To keep track of an accuracy chart of yourself?

I am doing a 12 week sport league this summer and have a chart made up that I will try to HONESTLY fill out. I have it separated into games and the target with room to adjust for changes during games. Also where I stand. Then I made a spreadsheet style chart that has the following on it.

3 or more left, 2 left, 1 left, center, 1 right, 2 right, 3 or more right

then I have the totals in each column.

I want to see if I am honest enough with myself to use it truthfully for 12 weeks to see where my accuracy stands....... would you be able to HONESTLY fill it out each week knowing in the end it will probably show you something you don't want to see???

also do you think this is a good idea?

I've done something similar to this for the past several years on every league set that I've bowled.  I record every frame on a sheet of paper, giving the result of the frame, and I put the pins left above the frame.  If I felt like I threw a good shot and was ripped off, I'll record a "pk" above the pin left (for pocket).  At the end of the set, I have a complete record of every frame that I threw during the set, and the resulting pins left on every ball.

I take a blank sheet of typing paper and fold it into 1/8ths.....and on each 1/8th of the sheet, I can put 3 sets of games on that section.  By the time I have one side of the whole sheet filled out, I'm looking at 24 sets (72 games)....then I flip the sheet over and start again on the other side.  The data gives me a good chance to review exactly how well or poorly I performed on a given night, and it also allows me to track trends on a given lane independently.  I even go so far as to circle the lane that I'm starting out on for the first game, so that I can track that lane across all 3 games.  It makes it easier to see if an adjustment is in order, or whether I need to stay where I'm at.  Once the automatic scoring system is reset at the end of the game, all of your info is gone, unless you are keeping a frame by frame account on the paper.  You can see exactly how many 10-pins you left, how many 10-pins you missed sparing, and on and on.

I have to admit that sometimes the data gives you more truth than you really want to look at, but at least you have an idea of exactly how the night went for you.  And, you know exactly how many strikes you carried during the set as well.  I can tell you that it normally takes about 17 to 18 strikes to break the 600 barrier, although I have seen some sets hit 600 with 14, or other times open frames may increase the needed number to 20, but the 17-18 number is pretty average.

Anyway, it takes a few seconds worth of effort after every frame to record the info, but it also gives you something repetitious to do while you are bowling, so it becomes part of your bowling routine.  At the end of the third game, there is no guesswork on how you arrived at your series number for the night.

wow six whole replies, thanks to the ones that did. I must be on a whole pile of ignored user lists......... LOL. oh well.

Sport Bowling is hard enough without pressing your self to split boards.  You can be a very accurate player but if you can not repeat with a consistent release, ball rotation, speed etc.  you are really only addressing part of the equation.

Dr. Dean made a very good point in BTM earlier this year about trying to be too perfect.  He analogized trying to be too perfect in bowling to trying to trace perfectly around an image.

If you are indeed bowling on an ABC sanctioned Sport League, your results should indicate your true abilities.

Buzzhead-

Think it's a good idea. I agree with Ron's tip also. You might want to also add a column on your list for where your slide foot ended up. (look down after each shot to see where you are at the fouline) This will show you how consistent you are at walking straight or drifting consistently (if you drift). Is it bad to drift right? I drift right (righty) exactly 5 boards.

Off the subject a bit, what do you think about targeting the "breakpoint" instead of the dots/arrows? Had a very good bowler tell me he targets his breakpoint ONLY, 40-45 feet downlane! Anyone do this??

Ron, comment?



Edited on 5/20/2003 6:58 AM