Bowl over 200

Went bowling last night for the first time in months.

I bowled a 150 right off that bat, in rented shoes! I think that means I still have some potential to do this for real.

It made me really miss bowling. I’m going to look into joining a different league (one that isn’t a 8 month commitment!), maybe one at the lanes near our house.

Another season is over and I have no 200.

I’m not sure if I’m going to play on a league next year, so considering giving this up. I’m going to receive a couple hundred dollars from my work as league secretary and my plan has been to buy my own ball and take a lesson and learn to throw a curve—essentially starting my bowling career over from scratch on better footing. Now I’m not sure what to do.

Buying my own ball would be pretty dumb if I’m about to quit bowling.

I learned to throw a curve last night. It was kind of an accident, and messed up my game… but it’s a start.

I’m going to miss then next three weeks of bowling. So today I went to the ally and pre-bowled for one of those weeks.

Pre-bowling is a totally different experience than bowling at league, with the obvious difference being it’s bowling alone. Without needing to wait for other bowlers, your turns are in rapid succession and it’s easier to remember exactly where you stood or were aiming.

I used this time to study my game a bit. For the first game, I tried standing in various places in the lane. I found that when I stood at or just the left of my typical spot, I bowled fine. When I stood anywhere else I bowled terribly. I also tried to focus on how I was pointing my hips in my stance. Big mistake. Whenever I think about that I go all crazy and throw way off. I only bowled a 94 that game! But I learned that standing location is important, but I have more freedom than I’d thought.

The second game I continued to change up location of starting and also took time to concentrate on my aim and follow through. I found that my game improved immensely and I bowled a 134, (which was my average at the end of last season and is 10 higher than my current average).

The third game I stood consistently in my usual spot and focused on my aim and experimented with how I twist my wrist. Keeping a strait wrist is vital! I bowled a 135 on that game.

Now, to remember all this while I’m out for several weeks.

I hurt my butt bowling! I can’t find anything about this injury online, which seems strange to me.

It started the day after bowling last week, my hip/butt hurt walking up stairs. I could’t figure out why and blamed it on hiking a few days earlier. Last night on my first throw it was clear that this is a bowling injury. An uncomfortable stretch on my release lunge. It took me 2 games to adjust my technique to bowl without flinching.

I’m not sure yet how I’ll deal with this. For starts, sitting on an ice pack! Next stretching before and after games. When I finally get back into the gym habit I’ll be sure to do the abductor work.

Monday was my first night of the season. I bowled my average overall and a 172 game! Not bad for no practice.

I’m considering trying to move to a hooked game, but feel like it would be starting over. Maybe I’ll wait until after my first 200 game to do that.

I’m so disappointed in myself that I haven’t had a really awesome game in months. My poor posture at the computer is coming back to haunt me and I’ve been having pain in my right arm for several weeks. Last week bowling really really hurt and I didn’t even get above 120 all night! I adjusted my desk and barely touched a computer all weekend, but my elbow is still hurting now, which doesn’t give me much hope for tonight.

I moved up to an 11 pound ball tonight and managed to bowl just a few pins above my average. The ball had finger spacing much too large for me, but was the smallest I could find! I plan to arrive earlier next week to go through ALL the 11 lb balls to find one that isn’t made for a giant.

I felt good with the heavier ball in general. Slightly less wobble for a straiter throw (yes, I’m still a strait bowler!). And my arm didn’t get tired, so I think it’s time to move up.

3 beers is outside the relaxed and loose bowling window.

I’ve realized that I bowl much better when wearing my contacts rather than my glasses. I will keep this in mind for the rest of the season.