"Practice, practice, practice" and "Practice makes perfect." We've all heard it, but, how many of us do it? If you're a recreational bowler and are satisfied with only having a good time, then practice sessions are probably not for you. If, however, you want to be better than average, you should make it a routine to practice. It's common sense that whatever you want to be good at, you must do it until it becomes "automatic."

The more times you're able to get on the lanes for practice sessions, the higher your average will be. This is true whether or not you bowl in a weekly league or get-together with friends once-a-month to socialize. The latest statistics place the average bowler in the U.S. at between a 150 and 155 average.

In your practice, you will ideally be with a coach or a friend; but, at a minimum, you will have read a book, watched a video, or gotten advice from another person. The main thing is that you have reference points to work on during the practice session. Keep in mind that the fundamental purpose of a practice session is not to bowl high scores; the only purpose for practice is to improve your game.

Most higher average bowlers may throw one entire practice game concentrating on picking up the ten pin, getting their arm swing smoother, or keeping their shoulders straight. They don't worry about what their score is. They may also spend their time focusing on picking up spares rather than rolling strikes. In summary, the practice session has them working on one or two special things that they believe needs to be improved for their game to get better.

Simply put, high scores in practice don't really count for anything while high scores in leagues or tournaments do. Bowling a 300 game during your practice session can give you a little bit of "bragging rights." Doing it in a certified tournament or league gets you awards, sometimes cash, and your name in print. Do you know that your name is also listed in the Bowling Hall of Fame website if you do roll a 300 game? It sure is.

With the recent increase in popularity of bowling, there's lots of opportunities for an individual to gain money or fame. Local amateur tournament bowling clubs, sweepers, nationwide tournaments, and various competitions can make it worth your while to improve your game. There are so many venues at the amateur level offering substantial cash prizes that it can be very lucrative for the person who practices and improves their bowling game. Even if you are only in it for the competition and don't care about the money, it behooves you to practice as often as you can.

To paraphrase an old saying, "if you give a monkey a bowling ball he'll eventually throw a strike or a spare." To improve your game and become more competitive in the sport of bowling, you have to set aside time to do some practice bowling.