Getting to the elusive 300?

[SirAshley]

Okay does anyone have any suggestions that are not technical towards getting to the 300. I have shot 280 and in the 270's more times than I can even remember and on numerous occasions I have shot 15 in a row, it was just across two games. I don't know if it's nerves or mental. I don't ever feel nervous. I was wondering if anyone could offer up a few pointers towards the mental game. Thanks in advance!

[stanski]

don't watch your score... I know a guy around here does it, never looks at the scoreboard, people have to tell him when its the 10th. He has the most 300's and 800's out of anyone I know in the area.
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stanski

[SirAshley]

That's actually very good advice. I'm going to give that a shot in league tonight..LOL...you never know..

[KDawg77]

Agreed. Just roll and don't watch. When I shot mine, I was yammering on about baseball trades or something. The guy I was talking to was moving away like they do to a pitcher who's throwing a no-hitter. I even said, "Where are you going?"

[mumzie]

Throw 12 strikes in a row - ONE AT A TIME.

Someone once told me - a 300 game is NOT 12 strikes in a row - it's one strike, 12 times.

Don't think "well, this is number 8" - just tell yourself to hit the shot, and just do it!
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-- The way we see the problem is the problem.

Edited on 2/24/2005 12:20 PM

[a_ak57]

Use the New England Patriots approach.  When they were on their winning streak, they all commented that the reason for their success was because they took everything one game at a time.  Focus on one game, move on to the next.  I feel this can be applied in bowling, too.
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- Andy

[star wars geek]

I could have killed my teammates last night!

I was in our second game, and had shot 6 straight strikes in a row.  I have never hit 200, so I knew I was in a zone (yes, I use Brunswick!).  Anywho, I'm walking to the lane, and the other team's captain tries to trip me!

I turn and tell him to back off since I have a 16 pound bowling ball in my hands, and it would have been difficult to prevent a fall.  Then, my BEST FRIEND yells out, "Yeah, he's working on a 300, cut it out!"

At that point, everybody from the league comes over to see what's going on, and I throw a spare.
I left the next frame open, but then started picking up strikes again.

I ended up with 2 spares and 2 opens...but one open in the 10th of all frames!  I DID get my 200+, but man, after he yelled that, he made me start to think too much.

The punk...
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The only balls in my hands are Brunswicks.

[icetink]

I had front 9 yesterday for the first time.  My heart was beating sooo fast and my hands were so cold.  I was scared of throwing it too fast, and in turn, ended up throwing it too slow.

I think that if I didn't know it was the 10th frame, I would have just thrown it normally.  Having that said, I think it's best to concentrate on the game frame by frame, and not looking at the scoreboard.
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-Dino

[ksan218]

I dont know what to tell you to help you get over the hill, but I can tell you once you do get over taht hill 300s and 8s come a lot easier. Well, the 3s do anyway. I started bowling when I was 5 and didnt shoot my first 3 until I was 19. Im 23 now and shot my 9th 3 last night. Just keep practicing and make every shot count.

[Ric Clint]

quote:don't watch your score... I know a guy around here does it, never looks at the scoreboard, people have to tell him when its the 10th. He has the most 300's and 800's out of anyone I know in the area.

That's the best piece of advice that can be said!

You CAN NOT pay attention to your score, or you'll put to much pressure on your self.

I was bowling with a guy who has I think he told me about 20-300 games... and we were practicing and in one game he had like the first 6 or 7 and he said that he knew he had a bunch of strikes but he didn't really pay attention to what the scoreboard said. And to just get up there and throw the ball!

A little story:

When I shot my first 800, I knew going into the last several frames that I had a chance to shoot 800. But I just kept throwing the ball and kept on striking... BUT when I got into the 10th frame of the last game, I struck on the first ball... but being an idiot, I didn't want to throw the 2nd ball in the 10th until I knew what I had to have to shoot 800. And I stalled time until a friend calculated the score up and she said that I needed to get at least 8 pins on the 11th ball, and then spare. Or just strike out for 812 would have been better.

So I get up there all nervous with pee pee dripping down my leg knowing what I've got to do... where as I should have just kept throwing the ball like I had been instead of going to figure up my score.

I get up there, knowing that I need at least 8 pins on the 11th ball... I throw the ball FAST and I leave the 2-8-10... and feeling like I have just messed up my chance to shoot 800, with tears almost in my eyes, all of a sudden the 10-pin falls at the last minute and I'm left with the 2-8 ... so I get up there and make the spare and shoot 800 on the nose!






Edited on 2/27/2005 9:52 PM

[Loudstriker]

On Saturday league I had the front 9 for the first time.
The most I had the time before was the front 5. So when
I am sitting waiting for my turn I'm bouncing my leg and
I am just so nervous but when I grab my ball I calmed
down. It was weird. But any way, I stand on the lane with
the front 9 and think to myself "Oh my god, I only need
3 more!" That's when I got nervous. I yanked the ball,
came in high and left the 5-10. I almost picked up the
split but just hit the 5 pin. Wound up shooting a 266.
Man, now I know, when I have that many in front, I need
to move to my left. I was so close. Next time.
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I know a person who thought bowling was like golf, the lower your score the better. They bowled a 43!

[MnJoker]

well i have heard many people say try not looking at your score.  i don't think that is the answer.  sooner or later you are going to have to throw a strike when you know what is at stake.  in the tenth frame you are not going to bowl twice in a row without knowing its the 10th.  just don't worry about it to much.  just concentrate on throwing each frame to the best of your ability....sooner or later they will all carry.  

a buddy of mine is in the same spot.  he has a ton of 279's.  just the other nighthe had the front 10.  they were all great shots.  then he tugged the 11th a little and just tripped the 10.  he tugged the 12th a little too and didn't get the break so he had 299.  i told him and i tell you....just kkeep throwing good shots and it will come sooner or later.  

Joker

[SirAshley]

The funny thing is the day I posted this I went and practiced before league and the first game I went the first 9 in a row...I got there by not looking at mmy score...well that and I was in the zone...I completely choked in the 10th... AGAIN... LOL...shot 263 but that's not the point... Ahh well...I think I kinda rushed the last frame so next time I'm going to give my self a chance to settle down before I throw the last frame cause I was nervous

[dizzyfugu]

NEVER look at the board when it is going well, at best a glnace to see in which frame you are playing, but this is already hazardous!

Relax and do not think about anything but your next shot. Just try to keep up doing what you have done in the shots before. Blend out any distraction, ignore your surroundings (It's hard, but works fine with me. I do not talk to anybody when I am in good string of shots) - get into the "Zone".

Finally, when everybody around you gets crazy, you might recdognize that the game is over and that you made something right in the frames before
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DizzyFugu --- Reporting from Germany

"All that we see or seem, is but a dream within a dream..." - Edgar Allen Poe

[Old Coach]

Dizzy has a good analogy for most people.  Think about what you need to do to execute the shot, the one or two things that most effects your shot.  Example, keep my feet slow, stay back of the ball!!!! Those are my two!  CONCENTRATION is what helps execution, block out the score and people.  I for one in the 10th frame throw the first ball for a strike, look down and walk back to the end of the approach, turn around and focus on the lane. Taking a deep breath also helps some but the preshot ritual is what most bowlers fail to do.

HERE IS A GOOD STORY OF NOT FOCUSING!  I throw the first 11 in sanctioned league play, I go through my preshot.  Go into my stance, get ready to start my approach and ALL OF A SUDDEN I FEEL A ARM AROUND MY SHOULDER, my best friend who I am bowling with puts his arm around my shoulder and starts telling me a joke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!He had too many beers and just thought it was funny (Good guy just doesn't think sometime) I laugh, step back on the approach and pull the next shot on the nose, 6-7-10 split, 297!  Was he wrong for what he did, yes, but I was the one to throw the shot, I lost my focus and should have taken more time.  Good news was I had a sanctioned 300 and 299(stone 8)in the previous couple of months. Good Luck its just a matter of time.