Taking Notes for Bowling Improvement

When it comes to the equipment and accessories needed for bowling, it’s likely that a few specific things come to your mind.

A bowling ball, of course. Bowling shoes too, then maybe a glove or wrist support. A notebook, on the other hand, is unlikely to earn a spot on your list.

But perhaps it should be, as notetaking can be an important part of improving as a bowler.

You may think this sounds a little strange. After all we’re talking about bowling, not taking a test in school.

But notetaking in some form can be a huge help in the long run. This article will explain why.

What to Take Notes on in Bowling

Notetaking for bowling looks a little different from the way we jot down details in other contexts. In most cases it will look pretty heavily numerical: a good starting point is to record your starting spot, the target you threw at, where the ball hit the pins and the result (ie. strike or what pins were left).

Taking notes on which pins you leave and what spares you pick up gives you a wealth of valuable information.

Making sure to focus your notes on lane conditions is an especially useful practice, especially as conditions change over the course of your bowling session. Are you starting to come in heavy or light? Is a technical problem causing you to miss your target? Do you detect any changes to your ball speed?

If you’re facing sport patterns or other conditions that frequently change, then notes on your reads and how the lanes respond is especially crucial. If your environment is more like the same house shot every week, then you’ll want to focus on how those conditions transition within the bowling session.

Overall, as you’re deciding what notes to take, try to strike a balance between being thorough but not too tedious, as you don’t want to try to do too much if it’s going to take the attention away from your actual bowling.

Finally if you use multiple balls in your arsenal, make sure to specify the type of reaction you are getting from each one. (This can also help remind you when it may be time to add surface to your ball.)

Many bowlers also take notes during their practice sessions much in the same way.

But don’t forget that learning how to make adjustments “in the moment” is the crucial piece, so use your notes as a way to keep sight of the big picture.

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