First ever tournament next saturday!

[Nor Cal Bowler]

Im really excited and cant wait to bowl! Been bowling since February and had to wait until I bowled 21 league games to have a book average. Now that I finally do I can get going! :) Its going to be an ABT tournament so it should have a THS.

[BubbaRay]

Good luck in the ABT . Hope you do very well. Just keep focused and don't worry about what everyone else is doing and play your own game.

[Cashbowl Matt1103]

Yeah, good luck. Just stay focus and try not to get excited, I expirienced my first tournament 2 months ago and doing those things led to great succes on my first game, but got rattled and didn't do as great on my others. Good luck.:D :D :D

[Rowdy]

Im really excited and cant wait to bowl! Been bowling since February and had to wait until I bowled 21 league games to have a book average. Now that I finally do I can get going! :) Its going to be an ABT tournament so it should have a THS.

Don't expect a THS when you get there. Chances are you'll see some kind of special pattern to keep scoring even. Keep an open mind on the line you want to play and don't be afraid to take a chance with a change.

Since this is going to be your first tournament,you'll want to get there really early and see if there's an open lane to get some practice on. Just roll the ball,don't try to put up big numbers. No one else will care,anyway. Find out what the format is,how many games across how many lanes. You'll have to move after every game,so get used to working out of your bag. Find out about lane courtesy,is it one lane or two? It REALLY p*** us off when league bowlers show up and can't do the two lane deal. Dress accordingly,blue jeans and a "My Drinking Team Has A Bowling Problem" T-Shirt won't cut it.

You WILL feel like a fish out of water. This is normal the first time. Just keep in mind that everyone else had to go through it too. Keep your opinions to yourself, everyone else is trying to bowl. Don't belive a word anyone says,to them you're someone who could take money away from them.

You will suck. Big time. You'll put up a number so low that you'll feel like crawling off and letting a bus hit you. And then back up over you to finish you off. Relax. We've all done it. As long as you're trying no one will give a damn.

Have fun.:)

[Nor Cal Bowler]

I will be in dress code ( slacks and collared button down shirt, with ABT patch on left sleeve and name on back).

Im excited to see how I do. Pressure doesn't get to me at all, in about 10 league games being an anchor and needing to out bowl the other anchor in the 10th frame, Im 10 for 10. This is against other anchors with about a 30 pin average higher then me.

[Mike1983]

Good luck. I'm an ABT Twin Cities member. This is my first season with them (I've done 4 tournaments so far...it's hard to find time and sometimes the money to bowl so much), but unfortunately I haven't qualified yet. I've come close once and a friend I bowl with on that has done more tournaments than I have and a few that I hadn't done he thinks I could've done pretty well with the different styles we have (usually when he does well I don't and vice versa).

Anyway...good luck again.

[Mike1983]

I was curious how you're doing in the tournament?

I bowled one this afternoon...I bowl in the Classic. 4 o'clock shift. I bowled a +157 and the cutoff so far is +129. Had Bob (pro shop guy) bring my BWP to 500 and polish it up. It was great the first two games, then in the 3rd game, I lost it and didn't change balls soon enough. 1st game was 203, 2nd was 198. First 4 in the 3rd game were open, then I put 8 in a row for 214 finish. Third game I started to fall apart a little more. Couldn't strike, but kept my spares up for a 182. 797 total scratch for 4 games and 957 handicap. I hope if I did qualify for sure, that I can continue to put games like that together...or better. Even if I don't, I am happy with what I did.

I will find out later tonight if I'm in for sure as they only have one more shift tomorrow morning at 10. If after today I'm still in, I doubt the cutoff will move up that much. So it's my first time in for money.

I think I did so well because I was not only positive at the lanes, but the lanes we bowled at (Blainbrook in Blaine, MN) are where I bowled juniors for 7 or 8 years and where my pro shop is...so I'm very confident there. I average about 20 pins higher here than at the house I bowl league in now.

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I just wanted to share today's tournament with you since I'm in the ABT as well.

[Nor Cal Bowler]

actually tomorrow is my first tournament. Looking forward to it!

[Nor Cal Bowler]

Well I did ok I guess for my first tome out. Didnt make the cut for Sunday. I was only +88. there were some +130's and crap like that. oh well, there is next weekend!

[BubbaRay]

=88 is good bowling. It's nothing to be ashamed of. You have the first one under your belt now and the next one will be easier on you. The nerves will ease , Good bowling

[Nor Cal Bowler]

=88 is good bowling. It's nothing to be ashamed of. You have the first one under your belt now and the next one will be easier on you. The nerves will ease , Good bowling

thanks bubba, i appreciate it!