Steven,

I struck more than others.  FWIW, I used to be a good spare shooter back in the plastic, urethane days because I could throw a SMALL hook at my spares.  Now that I'm coming back to bowling cross alley hooking at spares doesn't cut it anymore.  The balls are too strong.  Since that time I've began using plastic and it is taking some getting used to.  Please read the thread on hooking spares.  This is the first time I've used plastic on almost all of my spares and after bowling for 30+ years (not so much league, just open play) it is hard to change, but it is starting to come around.  I'm doing something I NEVER did for 30+ years.  Think about it and you'll see the reasons for the lower than usual spare shooting.

Before I changed to plastic I threw a hook at my spares (except 10 pin).  I missed only 6 or 7 single pin spares over about 100 games (league play).  So, you're not seeing the whole picture.  
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I want to have a 220+ average like everybody else around here, so give me fresh oil.  


Edited on 4/28/2004 3:11 PM

Steven,

I bowl in metro detroit area, so we are probably the bowling capital of the world.  Do the best bowlers bowl in this center?  No, but like some areas we have some good bowlers.   You will find them in every center where I live.  220's are everywhere here, but I was totally stunned to find only 1 out of 350 bowlers.  They are not all that bad either.  Simple fact I struck more than others.  Some nights I didn't miss any spares, other nights I missed 1,2, 3 or even 4 which is something I never did before.  But, I would get my ball to the pocket time and time again which was something others didn't do as well.  


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I want to have a 220+ average like everybody else around here, so give me fresh oil.  

It is the same age old problem, averages don’t mean much.

Just because not one averages over 205 in your house doesn’t necessarily mean that it is a scoring dungeon. The talent pool may be really shallow.

Just because one averages over 205 doesn’t mean they are on the top of the heap.

And you can have every combination in between. Too bad ABC cannot figure out a way to rate house shots like they rate golf courses. 200 in this house is the same as 220 in another, 220 may only be 180 somewhere else.

This is a little off topic but:

We had a guy come into the shop and proudly announce that he was averaging 208 in a league, talking smack like he knew everything and was ready to take on the tour. We knew the league and asked how he stacked up in the league. Turned out he was about the 63rd high average in the league with around 90 members. Scoring at this house is extremely high. When over 60 bowlers in one league can out average you what makes you think you are ready to take on the tour?

I know exactly that which you speak.

As a bowler who usually has been able to hit the pocket(at least until I moved to a new area).  My bowling has usually been carry related(I go through phases good and bad(based on how I put the ball down, I know the problem in many cases has been me).  Then it compounds based on how much I'm competing and how much I practice spares.

Fact of the matter is for the last couple of years I've often carried just slightly under 200 averages while averaging close to 9 single pin misses or non split misses a night.

This actually gives me a lot of confidence going into any handicap tournament.

Because fixing the problem is usually so easy for me!  4 hours of spare only practice for 1 to two weeks before any decent money tournament makes me feel pretty dangerous.  Particularly if I've spent some time bowling top average bowlers during the last week head to head straight up and they start to hand me my share or maybe even a little of their share of cash.

It's amazing how quick a 190 average bowler can start to look a lot like 215 on league conditions with good sparemaking!

The rest of the time no money, no pracy!  I try on every one!

REgards,

Luckylefty