Your first 600 series?

[jason_doust]

What a great human drama this thread has become! I'm finding myself becoming an mb600 supporter!

As I've said on previous occassions, I will let you all know when i bowl my first (yet overdue) 600 series.

No, just due soon. But make sure you stay mentally in each single shot. Make the shots count and the scores are added up by the computer. Good scores are (usually) made up of good shots. Your 574 was a classic example of watching the score and tightening up. Everyone's done it at some stage. Forgive yourself, be glad you're human and move on. Nobody wins them all.

Some advice on when you tighten up. (This work for me.) Breath. When you feel the crunch, just take a deep breath or two to loosen the muscles around your rib cage that tighten as part of the fight or flight response. Then refocus on the shot ahead and make it a good one. If you miss, you have the opportunity to throw another good shot at the spare, so learn from the mistake, mentally rehearse what you should do and refocus on the shot ahead. Your last shot is history. Your next shot is yet unwritten. What will you write?

Now go for it.

Cheers,
Jason

 

[Skeet]

Hang in there mb600, I have always bowled only 2 game series most of my bowling life, it has only been since I started bowling at Mt Warren that I have been bowling 3 game series.
It has taken me 18 months but last night with my new Columbie Rival, I bowled my first 600 series, It took scores of 234-171-212 to get a score of 617, but the monkey is off my back now.
I have been bowling of a 170 average and I am sure it will get better, but I don't make a habit of watching the screen and working out what I need, I don't need the extra pressure, I know what I have to do and I just keep giving it my best shot and in time it pays off.
My next two hopes are the 250 game and the 7 bagger which I have been so close to so many times, one day they will happen to.

Enjoy the sport of bowling, relax, and have fun.

 

[da_cowman]

Well i hate to feel as though im repeating myself but tonight i did it again.
Bowled 202, 221, 150 Total series: 573
going into the last game i really thought i could get the monkey of my back once and for all but as has been the case far too often, I fell at the final hurdle.
There were some murmurs going on behind me as to whether or not i would bowl 600 series tonight and i did my best to put it behind me but it wasn't easy when you are almost standing right next to the people making the little remarks.

Hmm, I can only offer 2 bits of advice from this. They work for me, but I could be a very different individual to you. None the less, the first piece of advice is a good one.

You started off with a 202, and 221. 423 for 2. Your on track for 630 odd series. Heres the first bit of advice. If your on par for a 630, but only want 600, your aiming too low. Your goal needs to be flexible. Very flexible. The mental state is completely different between needing just another 170 and a another 200. It's only 30 pins, but in your head. It's so much more.
Readjust your goal, make it 630. You might not make it, but you might make the 190 game that you needed for your 600.
I think this works because when you think you only need 170, you become to relaxed. It's a tough sport this one. Stay on your shot, every shot. But only on the approach. In the players area, it's totally different. Which leads to advice number 2.

These guys behind you, maybe instead of trying to block them out totally, turn around and have joke about your very situation with them. Say anything, it doesn't matter. Be confident, or don't. Just joke, it'll help you with the breathing thing Jason Doust brought up. Laughing is a great way to relax the body. Just make sure when you get back up on the approach it's your delivery that your focused on. Nothing else.

That turned out alot longer then I imagined. Keep at it. It'll come.

Later Da Cowman!

 

[Skeet]

Well, 6 days ago I posted that I had finally bowled my first ever 600 series, and that my sights were set on the 7 bagger and the 250 bar.

Tonight I bowled my second 600 series and I picked up the 9 bagger and the 250 bar in the last game of the night. Scores of 210-159-267 = 636.

My third game consisted of 9-XXXXXXXXX8/, my average is now 172.
I guess I will have to set my sights a little higher now.

 

[tixmclaren]

Been a bit late on this one but i would like to announce that FINALLY TICKETS HAS JOINED THE 600 CLUB. Yes it is true and beat my previous best by 30 as i bowled a 192 - 208 - 229 for a 629 series and to think i achieved this at my home centre of AMF Mt. Druitt, yes you heard me right for those that know the centre, and to top it off i was bowling against my good mate Lynnae Rankine who gave me a big hug after i had achieved this goal.

Well time to keep on trying to achieve good games for myself and also will be taking on some advise given on this thread especially from Jason as i do not know how many times i tightened up bowling and looking at scores rather than concentrating on the pins standing in front of me down the lane.

YO POSSE I DID IT lol

Michael Mclaren
tickets for short lol

 

[mb600]

Well hardly much has happened over the last couple of months.

Ive been having some trouble with my left knee and lately ive been having problems with my back.

I got a heat reatiner that i wear on my knee and i think tonight that ill put on some kind of back brace as it can get quite painful bowling.

But ive bowled with a bad back before and although its very painful i still finish my games.

Last week i went in for a couple of practice games before i started my league.

And combined together the 5 games (2 practice, 3 league) were 198, 156, 196, 149, 186.

pretty good i reckon. that next milestone is within reach.

 

[MinusZero]

I had my first when i was about 16 (i only started bowling at 13) and since then my best has been 677 (255, 245, 177) when i was about 18. I only ever bowl 4 game series' now so my PB wont change i think.

I found getting the first was the hardest thing, but after that things just kept going. I ended up bowling another 5 or 6 that year i think. (my average was only about 170)

 

[1-300-bushy]

i bowled my first one as a junior about 30 years ago and i'm with the da cowman on this one and if yatake the mickey out of ya self it makes it hard for anyone else to and iv'e only been back bowling for about 2 years after a 10 year break and yes we do have conditions that reward good bowling last season i had 15 600's and 3 700's. this season is only 6 weeks old and i have had only one series under 600 and that was a 590
i put this down to three things 1.keeping my shot simple and smooth 2.my 900 Global Break Pearl 3.closing frames a good spare game is so important so mb600 stick with if you can get that spare game going and close 90-95% of your frames and get a few doubles and the odd turkey you will be bowling 600's like your now bowling 500's so good luck and good bowling and remember relax and enjoy it
bushy

 

[mb600]

it has been a long time since i posted on this topic that i started.
I started it in october 2007 when i bowled a 596 series and as many of you have read missed out on a 600 series.

Unfortunately ive come close two more times over the last couple of months.
November last year I bowled a 592.
February 2nd 2009 (this past monday night) I bowled 598.

That now makes 7 times ive bowled over 590 but not above 600.

But i look on the bright side. Most people would love to have bowled the series ive done.

And i have to admit i had some fun of my own when i poked fun at other bowlers who missed out on bowling a 600 series despite the fact they have done it already. I finally had a chance to get my own back.

But im confident that it will come. My average has shot up to 180 again.
Not bad considering 3 of my last 6 series on monday nights are over 570.

 

[auenf]

maybe the 600 will come when you least are expecting it

enjoy your bowling and the 600 will come

with a 180 avg and no 600's, surely your lowest wouldn't be less than 500?, or at least 480?

Enf...

 

[granterclaus]

Hey Matt

I started bowling at the start of 2007 when I had only just turned 18 (i am now obviously 20!). My first 600 series came in August that same year, but I got lucky with my best score at the time of 258 in my first game, making it easier on me in my 2nd and 3rd games of 171 and 193, for a 622 series. From that point on they became much easier to get, and in fact my average now floats between 205-210, and im still getting better, so i rarely get below 600. I have even bowled 2 700 series in league...a 717 which consisted of 211, 274 and 232, and 718 which consisted of 223, 237 and 258, and one in a tournament, but it doesnt count since the 3rd game was on a different pair of lanes (the tourny was made up of 2 game blocks)...but it was 766 consisting of 208, 259 and 299 (which is still my highest game at the moment).

All im saying is keep working on it and it will definitely come for you, and like everyone else has said, try not to think about it. Also someone earlier has said to enjoy the joke and have fun between balls, this is very important. I dont bowl half as well if im not able to have friendly chats or make jokes between my balls, and that is because its hard to concentrate for all 3 games when you include the time between each ball. You only start to focus when you stand on the approach, and as soon as you throw your shot, just switch off til the next ball.

Good Luck!

Grant

 

[mb600]

Im hoping it comes soon. Still i cant complain at least im not bowling terrible.

I really thought last monday night i could do it but i only got 6 pins on my last ball when i needed 8. But i suppose bowling 598 is better than bowling 599 for the second time.

Does anyone else know of anyone who has missed a 600 series as often as i have.

Most people at my local bowling alley nearly faint when i tell them how many times i have missed a 600 series.

 

[auenf]

I really thought last monday night i could do it but i only got 6 pins on my last ball when i needed 8.

we're you a touch distracted cause you were counting how many pins you needed in your head?

Enf...

 

[mb600]

kinda.
Actually at the very end i was.
One of my team mates began to add my scores together and i stopped him quickly by saying "Dont bother adding them up i know what i need.
BIG MISTAKE.
I was confident of getting what i needed and after bowling the shot i thought it would happen but only 6 pins fell down and not 8.
Another stuff up but ill take them anyday.
All of my top series are 590+. which to me is great considering i never thought i would even get close to that when i first started bowling.
The one good thing about bowling a 590+ series is my average goes up and my handicap goes down.
My time will come.

 

[nomore4s]

My 2c

Firstly, I've only been back bowling after about a 12+ year break since about May '08 and then stopped bowling again around the start of Oct due to other sporting commitments and started again at the end of Jan '09.
Like Matthew it took me a while to get that first 600 series on the board and I had a few near misses, 599 & 598 series etc. Also had 1 series where I threw a 242 game and didn't get anywhere near 600 lol.

I finally got the duck off my back with a 232,216,190 for a 638 series.

Now because it is obvious you will know exactly what you need if you are on track to bowl a 600 series - either through keeping track yourself or through your teammates etc. You need to find a way to deal with these pressures and find a trigger to help you relax and throw consistant shots under this pressure. It is purely a mental hurdle for you now, you no doubt have the ability to throw regular 600+ series and I have no doubt after you throw your first you will throw them on a regular basis.

From your posts it looks like once the 600 series is in sight you start to get somewhat distracted by outside pressures that you really have no control over which then effects the processes you do have control over.
In any sport you play you only have a certain amount of control over the final outcome, what you can control is the processes that lead to making good consistant shots therefore giving you the best chance to achieve the desired result.

My advice would be to maybe go and have some practice games and bowl the first games like normal but before starting the last game spend some time visualising needing a solid 190-200 game to finally get the 600. Make sure you try to simulate the way you feel as well as how the pressure from outside sources like teammates and counter staff make you feel as closely as possible (this might be difficult at first). Then bowl your game while trying different things to help you relax.
Try:
-Breathing as suggested, relaxing the muscles in your shoulders while taking a deep breath and exhaling
-Visualising a good shot and the feel off your hand of a good shot before stepping on the approach
-Trying not to think too much once you are on the approach and just bowling
-Or any other method that may help you relax and concentrate on the correct procedures to bowl a good game and not the final score.
It may take you a while to find the best method for you because every one is different.

And if none of that works you could try switching to left handed because all the right handers are always telling us its easier to score on the left.

Sorry for the long post, I hope you get something out of it.:shy:

I look forward to hearing more about your quest for that 600 series and remember it is only a matter of time, it will all fall into place sooner or later. Good luck.

 

[mb600]

ive comeback from bowling tonight March 9th 2009
and bowled 159, 164, 231.

the 231 was great for me as i got a 7-bagger for only the second in my life. the last was in september 2002 when i bowled my highest game of 255.

nowhere near 600 tonight, but ill take a 7-bagger anyday.

 

[hewer]

I've been bowling for about 6 months now, I just broke 600 (227, 192, 191) last Wednesday night. I've been bowling high 500's a few weeks prior, but started thinking about the 600 mark during the 3rd game and just falling short.
I'm in two leagues at the moment with averages of 155 and 181, so I'm hoping 600's come more regularly now, but I'll take what I get

 

[auenf]

any reason for a 24 pin difference in averages in the two leagues?

Enf...

 

[rpac23]

Recently, all i've been doing is concentrating on my first ball and my second if needed. Little tweak on my shot, and 600s are flowing. I even got my first 700 not long ago.

Keep it up, you'll hit it soon!

 

[Panther Power]

matt
Try shooting 700 when you bowl next.
maybe the 600 will become very easy.
As everyone has said,every shot is your 1st.You no how to throw a strike,concentrate on your spare game.

Good luck,
Mark Wyatt