I know how you get over it in terms of score. I mean how do you get over the feeling of having failed [again] to bowl that elusive 300?

It was just practice and there was no money or anything else at stake. Just my ego.  But for the 3rd time in less than 2 years (had 298 twice), I had the first eleven, and did not execute the twelfth shot correctly.  By "correctly" I mean just delivering the ball again without thinking. Instead.... I was trying NOT to do anything wrong. Trying NOT to throw too fast or too slow, too long or too short, etc...

I WAS much less nervous than the first two times. In fact ---- I wasn't nervous at all. I was a little tense on the 10th and 11th shots, but actually felt very calm and very much in control before delivering the last ball. But despite the calmness, I was THINKING again. Thinking about how this was so cool and that maybe this time I would do it.  If only I kept everything the same. But of course the meer fact that I was thinking was a huge change. Thinking was BAD, and thinking was enough to cause me to yank the ball just a little, resulting in a kind a part high, part light Brooklyn hit, and leaving a single pin. Not sure which.  Something on the right side toward the middle.  Maybe even the 3 pin, or the 6 pin.  

If I were some newbie or kid, I could look at this as a stepping stone. But I'm in my 50's and nearing not the end of my bowling life, but close to the end of bowling my current style which is basically high speed, low revs. Soon, I will be forced to adjust to a more old-man's finesse style, and may even be MORE successful in the long run. But that will take time. I wanted my 300 NOW!!! Before the transitional period begins with it's likely downturn in production.

The worst part is that there were several relatively inexperienced bowlers around who had started to notice, and they were very excited FOR me about the 299.  To THEM, it was a thrill. To me, the thrill morphed into a disappointment and not getting the 300. And it would have been ok if I had thrown as good as shot as the first 11, and the pin just failed to fall. But frankly... I got what I deserved cause the last ball simply wasn't delivered as well. It almost was through the nose, but getting a split and ending with a 297 or 298 wouldn't have felt any different to me than the 299 does.

So all these people are congratulating me and thanking me for the entertainment side of it, and I AM being gracious and humble (humble was easy... I felt like a bum for failing), but inside I am kicking myself and can't wait to get out of the bowling alley. Hours later it still irks me.

Oh well... I guess the lack of nervousness is a plus. This miss was more one of stupidity, or loss of concentration, whereas the two 298's were clearly a result of nerves.

Anyway... sorry if it seems I'm whining. Just had to share with people who are bowlers and even if they disagree with my perspective, can understand it.  Talking to non-bowlers in a case like this never helps.

You did something that almost all of us have done (still do) "choked".

I had a chance at a 300 about 4 yrs ago on a league with my parents.  Had the front 9 and we already had the game won by 60+pins and i was last to bowl..
after my pre shot routine got on the lane and started my delivery. Half way to the lane one of the other bowlers ran up and stomped onthe lane and yelled to distract me.. which it worked i got 9.  If i knew then what i know now i would have called interferance and a dead ball. but i didnt and ended up with a 289.

That team gave me a wide berth the rest of the yr.

I just finally threw my first 300 this past june and 1. i never looked at the score board 2. i did the same routine for every shot (till the 12) the 12th when all lanes stopped i had to check myself and reset did my pre routine 3 times b4 the nerves were settled.  then it was look at target (8th dot laydown out to 3rd board)  all 12 looked the same and once i seen i hit both my marks i just waved to the ball (and pins) it was the last shot and there was nothing else i could do.

299 is nearly just as good as a 300. You still get an honor score for it so it isn't that disappointing. Even though my secretary and USBC screwed me on my first attempt and a very good, consistant game and had a chanceat a 300 and got robbed with a ringing 10, I ended up shooting my first one throwing brooklyns and a couple other bad balls and got my first 300.
I think everything evens out. So if your throwing it well and your that close, it's not quite as big on the last ball when you may be nervous. Your going to have chances at a perfect score and shoot perfectly and leave a single pin on the last ball or your last ball could be perfect and had strikes but they were only strikes on the board and were not your best balls.

I've shot 3 300's and was nervous every time.I also shot a few 11 in a row and it was the same as the 300 games.I don't think I'll never get to the point of not being nervous when I see 10 in a row.on the other hand I'm a really good clutch player and have always done my best bowling under stress,some people like a buddy of mine fold like a house of cards.I always concentrate on 1 shot at a time and never think what might happen "IF".just think abouth what you have to do.
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The harder I try the harder they fall

yeah,I'm always in the last spot as well,not because I have a higher average either.I can stink it up all night but always finish in the tenth under pressure.shows I don't concentrate as much when I'm comfortable.another thing I noticed between my last 11 in a row and my last 300 game is on the 11 in a row game the last shot I did everything I could to hit my spot just perfect on the lane and I did but had just a hair to much hand on it and ended up with an 8 pin.people watching thought I got taped but I knew better.on my 300 game I never concentrated on my line but rather just my feet and balance at the line,every ball that game was pocket flush.not sure if any of this matters but that's what I remember last season.
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The harder I try the harder they fall

Im not one for usually using the cliches that most people would say. But I have had only 5 300's but I converted on my first 4 chances and then had a 299 ring ten, then a 300, then a 299 decent 4 pin. Im not one to always follow the motto one shot at a time. Or even look at it as just another shot. I like knowing that this one shot is looked at as a big difference in score. Basically I just think I already have 11. More than likely I've got a great ball in my hands, Im really lined up. I then think of it only being one shot. How many times have I struck on just one shot. You just gotta believe they will all go down. Even if your not to sure deep down lol. But for the most part just enjoy the excitement of it. It doesnt come around alot.

I forgot to mention too, that even though the 12th shot was not a good delivery, there were a couple of pins rolling around the deck after the initial hit. One of them DID take out either the 4 or 8 pin, but the other one rolled next to but not into the pin on the right side of the lane (think it was the 6, but could still have been the 3... or even the 5). So.. in a way, was lucky to have ended up with my first 299 instead of a 3rd 298.  

Anyway... thanks.  I do feel I have a different insight after posting and reading the replies.  Had hesitated, feeling it would just look like whining (it probably WAS whining to some degree), but I also wanted to learn how best to deal with the disappointment and find the positives, and I do feel much better prepared mentally now for when I get another opportunity. Even that statement is a HUGE difference from how I felt after the 298's. I bowled both of them about 9 days apart, but after the 2nd one, I wasn't talking about WHEN but IF I would ever have another opportunity.

I feel I can do it this time. Would have preferred sooner rather than later, but I believe my chance will come again.