How many years bowling before you are "PAST IT" ?

[petebowl]

I have been bowling since 1960 and have always considered myself to be competitive in any competition, on most occasions.
Lately though my results have been abysmal, my tournament average is currently lower than at any time in the last 35 years.As a junior, bowling with rubber bowling balls, my tournament scores were higher than at present !
Is this the worst form slump in history OR

Is it time for me to hang up my balls (so to speak)

 

[Graham]

Pete

My advice is don't let Mt Warren Park haze your vision .. I averaged somewhere close to 155 there in Brisbane team trials a few years back .. bowled my best game (a 180- something) throwing my conventional urethane ball two fingers.

Be a fighter .. get up .. dust yourself off and start again. You are never too old !!

 

[petebowl]

Graham
this question is not from just one event. Last year I rarely missed a final, this year I have not made a single final.
As the world's worst spectator, these interstate trips are becoming very boring and expensive.

 

[RobbieB]

Pete,
You don't lose it that suddenly. There are a couple of possible causes;
1 - you are doing something minor wrong. Get a coach to have a look at you, sometimes new eyes pick things up. Or a video camera and go over your swing bit by bit.

2 - Everything changes with time, even hands. I went through a lean spell at the start of the year. Finally went down 1/8" in span and started to bowl well again (better, anyway). Even a new feel in the ball can sharpen up the release again. Check your fit.

3 - You're using the wrong hand

Rob.

 

[GBS]

If you think your game is still sharp, chances are the ball needs to be refitted to suit your "new" hand.(older at least)

The cost of some entries is so expensive these days a refitted ball can make all the difference

or the ball surface has flat spots, assumming it is an old one

or the ball surface needs to be resurfaced.

or the ball is so full of oil over the years that is just doesnt roll properly

Tyres wear out, so do bowling balls.

 

[GeorgeF]

GBS

I can tell you it's not the tools, it's the workman. Pete is suffering from a mental condition called "lackasofconcentrationius" which basically means he doesn't think enough or on the other hand he thinks too much.

He has to get a little more serious and start dealing with his mid life crisis he is going through. He has the ability but talks himslef out of just about everything. I think going back to see his sports pysch is a good thing, along with NO FIXING something which is not broke (namely his swing).

It's just a matter of time until he reaches the evalated state of "makethecutusallofthetimeas". Good to see him persisting though, it really brings some humour back into the events.

Talk to you soon Pete, ha ha ha

George

 

[GBS]

George

Its fairly obvious you know this bowler so you might have an advantage. In an open forum, where somebody asks for help, all ideas addressed to the person who asks for help are valuable then the bowler can have a look at the suggestions, have a think, have another think and then make an informed decision as to a possible solution.

Great place Australia.

P/S If you have a bowling establishment which serves poor conditions for the dollars paid, and your scores are low and you KNOW you are a lot better than your efforts or scores indicate, walk out the front door and never return with your bowling equipment.

Call back from time to time to watch other bowlers, eventually you will see yourself, only then will your decision be vindicated.

Great place Australia.

 

[GBS]

petebowl

I almost forgot, from my earlier comment, you sound like you have been around for a while on the bowling circuit, ie 1960's, same as me, think seriously about changing the weight of the ball. High performance balls these days actually assist the bowler when they drop a pound or two from your original weight. You will not believe the difference changing from 16 to 15 or to a 14 lb or 15 to 14lb will make.

Self confidence is one thing, poor equipment is another, its a bit like going around a corner with half a flat tyre on your car.

Many people realise there is a problem, the rest have not got a clue.

Check the equipment, if it is more than three years old and done more than three hundred games, think about an early Christmas present.

Happiness on the lanes exceeds everything else. Without happiness, well........

Great place Australia.

 

[petebowl]

GBS Thankyou for all of your suggestions RE equipment but as you have suspected, George really does know my game and has hit on the cause of my scoring problems ( bowling scoring problems I mean )
As far as equipment goes you are spot on, but I have already made the changes to lighter NEW balls, and a great deal of attention has been given to span and pitch on all my gear.
Some of the cause of my problems may be the fact that I spend 8 days a week looking after a bowling centre, then I go away to compete and have trouble in becoming motivated. I know my results do not reflect this, but I do feel that as far as physical game goes, I am equal to anyone in this country.
So I am positive that the root of the problem is solely based in my head, apparently I don't want to win. I have been unable to bowl to my potential in tournaments.
This would seem to be much more difficult to fix than a problem with my backswing.Yes I do need to consult a new Sports Psyche, some progress was being made last time I consulted one from our local uni,
Anyway, thanks for your help, and if anyone knows of some good Sports Psych books, please let me know

 

[GBS]

Petebowl

Hi

Two great books are

The Psychology of Winning by Dennis Waitley
Winning Ways by Jeffrey Hodge

I am going to take a punt on your problem. You say that you work heaps of hours in a bowling centre and you are still on L-plates as a bowler (sorry – rubbish). I have two ideas.

1.You have not learnt how to separate work (being at the bowl 8 days a week) from play (trying to be the best bowler you can be). Not an unusual problem. Think about this. So many marriages break down because the execs bring their work home. All work no play. The mind psyche gets use to only one thing – work. It can not tell the difference.

You have not worked out how to separate to two. When you do you will improve out of sight. It can be done and it is easy, takes about two weeks of practise, the mind forgives you and away you go. Interested?

2. I see tonnes of pressure on your shoulders. Answer me this – how many times a week do you have “a time out for yourself ONLY” and I mean for yourself ONLY. I bet the answer is NILL. A time out is for you and you alone, it is the greatest experience on the planet. I do not know what your personal responsibilities are in life, but a time out, even as small as 15 minutes is heaven. Have you ever sat at the bowl after the night shift, locked the front door, said night to the staff, turned out the lights to the security level, sat in the office, took the phone off the hook for 15 minutes and sat in the quiet and did nothing and tried to think of nothing? I bet you can’t. It is heaven beyond belief.

Interested in taking the pressure off your shoulders?

If you can not separate work from play your sporting ability is doomed, and as for your head being able to make good decisions (in a few seconds on the lanes), it is virtually impossible, because the minds psyche will remain in the same gear as you have “treated” it for the last few years. Riddle me this batman?

Confidence + energy + knowledge + no expectations on yourself = good decision making.

Answer this, if good decision making must equal 10, what is you self rating on confidence, energy, knowledge and expectation (sorry pressure). This is not easy, when you work out the numbers you will find something out. You only have three minutes from reading this. You must give your gut feeling, do not OVER THINK the answers, your first answer or impression will be the most accurate, Try not to change an answer. What did you find?

Riddle me another?

If bowling great and presumably winning is about; shot making, skill, luck, motivation, execution, equipment, the mental game and practice etc etc etc etc, where does “rest” fit in, where does ”time out” fit in. These two are the number one and two in this list, especially as we get older. Older starts at any age after 20. Thanks for your time I hope it helps.

GBS