Conflicted Bowler!

[Zothen]

Over the summer a teammate brought to my attention that my ball was rolling end over end instead of side roll. So I practiced and started to get side roll again that is until 2 weeks ago when my ex teammate brought up the same problem. I told him what happened to the pins when the ball hit and he said they all went down,I said so whats the problem,he said my ball should have side roll,so I walked away pissed! Now i'm conflicted,because I see videos and watch the 200+ bowlers and i'm like,damn I wish I can figure out how to get side roll all the time. I asked my pro shop and they said not to worry about it. This season so far I went from 150 book to a current 176 after 24 games bowling without thinking about my game,now i'm constantly thinking about side roll and its starting to bother me. I notice that 1 game can be half side roll and half end over end or all side roll or all end over end.

So the question is-Does it really matter weather a fingertip ball has side roll as oppose to end over end,if your constantly in the pocket?

Thanks for the replies!

Zothen

[striker12]

well it dose not really matter it witch way it feels better coming off your hand some days i have side roll but most of the time i have end over end but also take a look at chris barns he is a side roll but he is not always side roll he dose end over end once and awhile it just depends on how you think the lanes are and how you like it coming off your hand.

[J Anderson]

It depends on how serious you are about bowling. If you expect that 90% of your pocket hits will be strikes it matters. To have the greatest chance of getting a strike the ball has to enter the pocket at the correct angle, about 6 degrees, with enough momentum to knock down all ten pins, but not so much that the ball doesn't deflect a bit. This is going to happen when the axis rotation, axis tilt, rev rate and ball speed match up to the lane condition.

What is very frustrating for some people is that bowling on a typical house shot its easy to hit the pocket. They see the ball hit the pocket and think it should be a strike regardless of how badly they missed their target. They don't realize how much the angle changed because they skidded through the heavy oil on a pulled shot, or how much energy the ball lost on a miss to the outside that gets into the dry too early and rolls out before hitting the pocket.

[Greenday]

how much energy the ball lost on a miss to the outside that gets into the dry too early and rolls out before hitting the pocket.

This is the problem that has been plaguing me. I'll hit the pocket, but my ball uses up all of it's energy too early. Leaves a lot of ten pins. I've been working on staying on top of the ball. It's been rough, because I've been throwing slowly when I focus on it. My coach asked me to throw it as if someone asked me to get as much hook as possible. Chucked it harder, ball got a lot more skid, then snapped hard into the pocket destroying all ten pins. Too bad this was the end of practice today and I had ripped some skin over where I had hand surgery.

[Zothen]

Unfortunately I never really paid attention to how the ball came off my hand,now I constantly watch the ball roll and I know it's affecting my game. I've had shots were the 7 pin will wobble on what everyone thought was a solid pocket. last night I had a end over end pocket that sent the 8 pin spinning and wobbling only to be left standing. I guess tomorrow I practice trying to get side roll.

Zothen

[billf]

I've been working on staying on top of the ball.

On top of the ball? Are you sure you typed that correctly?

[billf]

I guess tomorrow I practice trying to get side roll. Zothen

Given your knowledge of the game I assume you know how to get side roll but figured I would be sure. Do you know how you normally obtain side rotation? How much rotation are you trying to get?

[Greenday]

On top of the ball? Are you sure you typed that correctly?

Yea. It doesn't mean literally on top of the ball. More like instead of my hand being behind the ball, to keep my wrist more straight.

That's how my coach words it anyway. "On top of". My hand usually is bent backwards at the wrist so I've been working on it.

[billf]

Behind the ball the wrist has to be straight. Under, it's cupped. On top, it's bent backwards. Now I'm more confused than before but whatever, as long as you two understand what he means that's all that matters.

[bowl1820]

Behind the ball the wrist has to be straight. Under, it's cupped. On top, it's bent backwards. Now I'm more confused than before but whatever, as long as you two understand what he means that's all that matters.


That's how my coach words it anyway. "On top of". My hand usually is bent backwards at the wrist so I've been working on it.

http://www.bowlingboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=663&d=1351221037

Relaxed Wrist:
The weakest position in terms of the potential energy that may be imparted to the ball is relaxed wrist. The relaxed wrist places the hand on top of the ball. With the hand located well above the equator of the ball, the fingers exit the ball earlier, limiting the amount of energy and opportunity to generate revs to the ball.

[Greenday]

Now I'm hoping I just remember it wrong. On the bright side, it's understood that my wrist is relaxed and I'm losing all my power too early.

[Tampabaybob]

Zothen: Where is the oil track on your ball ? If it's between the thumb and finger holes then you're throwing a full roller. When someone comes up straight behind the ball you'll usually see the track there. If your track is to the right of the thumb and finger holes (and you can still come up somewhat behind the ball) then you are getting some side rotation. That track is know as a semi-roller. Try changing your hand position at your stance, having your thumb at 2:00 o'clock and your fingers at 10:00 o'clock. This will give you a little different roll, more side roll and probably a bit more hook. Make sure your wrist and forearm are straight. In other words don't bend or break your wrist during the entire swing. Just as though you had a board strapped to your arm and wrist. At release just slowly rotate your fingers counterclockwise for your release. Notice where the track is when the ball comes back. It should be a little further away from the thumb and fingers. Try it at practice and let us know how it worked.

Bob

[Tampabaybob]

This is the problem that has been plaguing me. I'll hit the pocket, but my ball uses up all of it's energy too early. Leaves a lot of ten pins. I've been working on staying on top of the ball. It's been rough, because I've been throwing slowly when I focus on it. My coach asked me to throw it as if someone asked me to get as much hook as possible. Chucked it harder, ball got a lot more skid, then snapped hard into the pocket destroying all ten pins. Too bad this was the end of practice today and I had ripped some skin over where I had hand surgery.

I'm seeing why Bill is confused. If your coach is telling you to "BEND YOU WRIST BACKWARDS" (see the illustration Bowl1820 put up), then he is not helping you get more roll on the ball you would get less roll. This is a basic point that all coaches would tell you NOT TO DO. Definitely want to keep your wrist and forearm straight all the way thru the swing. If anything he might tell you to cup the ball a little but never bending it backwards.

Bob

[Zothen]

@Billf-I make sure to stay under the ball til release and I make sure my arm is straight and hand is in a handshake position.

@Tampabaybob-

[Greenday]

I'm seeing why Bill is confused. If your coach is telling you to "BEND YOU WRIST BACKWARDS" (see the illustration Bowl1820 put up), then he is not helping you get more roll on the ball you would get less roll. This is a basic point that all coaches would tell you NOT TO DO. Definitely want to keep your wrist and forearm straight all the way thru the swing. If anything he might tell you to cup the ball a little but never bending it backwards.

Bob

He's not telling me to bend it backwards. I naturally keep it backwards and he's trying to get me to stop that.

[Zothen]

For some reason I can't edit my post. Next time i'll stay awake at the keyboard!

@Tampabaybob-The pro shop says my track is where it's suppose to be,so i'll bring my ball in to them in a couple weeks and see if it has moved back up towards the fingers.

Zothen

[Tampabaybob]

He's not telling me to bend it backwards. I naturally keep it backwards and he's trying to get me to stop that.

Ok, I think we mis-understood that he was telling you, to bend it backwards.

Bob