What's your average and how does it equate to your true ability?

[wimpy]

Hello All,
A lot of talk about true averages and how it relates to your ability,

i find it a bit funny and maybe i havent been on the scene for a long time but

has someone found a formula to work out how to calculate what your ability

should be? Your ability is what you can average, BUT on that condition , if you

can average 230 on a certain condition well done , but dont lose sight that

around the world others would probably laugh at the condition and chew it up.

I am not a big fan of comparing sports , but in all other sports you dont hear

whether it be a spinning wicket or a friendly placed cup on a green your ability

is what you can achieve on what is in front of you.



wimpy

 

[Daniel Lester]

You asked for a formula...

http://bowlingknowledge.info/images/stories/slowinski_btm_dec_2007_ibssn.pdf

 

[doug81]

190 for 2009, which is about right. only bowled for the first half, and with a wedding, house building and uni degree alongside full-time work, I was pretty happy to get it! Would like to say that I'll give it a better go in 2010, but will probably be heading o/s mid-year. do they have good alleys in Vietnam?

 

[gwhiting]

162 which shows that I have no ability.

 

[jimcross]

You asked for a formula.

OK , read that. Anyone here believe that if you assessed, say, 20 bowlers by that method, then did it again, and averaged the 2, so that it was as accurate as possible, then bowled them in a 'big purse' tournament, that they would finish in that order? (or 90% of it?)

Would save a lot of travelling expense. Everyone could just send in their (properly certified ) assessments, with entry fee, and they could post back your prizemoney!!, if any.
The centre could make more money too. They could run social bowling, or one of their leagues , on the same lanes at the same time.

Talk about win, win for everyone!

 

[wchester]

OK , read that. Anyone here believe that if you assessed, say, 20 bowlers by that method, then did it again, and averaged the 2, so that it was as accurate as possible, then bowled them in a 'big purse' tournament, that they would finish in that order? (or 90% of it?)

Not exactly Jim, but I'd venture to say that over a span of say 10 tournaments, that those with the highest assessments would dominate the top spots and the overall standings ( lefties excluded )

Actually, since were in Australia, I can tell you right now that there are few 'surprises' making the cuts in our tournaments. You can pretty much pencil in the same 10-12 bowlers to place amongst the finalists in each tournament.

 

[Geoff300]

162 which shows that I have no ability.

Hey !!! At least your honest which is a hell of a lot more than i can say for some of the averages shown herein. Hope you make some time for some coaching and move on to achieve what you want from the game

 

[jimcross]

Not exactly Jim, but I'd venture to say that over a span of say 10 tournaments, that those with the highest assessments would dominate the top spots and the overall standings ( lefties excluded )

Actually, since were in Australia, I can tell you right now that there are few 'surprises' making the cuts in our tournaments. You can pretty much pencil in the same 10-12 bowlers to place amongst the finalists in each tournament.

I'm sorry, I've been a bit too subtle. I'm talking about the attitude, the mental strength, the one-shot-at-a-time bowler who's not put off by a solid 8 pin, at a crucial time. I missed the bit where they measured that.

Look at the top people in any major individual ( rather than team ) sport, and see if measurable technical ability is enough to get you to the top.

 

[StevenB]

The AIS search for people like Shane Warne, all the attributes that let him down in real life are what make him an exceptional athlete (look at Tiger).

In the league I bowl in, most of my high scores have all come when I'm bowling against people that are better (higher scorers) than me. In Archery the same was true, my high scores would come from tournaments where I was competing against better archers.

Looking back at my first 4 months of bowling my average is around 115, but if I look at the last 4 - 6 weeks it is up around 130

 

[Troyza]

Yes, I find competing against better players brings the better player out in me. On the contrary, when playing someone far less to your own ability, it reverses & you become lazy. Such a mental game.

 

[Shadows Fall]

I bowl two leagues a week one on timber lanes where I am averaging 213 and one on synthetics where I am averaging 217.

After bowling on tougher patterns at K&K and Australian Cup this year, it has really shown me how many flaws I have in my game and and that I have a lot to work on.

In the cold light of day I am probably a low 190 ave bowler. That was my average with urethane before the reactive gear came out so I guess that's pretty accurate.

I really enjoyed bowling on the shots layed down at Australian Cup and K&K as it was sort of like the old days where repetitive shot making and sparing were crucial to your success. There really should be more of this.

Cheers

Steve

 

[jason_doust]

Yes, I find competing against better players brings the better player out in me. On the contrary, when playing someone far less to your own ability, it reverses & you become lazy. Such a mental game.

This is so true. As a younger fella, I spent a couple of years getting flogged by Sydney's best at Rockdale and it just made me tougher every week. I saw other people get crushed by it and quit bowling though. It comes down to your attitude, so correct, Troyza; It is such a mental game.

Back on topic, I finished on 211 for the year (3 games x 48 weeks) at Tuggeranong with 7 x 700 series. I'm not sure if it's probably about 15 pins up on where I would have scored on a flatter condition or a few pins down. I find the classic AMF 10-10 ditch quite tricky sometimes, as the over reaction outside often makes ball reaction quite bizarre for the heavy rolling guys. On a crowned pattern, I may have scored higher as the shots that went right of target may have got light hits, instead of diving through the beak. it just comes down to the steepness of the blend. At Tuggeranong, you could see where the oil just stopped outside 10 from about 18 inches past the foul line. (I use a lot of 5-6" pin to PAP layouts for this house.)

As a couple of people have stated, (and it's so true) the condition determines the scoring pace. But a higher cross-lane pattern ratio doesn't always make it easier. Especially once the lane surface starts to burn up where there's been no oil for years.

Cheers,
Jason

p.s. Good thread Wayne.

 

[Glenno]

162 which shows that I have no ability.

As long as you participate in the sport that makes you a winner in itself. Im sure most of us Averaged 160 sometime. Long as your having fun and enjoying it thats the main thing.

 

[jimcross]

Yes, Steven B, Troyza and Jason, that's exactly what I mean. Technical ability is one thing ( and obviously a great thing ), but mental strength and attitude decides winners. -----Those who have both..........look out!

I think you can only observe it - not measure it.

 

[jason_doust]

Good point Jim.

 

[steve jones]

..and Jim - the very reason [as you well know from first hand experience] why Steve Mackie was so great. There were/are others of course who dominated in their own time - but in my view no one dominated as dramatically based so significantly on their winning attitude and strength of will.

 

[jimcross]

Yes, Steve,

True, he and Joe Velo were prime examples. I'm not sure I ever bowled against Steve Mackie, in any particular event - though I probably did. I won a couple of centre championships in Sydney in that period ( and lost a lot ), and, from memory, everyone who was anyone bowled in all those types of events.
We did'nt know we were making history, any more than the present people do, so who bothered to remember? Hope present records are kept better!

We've gone badly off topic here. Sorry. To get back a bit, my averages way back then, in leagues, ranged from 187 to mid 190s. I averaged 254 in one outstanding 6 game block. Again, dont remember the detail, but it was either 1526 or 1528, with a start game of 228, and an end game of 279, with each game higher than the previous one.

I don't know " how that equates to my true ability". I did manage a 749 series last year, before my shoulder broke.--------But, I'm coming back later this year!!!

 

[Geoff300]

Steve Mackie, Now there is a blast from the past.
Australia miss him in the administration of this sport something chronic !!!

 

[bowlrig]

206 on THS & 196 in our sports type league.

As far as ability goes, inflated on some patterns then back to earth with a thud on others.

Rob

 

[Brenton_Davy]

This is so true. As a younger fella, I spent a couple of years getting flogged by Sydney's best at Rockdale and it just made me tougher every week. I saw other people get crushed by it and quit bowling though. It comes down to your attitude, so correct, Troyza; It is such a mental game.

Back on topic, I finished on 211 for the year (3 games x 48 weeks) at Tuggeranong with 7 x 700 series. I'm not sure if it's probably about 15 pins up on where I would have scored on a flatter condition or a few pins down. I find the classic AMF 10-10 ditch quite tricky sometimes, as the over reaction outside often makes ball reaction quite bizarre for the heavy rolling guys. On a crowned pattern, I may have scored higher as the shots that went right of target may have got light hits, instead of diving through the beak. it just comes down to the steepness of the blend. At Tuggeranong, you could see where the oil just stopped outside 10 from about 18 inches past the foul line. (I use a lot of 5-6" pin to PAP layouts for this house.)

As a couple of people have stated, (and it's so true) the condition determines the scoring pace. But a higher cross-lane pattern ratio doesn't always make it easier. Especially once the lane surface starts to burn up where there's been no oil for years.

Cheers,
Jason

p.s. Good thread Wayne.

Ahh yes, the good old days at Rockdale. I well remember the early days of my tenure in Sydney (1979-81) when the doors would be closed on a Friday night and bowlers from as far afield as Wollongong and Newcstle used to venture there to bowl pot games. A winner that night could earn a weeks wages or more. It created a degree of mental toughness, especially when getting sledged unmercifally by the likes of Bruce Peel and Lovell if you were in a position to possibly do them out of a pot.

The Luau Singles was a very special league that also taught me some very harsh lessons, lessons that proved invaluable in later years.