Article Contents

  • 1. Nothing works
  • 2. Making a list and checking it twice
  • 3. Trust your instincts
  • 4. Recycling a move
  • 5. Getting intimate with all you know
  • 6. The lists
  • 7. Conditions
  • 8. Adjustments

There will be times when you are confused by all you know. You’ve moved left. You’ve moved right. You’ve looked farther down the lane. You’ve targeted the dots. You’ve changed balls three times. You’ve tried forward roll. You’ve tried side roll. You’ve changed speeds. Nothing has worked. Now you are more confused and frustrated than you were before you started making all these adjustments.

The truth is that actually the more you know, the LESS likely you are to be confused. Here’s how that works from Silver Coach and BTM columnist, Steve Fuhrman.

“…the more you know and the better you are, the fewer choices you have to make because you will automatically avoid all but the best options. So, in a way, the better you are, the fewer options you have because you don’t need more of them to achieve your goals. I think that ‘Zen enlightenment’ could be described as that rare state when you always have one and only one choice that is acceptable because you instantly see that every other choice would be worse.”

Nothing works

There has probably been a time in your bowling career you have been so frustrated you thought, “I’ve tried everything I know and nothing has worked.” If you’ve been there, you know how to define the word panic. With all the things out there to contend with, (you, your opponents, lane conditions, where the moon is, etc), you need every edge you can get. If you think of all you know as a deck of cards or the neatly arranged tools in your nice big toolbox, you’ll know they will all be there when you need them.

The more you know about your game, the more weapons you have available. You know that practice is the best way to get intimate with your game. Practice is not two four-letter words! You can get to know your game in competition, but the price ...

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Susie Minshew

About Susie Minshew

Susie Minshew is a USBC Gold Coach, Master Silver Instructor, a regional PWBA champion, and past president of IBPSIA. She has authored two new books, Whoever Finds It First, Wins and Bowling Whisperer. Visit her online at www.strikeability.com.