There is never such a thing as too much practice, no matter what anyone says. Even if you are shooting badly, concentrate on making your spares. It is a good time to jack around trying out splits, washouts and double wood. Maybe the session itself is boring, but instead of practicing strikes, intentionally go high or light, leave sparework, and practice those. One missed spare could be worth as much as 12 pins. I practice whenever I can, and sub whenever I can, along with bowling three leagues a week.

Part of it depends on how much you like bowling, and what you are doing with it. Regular tournaments either 9-12 games over 2 days. If you go to nationals, you need to be able to throw seven games if you do the 40 frame game and Bowlers Journal the same day, god forbid before singles and doubles, that would make 13. If you ever decide to shoot a regional, you have to do at least eight the first day, and maybe as many as 17 if you make the cut on the next day.

Almost every bowling center has weekly specials. The best are the all-you-can-bowl ones of course. In my area it is usually $8 for these specials. Take advantage of it whenever you can. Get that wrist like steel. If you practice enough the pain will go away. At least it did for me. I also suggest a plastic spare ball. If anything to avoid excess wear and tear on your strike balls when practicing. My plastic ball was the best $60 (drilled)I've spent.

I believe it's more important "how" you practice than how much.

If you are just trying to throw strikes in your home house, I'd say that this is wasting valuable practice time. Though we all love to throw strikes, when it comes down to it, it's a game of spares. In competition you just cant' afford open frames.

So my advice is to practice spares. Make your first ball a shot at the corner pins. Try to throw a washout and then try to convert the spare.

Guess who the winner is: The guy who throws 8 strikes out of 12 possible but opens in the 5th, 8th and 9th frames or the guy who has a double and three other strikes, but picks up every spare.

I agree with the post above me. Depends on how you practice. I practice pretty much everyday. I don't practice in a bowling alley everyday but I do practice. At home I practice my timing, my swing, and my mental game. I also practice my lift on the edge of the table. I actually practice in a bowling alley 3 - 6 games a week. At least one of those games are just shooting at a pin first (like the 10 pin) and then where the pin was standing. I usually only bowl 1 game for actual score. The other games I work on either getting out the ball clean and following through, consistently hitting the same mark, my approach or playing different lines on the lane without switching balls.

Well i break it all down. Mondays I go and shoot 8 games:

Warm up-get everything stretched. Get my thumb worked in.

No step approach-work on the release, good free arm swing, see the target hit the target.

1 step-Try my best to keep the same attributes from above with a minor amount of momentum.

3 step

full approach

3 game set for score.


Then on other days of the week..i work on circuits, hand rotation, and battle sport conditions.