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Author Topic: How good is the average league bowler?  (Read 82175 times)

GaryPham

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How good is the average league bowler?
« on: April 19, 2007, 01:35:08 PM »
Hi guys, I was thinking about maybe joining my first bowling league this summer but am wondering if I'm even ready.  I just recently started bowling regularly (bought my own ball and bowl a few times week) about 3 months ago and currently average in the mid 150's range.  I look at some of ballreview.com's member profiles and notice that a lot of you guys are averaging over 200, which makes me a bit reluctant to join a league since I don't want to get embarassed out there.  I don't expect to win, but I would prefer to not get killed by 50+ pins everytime I bowl. From your guys's observations, what seems to be the average league bowler's score?  I'll be turning 21 over summer so I guess that this would be my last chance to join a youth league, if you guys think that would be a better option for my first bowling league.

Thanks!

 

Eddie M

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Re: How good is the average league bowler?
« Reply #1 on: April 19, 2007, 09:43:55 PM »
As long as you try, it doesn't really matter what your average is.  there are handicap leagues for a reason.
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Leftyhi-trak

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Re: How good is the average league bowler?
« Reply #2 on: April 19, 2007, 09:44:39 PM »
Join the league. Starting average means nothing. Don't worry about the average everyone had to start somewhere. Just relax have fun and don't get too serious. As a newer bowler I would really promote seeing a qualified instructor for a few lessons. If you do this early on in your bowling life it can be a more dramatic help. Good luck in your decision.

shelley

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Re: How good is the average league bowler?
« Reply #3 on: April 20, 2007, 12:04:45 AM »
A couple of things to keep in mind.  First, you're just beginning, you shouldn't expect to average 200 just yet.  I've been bowling for about five years and am still working on it.

Second, you won't embarrass yourself, most bowlers don't average 200 and probably won't ever average 200 over a whole season.  If you're looking at joining a scratch league, you'll probably get killed by 50+ pins a game, but that's what you'd expect in a scratch league.

But that's not a major concern as most leagues aren't scratch anymore, handicap leagues are very easy to find.  You'll likely find that there are plenty of other bowlers who average 150-170 in most leagues.  Most bowlers, even scratch bowlers, don't (or shouldn't) look down on lower average bowlers, particularly new bowlers.  For one, we can't afford to make it unpleasant to bowl in league the first time.  Second, as Lefty said, everyone started somewhere.  They may have forgotten having to pay their dues, particularly around the time they lose to bowlers with lower averages, but they did it just the same.

Finally, this board isn't really representative of the bowling population at large.  There are a lot of serious bowlers here, a lot of pro shop operators with a lot of experience and knowledge, more than a handful of PBA pros.  The national average average is in the high 170s, if you took a poll here you'd probably see an average average in the 190s if not higher.  Nationally, probably 3-4% of bowlers have an honor score, here it's easily double digits.  This is not the best crowd to comapre yourself against if you want to see how you stack up against "typical".

SH

dizzyfugu

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Re: How good is the average league bowler?
« Reply #4 on: April 20, 2007, 03:31:41 AM »
Go for it - 150 is a decent average, and when you can play this on a steady basis (meaning: in different houses and changing conditions), there is nothing to be ashamed of. League play and the thrill of it a fun and something I highly recommend to any serious bowler who plans to join a team or enter tournaments. It helps very much, since the situation/surroundings are quite different from open play/training - and you get to meet a lot of people!

I started my first league trials with a 140 average. Was hard time among some top performers, but I learned a lot, and quickly.

Well, I'd rather recommend joining a "normal" or open league, if possible. You can grow with the team, and it can IMHO be quite frustrating when you are 20+ to play among some light-headed hot-shots. But that's just me
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ThongPrincess

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Re: How good is the average league bowler?
« Reply #5 on: April 20, 2007, 09:11:33 AM »
Just to add to what has already been said - When you are looking for a league to join, look at the entering max.  If it averages out to higher per bowler than you feel comfortable, skip it.  We have leagues in my home center with as low as 650 or as high as 850 for 4 person teams.

As far as youth or adult, it would depend on what youth league options are available to you.
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Robadat

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Re: How good is the average league bowler?
« Reply #6 on: April 20, 2007, 09:38:28 AM »
a mid 150's ave. for a new bowler is pretty good.  I would look for a handicap league to join.  Most handicap leagues have a blend of different skill level bowlers and the bowlers generally are out to have a good night out.  There are always exceptions to that rule, almost every league will have one or two teams that have serious bowlers looking to win it all, and there are a few highly competitive handicap leagues out there.

The average handicap league in most cases, will have a mid point average of somewhere in the neighborhood of 175 - 180.  Houses that have very easy shots will have a higher mid-point average.

You are not that far off from the mid point bowler and given your progress to this point, you will soon be in that range.  Some dedicated work on your spare making game will get you right up there in no time.

Join a league. Go out and have some fun.
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zone

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Re: How good is the average league bowler?
« Reply #7 on: April 20, 2007, 09:45:59 AM »
dude go for it. i don't know about your alley but over here they only oil the lanes for league so its totally different then your open house shot. it really taught me how to bowl in oil. u might start out with a 150 avg. but it will probley go up to a 165 with u hitting some 200's. if u use it as a leaning experience it will really pay off.
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alcornel

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Re: How good is the average league bowler?
« Reply #8 on: April 20, 2007, 09:54:02 AM »
Don't be intimidated. I am a 210 average bowler but have a lot of fun bowling in a handicap league where the other three guys average 165, 160, 130. And there are a lot of 140-170 average bowlers in handicap leagues.
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JohnP

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Re: How good is the average league bowler?
« Reply #9 on: April 20, 2007, 10:58:28 AM »
I agree, join a league.  But don't expect to average as much as you do in open bowling.  The pace is slower, you have to switch lanes, and there is a pressure factor.  And unless you're religiously recording the score of every game and keeping a running average, you're probably not averaging as much as you think you are.  --  JohnP

Injury

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Re: How good is the average league bowler?
« Reply #10 on: April 23, 2007, 02:18:13 AM »
quote:
 I look at some of ballreview.com's member profiles and notice that a lot of you guys are averaging over 200, which makes me a bit reluctant to join a league since I don't want to get embarassed out there.  I don't expect to win, but I would prefer to not get killed by 50+ pins everytime I bowl. From your guys's observations, what seems to be the average league bowler's score?  


Don't worry about your starting average with handicap leagues. Since I don't think anyone explained how such leagues work (and I know it confuses a lot of people who have never bowled in them) let's put your mind at ease.

Say a local league is using a handicap system of 80% of 200. First night in league you set your starting average. Say it works out to 150. Take 150 subtract it from 200, take 80% of that and that's your handicap (in this case 40 pins). That handicap gets added to your scores that night so as far as scorekeeping/team points goes if you had bowled a triplicate of 3 150 games you'd actually be credited with 190 for each game. As you would notice with 40 pins if one of those games you happened to bowl 170 (say series was 130, 170, 150) well for scorekeeping that 170 would actually count as a 210 which is how you can beat a scratch bowler in said league who shot under 210...say 206 to beat his 200 averange but still not good enough to win the point from you.

So as you can see if the handicap is setup right being consistant, or at least consistantly improving as is the case for a lot of new bowlers, is more important than coming in at a high average. When I say "setup right" make sure the leagues handicap match up with the bowlers. If they are running 80% of 200 handicap, but there are many bowlers in the league averaging 220 then find a league with a better handicap if you want to be competitive, as such a league hasn't kept up with their handicapping system to keep things on a competitive level for the new guys.

If anything when you start and you are improving watch the scratch bowlers groan when they see you coming. Be ready for people to tease you about being a sandbagger when you throw the odd high score game that takes a money pot (in a lot of places it's all in jest as the real sandbaggers don't get spoken to much). Learn to have fun with it.

se7en

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Re: How good is the average league bowler?
« Reply #11 on: April 23, 2007, 08:13:13 AM »
I improve when I bowl with people better than myself. I say go for it. Also, if you're really worried about how you stack up to the competition, I would recommend you start out on mixed leagues. They tend to be less competitive. I am the only person over 200 (actually 200.6) on mine with a few men in the 190's and one woman at 191. A lot of good people there and it's a good time.

There's also men's leagues that allow women, where the rule isn't forced to have X amount of each gender. On the league I bowl on another night that follows that format, there are some very good bowlers. 215, 214, 212, 210 and me at 202. I find I bowl better on that league than the other. I attribute it to the level of competition.

Go into it with goals in mind. It's said that bowlers who average 180+ the game is 65% mental and 35% physical. For those below, it's 80% physical and 20% mental. Set your goals and expectations reasonably low and hit them, and then repeat the process until you are 65% mental. It's fine tuning from then on
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dizzyfugu

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Re: How good is the average league bowler?
« Reply #12 on: April 23, 2007, 08:21:05 AM »
quote:
I would recommend you start out on mixed leagues. They tend to be less competitive.


...and they are fun for several other raesons, too

Go for it. Almost any league experience will help you to improve your game. You will see many styles, lines, equipment, and just by observation one can learn a lot or question the own game. At least, it is the best opportunity.
Just do not expect to play as well as usual in training. The situation is very different, especially when you are new to it.

I remember well my first tournament/start game (when I held a 130 average), I was nervous enough to support a small light bulb, and the result was a whopping 75...
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mainzer

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Re: How good is the average league bowler?
« Reply #13 on: April 23, 2007, 01:14:37 PM »
Man go for it don't let average bother you at all just go and have fun and the bowling will get better as you go. Don't let the big averages people talk about worry you they are human to and once you are bowling with/against them you will se them struggle as well.
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MainzerPower

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Re: How good is the average league bowler?
« Reply #14 on: April 23, 2007, 01:21:01 PM »
Go for it, as long as you try and pay every week you will be ok!
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