Game or series ???

[Bigsy]

I'm posting this because I am interested in people's opinions on whether they prefer their high game or series as their greatest achievement.

Obviously, there are quute a few bowlers on here who have bowled many a 300 game and I can only assume would rate their series as a better achievement.

But forbthose for those of us who have only bowled 1 or 2 perfect games, or those that haven't quite got there yet, what are your thoughts.

Personally, I'm not sure. .........This year I have managed to roll my first perfect game, and also thrown my highest series.

Any comments / thoughts would be welcomed.

Bigsy...

 

[Mistagear]

Neither game or series for me. I'd love bowling to follow most other sports with Win/Loss focus.
300 does nothing for me, its luck of when you start a string of strikes, (you can bowl 22 in a row and not score 300)
Series is highly dependent on conditions on the day, no point being excited at 700 if your opponent threw 800. I guess I have to admit, 900 would be a nice series to have against any opponent, even on a ditch.
PS, thats 900 for 3, obviously

 

[John_Velo]

Series over a number of weeks.

Not missing the pocket.

Not missing a spare.

Clean games are higher on my list than three hundreds. Knowing you hit every target you aimed for.

Bowling a block where your lowest to highest game were less than 20 pins apart and you threw over the card. Now that put a smile on my face.

 

[Roysa]

I agree with John on the closed frames thing. Most league nights i know what my score was out of 40... (4 games x 10 frames). Think 39 is my high score.

 

[RobbieB]

Wouldn't 300 be a clean game, John?

It's a funny thing about the scores. I remember 2 years in a row at Redcliffe - the first year the lanes were tough, I made the stepladder in 3rd with a 210 average behind CB and Pablo Kelly. The cut was well under to make matchplay. The following year the bottom of the cut (20th) was 220 average and my 231 ave was good for 7th. I remember one of the bowlers chatting after the tourney saying how much better it was this year because "at least I shot the card". I said "didn't you cash last year? He said "yeah but I only averaged 180-odd?" So I said "you'd rather average 200 and not cash than 180 and get a cheque?" He looked at me like I had 2 heads and said "of course - at least I know I bowled good this year!".
Gobsmacked.
My favourite bowling achievements involve performing under the gun, finding a way on a tough shot, or outbowling good bowlers. Sometimes you throw good scores to do it, but the scores are a means to an end, not an end in themselves.

 

[John_Velo]

Hey RobbieB,

Nope, not if threw three brookies. That would make it lucky as I knocked ten back whilst missing three times or 25% of the time.

So, no, it would not be clean! Funny how people forget to look around, that 180 average could been like gold if every one else was throwing 175.

 

[Mistagear]

Hey RobbieB,

Nope, not if threw three brookies. That would make it lucky as I knocked ten back whilst missing three times or 25% of the time.

So, no, it would not be clean! Funny how people forget to look around, that 180 average could been like gold if every one else was throwing 175.

I'm not driving to Shellharbour every week to bowl, but geez, wish I could find a tough house shot to bowl league.
I'm using 15yo gear but still manage to score ok, despite throwing very poorly all over the place.
It's ruining my game for when I need to be accurate when bowling away in tournaments. I'd be prepared to pay extra to bowl a genuine tough pattern. I MEAN TOUGH, (flat side to side and a buff only a few feet past the end of the oil)
Then if I bowled 180 on that, I'd be happy as..... after a few weeks of improving accuracy

 

[CT]

You can make any pattern tough, plastic from inside rarely knocks them over easily.
I suffer the same issue in the ACT with both houses here setting rather easy house shots.
My solution was to educate myself as to what my ball roll needs to look like to be competitive on tough shots and I go in and practice rolling it right. I don't really want to strike as spare practice is just as important as striking and gives me better value for my practice $.
League bowling isn't for tournament players, the skills required to hit 3:1 or so patterns with the best in the country are a completely different set of skills to bashing a house ditch.
Unfortunately bowling at the top level has become a totally different beast compared to where most bowlers learn to bowl.

 

[jason_doust]

I no longer like this post. A much better version is below.

 

[jason_doust]

Oh, wow. I get so off topic when I'm tired. Sorry about that.

Biggsy, I say record excellence wherever you can. And of course, note your mistakes as opportunities to improve. But always view scores through the lens of what you shot them on. I've never bowled 300 on tough lanes, but they've all been thrilling, even the one with a reactive ball in a ditch. I've had some really great performances grinding out from inside 5th arrow bowling my butt off. Excellence happens within. And sometimes these moments are intensely personal.

I can think of great strings of strikes or events I have won, but my most excellent bowling moment was a single practice shot that was perfect. Like, really, perfect. Those few seconds changed the way I view everything. They became the new Rubicon for me.

Record your personal bests not only as results, but also your personal moments of revelation/discovery. They can just be your records. When they happen, you will know them and have them forever. They're wonderful. And I hope you have a lot of them.

Cheers,
Jason

 

[Mistagear]

Jason, Just confirms how everyone is different. I'm happy to admit you are a better bowler than I am, but I dont get what you get when you say

I can think of great strings of strikes or events I have won, but my most excellent bowling moment was a single practice shot that was perfect. Like, really, perfect. Those few seconds changed the way I view everything. They became the new Rubicon for me.

Perhaps it's my motor racing background, the most perfect practice is only practice for the "real thing" racing. I'd happily exchange a perfect practice for the ugliest race win, any day. I'd swap any number of strikes for a win against a better opponent.
Maybe the reason I'm getting nowhere with my XGB scoring is because I'm in the minority in how I view sport competitions. or Is it that people who think as I do go motor racing and people who think as you do are bowlers ?
Could be an interesting human behavior study all be itself.

 

[jason_doust]

I like to win Peter, but I love to throw the ball well, to be in control. It's the extrinsic goal of winning versus the intrinsic goal of performing well.

Intrinsic goals are scientifically proven to be longer lasting in their positive effects on the psyche, BTW. I'm always happy if I walked out throwing it great for the day. OK, cheesed off when some goose goes around me with a wrist guard and great ball tech knocking the corners out for him once the heads disappear, but that's the unfair nature of bowling. It's fixed for the fudgers as they're a huge market for gear. But that's another thread...

 

[RobbieB]

I think we are mixing up achievements with watershed moments here. I can relate to Jason - I had exactly the same 'aha' shot (probably with half the revs though) in practise for a skins at Clayfield about 100 years ago - the ball came off my hand, I caught it and just thought 'so THAT'S what it's supposed to feel like!'. But I don't look at that as an 'achievement', and I think people at different levels of the sport are ofte going to have completely different perspectives on what gave them their special moments in the sport.
Mine was throwing three strikes in the 10th to win an $1800 strike jackpot at Currajong the day after I put Kirsty's $1799 engagement ring on layby. No pressure....

 

[Bigsy]

After reading these posts and having some time to think, consistency seems to be an achievement in itself. One week this year I went 279, 278, 257. Clean all night and it was one of those nights where it literally felt good. I could feel the ball coming off my fingers. House shot, yes, but it sure as hell beat my 300. Knowing that it was being consistent for the whole night. To me, my series over my game wins for me.

In response to some of your posts also, I too would rather average 180 and be competing with the best than bowling on a house shot. Unfortunately, my team can only bowl on a night where a house shot is laid.

I believe personal goals are by far, the most rewarding experience though. Coming up as a junior..... 150, 175, 200......600, 700, 800 etc. I have reached my goal this year of improving my average by 5 pins by the end if the year. The 300 & 800 were goals of course, but not really considered.

Thank you all for your replies. It's great to hear the difference in opinions.

Bigsy...

 

[jason_doust]

You're welcome and good on you for kicking off a good thread. Remember that the pursuit of excellence is admirable, so long as you watch out for the nasty mental illness of perfectionism!

Why not improve your average by 10 pins? Make an extra spare each game!

Cheers,
Jason