*BOWLING TIPS 7- PRESSURE *
Bowling Tip 7 "Pressure" Pressure is one of the topics I never hear discussed much in the game of Bowling. I think most male bowlers are somewhat better at handling the pressure than women just because males are more aggressive in nature. I believe that's why I usually see more men in the ANCHOR position ( the last bowler on a team) on a team for this reason.
Sometimes in league play, your anchor man may need just a spare to win a game, or just a few pins. I have seen many a bowler toss his or hr ball in the gutter, only having to lose the game by a just that few pins or even by one.
In a real pressure situation, the anchor man ( or woman) may need a turkey ( three strikes in a row) to win the game. I have been in this situation before being on an all women's league. I have been able to pull it off, but really DO NOT like this kind of pressure too often.
Recently, my team finished in 1st place for the second half of the league I was in. We had to roll off 3 games with the team that came in 1st for the first half of the league. I did terrible! The lanes were not oiled properly and my ball was hooking way too much.
We have 5 people on our team and only one of us bowled well. Needless to say, we didn't clinch first place for the entire league. I ended up using my straight ball that I only use for the 6 and 10 pin and ended up getting a 212 the last game, but by that point, we had already lost. The key is to make a DECISION when you first need to.
I knew what I needed to do, but was stubborn and chose to do it a little too late. In bowling, you need to figure out what you need to do AS SOON AS POSSIBLE and DO IT!! I decided after that night to only wait 4 frames from now on. If I can't figure out where my line is in practice and by the end of the 4th frame in the first game, then I will have to change the ball that I am using so I don't waste time and precious frames that might cost me the game again.
I don't know if you are familiar with what is called " SELF SABOTAGING", but it is a terrible thing. I am a victim of this sometimes as I am sure many bowlers are. It is when you get in a COMFORT ZONE and for some reason you can't get passed it.
My average for the last 6 years has been 202. When I started in a new league, the first 7 or 8 weeks I was averaging about 212. Then some new , very experienced bowlers came on the league and all averaged 214 or better. I felt an enormous amount of PRESSURE on me and felt that I probably couldn't keep up this average for much longer because I was OUTSIDE my comfort zone.
After that, I started doing poorly which was absolutely ridiculous!! I should have just kept trying to focus on my things instead of worrying about not being able to keep my average up there. I finished up that season with, yes you guessed it, a 202 average again. I still wonder if those professionals hadn't come on the league, what kind of average I would have ended up with.
They say the game of bowling is 10% physical, and 90% mental. I definately believe that!
If you face pressures like this, try to just focus on the PROCESS of bowling well rather than the score. Try to take each frame seperately. If you have a bad frame, don't dwell on it. Figure out, if you can, what went wrong and then just focus to do better on the next shot rather than saying to yourself, " I hope i don't miss my mark again".
It is a lot easier to say all this, than to do it. But if you want to keep getting yourself to the next higher level, you must try not to self sabotage. I have been bowling for 40 years and I'm still working on not letting pressure get to me. If you have questions, you can e-mail me and we can work on this topic together and can help each other.
I am only human and still make plenty of mistakes. I don't bowl 100 games a week like the pros do. I only bowl 3 games in my league, and try to practice once a week or when I can fit it in like most non-professionals.
GOOD LUCK and TRY HARD to get out of your comfort zone so you can keep improving year after year!!
Copyright © 2011 edward botardo Interactive All rights reserved
Sometimes in league play, your anchor man may need just a spare to win a game, or just a few pins. I have seen many a bowler toss his or hr ball in the gutter, only having to lose the game by a just that few pins or even by one.
In a real pressure situation, the anchor man ( or woman) may need a turkey ( three strikes in a row) to win the game. I have been in this situation before being on an all women's league. I have been able to pull it off, but really DO NOT like this kind of pressure too often.
Recently, my team finished in 1st place for the second half of the league I was in. We had to roll off 3 games with the team that came in 1st for the first half of the league. I did terrible! The lanes were not oiled properly and my ball was hooking way too much.
We have 5 people on our team and only one of us bowled well. Needless to say, we didn't clinch first place for the entire league. I ended up using my straight ball that I only use for the 6 and 10 pin and ended up getting a 212 the last game, but by that point, we had already lost. The key is to make a DECISION when you first need to.
I knew what I needed to do, but was stubborn and chose to do it a little too late. In bowling, you need to figure out what you need to do AS SOON AS POSSIBLE and DO IT!! I decided after that night to only wait 4 frames from now on. If I can't figure out where my line is in practice and by the end of the 4th frame in the first game, then I will have to change the ball that I am using so I don't waste time and precious frames that might cost me the game again.
I don't know if you are familiar with what is called " SELF SABOTAGING", but it is a terrible thing. I am a victim of this sometimes as I am sure many bowlers are. It is when you get in a COMFORT ZONE and for some reason you can't get passed it.
My average for the last 6 years has been 202. When I started in a new league, the first 7 or 8 weeks I was averaging about 212. Then some new , very experienced bowlers came on the league and all averaged 214 or better. I felt an enormous amount of PRESSURE on me and felt that I probably couldn't keep up this average for much longer because I was OUTSIDE my comfort zone.
After that, I started doing poorly which was absolutely ridiculous!! I should have just kept trying to focus on my things instead of worrying about not being able to keep my average up there. I finished up that season with, yes you guessed it, a 202 average again. I still wonder if those professionals hadn't come on the league, what kind of average I would have ended up with.
They say the game of bowling is 10% physical, and 90% mental. I definately believe that!
If you face pressures like this, try to just focus on the PROCESS of bowling well rather than the score. Try to take each frame seperately. If you have a bad frame, don't dwell on it. Figure out, if you can, what went wrong and then just focus to do better on the next shot rather than saying to yourself, " I hope i don't miss my mark again".
It is a lot easier to say all this, than to do it. But if you want to keep getting yourself to the next higher level, you must try not to self sabotage. I have been bowling for 40 years and I'm still working on not letting pressure get to me. If you have questions, you can e-mail me and we can work on this topic together and can help each other.
I am only human and still make plenty of mistakes. I don't bowl 100 games a week like the pros do. I only bowl 3 games in my league, and try to practice once a week or when I can fit it in like most non-professionals.
GOOD LUCK and TRY HARD to get out of your comfort zone so you can keep improving year after year!!
Copyright © 2011 edward botardo Interactive All rights reserved