Here is the scenario that has happened in my area to some bowlers I know.

A bowler gets to improving in THS league the past couple years. Average jumps from 170 to just over 200. Throws several 700 series in local tournament and wins alot of money. Thinks they are ready for something more serious. Goes to a tournament out of the area and comes in last place. Doesn't bowl any where close to what they do back home. Confidence is crushed and gives up tournament bowling.

I am sure this has happened since tournament bowling started but do you think it is occurring more today?

THS boasts egos - period. Many players I know rarely leave their THS turf, probably fearing that truth catches up with them when they play in a different house or even a flat pattern (if they know at all what this is...). Well, personal dreams quickly burst in the harsh environment of flat or quickly changing patterns. Shock therapy, sort of, but when a player becomes frustrated or loses self-confidence because of such an experience, the mental game needs IMHO a huge improvement and a reality check.

That's also the reason why I personally like to do training in various local houses and invest time and money into tournaments. I know I cannot win (yet), but this way I am pretty competitive in such situations - recently I took part in a national tournament, and I ended up 29th place among 147 starters. Not bad, training of this scenario pays definitively out!
Besides, our German official leagues are traveling formats. You never know what you encounter, and playing (well) in foreign houses is always a great challenge.

You need to expose yourself to this situation to learn - and better do it when it does not count, and try to play well and learn, not necessarily win.
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Edited on 5/30/2008 9:57 AM

How is that new?

SH

I've seen several temper tantrums thrown at tournaments that weren't a on a THS ... and I definitely think that has a negative effect on bowling in general.  But overall, I think it's a learning experience and in that regard it's a good thing.

It depends on the bowler and their understanding of where they're at in regards to skill level as well as ego.  When I say skill level, I'm talking less about their average ... and more about  if they're mentally prepared for a challenge.

I used to bowl in the Top Gun tournaments that Woody Demma held at the Stardust in Addison IL (and a few other places). The Top Gun was a handicap tournament and yeah, sometimes I made it past round one due to my handicap ... but I usually got knocked out in the 2nd round.

I was that league bowler who was improving and winning more often on the THS at the alleys I bowled at. When I heard about Woody's tournaments I thought to myself, "I gotta check this out."

The first time I went, game one was really embarrassing - like a 124 or something. Game 2 & 3 improved but it was frustrating. But, it made me pay attention to what the higher scoring bowlers were doing and I learned things.

I kept going and started learning to adjust my game. I never won the tournament, but ended up making it to the final 5 twice over the 3 seasons I participated. I stopped attending due to injury.

Yeah, my ego got a lil' bruised at times ... but I always learned something new or improved a certain aspect of my game and that's what kept me goin' back.

In my area the ABT was putting down house shots. When people were getting killed against other regions in the state/national level for ABT, they started putting down sport shots.
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There is nothing so easy to learn as experience and nothing so hard to apply.

I personally don't like tournaments bowled on THS. When I go to a tournament, I want a challenge. State championship tournaments don't need to be on a wall, but that's what I've seen every year I've bowled in ours for years. Tournaments in every other sport mean more competition and more difficulty, so why not bowling?

Jess