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George Freeman's Expert Bowling Tips

Making Excuses
12/29/2000 - By George Freeman
     I'm sure everyone has seen the bowler's crying towel, the shirts etc.

     "The ball stuck on my thumb."

     "The air was too hot."

     You name it. Almost as long as bowling has been in existence, there have been excuses as to why bowlers do not do as well as they would like. It's important to keep in mind, however, that making excuses is no substitute for making sure whatever ails your game is corrected. Everytime I think I've heard it all, I hear something new. But here are some things to keep in mind.

     Be honest with yourself. None of us are perfect, we're human beings. We all make mistakes, we don't always throw perfect shots. In order to properly adjust to the lanes, you need to be able to honestly ascertain whether you threw a good shot. If you adjust off of a bad shot, you will get a bad read of the lanes, and then dig a bigger hole for yourself.

     Keep your ego in check. All of us have an ego, without exception. We all would like to think that we can go out on any given occasion and knock the pins dead. But, since this is real life, that doesn't happen. Team USA Head Coach Fred Borden said it best, "Excuses are like armpits, they all stink". Sometimes, life just deals you a bad hand. It's better to leave it at that, and go on to the next day than to come up with 1001 reasons as to why you didn't bowl well. That will play on your mind the next time you go out to bowl. Treat every game as a new slate, and you'll do well in the long run. My own bowling coach has a saying on his wall that I live by:

     Every bowler is actually 3 different bowlers:
     The one he believes himself to be.
     The one he would like to be.
     The one he actually is.

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