At that time my Tournament average was 198 but the league average was 10 pins lower. For some reason I could raise my game for "real" competition That was a fair few years ago (about 20 years). We do have a bowling centre where I live now but I don't use it much. There are no leagues so I just don't bother anymore.
Ye gods TC, that's good, my highest league average was 177 over 26 weeks with a top score of 253 - tournament average was 5 pins higher. Bowled with some wonderful players, including five who've thrown 300s. Gave up playing regularly when my local bowl closed, moved on to another bowl and took it up again and that closed, too. After a long layoff made a couple of tournament appearances in 2010 in Little and Large tournaments with my stepson and watched him hit his first 200. Absolutely loved the game - could never understand why, after it being an exhibition event, it was never included in the Olympics.
My forum name gives mine away - has to be snooker for me......in terms of playing. Play local swansea league, and also welsh amater circuit / international events. Went pro for a short period. Played some pool over the years too - but find it boring and too one dimensional. In terms of watching sports - dont particularly like watching snooker lol - but very much like tennis, footy (obviously), boxing and darts.
I loved ten pin and used to go with then Swansea players Mickey Conway and Robbie James down to Scotlanes in Llanelli. I really enjoyed it but have to be honest and admit that I was crap!
Yeah, I was pretty useful in those days but when I stopped bowling (2005) my league average was down to 179 and tournament average was down to 190. It was a bit of a purple patch all those years ago that lasted for 4 years but due to not playing regularly enough after that it went in to a bit of a decline. I played in a league on the outskirts of Norwich for a couple of years just before I packed in and there were some outstanding players there, a couple of England juniors among them. One of them, James Tidd, would hit 700 on a very regular basis. A hell of a good player and a really top lad too. Highest game for me was - 279 - 3 times, highest series was 689 - never could reach the magic 700
Practice, practice and more practice - same as any other sport. Your muscles etc get tuned in to a rhythm, hence once the regular playing dropped off, so did the scores. Darts is a great example of tuning the arm muscles & wrist to aim the dart where you want it
Well done you guys, some good scores. JJA, its easy to get good scores when you have a ball drilled to fit your hand (could cost you £240 per ball, then practice trying to keep it on the lane). I spent the last 6 years running a pro-shop and instructing until I got the 'calling' back to golf (plus the fact the lanes closed down). Played a few times down in Llanelli, Bridgend more recently, even ventured to W-S-M (what a dump!!!). Had to join up to find some good lanes, but like Thai said, playing abroad is a bit warm, makes it harder to keep the balls on the lanes as the oil just vapourises. League average between 198 and 212 depending on venue, highest ever was 221 over 26 weeks. Best 1 game score 297 (knees went on the last ball!) 3 game series was 760 odd - 'cos it included the 297 and a 250 over 20 years ago now. Did get a game against the great Pete Weber - wasn't good enough to carry his kit, I was only a cocky kid at the time so I needed the taking down. Just made me more determined to do better, which I did before moving on.
Done some Ten pin in my time, averaged around the 198, but since Llanelli closed, only play at the local bowls when out in Brittany, good setup out there to be fair, always go for a medium weight, finger holes seem to be just right for me!...............
Indeed not JackSwan - Interesting to know you ran a pro-shop, always good guys that sorted me out with the right gear and not always out to make the highest profit Superb average there too my man, (and gutted for you for ONLY hitting 297! What a lose ball that was, I guess you were shaking on the approach? ) I would loved to have achieved a 200 ave over a league season or a tournament year but alas not quite good enough and bloody hard to do, especially 20 years ago when the standard of ball was not as high as it it is today. It has become incredibly technical now (the actual construction of the ball that is) but it has raised the level of many players across the globe. I never played overseas, only in the UK, but I did experience what you outlined about hot weather and the lanes drying out. When I was "on fire" I was in the RAF and one of the annual tournament was at a US Air Force base in Bedfordshire (Chicksands). Plastic lanes in a very small building and always in mid July. The amount of adjusting required throughout each series was quite amazing, easily moving 9-12 boards to the left by the last frame of the last game! Was valuable experience and thankfully the scores never really suffered.
my best avg was 188, best serious - needing a 5 bagger in final game - was 700 on the dot, 222, 223, 255, had to give it away from thumb operation
my best achievement in bowling, got a wee plaque months later, anyway always played football, league, union, afl, volleyball, badminton, golf, not too bad at football (silly me joined the army) average at all
Haha. We have a sponsored 24 hour bowl coming up and I'm doing the full 24 hours. There's a 24 hour bar so I'll be sure to do that.
