conditions are easier than PBA conditions....I've bowled in a couple of PBA events and the shot was much harder.

You still can't just fall off the bus and attain a high average in league, even if it is easier than the old days.

And my disbelief of how well I scored after a 3.5 year layoff is a direct testament to how easy the lanes are.....if I was bowling on a PBA pattern, I wouldn't have scored that well....although with some practice, I'd still bowl well, just not right at first.