Bowling in the Green

Coaches have two basic jobs: helping bowlers be their best and continuing to make their best even better. If this sounds a bit confusing, it’s because it is.

“Your best” is essentially a reflection of your skill level at a moment in time. It is what you are capable of doing when you are tying up your bowling shoes for league or tournament play. As you improve, your best will change. Think of your first year of bowling and compare it to where you are now. At that time, your best was probably lower than your current average.

On the other hand, if life has made bowling less of a priority for you, or if age has eroded your skills, your best right now might not be as good as your best from a few years ago.

This article will cover some mental tools to help you bowl your best with the game you have today.

Setting the stage

Let’s start by understanding that your best is subjective. Each individual’s best version of themselves is different from everyone else. As Dr. Dean Hinitz has said, “Every bowler has a winning style of play.”

For example, a bowler with a 180 average might be at their best one night and shoot a 665 series. But for a bowler with a 220 average, that is simply an average night. So, your best is personal, it’s subjective, and it’s not based on a simple objective number. The important thing here is to realize that bowlers get into trouble when they start comparing themselves and their best to other bowlers.

Your best is also variable

Another key thing to remember is that your best can also change. As I mentioned above, your evolution as a player affects what your best really looks like at any given time in your bowling career.

On a more micro scale, the best you can do on a given night can be negatively affected by outside stressors, lack of sleep or sickness. On the flip side, though, it can ...