How Important Is It To Bowl An 800 Series?
If you are wondering how important is it to bowl an 800 series, you must first recognize how difficult it is to do so?
An 800 series is just about the toughest thing to do in league or tournament play.
In fact, it is extremely difficult when you have to bowl on three different pairs of lanes to record an 800 series, such as in a tournament when you change pairs of lane after each game as opposed to league play when you bowl on the same pair all three games.
In order to record an 800 series, you must average 267 or better to attain that level of scoring. Bowling an 800 series takes three times the effort as does rolling a 300 game.
The trick is to strive to hit the pocket every frame for three games and give yourself a fair chance at getting a strike each shot you make.
Hitting the pocket each shot is not enough, however. You must carry the corner pins and not have open frames, if possible, to attain the 800 series score.
Pin carry is an art in and of itself.
There will be many times when you hit the pocket well enough to bowl an 800 series but fall well short of that score because you do not strike enough times or you get “tapped” at the wrong times to interrupt strings of strikes.
Setting out to bowl 800 is a good goal but, in reality, odds are very much against you scoring that high.
It is important, however, to set a goal to hit the pocket often enough to bowl 800 and then you merely have to let the results come as they may.
The first step in any successful bowling series is to align yourself effectively to hit the pocket by playing the oil pattern properly based on your delivery technique and the bowling balls you bring to the competition.
Once you line up to the pocket well enough, it is imperative to make the needed adjustments when the lanes change.
The old adage of making one good shot at a time is a good one because you cannot bowl an 800 series, a 300 game, or any other top feat unless you make one good shot, then another, then another, and so on.
It is far easier to visualize one strike than to visualize 32 strikes. Take your competitive sessions one game at a time, one frame at a time, and one shot at a time.
Avoid getting too far ahead of yourself. Stay in the present and focus on doing the job in front of you and that is making a good shot while playing the lanes right.
Bowling an 800 series is an important accomplishment but they are rare and not a given that every talented player will ever record an 800 series.
Do your job. Make good shots and let the bowling results follow.
