Bowl Within Your Abilities

bowlingball.com, Originally Posted: 12/4/2013; Updated: 1/21/2023

When is it time to stay within yourself and bowl within your abilities? There are times when it is best to observe what others are doing around you to help you make decisions on the lanes. There are also times to remain focused solely on your own game.
Being an effective player in competition means that you must understand when to rely strictly on your own ball reaction and when to watch others bowling nearby.
When things are going well and you are hitting the pocket regularly, it is best to just pay attention only to making good shots and continue pounding the pocket.
When your bowling ball reaction suffers, and your “bag of tricks“ no longer provides you with an adjustment, it might be time to watch other players with similar skills or delivery styles.
Having “bowling blinders” on your eyes can be a very good thing. However when you need to make decisions on playing the lanes, switching bowling balls, making delivery angle changes, or changing ball speed, you likely should watch good players around you who are getting a consistent ball reaction and are hitting the pocket repeatedly.
Sometimes your “bowling acre of diamonds” is right in front of you if you allow yourself to observe and be aware.
As another example, it can be very useful to know your teammate’s ball reaction and how he or she lines up to the pocket. If you are struggling slightly to align yourself to the pocket, watching your teammate can prove worthwhile.
It is most useful to select one teammate who delivers the ball similar to your style and hooks the ball about the same number of boards.

It makes more sense to try and line-up off of a similar delivery style than one dramatically different than your own.
Perhaps you need to observe a non-teammate bowling on an adjacent pair of lanes to get a “read” on lane conditions.
The point is to keep your eyes open when you need to make a decision on changing to a new variable so you can restore your ability to hit the pocket and hopefully carry well.
Bowl within your abilities. Trying to do more than you have practiced or are capable of doing can prove counter-productive and may lead to a series of errant deliveries. Know your own game and when to focus only on making one good shot at a time.
Remember, your eyes are your best bowling friend.