Spare shooting

[Freddie]

Bowled in a tournament this weekend, and would have cashed if my sparing was up to scratch. According to the stats I keep, I've missed 18% of my spares over 66 league games in the last few months... and I missed 25% in the 10 games yesterday. I'm really not happy with either stat, but I don't know what to work on to overcome it. I assume someone will recommend coaching, but I've had trouble in the past finding a coach I can get along with Is there anything I can practise by myself? I can get games cheapish, and don't mind spending a night a week bowling 5 or 6 games. Heeelp meeee

 

[~Mrs STORM~]

Coaching is probably the first step.
Next, if you come from a centre with wonderful, friendly staff, they may...JUST MAY be willing to open the backends up for you and u can jsut bowl without scoring...even if u pay em 5 bucks an hour or sumthing...

 

[thehittmann]

$5 p/h is roughly what you would get charged per game on league rates. I get charged $4 per game which would take around 15 mins so I very much doubt that they would give them a lane for $5 per hour.

 

[Freddie]

My brother works at the local bowl, and I get charged $3/game. I'm sure I could arrange to get a lane for an hour or two on a slow night Will bite the bullet and see about coaching on Tuesday, which should be scary Probably go down to the local bowl around 9pm and see if I can get a lane until closing (10:30?), it was pretty dead last week

 

[bitchy lil brunette]

Ever Thought About asking if they do sets say if they can just set up a ten pin or something like that for a game?

 

[Ice]

A little game we've done in coaching would help alot and you can do it alone. We shoot say ten pins only (on a full set) until you get say five in a row, and no flukey ones, really hit them accurately, then we move onto the 6, 3, pocket, 2, 4 & finally 7 pin. Maybe concentrate a little more on the spares you find the hardest or the pins you leave most, say if you leave a lot of tenpins but find that the hardest spare go for ten of those before you move onto the 6 pin. Good luck!

 

[Freddie]

Ever Thought About asking if they do sets say if they can just set up a ten pin or something like that for a game?

My brother says nope, not with the equipment where he works

Bowled league last night at a different centre, had a fair bit of trouble adjusting to sparing on heavy oil. 1-2-4, expecting the ball to move a bit left... it goes straight, hits the 1, barely gets the 2. Throw across to get a 6 pin... ball gets over to the 1-2 board, turns dead straight and goes right past. Argh!

Ended up going to see Mr Coach Man. Scheduling is slightly difficult, since I currently bowl leagues 3 nights a week, he does a lot of coaching, no-one can get lanes on Friday nights... and I'm fairly sure he's the head coach for SA's President Shield team. 27th was the earliest we could manage He did ask me to get some scoresheets with the little pin deck on them, and to mark down what I leave and where the ball goes for second shots. I guess that will keep me occupied for the next few weeks

 

[twenban]

I used to use a routine going for the 7, 5 and 10 pin in rotation. Another is bowling at one pin, say the 10 pin, until you get 10 in a row solid. You have to be honest and no near misses count. The first time I tried I was there for an hour. I would suggest instructo-mat at an AMF centre.
A suggestion is to bowl at all spares as straight as possible that way when the lane conditions change you don't have to adjust a lot.
Enjoy ....

 

[smart86]

You probably do not have a good spare system.
Either have the wrong roll, wrong angle, or a combination of them

 

[GrandLeo]

Another tip I could suggest, even though this may not help you directly it may help others reading, is timing. I used to have troubles with the 10 and 6 pins. Eventhough I seemed to do everything the same each and every time, sometimes I would spare without hassel other times I'd go left and the remainder of the time (yes you got it) I'd put the ball in the gutter. I eventually found that sometimes I would plant my foot and release the ball at the same time (generally got a good shot) other times I would plant my foot and then throw the ball (or vice versa) and go let or right of my target - fair enough there was only a marginal timing delay but it seemed to be enough to skew my shot slightly left or slightly right.

 

[Rowey the li'l lefty]

Coaching is probably the first step.
Next, if you come from a centre with wonderful, friendly staff, they may...JUST MAY be willing to open the backends up for you and u can jsut bowl without scoring...even if u pay em 5 bucks an hour or sumthing...

Wink wink, Jen...next time you're on the front counter, I might give you a buzz haha jokes.

Coaching is a very good step to take. Some centres, like mine, give free practice and training sessions. Some of the things we do are practicing certain pins, such as the 7 and 10 pins, and we also do ritger drills. I find the training sessions very valuable. Just remember the 3 P'S...practice, practice, practice

Bubyee

Rowey

 

[harley]

Woah jen is that hour five dollar think serious? ive been missin out Sorry if that was off the subject but anyway back to it, Either your just off the mark when it comes to releasing the ballor your standing and shooting on all the wrong boards.

Harley out

 

[Freddie]

Finally ended up getting some coaching today. Mostly worked on my timing, which has been all over the place, and a few other basic bits and pieces. Keep your head down! Follow through properly, you git! Set yourself before starting your shot! Don't take such huge steps! Bend your freaking knee! and so on Can't say I enjoyed 45 minutes straight of two step drills, but it certainly helped get my timing back to a suitable level. Didn't actually work on sparing specifically, but I found I was a lot more comfortable sparing with my timing sorted. Think I missed a 10 pin in the gutter (halfway down the lane), and a 7-10... even when I was doing the good ol' foul line drills. Hurrah!