A Few Extra Pins

I coach many people who would be satisfied if they could raise their average by ten or twenty pins. When you think about it, that is only making two to three more spares and/or strikes a game - and the strikes don't necessarily have to be consecutive. For these students, then, we work on getting a consistent strikeline and a spare system - both of which teaches them how to make adjustments as the lane breaks down. With the student-coach relationship, we will agree on a short-term and long-term goal so we have the luxury of working together over a period of time to improve their game.

People who I don't coach regularly, but who do keep asking me for advice, on the other hand, are looking for a "quick fix." Something that they can "instantly" grab on to and work on right away. We're not going to get together in a regular session for lessons so the recommendations will be sporadic. So here's some thoughts and hints I give to people whenever they come up to me on that basis.

My "Choc-list" for adding extra pins to your score:

1) If you haven't already done so, purchase a reactive bowling ball. It is proven that they will hit the pins harder and with more power than any other type of ball manufactured.

2) Get yourself a plastic bowling ball for your spare shots. With current lane conditions and oiling patterns, it is essential for 10-pin spares; also, it is crucial for spare shot combinations that have the front-leading pin such as the 2-4-5, the 3-5-6, the 3-6-10, the 6-10, the 1-2-3, and so forth.

3) When you leave big splits, many of them have a less than 5% chance to be picked up (spared) so go for the "sure" pin. For example: you have a strike and the next frame you leave the (big four) 4-6-7-10 split. If you miss them all, your resultant score will be 22; if you get one pin on the next ball, your result is 24; and if you get two more on the next ball, your result is 26. Your score is 4 pins higher by settling for the 8-count rather than trying to convert the split and dumping the ball in the channel.

4) Never worry about, or watch, your score all the time. Focus on just bowling your game one frame at a time. Don't worry about what happened before; nor what you think may happen in the coming frames. Stay in the moment.

A Hui Hou! (See You Again!)