Will the honor score ever happen??

[Aslan]

It's just really frustrating...because the anchor on the other team last night, Game 1, had 10-in-a-row and then left a 4-pin on his 11th shot.

Granted, he's a better bowler than I am...but it just feels like some games I'm throwing really good shots...but it leaves a 7-pin or a 10-pin or a 4-pin or a 9-pin. We've had like 4-5 300 games in my two leagues thus far this season and I just feel like I'm never going to accomplish that. No matter how good I bowl...its just never gonna happen.

Same thing with an 800-series. I might bowl a 240 game in Game 1 and think, "Wow. Maybe this is the night I bowl an 800!" Then I do the math in my head and realize, "Yeah...IF...you bowl two straight 280 games...which you've never even bowled once.

Since I've been in Kansas, I've personally seen probably 15 perfect games and 2 800-series...but the closest I've gotten is a 267 (twice) and a 720 series. And that may sound "close" to the non-bowler...but its nowhere NEAR close.

I'm approaching 4000 games bowled...I've been keeping track since I was a kid...and while I certainly am "closer" to a 300-game...and yes I bowled one once in practice...I honestly don't think its going to happen. Its much more likely that I'll suffer a knee, elbow, hip, shoulder injury and then my game will quickly go in the toilet.

[boatman37]

I know the feeling. I have been bowling league since about 1981 (12 years old) minus a 16 year layoff so about 25 years if you take into account i also skipped a couple of years in the early 90's. Only ever bowled 1 night a week so roughly 100 games per season bowled so about 2500 games. Never had a 300. I did throw 12 in a row once in a 2 game span in league.
I did bowl a 290 a few years ago in states tournament when I was partnered with Jim Pencak but I 6 or 7 pinned in the first frame so to me that doesn't count as being close. Threw a 287 a couple years ago so did get the front 10. Thats the closest I have ever been. This year I can't even get close. My average is slightly higher this year but I'm more consistent. My high game this year is only a 255. I have given up on it. I'll be 56 in a few weeks and I'm sure at some point I'll probably get it but I'm done 'expecting' it. If it happens it happens

[J Anderson]

I started around this time of year in 1975. i didn’t bowl much from fall of 76 to spring of 80, but never left the ball in the closet for an entire year. For the first 30 years I treated bowling as a game and a social activity. Thus I do not expect every ball the touches the headpin to be a strike. I don’t get bent out of shape if I leave a stone 8 or 9 pin or a ringing 10 pin. In short a 300game would be great, an 800 series even better, but they aren’t actually goals for me.

[Aslan]

Well, I've only been bowling in leagues since 2014...so I haven't been at this as long as you two have. Which...'should' make me feel better. But...given that honor scores were exceptionally rare in the 70s and 80s...you almost can't count those decades. If ball technology and lane patterns were the same as the 70s/80s...I wouldn't be nearly as frustrated. My grandpa and uncle bowled regularly for decades back then and left bowling or passed away without ever achieving it...but back then very few people achieved it...thats why the rings were such a big deal.

I guess its nice to hear I'm not alone. And I agree with JAnderson...its not a "goal" of mine as much as goals around increasing spare shooting % or my average. Working on the fundamentals and gradually seeing your average move upward (usually as a result of better timing and better spare shooting) is a more important goal. He's right, if it (honor score) happens it happens.

Its like anything else in bowling. You see someone get their 9th 300-game and you think, "He and I have nearly the same average...how come I can't hit that?" Same thing with stupid stuff like "mystery score". We had a guy Wednesday win it for the 2nd time this season. Most people (including myself) have never won it. I think I've won 50/50 raffles a few time...but never the mystery score.

[boatman37]

I bowled adult leagues from about 1990 till 2002 and think I might have seen 1 300 in all that time. When I left in 2003 a 200 average was pretty darn good and IIRC 205 was the highest in our league. Now today we have about 4 or 5 guys over 230 average and since my return in 2018 I have probably seen 20 300 games. One night a team we were bowling had 2 guys on their team bowl 300 against us in the same game. Stephan Kosela (Mr 900) has over 100 300's. My PSO is probably over 50 300's by now and he is only about 40 years old. BTW - Stephan is only about 45.
Side note, Stephan told me a couple years ago that he had given away 6 of his 300 rings to youth bowlers and told them to give them back when they got their first 300. As of that day he said he had only gotten 1 back. But thats a pretty cool deal he did there. I have known him since about right when he bowled that 900 and he is a really nice guy.

[Aslan]

I wonder when and how often you move if you shoot a 900? Does the line hold up for all 36 shots? Or do they make tiny moves over time? Do they have a "system"....like, "Even if I'm continuing to strike...I make a 1:2 after each game?

It's always hard to move when you're striking...but ya kick yourself if ya don't move and you think you should have.