More stuff about 300's.

[gwhiting]

Good points by Alicia.

I believe that every 300 bowled has to contain skill and luck.

A 300 is still a 300 the same as a hole in one is a hole in hole.

It seems to be a thing of today that when a sportsperson achieves something there has to be a "but"

A swimming record is broken but they were wearing state of the art swinsuits.
A hole in one but they were using a graphite club
A 300 game but they were bowling on a ditch.

This reply is not a cristism of any other comments made or any 300's bowled.

 

[Troyza]

There is luck in every sport but there still needs to be some kind of skill involved.
Eg: Golf. After the drive from the tee, the ball gets caught in a little bit of a breeze which carries the ball right 1 meter and you miss the bunker. LUCK.
The ball travelled over 250 meters, end result on that hole- Birdie. SKILL.
Football. A turnover in your favour from the direction the ball bounced. LUCK.
Accurately kick the ball between the middle of the goal posts to win the game. SKILL.
Tenpin bowling. 300 game. 9th frame the ball went wide, still comes back but expecting a 10 pin, when a scout flys across and takes it out. LUCK.
Bowling the ball the other 11 times to a flush pocket. SKILL.
You cant take the triumph of a 300 game away from anyone. They still had to knock down all of the pins every time. Whether its their 1st or the 14th it is still a great achievement and hopefully those who havent quite got there *cough*4-pin*cough* will have luck on thier side next time.

Nono, not taking the triumph away from anyone. But you put it quite nicely, there will usually be a certain amount of luck involved.

Which brings the next question, are some 300's luckier than others? Of course, we had a bloke here quite a few years ago, quite a low track (almost spinner) bowl a 300. 5 or 6 actual pocket balls, the rest were high or brooklyn. On the last ball, he went so far brooklyn he missed the 1pin, but out of no where came a pin from the pit to knock it down for his 300 game. Now call me skeptical, but I'd have to say it was definitely a lucky 300.

My first & only 300, my 9th & last balls were so crappy I didn't deserve it. 9th i went a bit high & had a massive messenger take out the 10, & my last ball i hit pretty light that i was surprised I took out the 4. I have to say mine was probably half & half considering I did hit my target 11 times, & pushed it too far on the 12. I don't take much triumph for it though because A: it was practice & B: My opinion of a perfect game means 'perfect'.

 

[Eraser]

My 300 game came in in July 2006, at Ballarat, the first and still the only 300 to be bowled since the synthetics were laid in January 2006. Without doubt, there isnt a moment in my life that comes close to rivaling the feeling of sending all ten into the pit on that 12 shot. I grew up with my mum working at the bowl, spent many a school holiday there practicing, and to have my whole family and friends (whom i grew up bowling with) there that night to witness my game is just a feeling i cannot describe. An absolute feeling of content.

I still am yet to throw another one (and may not ever), but that moment will always be close to my heart.

 

[RHs_rule300]

what about the 'both luck and skill' option which is evidently the majority of people hehe.... i totally agree... ive seen big games from 160 or 170 avg bowlers, 270+ where ya need 9 or 10 in the hole... but only 3 or 4 are actually in the hole... but then again ive seen card avg bowlers hit solid 12 times, maybe a lil high on the 11th or something but 9 times out of 10 would carry anywhere anyway

 

[DIECAST NUT]

A 300 game takes skill, luck and patience, I bowled one to night all 12 in the pocket and all clean a couple where a little high in the pocket but who cares when they all fall.

Know bowling your first 300 is a great achievement, as it can take people 2 or 3 290+ games before they can get over the verves and bowl a 300, I know people who have bowlered multiple 300 games but crack under the pressure of big events, where is you get people like Sam Romeo who to me are great bowlers and has been for many years but he has only bowled 1 300 game which was this year.

which ever way you think 300's will be bowled by different average bowlers and with new technology equipment and with easier oil conditions, but we should also look at it at a centers view, high scores make it a center people want to go to, but if you make the lane condition to hard for your regular 100 - 170 bowlers they want bowl as they can't see any achievements by bowling low games, if these bowlers can bowl well and get achievements they will bowl week in week out, and that is a centers "bread and butter",

Just imagine if oiled a tough sports patterns in leagues, you would have mass exitist in all leagues, becuase peoples skill and experiences are different, so we must take mined of the bigger picture.

 

[Carmers]

Personally, I dont care how good you are or what pattern you bowl on or what ball you are using, YOU HAVE TO HAVE LUCK ON YOUR SIDE. Lol.

Just my opinion.

 

[Troyza]

lol carmer, wait for it. Someone will blow up at you for having an opinion thats different.

 

[willey]

My first and only in 39 years of Bowling, happened in 1999 at Mackay, I was the first Adult League Bowler, to throw one in the Centre, that opened in 1977.

I only remember the 9th was a little lucky, fraction high with a late falling 9 pin, the place certainly did'nt have a ditch, I threw 18 out to 8 through the 3rd arrow as there was out of bounds around 5 board.

willey

 

[cjallstar]

Its 50/50 and a whole lot of not looking at the last BALL!!

DUST IT OFF TURN IT SIDEWAYS AND SHOVE IT STRAIGHT DOWN THE LANE

Cam Phillips

 

[frosty]

However if a bowler can make 1 good shot to win a title in a final why would the hardest shot to bowl a 300 game be all on the last shot? This is the general feeling i get when talking to bowlers that the last shot can be the most nerve racking shot, I don't understand. Parker Bohn has bowled over 70 sanction 300 games why? I am sure he does not believe that 300 games have an ellement of luck or is assisted by oil paterns!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Obviously just another opinion.

 

[Andrew S.]

Maybe the element of luck is directly related to the ability of the bowler.
I remember years ago a 300 was bowled at Gold Coast Superbowl and the bowler concerned held a 164 average. I didnt see this game, but those who did said a lot of luck was involved.
I'm also pretty sure that when someone with the ability of Parker Bohn shoots 300 there's very little luck involved.

 

[RobbieB]

IIRC, it was the legendary Dick Weber who said:

"The more I practice, the luckier I get."

The more skilfull you are, the more times you give yourself the opportunity to get 'lucky', and carry the odd bad ball that keeps the string alive.

 

[Straight_kut]

However if a bowler can make 1 good shot to win a title in a final why would the hardest shot to bowl a 300 game be all on the last shot? This is the general feeling i get when talking to bowlers that the last shot can be the most nerve racking shot, I don't understand. Parker Bohn has bowled over 70 sanction 300 games why? I am sure he does not believe that 300 games have an ellement of luck or is assisted by oil paterns!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Obviously just another opinion.

I was sh!tting myself on the final shot when i threw the 299.. pulled it really bad.. never been so nervous. :surrender: And i choked.. It was my first shot at the 12th strike, previously choking on the 11th and throwing 289 earlier in the year.. hopefully next time i'll be able to control the nerves better after knowing whats involved now. and finally crack the big 300

Admittedly the fact 90% of the league had stopped and were crowding behind me was probably the worst part of it all.. turning after throwing the 11th to see a stack of people behind me was pretty nerve racking.

I think its the worst thing the crowd can do, yes everyone loves to watch the final frame of a 300, but dont make it so obvious or crowd too close. watch from the corner of your eye or something lol.

 

[Troyza]

My nerves were rattling on my last shot for my 300, because i knew what a last strike would entail. luckily for me I pushed it out, but bowled it a little slower that it made it back for a light but strong hit.
If i had put too much pressure on my self, i probably would have pulled it through for 296. & i think thats what a lot of people do. They get to the 12th & think 'they have to bowl a 12th strike' when maybe they should be thinking 'I can bowl another strike'
Only US put pressure on our selves. Nothing else.

 

[ssz57]

i only bowled 1 lucky one and it was the 12 went brooklyn the 2 games before started with the first 8 and the first 7 and all in the pocket the skill is to hit the same spot each time and the luck is all the pins fall

 

[The Insider]

I've never bowled one (in sanctioned competition), but I do think it is a lot to do with luck. In practice, I have 5 though. Yes, one lucky frame can make a huge difference.

I have bowled 4 sanctioned 290 games but they were 9/ then off the sheet each time (one of them was 17 in a row). I have a higher opinion of someone if they have a 200+ average - not if they have bowled a 300 game. Having an average over 200 means they are consistent.

I have watched a few 300's, and a lot of the time, it is followed by a bare 150... the lowest I have ever seen was a 118.

I'm hoping for my first 300 in sanctioned competition soon - but that's it - I'm hoping. There is the element of luck. You can smash the pocket each shot but it doesn't mean all pins will fall...

 

[1-300-bushy]

i have no doubt luck does play a part in it as i had never rolled more than 9 in a row and that was in practice i was bowling on 1+2 and at that time of the year (nov) lane 1 dries out from the sun beating on the wall just a couple of feet away so it was turning about 5 boards further had a great line on both but felt better on 1 got to the 10th first 2 balls no prob picked the ball up for number12 and my hand was shaking like a leaf in a 40kph wind pulled the shot high brooky it was the one of the ugliest strikes i have bowled or seen so iave to say luck does play a part in bowling not only your first but any 300 especially when some of the great shots iv'e seen that did not put 10 in the pit

 

[jimcross]

Never bowled one. Bowled 7 or 8 279's back in the early 1960s with a Black Rubber AMF ball, ( drilled over the weight block to get the ball in as close as possible to balance ) Not much luck in that. Whether it's 299 or 279, it's 11 strikes and a 9.
Several times bowled more than 12 strikes in a row. Most was 18 without 300.
Bowled 290 at Lismore couple years ago ( 9 Spare & 11 strikes ) Started the next game with Six more.
Luck, I wouldn't mind a bit of that !!
:surrender:

 

[poppy62]

Personally, Have never bowled a 300 but I reckon luck plays a lot into it - I bowled a 278 last week & regard 3 strikes only as worthy (very high). The only one that looked as though it was buried left the 6,10, why ?. The following game I couldnt miss the pocket & either left 10 pin or 8 pin Felt & looked like a much better game but with no result ended with a 195.

 

[PeterB]

Reactive resin hits the market in 1991. In that same year 300 games increase by 24,000 in the USA alone. Yes, the game is a lot easier these days. The amount of 300s we see in a week now you wouldn't see in a year 20 years ago.

I don't understand the comparisons between bowling and sports like golf or football. I can't think of any other sport at this time where everything can be manipulated to help the player achieve higher or better scores like you can in bowling. Just about every aspect of our sport can and is manipulated to the players advantage. The bottom line is "tenpin bowling has become a farce." That's why we see sports like lawn bowls and diving on TV and not tenpin bowling.