Since Cameron did an excellent post on spare shooting , I figured i would be a follower and do my own take on spare shooting and the mental side of spare shooting.
I will be honest and say that my mental approach towards spare shooting was abosolutely terrible... super bad. Back when I was younger say 12 or so, my friend and frequent practice partner Kevin Hong would practice all the time. He would bowl maybe 4 games before I would join him, and right when I joined, he asked if i wanted to keep score and we did. I am not joking here, after 4 shots into the game and i wasn't striking i would seriously zero out the rest of my game and quit bowling and not bowl the rest of the night while Kevin would continue to shoot spares and not keep score.
Now i know your thinking who cares about that, well looking back on that now i care, and think i am a complete idiot for not taking the time and work on things instead of keeping score. I can't believe how much time and talent i have wasted just by trying to throw nothing but strikes instead of working on the main part of bowling... making spares.
Now my mental approach to practice is a lot different, I have like a mental schedule that I try to follow and it changes sometimes. I would try to get at least two hours of practice in, one hour being making sure that my physical approach is there, such as timing, release, balance, and shot making. and the second hour being nothing but spare shooting, put the aggressive shit away and have nothing but a single plastic ball on the rack.
That is how i approach every practice session, although I don't get to practice much as i would like due to other commitments and working the Bowl with just me and my parents. Although, late night practice sessions is when i put my time and practice into my bowling game.
I always put spare shooting last on my practice schedule, and its not because I hate it but i know if i can make a spare shot when i am tired it should be a piece of cake when i am fresh and early into the tournament. Just like in any sport, free throw shooting is last thing done in practice because you have to make them when your tired. You absolutely have to make your spares when your tired.. its not just a good practice and conditioning but your gonna use it when your late in a tournament after game 25 and you can barely stand up.
Bowlers underestimate practicing spares, some people believe I don't need to shot spares, i will strike alot. we all know that striking alot is rare, but we all know that spare shooting is where people dont bowl good. "I don't need to practice spares, because i know i can make them" "I have made them before, i dont need to practice them." I have made lots and lots of 10 pins, does that mean i still dont go practice them? no i still go out and throw at atleast 20 10 pins. not in the area of the 10 pin. the actual 10 pin. and same goes for sevens and so on and so forth. dont underestimate spares, you will need them, trust me.
Which brings me to my next point or topic to this point, the mental side of spare shooting. I see way too many people, including myself get so pissed off for wrapping a ten pin on a great shot or boning an eight pin, and then carry it over to your spare shoot and flag it by half a lane. YES HALF A LANE. you put a ball on its thumb and square it up to the gutter then place a pin touching it then another ball, it takes up half a flipping lane. This is an area where i am improving on still, but its just makes me think whats the point of making myself look like a jackass for throwing a good shot and not carry then go up and make myself look like a bigger jackass and miss the spare.
After each tournament before i go to bed, I recap my performance in my head silently to myself and ponder how i did with spare shooting. If i missed some left side single pin spares, as i go to sleep i picture my self picking up single pin spares.
People, spare shooting is THEE absolute most important part of the game of bowling. spare shooting wins tournaments, strikes help but not the important part of winning. spare shooting wins cash, makes cuts and wins tournaments. so next time your reracking after each shot, think about what your throwing away.
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