Bowling Lessons By Bill Spigner

My featured Bowlers Journal International “The Pro Approach” article this month—“Kuhlkin’s Key: Open-Mindedness” is from the January, 2019 issue and features 3-time PWBA Champion including the 2018 US Open, Liz Kuhlkin.

Liz has had an outstanding career since she was a youth bowler—earning the national high youth girl’s average of 225 in the 2009-09 season; 228 in the 2009-10 season; and 225 in the 2010-11 season.

From there she went to bowl collegiately at powerhouse University of Nebraska, where she was a star on that team that won the 2013 and 2015 NCAA Bowling Championships and she was the 2013 NCAA Bowling Championships Most Outstanding Player, 2015 NTCA Division 1 Player of the Year, 3-time NCTA first team All-American, 2015 Nebraska Female Athlete of the Year, and won 9 medals in international competition as a member of Jr. Team USA and Team USA.

Since I wrote this article, she was the USBC National High Average Award winner for the 2019-20 season averaging 240; 2021-22 season averaging 247.29 (4th highest all-time average); 2023-24 season averaging 239.80; and 2024-25 season averaging 246.39 and her 1,155 4-game series she shot in April, 2024 is 2nd all-time. The 890 3-game series she shot in October, 2016 and the 879 series she shot in February, 2017 are the 1st and 2nd all-time series by a woman.

My article covers her changes from her youth success to college, where I explain the 5 small changes she made to her game at Nebraska, which eventually lead to her PWBA Tour success.

After going on the PWBA Tour she had immediate success, but she began to struggle my article explains how she worked her way out of her problems to become the 2018 US Open champion. She took time off from the PWBA Tour the past two years and is planning to bowl every event except one. I wish her the best as she has a lot of talent and a special game that can strike with the best.

My July featured Bowlers Journal International “The Pro Approach” article—“Parkin: A Backswing Like No Other" is from the May, 2013 issue and features 2011 USBC Queens Champion, 45-time medal winner as a 13-time Team USA member and 4-time Jr. Team USA member, and 3-time PBA Regional Champion Missy Parkin.

Missy has one of the great swings in bowling—she has been successful at every level, and unfortunately for her, the women’s tour was nonexistent for many of her prime years.

Her small frame produces a lot of effortless power because of her timing, body positions and swing which I explain in my article. Missy has used a 16-pound ball throughout her career when other ladies were using 14- and 15-pound balls, along with a lot of male players using 15 lbs.

Take a page out of Missy’s success—develop a long, loose swing.

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As Confucius said--before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.

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