What is your personal best? Another thread inspired me to start this one. If you have a 300 (or 27 300s) please refrain from replying. This is for those of us still trying to climb the mountain.
I'm at 280. Pretty sure it was the 8 pin in the second. Didn't really pay attention at the time because I wasn't expecting to run off 10 in a row after. The kicker is that it was during rock and glow so the lights were out. Guess I would be better with my eyes closed.
Next two are 279 and 278. Then it falls fairly sharply. Next.
sorry about this, but I'm going to break the rule.
I've shot 5 300s. But keep in mind that those 5 were with a 11 year gap between the 1st and 2nd, and it took me 23 years to get to that 1st.
Before that first, my highest was 288. On my way to a 290 before I let off just a bit on the ball speed and left a 4-6. After that, my closest was in the 230s.
That 300 came at not only the lowest point of my bowling career, but the lowest point of my personal life, so it really helped me out not just in the sport, but personally as well, because my confidence then was completely shattered. Like your 280, I was worried about getting close, because there was a tornado warning issued for the town the bowling alley was in, and I didn't want power going out on me, as that would invalidate the best bowling I had ever done. Funnily enough, I was concentrating more on looking for the tornado than I was seeing that I had the front 10! Luckily, it didn't, I punched out, filled out the paperwork, and made it home before anything happened.
It would take 10 years, and moving 1500 miles (to Vegas) and then another 700 on top of that (to Sacramento) before I saw anything like that again. And to be honest, I felt like that football or basketball team that won the championship once, though that one time was 80 years ago, and wondering if it were just a fluke or if I could ever do it again.
The best advice I could ever give is to look at clips of Jack Jurek on Youtube, and especially his winning the Shark Championship. You'll learn not only one of the best lessons in bowling, but in your life: don't give up. If his going nearly 15 years between titles didn't stop him, not reaching that peak yet shouldn't stop you.
Another guy to look at: Chris Loschetter. It took him just as long as it did Jurek to win his 2nd title to win his 1st. In short, the name of the game is perseverence.
a guy I work with in my leadership business told me this, and it hits home:
Failure is not the opposite of success; QUITTING is the opposite of success.
Your day is coming.
BL.