Turnament bowlers please advise!

[can-ham]

With a last minute decision, I've decided to enter my centers biggest yearly turnament. It's a scratch match play turny and it's almost the price of a ball to enter. We roll 20 games over 2 days. At any rate I would like to see where I stand with the big dogs in western Canada.

This will be my first high roller turnament so I would appriciate any advice.

[Thepainscoming]

Stay calm, if its an early squad get good sleep and eat a good breakfast. Also, watch who your following if u are moving lanes to stay ahead of the transition. Try and figure out if its sport or house shot. Dont Get mad and never give up. Also if a squad is bowling before u get there a bit early to see what the lanes are doing.

[can-ham]

The most games I rolled out side of practice is a 6 game tournament. What types of things should I watch out for with two 10 game days? (more if I make the step ladder)

Odiously aspirin for pain...

[Thepainscoming]

The most games I rolled out side of practice is a 6 game tournament. What types of things should I watch out for with two 10 game days? (more if I make the step ladder)

Odiously aspirin for pain...

once the lane starts to transition, its going to transition very fast so keep that in mind. Also they might not play the same day after day, idk y it just happens wierdly so also keep that in mind. One other thing, one pair might play outside, the next might play deep inside, don't be afraid of anywhere on the lane as it might be the best decision and give you the most room for area.

[Street Racer]

have fun...

[Rowdy]

Go early.
Take your time. You WILL feel rushed. Slow down.
Try to watch for a guy playing your line on the next pair of lanes you'll be rolling on. See what his ball is doing.
Don't unpack all your gear on the first pair of lanes. You'll just have to move it all in a couple of minutes. Just take out your strike and spare ball and work out of your bag.
Don't get caught up in what the other guys on your pair are doing.
Roll your own game.
Laugh at your mistakes,you're gonna make a bunch of them.
Have fun,if you win something,great. But just try and enjoy the expierence for your first time out.

[can-ham]

quick update averaged 181 over ten games. Not striking well and games2 through 5 where crap. On a plus side in the last five games my spare shooting was awesome. I'm sitting 50 out of 60. I'm ok with that as the best bowlers on western Canada are here, it's actually really cool rolling with guys you see on TV.

But I entered the B side so today is a new start! The lanes break down quick and I'm able to play every ball in my arsenal. Even threw my spare ball from 20 down 10 and it went Brooklyn on a burnt par in game 9!

[TenPinSniper]

How was the last day?

[can-ham]

Well day two started pretty strong. Won the 4 of the first 6 games with just under a duce average. And every game I had a good chance (missed an easy spare to give game 2 away). I was only 98 pins out of the cash, and had a great start moving quickly with the lanes. The problem is I was not conditioned to bowl this much. I can rarely go two days in a row, but my body was hurting badly during warm up. I had to pull the tape out of all my thumb holes and my thumb wouldn't fit in my Hawgzilla (which I played the first 4 games). I had to do this trick where you wrap you thumb with a napkin and jam it in your thumb hole while your waiting to bowl, this forces the blood out of my thumb so I could make a few shots and had to repeat every third shot or so.

Well that being said I fell apart in game 7 and it just got worse in 8 and 9, but I did find a way to pull out a win in the position round. I averaged 184 for day two and won 5 of ten games. I'm not sure my exact placing but judging on where I played in the position round I was siting about 20th out of 30 on the B side.

A cool victory was I beat the second seed in game 3 191 to 190 (I think it was the only game he lost that day). I also bowled with the guy who went into step ladder in first place the tournament which was cool (I didn't stick around for the step ladder to see him take it but I'm sure he did), I also had 4 games higher than him during the tournament.

So the out come for me, it was good to see where my game is at. I could hold my own but I am not in the same league as these guys. I was a boy rolling with men. I had an absolute blast and with more work on my spare game and some more tournament experience (and if I bowl more than 4 games a week) and I might have a shot...

[can-ham]

These are my raw scores with out bonus points:

Day 1: 222 155 167 151 182 180 176 199 175 201
Day 2: 212 172 191 210 194 201 156 152 146 164

So averaged 180 and won 8 of 20 games.

The Edmonton open is the Canadian equivalent of a PBA regional stop. All the Top bowlers in western Canada came out, it was awesome to bowl with these guys, but I had no business being there. :eek:


http://brokerwatchdog.com/uploads/Image/Sharks.jpg

[idlehourlegend]

I dont know if you mentioned it or not, but was this on a sport shot or a regular THS?These are my raw scores with out bonus points:

Day 1: 222 155 167 151 182 180 176 199 175 201
Day 2: 212 172 191 210 194 201 156 152 146 164

So averaged 180 and won 8 of 20 games.

The Edmonton open is the Canadian equivalent of a PBA regional stop. All the Top bowlers in western Canada came out, it was awesome to bowl with these guys, but I had no business being there. :eek:


http://brokerwatchdog.com/uploads/Image/Sharks.jpg

[BubbaRay]

These are my raw scores with out bonus points:

Day 1: 222 155 167 151 182 180 176 199 175 201
Day 2: 212 172 191 210 194 201 156 152 146 164

So averaged 180 and won 8 of 20 games.

The Edmonton open is the Canadian equivalent of a PBA regional stop. All the Top bowlers in western Canada came out, it was awesome to bowl with these guys, but I had no business being there. :eek:


http://brokerwatchdog.com/uploads/Image/Sharks.jpg

And why do you say you didn't have any business being there. I'm sure some oif the top bowlers that were there had some low scores also.

[can-ham]

I dont know if you mentioned it or not, but was this on a sport shot or a regular THS?

It was on a "sport shot", I use quote because it wasn't an oficcial USBC sport shot. But our lane man had some fun basically modifying the shot they use in our competitive league on monday and putting more oil to the out side so it would hold up for ten games. But ten games on wood lanes, not much will hold up!

[can-ham]

And why do you say you didn't have any business being there. I'm sure some oif the top bowlers that were there had some low scores also.

Hey Bubba, how did you do this weekend?

You make a good point. It was a real thrill for me when I beat the #2 seed who is one of Edmonton best bowlers.

[pipes]

Back in the day I played serious sports . Anytime you think you don't belong you will never do your best . attitude is everything No matter what I do in sports I belive I can win even if I am in what some might say is above my level . Hunker down dude belive in yourself or no one else will and get a attitude that you belong were ever your at :cool:

BY the way you bowled very well for it being a sport shot in a big tourney IMHO :)

[Rowdy]

Can,those are great scores! Yeah,the rolling two days in a row takes some getting used to,don't it? Plus ten games in one day can be very draining if you aren't used to it.

But the part where you thought you didn't belong? Horse hockey! You have every right to be there as much as anyone else. I applaud you for making the effort and for the way you hung in there. Way to go.:cool:

[can-ham]

Thanks for the encouragement. I really did learn allot about my game and my limits. I'm glad I entered that tournament! At first I was start-struck seeing guys you cheer for on T.V. but after rolling with these guys I think if I can get enough practice in I may one day go out for the TSN tournament (not nearly as competitive as the PBA but still brings out all Canada's top bowlers).

Tournament bowling aside from the mental game is really just making quick transitions and picking up all your spares. Currently I'm 3 frames too late in moving and my spare game needs to improve. I've upped it form around 50% to 70% (excluding splits) this season but I need to be a 90% plus spare shooter and that is what I mostly work on.

Thanks again to every one for their advice! I have the national classified provincials this weekend in Calgary. This is my favorite tournament because you bowl on a team of 4 each in a different class ( < 150, 150 - 170, 170 - 190, 190 < ). You bowl 5 games scratch against guys in your class. I'm in the third class as my average was 186 at the cut off. Last year I had high pin fall in my class and won a gold pin but the rest of the team didn't do so well. This year we've got a great team and I'm really looking forward to bringing it! Top team goes to Toronto for nationals.