How To Bowl A 600 Series
Written By: bowlingball.com | Written On: Saturday, May 6, 2023
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Originally Posted: 4/5/2013; Updated: 5/6/2023In order to bowl a 600 series, you must begin understanding our bowling scoring system. In order to bowl a 600 series for three games, you must first understand what is needed to record a 200 game or better and then repeat the task once or twice more in the same series.
To follow the pattern by which most 200 game scores are recorded you first must understand how many spares and strikes are needed to achieve the goal of a 200 game score, so you can accomplish this goal on your way to a 600 three-game series.
A 200 game score may be accomplished by bowling only two strikes during an entire game. If a bowler gets very high pin counts with only one "double" (two consecutive strikes) and converts every spare in a given game, the score would be equal to or greater than 200.
You can actually achieve a 200 game without rolling a double or triple or without any string of strikes. This type of 200 game is known as a "Dutch 200" and refers to a 200 game score where no doubles or triples (or higher strings of strikes) are recorded.
The "Dutch 200" game consists of alternating spares and strikes in consecutive frames, including in the tenth and eleventh frames. The score adds up each advancing frame by exactly 20 pins per frame for the ten frames of recorded scoring yielding the 200 game score.
Most 200 games are recorded, however, more commonly by covering any open frame with a combination of two doubles or one "triple" (three consecutive strikes during the first eleven frames) and by getting high counts in non-strike frames and by converting the remaining spares.
As a rule of thumb, for every open frame recorded, you must get a minimum of a double to cover-up the loss in scoring from the open frame. Also, you must get at least one additional double with no additional open frames to attain a 200 game score.
Getting good pin count on your first
bowling ball delivery each frame when not rolling a strike is also essential to attaining a 200 game score. Hitting the pocket with regularity helps you get enough strikes and helps you leave makeable, routine spares to be able to record a 200 plus game score.
If too many small pin counts on first ball deliveries are recorded, such as 6 or 7 pins, you will need to record an additional double if no more open frames are recorded.
It certainly is a major help to understand the scoring system in bowling so you can monitor each game you bowl frame-by-frame and know precisely how many strikes and/or spares are needed to achieve the goal of a 200 game or better.
Once you record a 200 game, you must repeat the task and get another 200 game. Unless you roll a high 200 game score and miss other 200 games in your three game series by only a few pins per game.
For example, one good game can help carry you to a 600 series. If you roll a 246 game you can record a two game total of only 354 (an average of 177 per game) for the next two games and your series score would then be exactly 600, a 200 average overall series score.
It is quite evident that three key things must happen to bowl a 600 series over and over again. One important factor is to hit the pocket enough times each game to give yourself the best chances at getting sufficient numbers of strikes each game to bowl 200 or higher game scores.
Once you learn to align yourself to hit the pocket, you must then learn to adjust as lanes change so you can continue hitting the pocket over your three game set.
Finally, you must develop the ability to reduce the number of open frames each series by missing few spares, if any. Becoming an excellent spare shooter should, truthfully, be every bowlers top priority.
Getting splits is fairly commonplace for any bowler or leaving difficult spares is also common to all players. The players who learn how to convert spares consistently and to get good pin counts when not getting strikes are the players who average 200 or better year in and year out in competition.
If you are able to become a good spare shooter and learn to line up to the pocket and make necessary adjustments as lanes change during your series, you will find yourself getting a 600 series and boasting a high average.
