Raise Your Bowling Scores By Reducing Open Frames

By: bowlingball.com,  Originally Posted: 8/1/17; Updated: 12/7/2020

As a new bowler interested in improving, raise your bowling scores by reducing open frames.

It is to your distinct advantage to reduce the number of open frames you encounter on average per game.

The real message here is to learn to become a good spare shooter.

Once you develop your physical game skills sufficiently, work especially hard on learning a reliable spare conversion system.

Converting routine spares is the quickest way of improving your scores. As many league bowlers or competitive bowlers say, "Strikes for the show, spares for the dough." Your spares can make or break a good game easily.

No typical bowler competing in leagues gets a strike nearly as often as being faced with a spare to convert in order to avoid an open frame.

Remember, there are several reasons why open frames pop up during competition.

It is difficult to avoid an open frame so we must accept they will happen. However, it is possible to reduce the number you record by simply avoiding careless shots.

Carelessness can develop through anger or from anxiety when making one poor shot which, in turn, produces a poor result. Make sure you reset and refocus before each shot. Take a deep breath.

Although it is much more fun to roll strikes, it is more important to develop accuracy in shooting spares.

Train your thinking to pay full attention to every shot, not just strike shots.

Everyone will leave an unmakeable split (or a split which is almost never made) from time to time. It is part of the game.



Your challenge is to avoid careless shots by improving your ability to make spares.

Although you may be a new bowler or one just now trying to improve your game, set a goal of zero tolerance, zero open frames. Reduce the open bowling frames by becoming a very good spare shooter.

As you well know, raise your bowling scores by reducing open frames.