Need help to focus more!

[BowlingRay]

Over the past couple weeks I've realized something that is really affecting my ability to get the higher scores I know I am capable of getting...I especially noticed it last night while bowling! When I am completely focused and relaxed I can put the ball down right where I want on the lane and have a nice smooth relaxed release which usually gives me strikes. My problem is I tend to lose my focus and rush my approach slightly when I know there is another bowler waiting to take his/her turn on the lane next to me and sometimes I get teens on an adjacent lane that always bowl out of turn. Now for me to get my best roll and release I need to take a moment (like about 15 to 20 seconds) to relax and line myself up for my shot before I begin my approach.

Are there any techniques to help me to relax and focus more so I'm not thinking I have to rush my shot and to ignor it when people bowl out of turn. It should come eventually with practice, but I know I need some help with keeping my focus!

Ray

[Rowdy]

Ignore everything not on your lane. The others will wait. Have the teenagers thrown out. They're brats anyway. 15 to 20 seconds is WAAAYYYY too long to stand there. Gives your mind too much time to find something to worry about. It's like the Hokey-Pokey. Put your left foot in,put your right foot in,grip the ball,find target and pull the trigger. 6,7 seconds,tops. Any more than that and you start tightening up.

[BowlingRay]

Thanks for the reply Rowdy! There have been a few times where I have had my lane changed because of teenagers. I've noticed that when I stand there for that long that I do start thinking about my shot way too much and end up screwing up most times. I have started to go a little faster lately and when I do my shots do seem better. Next time I go bowling I'm going to position myself and find my target and go...I'm not going to wait as I tend to over think my shot.

When picking up my spares however, I do take a little longer to line myself up. I kind of pivot myself off the center arrow with the pin and where I am standing and draw an imaginary line from my right shoulder through to the center arrow and then to the pin! I throw straight shots at most of my spares. This whole process takes me about 20 30 seconds sometimes. Should I just get up there and go for it quickly with pcking up spares or take my time with them?

[Rowdy]

Ray,Ray,Ray...How many spares have you made in your life? They ain't moved the pins. Same deal as a strike ball,line it up and go. The longer you stand there looking like a bowling statue,the more tension in your arm. Bad thing for a free armswing. I get everything in place and count down in my head 3,2,1 go.

BTW-Why are YOU moving? You're the guy with all the gear to move. Those chump teenagers have to move...what? Some shoes and a cellphone or two?? Nope. Since I always spend more cash at the lanes than they do,they're out. If this is your league house,remind the chipmunks at the front desk of that fact. You're there all the time,the kids are only there until one of them gets a thought. Oh,wait. That may take awhile.