I'm just curious on a few things. Like are you naturally gifted, you really don't need to practice that much? Are you a cranker, stroker, tweener? Do you practice alot, work on your game alot, bowl on several leagues?  How many years have you been bowling?  What is your current average?  Did you get any brooklyn or lucky strikes while bowling that 300?

Edited on 6/11/2008 12:50 PM

I think that anyone that shot 300 before would agree with this. In any 300 game there is at least one shot you carry that you got lucky on. Whether it is going brooklyn, or hitting light or high. I dont believe that I ever shot a 300 in which I didnt get at least one break.

That's a lot of questions.  I'll do my best to answer all of them.

For what it's worth, in the past 12 months I've had two sanctioned 300s, one sanctioned 299, one 300 in an unsanctioned league, and one 300 in practice.  Not to mention countless 279s, a couple 280s, and a 288.  Most of this is just the result of bowling on cake house shots, I'll be honest.  However, I still can put up good numbers on tough patterns and PBA patterns as well.

Some of it is that I'm naturally gifted (bowling and decent hand/eye coordination runs in my family), but a lot of it comes from good technique that I learned early, plus occasional coaching advice.  I don't practice much.  I usually will practice on the PBA patterns when I have a chance, but rarely practice on a house shot.  I spend more time thinking about ball reaction, how I can improve my release, etc. to prepare myself mentally and to make sure I have the right equipment in my hands and play the right part of the lane.  I'm a speed-dominant stroker, but can get more motion out of the ball than I used to.  I bowl at least two league nights per week.  I have been bowling for 19 or 20 years now (I'm 24 )  Average depends on the league and the house, but it's anywhere between 216 and 230 on a house shot, and around 185-190 on a PBA Experience league.  My first sanctioned 300 had a high flush shot in the 2nd frame where the 9 pin was standing, but a scout flew across the deck and took it down.  The 11th and 12th shots were both high flush and tripped the 4 pin forward.  My second 300, at a much tougher house, was about 8 pure flush strikes and 4 swisher strikes when my ball speed got up a little.  My 299 and my unsanctioned league 300 were both the result of keeping my speed up and playing light swisher pocket the whole game.  I guess it matters if you consider that kind of shot "lucky" or not.  It sure seems to work well for Norm Duke whenever he's on TV.  

IMO, I am not naturally gifted. I am however, very athletic. In high school one year I actually tried out for the cross country team, the track team, the tennis team, the basketball team and the football team.LOL (obviously there was not enuff time in a day or week because of all the overlap)

I do practice at least twice a week. I generally work on different hand releases, and trying to score from angles that I am not comfortable with.

This past season I bowled in four leagues. I averaged 197, 195, 192, and 189. The 197 avg was established in a hvy oil league. The 192 on a beaten up sport shot, and the 189 on dry lanes. I am a stroker.

Yes, I threw one brooklyn shot during my 300, and my last ball was a very lite swisher, that just happened to knock'em all down almost in a phased, wave-like fashion! It was kind of a dramatic ending.
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While I do have decent hand eye coordination I would not say that I am gifted.

I seldom practice anymore.

Tweener towards the higher end around a 300 rev rate.

Been bowling 45 years.

Average from 215 in a travel league to 230 in a handicap league.

I’ve had 300’s go both ways. Never have had one with a Brooklyn.

You have to define lucky on a THS it is pretty hard to miss the pocket. I’ve had a few that I packed 12 shots.

Most have that shot where you trip a late 10 or get a 10 with a scout or carry a half pocket swisher. But most of those I do not consider lucky. Playing the lanes right a well rolled ball will carry many of the non-packed pocket shots.

Throwing a back door, Brooklyn, nose dive, or trip 2’s are lucky.  

I guess it depends on what your definition of "gifted" is.  I believe that I am gifted as just about any sport I have taken up, I have been pretty good at.  I shot three 300s this year and in only one of them, did I get a "break".  The other 2 were pretty much all labeled.  I have been bowling for 24 years and have 55 300s and roughly 30 800s.  I used to work on my game alot more about 10 years ago once I switched to the 2 handed release.  It did come natural and did not take me long to make spares consistently and making the adjustments.  I have a 500+ rev rate, 18.5 MPH ball speed.  I have shot the majority of my honor scores with Columbia and Visionary. I tend to average in the high 220s to low 230s.
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Steven Vance
Former Pro Shop Operator

If anyone out there is worried about the scores being too high, try duckpin!!

Not gifted, worked hard. Now it comes relatively easily. I think in winter leagues I shot 3 300s. I dont think I shot any 12 shot misses, but I dont really remember. This season was kind of a blur. I had 2 800s. One was a "know-how" 810+, the other was a house shot gift 830+.

All 3 300s were pretty well bowled. I know I tripped a 4 in one of them. I also know the 2nd and 3rd had all 12 stuffed (that doesnt necessarily mean they were great shots). I was throwing the ball well for each of them. I have gotten my share of breaks on 300s however in the past. Ive had jerseys in my 1st, 10th, 20th, and 24th (3 jerseys in that one). So luck does play a part.

As for the season....
I averaged 235+ plus in 2 of my 3 leagues. 218 in another. I didnt adjust well to the new lanes at the 3rd league. I bowled in 3 different houses.

Ive been bowling for 20 years. I dont practice anymore because I dont have time.
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