SPARE YOUR SPARES AND MAKE YOUR COUNT! 😄 💕

Hey guys, 💕

So I’ve been thinking lately… just how important are spares and getting your count?

The other night at league, I was having a decent game when I left a 4-10 split in the 10th frame. I heard my boyfriend yell, “Just get count!” — and he was right, I wasn’t making that split! So I took the count… and would you believe it? I ended up tying for high game — three ways! I know it wasn’t a solo win, but still, it felt good!

Watching the PBA this season was such a rollercoaster — so impressive! We got the BowlTV subscription and absolutely loved watching bowlers we know (and don’t know!) take on the lanes. But it really got me thinking. Some cuts were missed by one pin. Matches were won by just a couple of pins. It shows how important spares — and especially count — really are.

So I wanted to share a little story about how I learned to “spare my spares.” 😄

Back in high school, my mum (she’s the best!) would literally pull me out of school just to take me to the bowling alley to practice. There were days I only had my spare ball with me! That’s when I started using the 3-6-9 rule — the oldest rule in the book!

Here’s how it works:

- For left side spares, start from your strike line and:

1. Move 3 boards right for the 2-pin

2. 6 boards for the 4-pin

3. 9 boards for the 7-pin

- For right side spares, start from your 10-pin line and:

1. Move 3 boards right for the 6-pin

2. 6 boards for the 3-pin

And guess what? It actually works! But over the years, I’ve realized not everyone learns the same way, and that’s okay! We all find what works best for us. Just like in life — people take different paths to get to the same destination.

Now, after all these years, I pretty much know where I’m standing for every spare. 😄
Do I always use a spare ball? Well… it depends.

In college, I used my spare ball for everything — even the 5-pin — especially on tougher conditions. On today’s house shots, I’ve let myself get comfortable using my strike ball for some spares too. It took time, but now I love having two ways to spare and choosing what works best in the moment.

The 10-pin was a big one for me. It took years to feel confident with it. I aim for the ball to go over the middle arrow — that area usually has a good amount of oil, so my spare ball gets a consistent read. I’ll move 3-5 boards right for the 6-pin, depending on lane conditions.

But let’s talk about the 3-6-10 — one of the trickiest spares (in my opinion)! The “book move” says go 6 boards right from your 10-pin shot. I tried it... and it just didn’t work for me. The 3-pin alone? No problem. But the combo? Tough!

So I did what I encourage all of you to do — I adjusted. I moved farther right, played straighter up the boards, and used my spare ball with my normal release. My spare ball has a tiny bit of hook, but I try to throw it straight with a slightly closed angle — I found across lane gave me too much room for error. This game me a lot less angle and a lot less stress, and honestly, it works for me.

So here’s the moral of the story:

If something’s not working… try something different!
Don’t be afraid to experiment. Not everything has to be by the book — we all learn in different ways.
Put in the work, and you might be surprised at what you discover. 💪

Thanks for reading 💕